The Synthesis of Yoga - Super school Auroville - The Synthesis of Yoga 1003

The very condition of the Integral Yoga is acceptance of all the paths of yoga without claiming that this is superior to the other. But when you do that you find that every individual has his own method of integrating. You should integralize but there is no uniform method by which you integralise. Every one grows where one is and integrates all according to his or her own line of development. There is no fixed proposition that every one should follow so many steps. That is why Mother said: “It is impossible to make a religion out of Sri Aurobindo’s teaching.” Impossible because to make a religion you must have ceremonies and rituals, prescribed acts and you should claim that your method is the best method while according to Sri Aurobindo there is no particular method which is the best one. Every individual has his own method, that can’t be any uniformity about it. You cannot say here there is Integral Yoga you apply this first step, or second step and third step like marching -- you cannot give marching orders in Integral Yoga. There is a complete freedom. Every individual is free to arrive at the explosion of consciousness which is the central thing. Discovery of higher and higher levels of consciousness through expansion of consciousness is the method. You arrive at higher levels of consciousness and what is the method: you break the limits of consciousness. Each one has his own limitations therefore each one has his own method for crossing his limitations. Therefore Sri Aurobindo says in the Integral Yoga every one has his own yoga to be freely chosen by each one. So there can’t be any process of converting somebody saying: “Look I have followed this method now you follow that method only and only through that method you will succeed.” This is a false message. Every individual is free and according to his nature, according to the lines of his development he will be able to integrate all. The shastra of Integral Yoga therefore is to be quite different. It is not one straight line given to everybody saying now you will follow this path. It is a shastra, it is a science but it is a different kind of shastra. If you read The Synthesis of Yoga you will find a new way of approaching yoga. It is a new kind of science, a science which can be adapted to each individual differently. These are the three points that we wanted to make in regard to this paragraph.

“Meanwhile certain general lines have to be formed which may help to guide the thought and practice of the sadhaka.” Although each one has his own method there are certain general lines which can be formed. For example, Integral Yoga, you might say, has three steps: Psychic transformation, Spiritual transformation and Supramental transformation. These three lines of development in general will be common to all the sadhakas who follow Integral Yoga. But these three processes are of such a nature that they can’t be uniform. The way in which you will come to psychic transformation will quite different from the way in which I will come to psychic transformation. The way in which you will arrive at spiritual transformation will be quite different from the other ones, and similarly for the supramental transformation. General lines can be laid down. What is psychic transformation can be lay down, what is spiritual and supramental transformation can be laid down, in general. But what steps you will take, how you will grow that cannot be laid down. Therefore Integral Yoga is always an open book where nothing is closed. In fact Integral Yoga develops with each one, it is an ever fresh yoga. Nobody’s yoga can be duplicated in the other one. So how many variety of Integral Yoga will there be -- Millions and millions of openings, each one having his own way. This is an example of showing what is the meaning of general lines of development and yet a unique line for everyone. Both the propositions have been made by Sri Aurobindo: Integral Yoga is one in which each one has his own method even though if there are general lines of development. Normally you will not be able to arrive at spiritual transformation without psychic transformation, but even this statement is not true. Some will arrive at spiritual transformation earlier than the psychic transformation. Some may even begin supramental transformation, in some respect, even when one is still in psychic transformation in regard to some others elements of his being. But normally psychic transformation should occupy a lot of your time then will come spiritual transformation, then supramental transformation. But they are general lines without forcing each individual to fall in line.

“Meanwhile certain general lines have to be formed which may help to guide the thought and practice of the sadhaka. But these must take as much as possible the form of general truths, general statements of principle, the most powerful broad directions of effort and development rather than a fixed system which has to be followed as a routine. All Shastra is the outcome of past experience and a help to future experience. It is an aid and a partial guide. It puts up signposts, gives the names of the main roads and the already explored directions, so that the traveller may know whither and by what paths he is proceeding. The rest depends on personal effort and experience and upon the power of the Guide.” This is the complete statement of the shastra of the Integral Yoga.