Inspiration: A Slender River of Brightness – Selections from “On Thoughts and Aphorisms” by The Mother (vegetarian)

Mirra Alfassa, who became known as The Mother, or SriMa, was born in 1878 in Paris, France. Although she showed great artistic, musical, and writing talent at an early age, her real interest was the spiritual side of life. Based on her inner experience and guidance by a Saint she later recognized as Sri Aurobindo, she travelled to India in 1914, where she met Him for the first time. The Mother also developed an extensive series of spiritual writings. These highlight a goal of ultimate union with the Divine, along with becoming master of ourselves and our destiny. The following passages come from the Mother’s book, “On Thoughts and Aphorisms,” explain a quote by Sri Aurobindo, “Inspiration is a slender river of brightness leaping from a vast and eternal knowledge; it exceeds reason more perfectly than reason exceeds the knowledge of the senses.”

“Even when you are in contact with these domains, the portion, so to say, which you perceive, is minimal, slender. It is like a tiny little stream or a few falling drops and these drops are so pure, so brilliant, so complete in themselves, that they give you the sense of a marvelous inspiration, the impression that you have reached infinite domains and risen very high above the ordinary human condition. And yet this is nothing in comparison with what is still to be perceived.”

“Later, when one has emerged from the mental consciousness into a higher consciousness beyond the mind, beyond even the higher mind, and when one opens oneself to the Overmind regions, and through the Overmind to the Supermind, one can receive inspirations directly. And naturally at that point they become more frequent, richer, if one may say so, more complete. There comes a time when inspiration can be obtained at will, but this obviously demands considerable inner development.”

“When one opens oneself to the supramental regions, one puts oneself in the right state for receiving constant inspirations. Until then, the best method is to silence the mind as much as possible, to turn it upwards and to remain in a state of silent and attentive receptivity. The more one is able to establish a silent, perfect calm in the mind, the more one becomes capable of receiving inspirations.”