Changes

<div style="color:#000000;">In silence, the consciousness grows. It aspires to know You more and more perfectly. (The Mother, 3 April 1972) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/17/3-april-1972#p1</divref>

<span style="background-color:transparentTo make yourself blank in meditation creates an inner silence;color:#000000;">it does not mean that you have become nothing or have become a dead and inert mass. Making yourself an empty vessel, you invite that which shall fill it. It means that you release the stress of your inner consciousness towards realisation. (The Mother, 3 April 197223 June, 1929)</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/1703/323-apriljune-19721929#p1p21</ref></span>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">To </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">make yourself blank in meditation</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">creates an inner silence; it does not mean An aspiration for all that you have become nothing or have become is essentially true, real, perfect. And this aspiration must be free from words, simply a dead silent attitude, but extremely intense and inert massunvacillating. Making yourself an empty vessel, you invite that which shall fill Not a word must be allowed the right to enter there and disturb it. It means that you release the stress must be like a column of vibrations of aspiration, which nothing can touch—and in total silence—and therein, if something comes down, what descends (and will be clothed in words in your inner consciousness towards realisationmind and in sounds in your mouth) will be the Word. But nothing less than this will do. &nbsp;(The Mother, 23 June, 19297 April 1954)<ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/7-april-1954#p32</spanref>

''How can one silence the mind, remain quiet, and at the same time have an aspiration, an intensity or a widening? Because as soon as one aspires, isn't it the mind that aspires?''No; aspiration, as well as widening and intensity, comes from the heart, the emotional centre, the door of the psychic or rather the door leading to the psychic.The mind by its nature is curious and interested; it sees, it observes, it tries to understand and explain; and with all this activity, it disturbs the experience and diminishes its intensity and force.On the other hand, the more quiet and silent the mind is, the more can aspiration rise up from the depths of the heart in the fullness of its ardour. (The Mother, 17 September 1959) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0316/2317-juneseptember-19291959#p21p2</ref>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">An aspiration for all that is essentially true, real, perfect</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">. And this aspiration must be free from words, simply a silent attitude, but extremely intense and unvacillating. Not a word must be allowed the right to enter there and disturb it. It must be like a column of vibrations of aspiration, which nothing can touch—and in total silence—and therein, if something comes down, what descends (and will be clothed in words in your mind and in sounds in your mouth) will be the Word. But nothing less than this will do.</span> <span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">(The Mother, 7 April 1954)</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/7-april-1954#p32</ref></span> <div style="color:#000000;">''How can one silence the mind, remain quiet, and at the same time have an aspiration, an intensity or a widening? Because as soon as one aspires, isn't it the mind that aspires?''</div> <div style="color:#000000;">No; aspiration, as well as widening and intensity, comes from the heart, the emotional centre, the door of the psychic or rather the door leading to the psychic.</div> <div style="color:#000000;">The mind by its nature is curious and interested; it sees, it observes, it tries to understand and explain; and with all this activity, it disturbs the experience and diminishes its intensity and force.</div> <div style="color:#000000;">On the other hand, the more quiet and silent the mind is, the more can aspiration rise up from the depths of the heart in the fullness of its ardour.</div> <div style="color:#000000;">(The Mother, 17 September 1959)</div> <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/16/17-september-1959#p2</ref> <div style="color:#000000;">If you can relax and feel at ease, it will be very good; if you can enter into the silence, that will be perfect. Every day we shall begin with the prayer: "Grant that I may become conscious of Your presence"; and together we shall aspire for a moment in the silence and ardour of our aspiration. </div> <span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">(The Mother, 10 March 1972)</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/17/10-march-1972#p3</ref></span>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">''How can we establish a settled peace and silence in the mind?''</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">(After a </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">silence</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">) I mean that this exclusiveness is a habit. However, when one has done a little yoga seriously, one knows very well that one can think here (Mother shows the centre of the forehead between the eyebrows, then the right side, then the left) one can think here, one can think here, one can think in front and, as I was saying just now, one can think much higher—up but naturally, one thinks that all thought-phenomena, concentration, are produced in the brain—and when one </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">thinks up above, here (Mother shows the space above the head), one thinks much better than when one thinks here</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">. It is only that one has never tried to do otherwise. Not "never tried", there are quite a number of people who have tried and have succeeded.</span> <span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">(The Mother, 8 September 1954)</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/06/8-september-1954#p55</ref></span>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">Only, when there is the peace and the mental silence, the vital mind tries to rush in and occupy the place or else the mechanical mind tries to raise up for the same purpose its round of trivial habitual thoughts. What the sadhaka has to do is t</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">o to be careful to reject and hush these outsiders</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">, so that during the meditation at least the peace and quietude of the mind and vital may be complete. This can be done best if you keep a strong and silent will. That will is the will of the Purusha behind the mind; when the mind is at peace, when it is silent one can become aware of the Purusha, silent also, separate from the action of the nature.</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/29/silence#p15</ref></span>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">The best is to keep silent and look well at things, and little by little </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">you make notes within yourself and keep the record without pronouncing any judgment.</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">When you are able to keep all that within you, quietly, without agitation and present it very calmly before the highest part of your consciousness, with an attempt to maintain an </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">attentive silence, and wait, then perhaps, slowly, as if coming from a far distance and from a great height, something like a light will manifest and you will know a little more of truth. (The Mother, 20 January 1951) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/04/20-january-1951#p23</spanref>

<span style="background-color:transparentThus a division is created between the mind that thinks and wills and the mind that observes and the Purusha becomes the witness only;color:#000000;">(The Motherhe sees, he understands the process and laws of his thought, 20 January 1951)</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;">but detaches himself from it. Then as the master of the sanction he withdraws his past sanction from the tangle of the mental undercurrent and the reasoning intellect and causes both to cease from their importunities. He becomes liberated from subjection to the thinking mind and capable of the utter silence. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/0423/20the-januaryrelease-1951from-the-heart-and-the-mind#p23p9</ref></span>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">Thus a division It is created between the mind that thinks and wills and quite possible for thoughts to pass without disturbing the mind silence—but for that observes and the Purusha becomes the witness only;</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">he sees, he understands the process and laws of his thought, but detaches himself you must be perfectly detached from it. Then as the master of the sanction he withdraws his past sanction from the tangle of the mental undercurrent and the reasoning intellect thoughts and causes both to cease from their importunities. He becomes liberated from subjection indifferent to the thinking mind and capable of the utter silencethem.</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/2329/the-release-from-the-heart-and-the-mindsilence#p9p4</ref></span>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">It is quite possible for thoughts to pass without disturbing the silence—but for that you must be perfectly detached from the thoughts and indifferent to them.</span><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/29/silence#p4</ref> <span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">The first step is a quiet mind—silence is a farther step, but quietude must be there, and by a quiet mind I mean a mental consciousness within which sees thoughts arrive to it and move about, but does not itself feel that it is thinking or identify itself with the thoughts or call them its own. Thoughts, mental movements may pass through it as wayfarers appear and pass from elsewhere through a silent country—the quiet mind observes them or does not care to observe them but in either case does not become active or lose its quietude. Silence is more than quietude; it can be gained by banishing thought altogether from the inner mind keeping it voiceless or quite outside; but more easily it is established by a descent from above—one feels it coming down, entering and occupying, or surrounding the personal consciousness which then tends to merge itself in the vast impersonal silence.</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/29/quiet-and-calm#p36</ref></span>

<div style="color:#000000;">Listen in a total silence of your whole being—mental, vital and physical.(The Mother, 6 July 1933) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/17/6-july-1933#p6</divref>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">(The MotherWe sat together in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the company of our soul, 6 July 1933)</span>and we witnessed the gates of Eternity opening wide before us. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/1714/6-july-1933silence#p6p20</ref>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">We sat together For it is one of the powers of this inner consciousness to bring about what it sees to be the right thing by simply communicating in entire silence for a few minutes, enjoying to the consciousness of another. That is the true way of acting—through the company power of our soulthe inner consciousness, its knowledge, vision and we witnessed the gates of Eternity opening wide before uswill.</span><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwmcwsa/1430/silencethe-inward-movement#p20p44</ref>

<div style="color:#000000;">For it is one of There are some who have the powers flow of this inner consciousness to bring about what speech by nature and those who are very vital cannot do without it sees to be . But the right thing by simply communicating in entire silence latter case (not being able to do without it) is obviously a disability from the consciousness spiritual point of anotherview. That There are also certain stages in the sadhana when one has to go inward and silence is the true way at that time very necessary while unnecessary speech becomes a dispersion of acting—through the power of energies or externalises the inner consciousness, its knowledge, vision . It is especially this chat for chat's sake tendency that has to be overcome. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/speech-and will.-yoga#p8</divref>

If you want to be an instrument of the Truth, you must always speak the truth and not falsehood. But this does not mean that you must tell everything to everybody. To conceal the truth by silence or refusal to speak is permissible, because the truth may be misunderstood or misused by those who are not prepared for it or who are opposed to it—it may even be made a starting point for distortion or sheer falsehood. But to speak falsehood is another matter. Even in jest it should be avoided, because it tends to lower the consciousness. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/3031/thespeech-inwardand-movementyoga#p44p58</ref>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">There are some who have the flow of speech by nature and those who are very vital cannot do without it. But the latter case (That is not being able to do without it) is obviously a disability from the spiritual point of viewway. There are also certain stages in the sadhana when one has to go inward Absolute silence and silence is at that time very necessary while </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">unnecessary speech becomes a dispersion looseness of the energies</span><span style="background-color:transparenttalk are two extremes;color:#000000;"> </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">or externalises the consciousnessneither is good. It is especially this chat for chat's sake tendency that has to be overcomeI have seen many people practising maunavrata, but afterwards they are just as talkative as before.</span><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/speech-and-yoga#p8p70</ref>

<div style="color:#000000So long as you have to draw your understanding from the forms of words, you are likely to fall into much confusion about the true sense;">but if in a silence of your mind you can rise into the world from which ideas descend to take form, at once the real understanding comes. If you want are to be an instrument sure of the Truthunderstanding one another, you must be able to understand in silence. There is a condition in which your minds are so well attuned and harmonised together that one perceives the thought of the other without any necessity of words. But if there is not this attunement, there will always be some deformation of your meaning, because to what you speak the truth and not falsehoodother mind supplies its own significance. But this does not mean that I use a word in a certain sense or shade of its sense; you must tell everything are accustomed to everybodyput into it another sense or shade. To conceal Then, evidently, you will understand, not my exact meaning in it, but what the truth by silence or refusal word means to speak you. This is permissibletrue not of speech only, because the truth may but of reading also. If you want to understand a book with a deep teaching in it, you must be misunderstood or misused by those who are not prepared for able to read it or who in the mind's silence; you must wait and let the expression go deep inside you into the region where words are opposed no more and from there come slowly back to it—it may even be made a starting point for distortion or sheer falsehoodyour exterior consciousness and its surface understanding. But if you let the words jump at your external mind and try to speak falsehood adapt and adjust the two, you will have entirely missed their real sense and power. There can be no perfect understanding unless you are in union with the unexpressed mind that is another matterbehind the centre of expression. Even in jest it should be avoided(The Mother, because it tends to lower the consciousness26 May 1929) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/03/26-may-1929#p21</divref>

It is possible. Perhaps the one who is silent will understand the other who is not!... But when there is this full accord, even if it is not permanent, when you are with someone and follow a thought far enough to come out of the external agitation, if the other too has followed the same thought, you may find yourselves suddenly agreeing without having spoken or made any effort towards that. Generally the silence comes to both at the same time or almost the same time—it is as though you slid into the silence. Of course, it may happen also that one continues to make a noise in his head, while the other has stopped, but the one who has stopped has a much greater chance of understanding what is happening to the other! (The Mother, 19 March 1951) <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsacwm/3104/speech19-andmarch-yoga1951#p58p20</ref>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">That is If you are not alone and live with others, cultivate the wayhabit of not externalising yourself constantly by speaking aloud, and you will notice that little by little an inner understanding is established between yourself and others; you will then be able to communicate among yourselves with a minimum of words or even without any words at all. Absolute This outer silence is most favourable to inner peace, and looseness of talk are two extremes; neither with goodwill and a steadfast aspiration, you will be able to create a harmonious atmosphere which is goodvery conducive to progress. I have seen many people practising maunavrata, but afterwards they are just as talkative as before<ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/12/the-four-austerities-and-the-four-liberations#p42</spanref>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/31/speech-and-yoga#p70</ref></span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">So long as you have to draw your understanding from the forms of words, you are likely to fall into much confusion about the true sense; but if in a Control over what one says is more important than complete silence of your mind you can rise into the world from which ideas descend to take form, at once the real understanding comes. If you are The best is to be sure of understanding one another, you must be able learn to understand in silence. There say what is a condition useful in which your minds are so well attuned and harmonised together that one perceives the thought of the other without any necessity of words. But if there is not this attunement, there will always be some deformation of your meaning, because to what you speak the other mind supplies its own significance. I use a word in a certain sense or shade of its sense; you are accustomed to put into it another sense or shade. Then, evidently, you will understand, not my most exact meaning in it, but what the word means to you. This is and true not of speech only, but of reading alsoway possible. If you want to </spanref><span style="background-colorhttp:transparent;color:#000000;">understand a book with a deep teaching //incarnateword.in it, you must be able to read it in the mind's silence;</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> <cwm/14/span><span style="backgroundcontrol-color:transparent;color:#000000;">you must wait and let the expression go deep inside you into the region where words are no more and from there come slowly back to your exterior consciousness and its surface understanding. But if you let the words jump at your external mind and try </span><span style="backgroundof-color:transparent;color:speech#000000;">to adapt and adjust the two, you will have entirely missed their real sense and power. There can be no perfect understanding unless you are in union with the unexpressed mind that is behind the centre of expression.p1</spanref>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">(The MotherIf only people did remain a little quiet before speaking, acting or writing, much trouble could be avoided. So many things are said uselessly, 26 May 1929)</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;">they bring misunderstandings and bad feelings which could have been saved with silence. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/0314/26control-mayof-1929speech#p21p6</ref></span>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">It is possible. Perhaps the one who is silent will understand the other who is not!... But when there is this full accord, even if it is not permanent, when you are with someone and follow a thought far enough to come out of the external agitation, if the other too has followed the same thought, you may find yourselves suddenly agreeing without having spoken or made any effort towards that. Generally the silence comes to both at the same time or almost the same time—it is as though you slid into the silence. Of course, it may happen also that one continues to make a noise = Concentrating together in his head, while the other has stopped, but the one who has stopped has a much greater chance of understanding what is happening to the other! (The Mother, 19 March 1951)</span><span styleSilence =="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/04/19-march-1951#p20</ref></span>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">If you are not alone These rare moments of silence and live with others, </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">cultivate the habit of effort to concentrate together―if not to meditate―are they not externalising yourself constantly by speaking aloud</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">, and you will notice that little by little an inner understanding is established between yourself opportunity to receive your force and others; you will then be able to communicate among yourselves with open ourselves a minimum of words or even without any words at all. This outer silence is most favourable little more to inner peace, you and with goodwill and a steadfast aspirationto Sri Aurobindo, you will be able helping to create a harmonious atmosphere which is very conducive to progress.</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;">form our collective soul? <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/1213/the-four-austeritiescommunity-and-the-four-liberationsaffairs#p42p144</ref></span>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">Control over what one says is more important than complete silence. The best is to learn to say what is useful in the most exact and true way possible.</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/14/control-of-speech#p1</ref></span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">If only people did remain a little quiet before speaking, acting or writing, much trouble could be avoided. So many things are said uselessly, they bring misunderstandings and bad feelings which could have been saved with silence.</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/14/control-of-speech#p6</ref></span> == Concentrating together in Silence == <span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">These rare moments of silence and the effort to concentrate together―if not to meditate―are they not an opportunity to receive your force and to open ourselves a little more to you and to Sri Aurobindo, helping to form our collective soul?</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/13/community-affairs#p144</ref></span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">Concentrating together is indeed a very good thing and helps you to become conscious. But </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">it cannot be imposed. I advise you and them to organise this moment of silence daily for all those who want to participate, but without imposing anything on the others. It is not compulsory but it is good.</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/13/community-affairs#p146</ref></span>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">I met an Indian who was a great Gita enthusiast and a very great lover of silence. He used to say, "When I go to my disciples, if they are in the right state I don't need to speak. So we observe silence together, and in the silence something is realised. But when they are not in a good enough state for this, I speak a little, just a little, to try to put them in the right state. And when they are in a worse state still, they ask questions!" (The Mother, 4 April 1956) </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/08/4-april-1956#p13</ref></span> <span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">It would be interesting to formulate or to elaborate a new method of teaching for children, to take them very young. It is easy when they are very young. We need people—oh! we would need remarkable teachers—who have, first, an ample enough documentation of what is known so as to be able to answer every question, and at the same time, at least the knowledge, if not the experience—the experience would be better—of the true intuitive intellectual attitude, and—naturally the capacity would be still more preferable—at least the knowledge that the true way of knowing is mental </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">silence</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">, an attentive </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">silence</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">turned towards the truer Consciousness, and the capacity to receive what comes from there. The best would be to have this capacity; at least, it should be explained that it is the true thing—a sort of demonstration—and that it works not only from the point of view of what must be learned, of the whole domain of knowledge, but also of the whole domain of what should be done: the capacity to receive the exact indication of how to do it; and as you go on, it changes into a very clear perception of what must be done, and a precise indication of when it must be done. At least the children, as soon as they have the capacity to think—it starts at the age of seven, but at about fourteen or fifteen it is very clear—the children should be given little indications at the age of seven, a complete explanation at fourteen, of how to do it, and that it is the only way to be in relation with the deeper truth of things, and that all the rest is a more or less clumsy mental approximation to something that can be known directly.</span> <span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">(The Mother, 5 April 1967)</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/12/5-april-1967#p24</ref></span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"><nowiki>----------------------</nowiki></span> <span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">''Mother, now there is one question, another important question. You have often told us that it is only in the inner silence that we can find the true answer to a question. What is the best way to make the children discover how this silence is established? Is this how consciousness is substituted for knowledge?''</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">You see, in this system of classes where everyone is sitting down, the teacher is there and they have a limited time in which to do the work, it is not possible. It is only</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">if you have absolute freedom that you can establish the silence</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">when you need to be silent. But when all the students are in class and the teacher is in class... when the teacher is establishing the silence in himself, all the students... then it is not possible. He can establish the silence at home, at night, the day before, to prepare himself for the next day, but you cannot... It cannot be an immediate rule. Naturally, when you are at the very top of the scale and you are used to keeping your mind absolutely silent, you cannot help it; but you have not reached that point, none of you. So it is better not to speak about it. So I think that during the... Especially with this system, classes with a fixed time, with a fixed number of students, with a fixed teacher, and a fixed subject... you must be active while you are there. </span>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">(The MotherIt would be interesting to formulate or to elaborate a new method of teaching for children, 11 November 1967)</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnatewordto take them very young. It is easy when they are very young.in/cwm/12/11-november-1967#p149</ref></span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">YesWe need people—oh! we would need remarkable teachers—who have, first, an ample enough documentation of what is known so as to be able to answer every question, thereand at the same time, at least the morning workknowledge, like if not the work they do thereexperience—the experience would be better—of the true intuitive intellectual attitude, "Vers la Perfection"... They can very well do and—naturally the capacity would be still more preferable—at least the knowledge that: remain silentthe true way of knowing is mental silence, concentrated for a momentan attentive silence turned towards the truer Consciousness, </span><span style="background-color:transparentand the capacity to receive what comes from there. The best would be to have this capacity;color:#000000;">silence all thatat least, everything it should be explained that it is noisy insidethe true thing—a sort of demonstration—and that it works not only from the point of view of what must be learned, of the whole domain of knowledge,</span><span style="background-colorbut also of the whole domain of what should be done:transparentthe capacity to receive the exact indication of how to do it;color:#000000;"> </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">like thatand as you go on, it changes into a very clear perception of what must be done, and waita precise indication of when it must be done. In At least the morningchildren, as soon as they can do that. Nohave the capacity to think—it starts at the age of seven, I meanbut at about fourteen or fifteen it is very clear—the children should be given little indications at the age of seven, when you have an hour's classa complete explanation at fourteen, or three-quarters of an hour's class how to do it, and that it is the only way to be in relation with... the deeper truth of things, and that all together with the teacher... you have rest is a more or less clumsy mental approximation to keep yourselves busy. It would something that can be amusing if for three-quarters of an hour everyone could stay..known directly. (laughterThe Mother, 5 April 1967)<ref>http://incarnateword. in/cwm/12/5-april-1967#p24</spanref>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">(The ''Mother, 11 November 1967)</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnatewordnow there is one question, another important question.You have often told us that it is only in/cwm/12/11-november-1967#p154</ref></span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">One thing could be done once, at least once: you set the inner silence that we can find the true answer to a subjectquestion. What is the best way to make the children discover how this silence is established? Is this how consciousness is substituted for knowledge?''You see, like thatin this system of classes where everyone is sitting down, from the course of subjects, you set it teacher is there and tell them, "For they have a quarter of an hour we shall remain silentlimited time in which to do the work, silent; no noise, no one should make any noiseit is not possible. We shall remain It is only if you have absolute freedom that you can establish the silence when you need to be silent for a quarter of an hour. For a quarter of an hour try to remain completely silent, still But when all the students are in class and attentivethe teacher is in class... when the teacher is establishing the silence in himself, and all the students... then we shall see in a quarter of an hour what comes out of itis not possible." You He can reduce it to five minutes to begin withestablish the silence at home, three minutesat night, two minutesthe day before, it doesn't matter. A quarter of an hour is a lotto prepare himself for the next day, but you should docannot... try thatIt cannot be an immediate rule... see. Some Naturally, when you are at the very top of them will start the scale and you are used to fidget. Very few childrenkeeping your mind absolutely silent, perhaps, know how to keep stillyou cannot help it; or else they fall asleep—but it doesn't matter if they fall asleep. You could try but you have not reached that at least oncepoint, see what happens: "Let's see! Who will answer my question after ten minutes' silence? And none of you. So it is better not ten minutes which you will spend trying to get hold of everything you may know mentally speak about it. So I think that during the subject, no, no—ten minutes during which you will be just like ... Especially with thissystem, blankclasses with a fixed time, stillwith a fixed number of students, silentwith a fixed teacher, attentiveand a fixed subject...you must be active while you are there. attentive and silent(The Mother, 11 November 1967) <ref>http://incarnateword."in/cwm/12/11-november-1967#p149</spanref>

<span style=Yes, there, the morning work, like the work they do there, "Vers la Perfection"background... They can very well do that: remain silent, concentrated for a moment, silence all that, everything that is noisy inside, like that, and wait. In the morning, they can do that. No, I mean, when you have an hour's class, or three-quarters of an hour's class with... all together with the teacher... you have to keep yourselves busy. It would be amusing if for three-color:transparent;color:#000000;">quarters of an hour everyone could stay... (laughter). (The Mother, 11 November 1967)</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/12/11-november-1967#p156p154</ref></span>

<span style=One thing could be done once, at least once: you set a subject, like that, from the course of subjects, you set it and tell them, "background-color:transparent;color:#000000For a quarter of an hour we shall remain silent, silent;no noise, no one should make any noise. We shall remain silent for a quarter of an hour. For a quarter of an hour try to remain completely silent, still and attentive, and then we shall see in a quarter of an hour what comes out of it.">You can reduce it to five minutes to begin with, three minutes, two minutes, it doesn't matter. A moment quarter of an hour is a lot, but you should do... try that... see. Some of </span><span style="background-color:transparentthem will start to fidget. Very few children, perhaps, know how to keep still;coloror else they fall asleep—but it doesn't matter if they fall asleep. You could try that at least once, see what happens:#000000;">Let's see! Who will answer my question after ten minutes' silence? And not ten minutes which you will spend trying to get hold of everything you may know mentally about the subject, no, no—ten minutes during which you will be just like this, blank, still, silent, attentive... attentive and silent." (The Mother, 11 November 1967) </spanref><span style="background-colorhttp:transparent;color:#000000;"> </span><span style="background/incarnateword.in/cwm/12/11-november-color:transparent;color:1967#000000;">and concentration is always good for all the children. But the prayer should not be compulsory. Those who want to do it will be encouraged. I suggest that you put up a notice-board in the classroom with these words written on it in large letters:p156</spanref>

<div style="color:#000000;">“Mother A moment of silence and concentration is always here amongst us good for all the children. But the prayer should not be compulsory. Those who want to help us and guide usdo it will be encouraged.”</div>I suggest that you put up a notice-board in the classroom with these words written on it in large letters:

<div style="color:#000000;">Most of the children will understand, “Mother is always here amongst us to help us and some are capable of feelingguide us.</div>”

Most of the children will understand, and some are capable of feeling. <ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/12/mothers-action-in-a-class-of-children-aged-seven-to-nine#p8</ref>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">If you want my help, it is not by accepting one principle of action and rejecting another that you can have it, but by concentrating before the class, by establishing silence and peace in your heart (and in your head too, if possible) and by calling my presence with a sincere aspiration that I should be behind all your actions, not in the way you think that I would act (for that can only be an arbitrary opinion and therefore necessarily wrong), but in </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">silence</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">and calm and inner spontaneity. This is the only true way of getting out of your difficulty.</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/12/mothers-action-in-a-class-of-children-aged-seven-to-nine#p24</ref></span>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">A minimum of </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">silence</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">is necessary. I know that the most undisciplined children are usually the most intelligent. But to be tamed they must feel the pressure of an intelligence that is more powerful than their own. And for that, one must be able not to come down to their level, and above all know how to remain unaffected by what they do. In fact, it is a yogic problem.</span>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">It is true that the guru himself is subject to the same rule of silence with regard to what concerns him personally. In Nature everything is in movement; thus, whatever does not move forward is bound to fall back. The guru must progress even as his disciples do, although his progress may not be on the same plane. And for him too, to speak about his experiences is not favourable: the greater part of the dynamic force for progress contained in the experience evaporates if it is put into words. But on the other hand, by explaining his experiences to his disciples, he greatly helps their understanding and consequently their progress. It is for him in his wisdom to know to what extent he can and ought to sacrifice the one to the other. It goes without saying that no boasting or vainglory should enter into his account, for the slightest vanity would make him no longer a guru but an imposter.</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/12/the-four-austerities-and-the-four-liberations#p60</ref></span>

<span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">And if you do not want your body to fail you, avoid wasting your energies in useless agitation. Whatever you do, do it in a quiet and composed poise. In peace and </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">silence</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">is the greatest strength.</span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0066cc;"><ref>http://incarnateword.in/cwm/12/students#p16</ref></span>