Integral Yoga Literature - By the Mother

Selections from the Collected Works of the Mother

From Volume 10, On Thoughts and Aphorisms

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The contents of this document are copyright 1976, Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust, Pondicherry, India. You may make a digital copy or printout of this text for your personal, non-commercial use under the condition that you copy this document without modifications and in its entirety, including this copyright notice.

Jnana 34

34 -- O Misfortune, blessed be thou; for through thee I have seen the face of my Lover.

If through misfortune one sees the face of God, then it is no longer misfortune, is it?

Obviously, far from being a mistortune, it is a blessing. And this is precisely what Sri Aurobindo means.

When things happen which are not what we expect, what we hope for, what we want, which are contrary to our desires, in our ignorance we call them misfortunes and lament. But if we were to become a little wiser and observe the depeer consequences of these very same events, we would find that they are leading us rapidly towards the Divine, the Beloved; whereas easy and pleasant circumstances encourage us to dally on the path, to stop along the way to pluck the flowers of pleasure which present themselves t o us and which we are too weak or not sincere enought to reject resolutely, so that our march forward is not delayed.

One must already be very strong, very far along the way, to be able to face success and the little enjoyments it brings without giving way. Those who can do this, those who are strong, do not run after success; they do not seek it, and accept it with ind ifference. For they know and appreciate the value of the lashes given by unhappiness and misfortune.

But ultimately the true attitude, the sign and proof that we are near the goal, is a perfect equality which enables us to accept success and failure, fortune and misfortune, happiness and sorrow with the same tranquil joy; for all these things become marv ellous gifts that the Lord in his infinite solicitude showers upon us.

25 May 1960

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Last modified on Aug 11, 1995