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Namah Vol. 29, Issue 1, 24th April 2021

Here are a few selections from the section person prayed for. Nothing can be positively
on helping others in Sri Aurobindo’s Letters said about that, for the result must necessarily
on Yoga: depend on the persons, whether they are open
or receptive or something in them can respond
“Of course it is the disadvantage of helping to any Force the prayer brings down (18).”
others that one comes into contact with their “As for helping [others], you can only be sure of
consciousness and their difficulties and also that if you yourself have an assured basis, with
gets more externalised (13).” the psychic being always prominent, full of faith
and joy and strength, — then others can gather
“This ‘helping others’ is a perilous business strength and faith and joy from such a one by
— it brings the ‘guru’ ego or else you very speech or contact. But to arrive at that you must,
uncertainly rid others of their difficulties and as I have been telling you, open yourself to the
very certainly get them yourself (14).” Light and Force that come from myself and the
Mother and to no other influence (19).”
“The attempt to help people and clear things
for others was an ego impulse. It magnified the Developing positive relations with others
ego and brought boasting, imagination, vital
flattery (15).” Let us consider now relationships with others
in general, and how this attitude of treating
“The idea of helping others is a subtle form of others as the Divine may come into play.
the ego. It is only the Divine Force that can help. We have already said that our main focus
One can be its instrument, but you should first in the early stages of the Yoga should be on
learn to be a fit and egoless instrument (16).” establishing contact with our psychic being,
on living within as it is sometimes put, and
The last sentence here seems to be crucial not on throwing ourselves out too much into
in terms of helping others, “One can be its relations with others. At the same time, Sri
instrument, but you should first learn to be a Aurobindo and the Mother have said that we
fit and egoless instrument.” should not cut ourselves off from others, that
keeping some relations with others helps us
As I discussed earlier, if one is centred in the keep balance so that yoga does not become
psychic, then naturally, a divine helpfulness solely an interior thing which can lead to
flows out to others. A safer method of helping other difficulties.
others is suggested by the following:
Our relations with others in our work life is
“To want unwaveringly the welfare of another an important area in which we can develop a
both in the head and the heart, is the best help more psychic approach to relations there. It is
one can give (17).” in these relations that we come face to face with
many of the challenges when changing our
“As for prayers, the fact of praying and the own egocentric mental attitudes and the wrong
attitude it brings, especially unselfish prayer tendencies and impulses of our vital nature.
for others, itself opens you to the higher Power, In work also, there should be an emphasis on
even if there is no corresponding result in the remaining centred within, in contact with the

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