Page 18 - NAMAH-Apr-2025

Namah Vol. 33, Issue 1, 24th April 2025

at the bottom of a ravine. I had to in order to Integral Yoga views of death as the current
survive (27).” mechanism for progressive transformation in
matter and in human consciousness. Reflecting
In Susan’s case, her experience of sexual upon our relationship with death, has the
assault and a murder attempt motivated a potential to not only realistically prepare one’s
transformative experience. Brison describes mind for it, whenever it may come, but to live
the experience of survival and recovery as one one’s life informed and empowered with this
in which she had to let her former self die. understanding of the primacy of consciousness
and the immanence of the Divine. The thoughts
In my own experience of sitting with death presented in this article do not pretend to
and suffering, I have come to know in my constitute a constructive theory, nor are they
cells what it means to die, the powerful prescriptive. Instead, they aim to celebrate and
dissolution of my ego self with its preferences marvel at the mystery life and death in light of
and its perceived sense of control — into one the wisdom and goal of Integral Yoga.
that recognises and observes the reality of
suffering, without trying to assert control References
where there is ultimately none to be had.
1. Sri Aurobindo. The Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo,
This is the process of dying. Volume 13. Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram
Trust; 1998, pp. 201-02.
The Mother says, “The fact is that everything is
in a state of perpetual progressive development, 2. Sallnow L et al. Value of Death: Bringing Death
that is, the whole creation, the whole universe Back into Life. The Lancet 2023: 399 (10327):
is advancing toward a perfection which seems 837-84.
to recede as one goes forward towards it, for
what seemed as perfection at certain moment 3. Caplan G. Principles of Preventive Psychiatry.
is no longer perfect after a time (28).” New York: Basic Books; 1964.

This is where death facilitates dissolution and 4. Frankl VE. Man’s Search for Meaning. New York:
harbingers the new, a progress from what is Pocket Books, 1963, pp. 45-46.
no longer relevant.
5. Sri Aurobindo. Complete Works, Volume 13, p. 202
Conclusion
6. Ibid., p. 203
The aim of this article has been to encourage a
conscious confrontation with death guided by 7. Sri Aurobindo. Complete Works, Volume 20; 1997,
the philosophy of Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo p. 396.
and the Mother. Death is epistemically,
individually and collectively an existential 8. Sand L, Strang P, Milberg A. Dying cancer
regeneration and transformation. That is its patients’ experiences of powerlessness and
purpose and its value as highlighted in the helplessness. Supportive Care in Cancer 2008;
philosophy of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. 16(7): p. 853-62.

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