Editor’s Note: In this conversation with a disciple, dated 2 May 1956, the Mother explains clearly what it takes to perceive the working of a new consciousness in the earth-atmosphere. She reminds that if want the new supramental consciousness to transform us, we must open ourselves and make an effort to progress. The disciple’s questions are in italics.
Sweet Mother, you have said: The Supramental has descended upon earth. What does that mean exactly? You have also said: “The things that were promised are fulfilled.” What are these things?
Ah, that’s ignorance indeed! This was promised a very long time ago, this was said very long ago―not only here―since the beginning of the earth. There have been all kinds of predictions, by all kinds of prophets; it has been said, “There will be a new heaven and a new earth, a new race will be born, the world will be transformed….” Prophets have spoken about this in all the traditions.
You have said, “They are fulfilled.”
Yes. And so?
Where is the new race?
The new race? Wait for something like… a few thousand years, and you will see it!
When the mind descended upon earth, between the time the mind manifested in the earth-atmosphere and the time the first man appeared, nearly a million years elapsed. Now it will go faster because man expects it, he has a vague idea; he is expecting in some sense the advent of the superman, while, certainly, the apes did not expect the birth of man, they had never thought of it for―the good reason that they probably don’t think much. But man has thought of it and awaits it, so it will go faster. But faster means still thousands of years probably. We shall speak about it again after a few thousand years!
(Silence)
People who are inwardly ready, who are open and in contact with higher forces, people who have had a more or less direct personal contact with the supramental Light and Consciousness are able to feel the difference in the earth-atmosphere.
But for that… Only the like can know the like, only the supramental Consciousness in an individual can perceive this Supermind acting in the earth-atmosphere. Those who, for some reason or other, have developed this perception, can see it.
But those who are not even conscious of an inner being―just slightly within―and who would be quite at a loss to say what their soul is like, these certainly are not ready to perceive the difference in the earth-atmosphere. They still have a long way to go for that. Because, for those whose consciousness is more or less exclusively centred in the outer being―mental, vital and physical―things need to take on an absurd and unexpected appearance for them to be able to recognise them. Then they call them miracles.
But the constant miracle of the intervention of forces which changes circumstances and characters and has a very widespread result, this they do not call a miracle, for only the mere appearance is seen and this seems quite natural. But, truly speaking, if you were to reflect upon the least little thing that happens, you would be obliged to acknowledge that it is miraculous.
It is simply because you don’t reflect upon it that you take things as they are, for what they are, without questioning; otherwise every day you would have any number of occasions to tell yourself, “Really, but this is quite astonishing! How did it happen?”
Quite simply, it is a habit of seeing things in a purely superficial way.
Sweet Mother, what should our attitude be towards this new Consciousness?
That depends on what you want to do with it.
If you want to look at it as a curiosity, you have only to watch, to try to understand.
If you want it to change you, you must open yourself and make an effort to progress.
Will people profit collectively or individually from this new manifestation?
Why do you ask this question?
Because many people who have come here are asking, “How are we going to profit from it?”
Oh!
And why should they profit from it? What are their claims to profit? Just because they have taken a train to come here?
I knew some people who came here quite a long, long time ago, something like―oh! I don’t remember now, but very long ago―certainly more than twenty years ago, and the first time someone died in the Ashram, they showed considerable dissatisfaction, saying, “But I came here because I thought this yoga would make me immortal; but if people can die, why would I have come?”
Well, it is the same thing. People take the train to come here―there were nearly a hundred and fifty more than usual this time, just because they wanted to “profit”. But perhaps this is just why they did not profit! For That has not come to make people profit in any way whatever.
They ask if it will be easier to over their inner difficulties.
I shall repeat the same thing. What grounds and what right have they to ask that it should be easier? What have they done, these people, on their side? Why would it be easier? To satisfy people’s laziness and indolence―or what?
Because when something new happens, people always have the idea of profiting from it.
No! not only when there is something new: everywhere and always people have the idea of profiting. But that is indeed the best way of not getting anything.
Whom do they want to deceive here? The Divine?… That is hardly possible.
[…]
Mother, when mind descended into the earth-atmosphere, the apes had not made any effort to change into man, had they? It was Nature which provided the effort. But here…
But it is not man who is going to change himself into superman!
No?
Just try! (Laughter)
That’s it, you see, it is something else which is going to work.
So, we are…
Only―yes, there is an only, I don’t want to be so cruel: Now MAN CAN COLLABORATE. That is to say, he can lend himself to the process, with goodwill, with aspiration, and help as best he can. And that is why I said it would go faster. I hope it will go much faster.
But even so, much faster is still going to take a little time!
(Silence)
~ The Mother, CWM, Vol. 8, pp. 126-130
~ Design: Beloo Mehra
