A New Education for a New Consciousness: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother on Education

by Sri Aurobindo and The Mother

"Man is a transitional being", said Sri Aurobindo.

Today's human being is gradually going to be succeeded by another being who will have a consciousness far beyond mind's. This supra-consciousness which Sri Aurobindo has called the "Supramental" consciousness has been at work on earth for some time now. The future course of man's life, his modes of perception, his knowledge will gradually open to the workings and demands of this new consciousness which is already latent in man.

To prepare the future generations for this change of consciousness, for this 'new world' which is going to take birth - an appropriate education had to be developed, the basic principles and major guidelines of which are revealed in the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.

This comprehensive book has attempted to bring together all the significant writings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother on education, not only on what is meant by the word "education" today but what it would imply in the future with the gradual emergence of the new consciousness.

Extract:

We are in a very special situation, extremely special, without precedent. We are now witnessing the birth of a new world; it is very young, very weak - not in its essence but in its outer manifestation - not yet recognised, not even felt, denied by the majority. But it is here. It is here, making an effort to grow, absolutely sure of the result. But the road to it is a completely new road which has never before been traced out -- nobody has gone there, nobody has done that! It is a beginning, a universal beginning. So, it is an absolutely unexpected and unpredictable adventure.

There are people who love adventure. It is these I call, and I tell them this: "I invite you to the great adventure." It is not a question of repeating spiritually what others have done before us, for our adventure begins beyond that.

It is a question of a new creation, entirely new, with all the unforeseen events, the risks, the hazards it entails - a real adventure, whose goal is certain victory, but the road to which is unknown and must be traced out step by step, in the unexplored.

Something that has never been in this present universe and that will never be again in the same way. If that interest you... well, let us embark. What will happen to you tomorrow, I have no idea. One must put aside all that has been foreseen, all that has been devised, all that has been constructed and then... set off walking into the unknown. And - come what may!

- The Mother 

About the Authors:

Born in Paris in 1878, the Mother studied painting at an art studio and became an accomplished artist. Primarily interested in inner development, she was associated with several groups of spiritual seekers in France.

In 1914 she journeyed to India to meet the Indian mystic Sri Aurobindo in Puducherry and settled there permanently in 1920. For nearly fifty years, she was the head of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, from its founding in 1926 until her passing in 1973. She also established a school, the Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, in 1952, and an international township, Auroville, in 1968.

Sri Aurobindo was an Indian/Hindu nationalist, scholar, poet, mystic, evolutionary philosopher, yogi and guru. After a short political career in which he became one of leaders of the early movement for the freedom of India from British rule, Sri Aurobindo turned to the development and practice of a new spiritual path which he called the "integral yoga," the aim of which was to further the evolution of life on earth by establishing a high level of spiritual consciousness which he called the Supermind that would represent a divine life.

Sri Aurobindo wrote prolifically in English on his spiritual philosophy and practice, on social and political development, on Indian culture including extensive commentaries and translations of ancient Indian scriptures, on literature and poetry including the writing of much spiritual poetry.