Thanks for posting that. I've seen this site and it's ok, if a little speculative. There are one or two things which don't tally with what I know from Mother's works. First, Madame Theon, Alma, was almost certainly English and from the Isle of Wight, also the six-pointed star is a very common symbol - I think it's highly unlikely that Sri Aurobindo became aware of it through Theon. Also, although I agree Theon is an interesting character, I don't think it's fair to class him as 'as important as Blavatsky, Crowley, Stiener and Gurdjieff' as Theon left nothing behind in the way of teachings as these others did. Mother gives us the impression that Theon was more concerned with his own being than helping humanity at large.
Perhaps I should expand a bit on Mother's words regarding Theon's healing abilities. She says that local Arabs in Tlemcen used to come to Theon for healing, and they would leave with their symptoms relieved - however, the ilnesses returned, as did the Arabs for further healing. Mother says that this is because Theon's method (which she learned) involves, so to speak, pushing the illness or imbalance away into an area of what Sri Aurobindo and she always call 'the inconscient', by which is meant un-consciousness. However, it is really only a re-organization of energy in such a process. Eventually, the imbalance that was causing the illness will re-surface. Hence, it seems that Theon's healing powers were a type of occult manipulation of subtle forces, in a sense, only a 'show'. Overall, Mother thought that Theon was working along the wrong lines. He was interested in developing himself as a being possesed of super-human powers. He was not so much interested in helping others to evolve. As to Theon's methods - it seems there is a relationship between the way he worked and the methods of other occultists, such as Crowley. Theon relied on women gifted with psychic abilities and the power to project their consciousness into subtle planes of being. That is why he was involved with Mme. Theon, and why he was keen to work with Mother - Mira Alfassa as she then was. Unlike in the case of Crowley, there was no sexual element to any of this. The incident I described of Theon cutting the link between Mother's consciousness and her physical body whilst she was in deep trance occured because Theon wanted something called 'the mantra of life'. Mother discovered this on a subtle plane of existence, and because she knew what Theon was, she was un-willing to reveal it to him. Interestingly, she also says that from the start, Theon knew who she was. In a sesne, he wanted to exploit Mother's powers for his own ends. Anyway, all this reminds me of the tradition of 'pythonesses' in various occult traditions, and perhaps too of the sybils or oracles of ancient Greece, who were all women with psychic abilities, or so it appears. In Elizabethan England too, the famous magus, Doc. John Dee relied on the seeing powers of his assistant, Edward Kelly, for his knowledge of the Angelic realms in which he was interested. Obviously, Mother regarded Sri Aurobindo as on a plane altogether superior to Theon. However, as I've tried to point out, both assimilated a certain amount of Theon's mythology. The difference, I suppose, is that Sri Aurobindo and the Mother were working for the benefit of all life on earth, and wanted to bring in a total transformation of earthly life into Divine Life. For everyone, not just a few initiates.
Dilip...that was my initial guess, thanks for confirming. The English is too finely crafted and clear to have been a translation...Hare Krishna. Bill...this is a good example of what's been discussed here previously: the attainment of siddhis can be a large detour off the road to self-realization. The Mantra of Life...the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra, perhaps?
Ah ha....I don't think so. It seems that what Mother meant is something that is normally hidden. Speaking of the experience concerned, Mother said the following: "Anyway,it was because of Theon that I first found the 'Mantra of Life', the mantra that gives life, and he wanted me to give it to him, he wanted to posses it - it was something formidable! It was the mantra that gives life (it can make anyone at all come back into life, but that's only a small part of its power). And it was shut away in a particular place, sealed up, with my name in Sanskrit on it. I didn't know Sanskrit at that time, but he did, and when he lead me to that palce, I told what I saw: "There's a sort of design, it must be Sanskrit." I could recognize the characters as Sanskrit. He told me to reproduce what I was seeing, and I did so. It was my name, Mirra, written in Sanskrit - the mantra was for me, and I alone could open it. "Open it and tell me what's there", he said. (All this was going on while I was in a cataleptic trance). Then immediately something in me KNEW, and I answered, "No", and did not read it. I found it again when I was with Sri Aurobindo and I gave it to Sri Aurobindo...but that's another story" Just to add that this comes from 'Mother's Agenda', which is a trascript of her conversations with Satprem from the late 50's up to the early 70's. Mother usually spoke in French, although she was fluent in English.
Thanks Kumar - I'm sure you'd agree with me that the painting does capture a kind of atmosphere that is in the poem - an atmosphere perhaps of a higher world. It certainly is a beautiful painting.From a technical point of view it is superb - there is a real sense of light and movement. Wonderful! Evidently, Huta Hindocha worked closely with the Mother on the project. Hence Mother's explanations of the poem to her. If I find any more paintings in the series, I'll post them here. The True Hero (or heroine) of this thread.
Hare Krishna ! "I'm sure you'd agree with me that the painting does capture a kind of atmosphere that is in the poem - an atmosphere perhaps of a higher world. It certainly is a beautiful painting.From a technical point of view it is superb - there is a real sense of light and movement. Wonderful! " ..........From Bill Yes, Bill, the extra-ordinary painting gives an atmosphere of a higher world; it is superb. I would add here what I wanted to say in my last post on this beautiful painting. I tried and found this to be a wonderful medium for meditation. It may be immensely helpful for others as well. Love, Kumar.
Yes - I'm sure the painting would be good for meditation. And also, just reading 'Savitri' has the power to bring about a shift of consciousness in my experience. It is a unique work.
An added word on the Savitri painting...I emailed it to my wife and she was awestruck...she asked me to print it out and frame it, and also to look for a copy of the book with all the paintings in it.
Dear Spook, I'm not aware of a book - but there is a DVD. It was made by Michael Montecrossa (not too sure about him) in co-operation with Huta Hindocha. There's a preview available at this site http://www.mirapuri-enterprises.com/Filmaur/Catalog/MeditationsOnSavitri.shtml Blessings, BBB.
Bill...thanks for posting the Savitri link, it's an interesting website that will take a little time to investigate. BTW, I found a nice first edition of J.G. Bennett's Long Pilgrimage through abebooks UK, should be receiving it next week. Also, I'm in the middle of Paul Brunton's A Search In Secret India...great account with period British flavor. Hare Krishna..spook
I've not seen Michael Montecrossa'a film - the intro on the site though is quite interesting. Hope you enjoy the Bennett book.
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