Cosmic Tradition

(Mother to Satprem, 1962:) “My body has never asked for fun or well-being or anything else. “That's life,” it said, “and you just have to take it as it is.” And that's why when I first met someone who told me it could be otherwise (I was already past twenty), I said, “Oh, really? Is that so?” (Mother laughs) And then when he told me all about Théon's teachings and The Cosmic Life and about the inner God and a new world that would be a world of beauty and (at least) of peace and light ... well, I rushed into it headlong.
         But even then I was told: “It depends on YOU alone, not on circumstances – above all, don't blame circumstances; you must find it in yourself, the transformative element is within you. And you can do it wherever you are, even in a cell at the bottom of a hole.” The groundwork was already done, you see, since the body never asked for anything.”

(Mother to Satprem, 1961:) “There is always what could almost be called a popular way of presenting things. Take the whole Story of the Creation, of how things have come about: it can be told as an unfolding story (this is what Théon did in a book he called The Tradition – he told the whole story in the Biblical manner, with psychological knowledge hidden in symbols and forms). There is a psychological manner of telling things and a metaphysical manner. The metaphysical, for me, is almost incomprehensible; it’s uninteresting (or interesting only to minds that are made that way). An almost childish, illustrative way of telling things seems more evocative to me than any metaphysical theory (but this is a personal opinion – and of no great moment!). The psychological approach is more dynamic for transformation, and Sri Aurobindo usually adopted it. He doesn’t tell us stories (I was the one who told him stories! Images are very evocative for me). But if one combines the two approaches.... Actually, to be philosophical, one would have to combine the three. But I have always found the metaphysical approach ineffective; it doesn’t lead to realization but only gives people the IDEA that they know, when they really know nothing at all. From the standpoint of push, of a dynamic urge towards transformation, the psychological approach is obviously the most powerful. But the other [the symbolic approach] is lovelier!
         In The Hour of God, there’s a whole diagram of the Manifestation made by Sri Aurobindo: first comes this, then comes that, then comes the other, and so forth – a whole sequence. They published this in the book in all seriousness, but I must say that Sri Aurobindo did it for fun (I saw him do it). Someone had spoken to him about different religions, different philosophical methods – Theosophy, Madame Blavatski, all those people (there was Théon, too). Well, each one had made his diagram. So Sri Aurobindo said, ‘I can make a diagram, too, and mine will be much more complete!’ When he finished it, he laughed and said, ‘But it’s only a diagram, it’s just for fun.’ They published it very solemnly, as if he had made a very serious proclamation. Oh, it’s a very complicated diagram!”

Record of Yoga, p.1360
Diagram c.1931

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(Janaka:) “Then one day, after much searching, questioning and groping in the dark, thanks to a person I met I was initiated into the mysterious teaching, very little known, of a late philosopher: the Cosmic Tradition of Max Théon.
         It was in 1965. I plunged into this study. I didn't understand much of it; nevertheless certain remarks of his made me strangely shudder. Together with some dreamers of my kind, we founded the ‘Pathotic Centre’ in the north of France, a centre which was supposed to offer a place to people in search of the meaning of life. That centre, like the one of Théon in Tlemcen, Algeria, was based on Aïa Aziz's teachings (the Beloved).
         An incredible discovery was in store for me: Théon's symbol, Solomon's seal with a lotus at its centre floating on water, was the same as the one of Sri Aurobindo; and I had just discovered this one on the cover of one of his books!
         After enquiries, I came to know that there was an ashram in South India, at Pondicherry, where there was a lady called ‘The Mother’ who had received initiation from Théon himself. Apparently she had given Théon's symbol to Sri Aurobindo.
         It was like a fairy tale!
         I wrote a long letter to Mother, telling her about my life, not hiding anything of my past mistakes, and I explained to her that I was a follower of the Cosmosophic philosophy. I got an answer, written by the Mother's secretary, a person called Pavitra. He explained that he had read my letter to her; that her answer was that through all my difficulties I had been guided towards ‘my truth’; but that in following Théon's teaching I was fifty years behind! Also, I should send my photo if I was interested to walk further on the way. I was totally overwhelmed. I was granted spiritual guidance!
         Pavitra told me also about the project of Auroville. He asked me questions about our community. It was 1966.
         Two weeks later, I received a blessings packet from the Mother; I took it as a sign that she had accepted me among her children.”

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See also

• Max Théon
• Revue Cosmique