Letters on Yoga — III
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Letters on Yoga — III
Experiences and Realisations
in the Integral Yoga
in the Integral Yoga
(Mother:) “You know it is not an individual's experience that he has dealt with: ‘You see this, therefore it is that which must follow.’ No, no, it is far from that. He has dealt with experiences of hundreds and thousands of people, only it is a conglomeration of thousands of experiences so it is vast and complete.”[1]
PART ONE: THE PLACE OF EXPERIENCES IN THE PRACTICE OF YOGA
Section One: The Nature and Value of Experiences
Experiences and Realisations 
The Difference between Experience and Realisation 5 The Yogi and the Sadhak 6 Subordinate and Great Experiences 6 Feelings as Experiences 7 Love, Joy and Experience 8 Imagined Experiences 9 Mental Knowledge and Spiritual Experience 9 Mental Realisation and Spiritual Realisation 11 Spiritual Experience as Substantial Experience 12
The Value of Experiences
Experience and Development of Consciousness 13 The Importance of Small Beginnings 14
Inner Experience and Outer Life
Subjective Experience and the Objective Existence 21 Experience and the Change of One’s Nature 23 Inner Attitude and Outward Things 26 The Power of Creative Formation 26
The Danger of the Ego and the Need of Purification
Spiritual Experiences and the Ego 29 Purification and Preparation of the Nature 32 Mixed and Confused Experiences 35 Purification and Positive Experience 39 Purification and Consecration 41 Purification and Transformation 43 Conditions for the Coming of Experience 44
Suggestions for Dealing with Experiences
Letting the Experiences Develop Naturally 47 Thinking about Experiences 47 Observing Experiences without Attachment 48 Observing Experiences without Fear or Alarm 49 Speaking about Experiences 50 The Difficulty of Keeping Experiences 52
Section Two: Vicissitudes on the Way to Realisation
Variations in the Intensity of Experience
The Up and Down Movement in Yoga 57 Alternations, Oscillations, Fluctuations of Consciousness 59 Fluctuations in the Working of the Force 62 Lulls, Pauses, Interim Periods 63 Drops or Falls of Consciousness 65 Fatigue, Inertia and Lowering of the Consciousness 66 Variations during the Day 68 The Need for Periods of Assimilation 70
Emptiness, Voidness, Blankness and Silence
Periods of Emptiness 72 Emptiness—A Transitional State 74 Voidness 77 Blankness 78 Emptiness, Blankness and Silence 79 Emptiness, Voidness and the Self 81
PART TWO: THE OPENING OF THE INNER SENSES
Section One: Visions, Sounds, Smells and Tastes
The Value of Visions
Vision, Experience and Realisation 87 Sensing Supraphysical Things 89 The Importance of Visions 91 Visions Not the Most Important Thing 95 No Reason to Fear Visions 97 Wrong Visions and Voices 97
Kinds of Vision
The Inner Vision 98 Stages in the Development of the Inner Vision 99 The Diverse Nature and Significance of Visions 100 Representative and Dynamic Visions 102 Seeing Forms of the Divine and Other Beings 103 Cosmic, Inner and Psychic Vision 105 Mental Visions 106 Vital Visions 107 Subtle Physical Visions 108
Subtle Sights, Sounds, Smells and Tastes
Sights and Sounds of Other Planes 111 Subtle Sounds 111 Subtle Smells and Tastes 113
Section Two: Lights and Colours
Light
Seeing Light 117 Light and the Illumination of the Consciousness 118 Different Forms of Light 119 Two Visions Explained 120
Colours
The Symbolism of Colours 122 White Light 124 White Light with Light of Other Colours 125 Whitish Blue Light 126 Blue Light 127 Violet Light 128 Golden Light 129 Gold-Green Light 130 Golden Red or Red Gold Light 130 Orange Light 131 Yellow Light 131 Pink or Rose Light 132 Green Light 132 Purple and Crimson Light 132 Red Light 133 Red and Black 134
Section Three: Symbols
Symbols and Symbolic Visions
Different Kinds of Symbols 137 The Effect of Symbolic Visions 138 Some Symbolic Visions and Dreams Interpreted 139
Sun, Moon, Star, Fire
Sun 142 Moon 144 Star 146 Fire and Burning 147
Sky, Weather, Night and Dawn
Sky 148 Rain, Snow, Clouds, Lightning, Rainbow 149 Night and Dawn 149
Water and Bodies of Water
Water 150 Sea or Ocean 150 Pond, Lake, River 151
Earth
Mountain 152 Earth and Patala 153
Gods, Goddesses and Semi-Divine Beings
Agni 155 Shiva 155 Parvati-Shankara 155 Narayana, Vishnu, Brahma, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ananta 155 Krishna 156 Hanuman 157 Narada 158 Mahakali and Kali 158 Durga on a Lion 158 Ganesh 158 Kartikeya 159 Sanatkumar 159 Buddha 159 Apsaras 159
The Human World
Child 160 Parents and Relatives 161 Robbers 162 Journeying 162 Running Away 163 Flying 163 Ears 163 Teeth 163 Flesh 164 Being Dead 164
The Animal World
Cow 165 Bull 166 Horse 166 Lion 167 Tiger 167 Elephant 167 Giraffe 168 Camel 168 Deer and Antelope 168 Boar 168 Buffalo 168 Goat 169 Monkey 169 Dog 169 Black Cat 170 Snake or Serpent 170 Crocodile 173 Frog 173 Fish 173 Bird 173 Swan or Hansa 174 Duck 175 Crane 175 Peacock 175 Dove or Pigeon 176 Crow, Eagle, Kite 176 Ostrich 176 Spider 176 White Ants 176 Flies 176
The Plant World
Aswattha or Peepul Tree 177 Jungle 177 Leaves 177 Fruits 177 Flowers 177 Lotus 178 Other Flowers 180
Constructions
Building 181 Workshop 181 Temple 181 Pyramid and Sphinx 181
Objects
Cross and Shield 183 Crown 183 Diamond 183 Pearl 184 Flute 184 Conch 184 Bells 185 Vina 185 Wheel, Disc or Chakra 185 Bow and Arrow 186 Key 186 Book 186 Mirror, Square and Triangle 186 Incense Stick and Tobacco 186 Gramophone 187
Numbers and Letters
Numbers 188 Letters (Writing) 188 OM 188
PART THREE: EXPERIENCES OF THE INNER CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS
Section One: Experiences on the Inner Planes
Experiences on the Subtle Physical, Vital and Mental Planes
Subtle Physical Experiences 193 Vital Experiences 194 Influence or Possession by Beings of Other Planes 198 An Experience on the Mental Plane 203
Exteriorisation or Going Out of the Body
The Experience of Exteriorisation 205 Going Out in the Vital Body 206
Section Two: Experiences of the Inner Being and the Inner Consciousness
The Inward Movement
The Importance of Inner Experiences 211 Becoming Aware of the Inner Being 213 The Piercing of the Veil 214 The Movement Inward 219 The Inner Consciousness and the Body 222 A Transitional State of Inwardness 223 The Growth of the Inner Being and the Inner Consciousness 223 Living Within 225 Living Within and the External Being 228 Acting from Within on the Outer Being 230 The Double Consciousness 232 The Inner Being and Calmness, Silence, Peace 232 The Inner Being and the Inmost or Psychic Being 236
Inner Detachment and the Witness Attitude
Inner Detachment 238 The Witness Attitude 241 The Witness Purusha or Witness Consciousness 244 The Purusha and Change of the Prakriti 246
Inner Experiences in the State of Samadhi
Samadhi or Trance 248 Trance Not Essential 250 Kinds of Samadhi 251 Samadhi and the Waking State 252 Samadhi and Sleep 253 The Trance of Mediums 256
Three Experiences of the Inner Being
Opening into the Inner Mental Self 257 The Awakening of the Inner Being in Sleep 259 A Touch of the Inner Self 262
Section Three: Experiences of the Cosmic Consciousness
The Universal or Cosmic Consciousness
The Terms “Universal” and “Cosmic” 267 The Nature of the Cosmic Consciousness 267 The Cosmic Consciousness and the Overmind 269 The Cosmic Consciousness and the Transcendent 269 Spiritual, Cosmic and Ordinary Consciousness 271 The Widening of the Consciousness 273 The Cosmic Consciousness and the Cosmic Self 277 The Cosmic Consciousness and Self-Realisation 279
Aspects of the Cosmic Consciousness
The Cosmic Ignorance and the Cosmic Truth 281 The Cosmic Harmony and Discords 282 The Cosmic Will 283 Opening to the Cosmic Mind 284 Opening to the Cosmic Life 284 The Cosmic Consciousness and the Physical 285
The Universal or Cosmic Forces
The Nature of the Universal or Cosmic Forces 287 The Universal Energies and the Divine Force 288 The Cosmic Force and the Overmind 289 The Entry of the Universal Forces 290 The Universal Forces and the Individual 290 Time Vision and the Cosmic Movement 290
Section Four: The Dangers of Inner and Cosmic Experiences
The Intermediate Zone 
The Nature of the Intermediate Zone 295 The Dangers of the Intermediate Zone 303 Avoiding the Dangers of the Intermediate Zone 306
Inner Voices and Indications
The Nature of Voices 308 The Danger of Following Inner Voices 309
PART FOUR: THE FUNDAMENTAL REALISATIONS OF THE INTEGRAL YOGA
Section One: Three Stages of Transformation: Psychic, Spiritual, Supramental
The Psychic and Spiritual Realisations
The Fundamental Realisations 319 Four Bases of Realisation 319 Three Realisations for the Soul 319 Foundations of the Sadhana 320 The Central Process of the Yoga 323
Conditions of Transformation
Realisation and Transformation 331 The Three Transformations 331 Preparation for the Supramental Change 333
Section Two: The Psychic Opening, Emergence and Transformation
The Psychic Being and Its Role in Sadhana
The Importance of the Psychic Change 337 The Role of the Psychic in Sadhana 339 The Psychic Deep Within 340 The Psychic and the Mental, Vital and Physical Nature 342 The Psychic Awakening 344 Living in the Psychic 344
The Psychic Opening
The Meaning of Psychic Opening 347 Conditions for the Psychic Opening 348 An Experience of Psychic Opening 349 The Psychic Opening and the Inner Centres 351 “Opening” and “Coming in Front” 352
The Emergence or Coming Forward of the Psychic
The Meaning of “Coming to the Front” 354 Signs of the Psychic’s Coming Forward 355 The Psychic and the Relation with the Divine 359 Means of Bringing Forward the Psychic 360 Obstacles to the Psychic’s Emergence 362
Experiences Associated with the Psychic
The Psychic Touch or Influence 367 The Psychic Condition 367 The Psychic Fire 368 The Psychic Fire and Some Inner Visions 369 Agni 371 Agni and the Psychic Fire 373 Psychic Joy 374 Psychic Sorrow 374 Psychic Tears or Weeping 375 Psychic Yearning 376 Psychic Intensity 377 The Psychic and Uneasiness 378
The Psychic and Spiritual Transformations
Psychisation and Spiritualisation 380 The Psychic and the Higher Consciousness 381 The Psychic and Spiritual Movements 383 The Psychic Consciousness and the Descent from Above 385 The Psychic and the Supermind 387
Section Three: Spiritual Experiences and Realisations
Experiences of the Self, the One and the Infinite
Peace, Calm, Silence and the Self 391 The True Self Within 393 The Self and the Sense of Individuality 394 The Disappearance of the “I” Sense 395 The Self and the Cosmic Consciousness 396 A Vision of the Universal Self 396 The Self Experienced on Various Planes 397 The Self and Time 397 The Self and Life 398 Experiences of Infinity, Oneness, Unity 398 Living in the Divine 399
Experiences on the Higher Planes
The Higher or Spiritual Consciousness 401 Breaking into the Spiritual Consciousness 401 Wideness and the Higher Consciousness 402 Degrees in the Higher Consciousness 403 The Higher Planes and the Supermind 405 Levels of the Higher Mind 406 An Illumined Mind Experience 406 Overmind Experiences 407 Overmind Experiences and the Supermind 408 Reflected Experience of the Higher Planes 410 Trance and the Higher Planes 411 Living in a Higher Plane 411
Section Four: The Spiritual Transformation
Ascent and Descent
The Meaning of Spiritual Transformation 415 A Double Movement in the Sadhana 415 Both Ascent and Descent Necessary 417 The Order of Ascent and Descent 419 Ascent and Descent of the Kundalini Shakti 420 Ascent and Descent and Problems of the Lower Nature 422 Experiences of Ascent and Descent 425
Ascent to the Higher Planes
Contact with the Above 428 Ascension or Rising above the Head 429 Ascent and Return to the Ordinary Consciousness 431 Ascent and Dissolution 432 Ascent and the Psychic Being 433 Ascent and the Body 434 Ascent and Going out of the Body 434 Fixing the Consciousness Above 437 Ascent and Change of the Lower Nature 439
The Descent of the Higher Consciousness and Force
The Purpose of the Descent 441 Calling in the Higher Consciousness 441 Preparatory Experiences and Descent 442 The Order of Descent into the Being 445 The Effect of Descent into the Lower Planes 447
The Descent of the Higher Powers
The Descent of Peace, Force, Light, Ananda 449 Peace, Calm, Quiet as a Basis for the Descent 450 The Descent of Peace 452 The Descent of Silence 453 The Descent of Force or Power 455 The Descent of Fire 459 The Descent of Light 460 The Descent of Knowledge 461 The Descent of Wideness 461 The Descent of Ananda 461 The Flow of Amrita 462
Descent and Other Kinds of Experience
Descent and Experiences of the Inner Being 463 Descent and Psychic Experiences 464 Descent and Other Experiences 466
Feelings and Sensations in the Process of Descent
Sensations in the Inner Centres 469 Pressure 469 Perforation 473 Vibration 473 Electricity 474 Waves 475 Flow or Stream 475 Drizzle or Shower 475 Coolness 476 Stoniness 477 Sound 477
Difficulties Experienced in the Process of Descent
Alternations in the Intensity of the Force 479 The Need of Assimilation 479 Pulling Down the Force 480 Shaking or Swaying of the Body 481 Headaches Due to Resistance 482 Talking Loudly 483 Fear of the Descending Force 484 Desires and Descent 484 Tiredness, Inertia and Sleep 485 Mixing with the World 485
Descent and the Lower Nature
The Resistance of the Lower Nature 487 Descent into the Mind and Vital 490 Descent into the Physical Consciousness and Body 493 Experiences in the Subtle Body and the Physical Body 496 Descent into the Subconscient and Inconscient 497
Hover notes are paraphrased from the “Publisher's Note” and “Note on the Texts”.
- ↑ Blessings of the Grace: Conversations with the Mother Recollected by Mona Sarkar and Some of Her Written Answers, p.30