Think it Over
Inhabit, Light!
Abstract
The Word, ‘inhabit’, opens at a Given Moment, on a Chosen Day, and triggers this: a Prayer. We are creatures of habits, till we no longer are: when we realise and refuse to be that anymore, when we realise that these habits, formed through unknown lives in unknown forms, are inhibiting inhabitants of the Temple within. We want to consecrate the Temple to the Deity within, to the Divine Mother. But these in habit, that inhabit, these are very, and naturally, sticky inhabitants marring and clouding even our speech too, along with each movement of our being. And so, to Her we offer our difficulty, and Her invoke, assured by Her Affirmations and showers of Her Grace….
Introduction
Interestingly or Naturally? It is the latter, as also the former, and in both and through both, Grace: the Words Given and Received on the day, 12 November 2023, the day of Kali Puja and the festival of Light, Deepawali. Also, preceding them, is presented a meaning, cannot say ‘the meaning’ of the word ‘Deepawali’, the word opening as: ‘Deep’ + ‘wali’. ‘Deep’ in Hindi (‘dee’ in ‘deep’, phonetically and pronounced as ‘thi’ in this) meaning and symbolising those earthen lamps that are lighted, and also in itself implying Light and, ‘wali’ (phonetically and pronounced as ‘wal’ in walnut, and ‘li’ as in broccoli), as remembered from the days of usage in Hindi, loosely and broadly translated, implying the lady who is the carrier, possessor or is carrying that thing, in this case, Light.... Later on, as is the Mind’s ways, wanting to verify whether the reception has been accurate, sought the meanings and Yahoo-search reveals the affirmation that ‘wali’ in Hindi means governor, protector, guardian… and even the word, as name, ‘Deepa’ too implies light, lamp…. So, had the word opened as ‘Deepa’ + ‘wali’, then too the Essence would have been the same!
To the receiving consciousness, all three coalesce: Mahakali, the Divine Mother, Carrier, Giver of Light, in Herself the embodiment of Light, the ‘Truth-Light’..... our Protector, Governor, Guardian.
Now to the ‘Words’, referred to above:
The Mother’s Words, Prayers for us:
“Oh, let Light be poured on all the earth and Peace inhabit every heart.… (1) ”
Then, Sri Aurobindo’s Words, on Mahakali:
“But for her what is done in a day might have taken centuries.… (2) ”
And again, the Mother’s Words, the Same ones, are received (apparently from and through different physical mediums)....
The result of the received words
The Word ‘inhabit’ opens.... reveals the Light in it: ‘in habit’.
Furthermore inflows:
We are slaves of habit, creatures of habit.... the ‘force of habit’ having its say most often.... and so is maybe the Practice, on and in the Path essential, to reform, re-form, consciously form new habits, in accord with Truth, and eliminate and transform the older ones....: that the Truth may inhabit....
And so is completed the picture by these ‘Words’ received on this given Day...: that it is She, as Mahakali, the Divine Mother, who can and does change and transform the habits, those and that in habit and thus, those troublesome and nagging inhabitants.... cleansing and establishing the Temple, within, where She can permanently stay.... Her ways shocking as well, in order to burn away those adamant refusals to change the movements of the lower Nature.
Likewise, it seems ‘inhabit’, its meaning and usage in and by this consciousness, inhabited for so long.... and still, till it wanted to stay in habit! After all, no movement can escape the Light of consciousness, no usage of the faculties and gifts can be anything but conscious. So, how can the speech be left to its usual ways of functioning! How can speech maintain its unconscious ways: ‘it has been so, so shall it continue to be…. so has it been in use, so it means what it means…?’ It too has to make a beginning to become conscious, even if it falls and continues to falter for long.
Inhibited we are, by these in habit, these inhabitants. Even when we want to do away with them, even if we abhor the restrictions, yet we resist their removal and disappearance for good: wanting Light, when it shines, want to run away from It, It refuse and deny.... seeking refuge again in the darkness.
“Our life is a paradox with God for key (3).”
Paradox of life
Crying for Light, as It gives even a slim ray of Itself, given the measure of the opening in us or creating that opening with the Force contained in Itself, we protest as we detest what we see: the wanting and seeing perhaps coming from different parts of the being. And when Light blesses, decides that there is no escape for us, It reveals more and more of the grime and slime in the Nature.... and we cry more and furthermore...
Instead of rejoicing, initially at least and perhaps for a long time, “Light, endless Light (4)!”, we lament, “darkness has room no more,” …. But then, what to do, when “God’s contract signed with Ignorance is torn…. (5)?”
And this brings us to the Word that was received even before all (and was forgotten, till was reminded, as a flash of recollection and correlation). Though, it has been received and read many times before, on This Day, the sequence, though for Her Natural and Deliberate, yet for a human being magical and mystical it was and is....
Yet again, the Divine Mother, comes to the rescue, “If a few shadows, a few flaws can be seen in the great Light which manifests Thee, how shall they bear for long the marvellous brightness of Thy resplendent Love (6)?”
Affirmation
That even darkness has Light hidden in its bosom, that those “shadows” and “flaws” too manifest Her, because it is in Her Light that they are revealed and revealing them She reveals Herself.... we are told and retold.... How would darkness recognise Light? Why would darkness cry for Light, if not it is something which is other than darkness.... and yet in it hiding or hidden, that recognises and cries for It?
Thus, deep within, we surely know and this knowing and the Knower thus impresses and presses.... to express Itself, as the “Stress of the Hidden Spirit (7)”.
“Faith is the soul’s witness to something not yet manifested, achieved or realised, but which yet the Knower within us, even in the absence of all indications, feels to be true or supremely worth following or achieving (8).”
Daunting
And yet, the outer being, the surface con-sciousness is daunted and taunted by the movements within and the appearances without. Finally, it concedes that it cannot do anything on its own....
“Effort was the helper; Effort is the bar (9).” So, after repeated furious endeavours and despite understanding, wails at its repeated failures.... failing to withstand the overtures of habits, so long they are in habit: those inhabitants even closer kins than one’s skin....
Collective prayer
Realising the Only Way, confesses the outer being, hearing and heeding the inner, and prays to the Divine Mother: Habit was the helper, habit is the bar; me from it and them deliver. For,
“But for her what is done in a day might have taken centuries....”
“Alone her hands can change Time’s dragon base (10).”
And She answers, “Oh, let Light be poured on all the earth and Peace inhabit every heart....”
And we pray for the Peace too.... as without It, Light cannot permanently shine.... Peace, that Mirror of Realisation....: “In Peace and Silence the Eternal manifests; allow nothing to disturb you and the Eternal will manifest…. (11)”
Peace in the hearth of the heart, is prayed for, on this very earth... the hearth of earth that sacred and blessed place where we have been accorded the opportunity to realise all that we Are, but are yet to Be....
Therefore, all understanding, all aspirations, all goodwill, all high aims, all intellectual grasping and inspirational flashes, — all Gifts of Grace, — can only be truly acknowledged and honoured when they are fulfilled, are lived to the full...: when they are embodied.
And so, the Mother says, “To know is good, to live is better, to be, that is perfect (12).”
And so, to Her, — the Light, the Love, the Force, the Guardian, the Governor, the Protector, the Truth.... the All.... — we Pray: Inhabit, Light — Light, in Habit!
References
1. The Mother. The Collected Works of the Mother, Volume 1. 3rd ed. Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust; 2003, p. 258.
2. Sri Aurobindo. The Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo, Volume 32. Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust; 2011, p. 20.
3. Sri Aurobindo. Complete Works, Volume 33-34; 1993, p. 67.
4. Sri Aurobindo. Complete Works, Volume 2; 2009, p. 618.5. Ibid., p. 625.
6. The Mother. Collected Works, Volume 1, p. 5.
7. Sri Aurobindo. Complete Works, Volume 13; 1998; pp. 64-67.
8. Sri Aurobindo. Complete Works, Volume 29; 2013, p. 93.
9. Sri Aurobindo. Complete Works, Volume 13, p. 199.
10. Sri Aurobindo. Complete Works, Volume 33-34, p. 314.
11. The Mother. Collected Works, Volume 1, p. 10.
12. The Mother. Collected Works, Volume 15: 2004, p. 173.
Sushmita Mukherjee is an author and freelance editor, residing in Kolkata.
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