The Spiritual Significance of Flowers

Chapter 6

Bases of Spiritual Life

The earliest preoccupation of man in his awakened thoughts and, as it seems, his inevitable and ultimate preoccupation ... is also the highest which his thought can envisage. It manifests itself in the divination of Godhead, the impulse towards perfection, the search after pure Truth and unmixed Bliss, the sense of a secret immortality. The ancient dawns of human knowledge have left us their witness to this constant aspiration; today we see a humanity satiated but not satisfied by victorious analysis of the externalities of Nature preparing to return to its primeval longings. The earliest formula of Wisdom promises to be its last, — God, Light, Freedom, Immortality.    Sri Aurobindo

The spiritual life, the life of Yoga, has for its object to grow into the divine consciousness and for its result to purify, intensify, glorify and perfect what is in you. It makes you a power of manifestation of the Divine; it raises the character of each personality to its full value and brings it to its maximum expression; for this is part of the Divine plan.    The Mother

But the very spirit of Yoga is this, to make the exceptional normal, and to turn that which is above us and greater than our normal selves into our own constant consciousness. Therefore we should not hesitate to open ourselves more steadily to whatever experience of the Infinite we have, to purify and intensify it, to make it our object of constant thought and contemplation.    Sri Aurobindo

SINCERITY

Sincerity means more than mere honesty. It means that you mean what you say, feel what you profess, are earnest in your will. As the sadhak aspires to be an instrument of the Divine and one with the Divine, sincerity in him means that he is really in earnest in his aspiration and refuses all other will or impulse except the Divine's.    Sri Aurobindo

True sincerity consists in following the way because you cannot do otherwise, in consecrating yourself to the divine life because you cannot do otherwise, in striving to transform your being and emerge into the Light because you cannot do otherwise, because it is the very reason for which you live.

The Mother

A sincere heart is worth all the extraordinary powers in the world.    Sri Aurobindo

Sincerity is the key to the divine doors.    The Mother

290 Simple sincerity

The beginning of all progress.

Aster amellus. White

291 Emotional sincerity

Does not try to falsify the emotions.

Aster amellus. Lavender pink

292 Sincerity in the vital

The sure way to realisation.

Aster amellus. Lavender blue

293 Transparency
Can only come as a result of perfect sincerity.
Callistephus chinensis. Many colours

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294 Psychic transparency
Manifests fully only when the psychic is perfectly developed.
Callistephus chinensis. Pink, semidouble

 
295 Supramentalised psychic activity
Luminous, manifold, balanced, it meets all needs.
Callistephus chinensis. Pink, double

 
296 Transparency of the emotional vital
At once the condition and the result of the abolition of the ego.
Callistephus chinensis. Very light lavender, semidouble

 
297 Vital transparency
Indispensable for conversion.
Callistephus chinensis. Deep mauve to violet, semidouble

 
298 Supramentalised vital transparency
One of the results of conversion.
Callistephus chinensis. Violet, double

 
299 Transparency in the physical
The physical is preparing itself to be transformed.
Callistephus chinensis. Red, semidouble

 
300 Integral transparency
It is the result of goodwill and perfect sincerity.
Callistephus chinensis. White, double

 
301 Illumined transparency
An effect of the Divine Grace.
Callistephus chinensis. White, semidouble

PURITY

This is purity, to accept no other influence but only the influence of the Divine.    The Mother

One is truly perfectly pure only when the whole being, in all its elements and all its movements, adheres fully and exclusively to the Divine Will. That is total purity. It does not depend on any moral or social law, any mental convention of any kind. It depends exclusively on this: when all the elements and all the movements of the being adhere exclusively and totally to the Divine Will.

The Mother

What I call purity, the true purity, is not all those things that morality teaches: it is non-ego.
There must be nothing but Him.
Him not only because we have given Him everything and consecrated ourselves totally to Him (that is not enough), but Him because He has taken total possession of the human instrument.    The Mother

302 Purity

True purity has a lovely fragrance.

Jasminum. White

303 Psychic purity

The condition natural to the psychic.

Jasminum. White, semidouble

304 Integral purity

The whole being is purified of the ego.

Jasminum sambac 'Grand Duke of Tuscany'. White, double

305 Divine purity
It is happy just to be, in all simplicity.
Hippobroma longiflora. White

 
306 Purity arising from perfect consecration
If one lives only for the Divine and by the Divine, the result is perfect purity.
Lilium candidum. Pearl white

 
307 Power of purity
Purity is the best of powers.
Convallaria majalis. White

PURITY

There is a force of purity, not the purity of the moralist, but an essential purity of spirit, in the very substance of the being.    Sri Aurobindo

308 Radiating purity
It charms and fascinates. It makes Nature fragrant.
Gardenia augusta. White

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309 Perfect radiating purity
Nothing escapes its action.
Gardenia augusta. White, double

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310 Purity in action
When action is initiated by the Divine Will, it is pure.
Stemmadenia litoralis. White

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311 Collective purity
A very precious achievement, but difficult to obtain.
Viburnum plicatum. White

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312 Spring purity
The charm and freshness of youth.
Crataegus. White

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SIMPLICITY

As soon as all effort disappears from a manifestation, it becomes very simple, with the simplicity of a flower opening, manifesting its beauty and spreading its fragrance without clamour or vehement gesture. And in this simplicity lies the greatest power, the power which is least mixed and least gives rise to harmful reactions.

Simplicity, simplicity! How sweet is the purity of Thy Presence!

The Mother

Sri Aurobindo's answer is always the same: Be simple, be simple, very simple.
And I know what he means: to deny entry to regulating, organising, prescriptive, judgmental thought — he wants none of all that.
What he calls being simple is a joyful spontaneity; in action, in expression, in movement, in life, be simple, be simple, be simple. A joyful spontaneity.    The Mother

313 Integral simplicity
The simplicity that comes from perfect sincerity.
Vittadinia cuneata. White

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314 Beauty in collective simplicity
Each element plays its part in the whole.
Ornithogalum umbellatum. White

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315 Humility
Adorable in its simplicity.
Agrostis nebulosa. Pale greenish white

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316 Modesty
Is satisfied with its charm and does not attract attention.
Viola odorata. Deep violet

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317 Correct self-estimation
Simple and modest, does not try to put itself forward.
Jasminum humile. Yellow

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HUMILITY

 
[Humility is] the recognition that one does not know, that one knows nothing, and that there may be something beyond what presently appears to us as being truest, noblest, most disinterested. True humility consists in referring oneself constantly to the Lord, in placing everything before Him.

The Mother

It is very simple: when you tell people, "Be humble", they immediately think of being humble before other men, and that humility is bad. True humility is humility before the Divine — that is, the precise, exact, living sense that one is nothing, can do nothing, understands nothing without the Divine, that even if one is an exceptionally intelligent and capable person, one is nothing in comparison with the Divine Consciousness. And one has to keep that always, because always one has the true attitude of receptivity, a humble receptivity which does not put personal pretension in the way of the Divine.

The Mother

EQUANIMITY

The more a person is quiet in front of all occurrences, equal in all circumstances, and keeps a perfect mastery of himself and remains peaceful in the presence of whatever happens, the more he has progressed towards the goal.

The Mother

Equanimity and peace in all conditions, in all parts of the being is the first foundation of the yogic status. Either Light (bringing with it knowledge) or Force (bringing strength and dynamism of many kinds) or Ananda (bringing love and joy of existence) can come next according to the trend of the nature. But peace is the first condition without which nothing else can be stable.    Sri Aurobindo

318 Equanimity
Immutable peace and calm.
Iberis. Several colours

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PEACE

Peace was the very first thing that the yogis and seekers of old asked for and it was a quiet and silent mind — and that always brings peace — that they declared to be the best condition for realising the Divine.

Sri Aurobindo

Peace is a deep quietude where no disturbance can come — a quietude with a sense of established security and release.    Sri Aurobindo

Peace is a calm deepened into something that is very positive amounting almost to a tranquil waveless Ananda.

Sri Aurobindo

319 Peace
To want what You want always and in every circumstance is the only way to enjoy an unshakable peace.
Curcuma zedoaria. Yellow

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320 Joy of integral peace
Calm and tranquil, an unfailing smile.
Crinum. White with light pink

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SILENCE

Silence is the condition of the being when it listens to the Divine.

The Mother

In silence lies the greatest receptivity. And in an immobile silence the vastest action is done. Let us learn to be silent so that the Lord may make use of us.    The Mother

With words one can at times understand, but only in silence one knows.    The Mother

321 Silence
The ideal condition for progress. Rich, profound, multiple.
Passiflora incarnata Xcincinnata 'Incense'. Royal purple

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This power of silence is a capacity and not an incapacity, a power and not a weakness. It is a profound and pregnant stillness. Only when the mind is thus entirely still, like clear, motionless and level water, in a perfect purity and peace of the whole being and the soul transcends thought, can the Self which exceeds and originates all activities and becomings, the Silence from which all words are born, the Absolute of which all relativities are partial reflections manifest itself in the pure essence of our being. In a complete silence only is the Silence heard; in a pure peace only is its Being revealed. Therefore to us the name of That is the Silence and the Peace.

Sri Aurobindo

 
322 Integral silence
The source of true force.
Passiflora foetida. White

323 Expressive silence
Certain silences are revealing and more expressive than words.
Linaria maroccana. Several colours

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324 Gratitude
It is you who open all the closed doors and
allow the saving Grace to enter.
Ipomoea carnea. White to pale pink

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GRATITUDE

There is nothing that gives you a joy equal to that of gratitude. You hear a bird sing, you see a lovely flower, you look at a little child, observe an act of generosity, read a beautiful sentence, look at the setting sun, anything whatever: suddenly this comes upon you, this kind of emotion, so deep, so intense, that the world manifests the Divine, that there is something behind the world which is the Divine.    The Mother

And yet, of all movements, the one that perhaps gives the most joy - an unalloyed joy, untainted by egoism - is spontaneous gratitude.
It is something very special. It isn't love, it isn't self-giving. It is a very full joy. Very full.
It is a very special vibration unlike anything other than itself. It is something that widens you, that fills you, that is so fervent!
Of all the movements within the reach of human consciousness, it is certainly the one that draws you most out of your ego. . . .
When you can enter this vibration in its purity, you realise immediately that it has the same quality as the vibration of Love: it is directionless. . . . Ultimately, gratitude is only a very slightly coloured shade of the essential vibration of Love.    The Mother

325 Detailed gratitude

The gratitude that awakens in us all the details of the Divine Grace.

Merremia quinquefolia. White

326 Mental gratitude

The gratitude of the mind for what makes it progress.

Merremia tuberosa. Golden yellow

327 Integral gratitude

The whole being offers itself to the Lord with absolute trust.

Operculina turpethum. White

328 Happy heart
Smiling, peaceful, radiant, without a shadow.
Ravenia spectabilis. Bright rose pink

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329 Cheerfulness
A joyful smile of Nature.
Gaillardia pulchella. Orange red

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330 Mental cheerfulness
It knows how to enjoy everything.
Gaillardia pulchella. Yellow

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331 Optimism
More helpful than its opposite.
Erysimum cheiri. Yellow to orange

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HAPPY HEART

For your heart to remain happy keep it always filled with gratefulness. Gratefulness is the surest way to the Divine.    The Mother

CHEERFULNESS

 
There is nothing spiritually wrong with being glad and cheerful, on the contrary it is the right thing.

Sri Aurobindo

Cheerfulness is the salt of the sadhana. It is a thousand times better than gloominess.

Sri Aurobindo

332 Joy's call
It is modest and rarely makes itself heard.
Campanula medium. Blue

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333 Without grief
The contemplation that leads you beyond suffering.
Saraca indica. Orange

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A hidden Bliss is at the root of things.
A mute Delight regards Time's countless works:
To house God's joy in things Space gave wide room,
To house God's joy in self our souls were born.
This universe an old enchantment guards;
Its objects are carved cups of World-Delight
Whose charmed wine is some deep soul's rapture-drink:
The All-Wonderful has packed heaven with his dreams,
He has made blank ancient Space his marvel-house;
He spilled his spirit into Matter's signs:
His fires of grandeur burn in the great sun,
He glides through heaven shimmering in the moon;
He is beauty carolling in the fields of sound;
He chants the stanzas of the odes of Wind;
He is silence watching in the stars at night;
He wakes at dawn and calls from every bough,
Lies stunned in the stone and dreams in flower and tree.

Sri Aurobindo

334 Gentleness
Always gracious and loves to please.
Lathyrus odoratus. Several colours

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335 Vital gentleness
(No comment)
Lathyrus odoratus. Mauve

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336 Sweetness
Adds its smiling touch to life without making a fuss.
Momordica charantia. Light yellow

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337 Goodwill
Modest in appearance, does not make a show but is always ready to be useful.
Lobularia maritima. White

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338 Courageous goodwill
Fears neither inclemency nor cold, is solid and resistant.
Ilex. White

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339 Benevolence
Makes life fragrant without attracting attention.
Reseda odorata. Yellowish white or greenish yellow

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340 Good temper
(No comment)
Linum grandiflorum. Bright crimson

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341 Balance
Each seeks his own balance in order to stabilise himself.
Begonia. Several colours

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342 Perfect balance
One of the most important conditions of a growing peace.
Begonia. Several colours, medium

 
343 Psychic balance
Under the psychic influence all activity becomes balanced.
Begonia. Pink, small

 
344 Perfect psychic balance
On the way to transformation.
Begonia. Pink, medium

 
345 Mental balance
Mind governed by reason.
Begonia. Yellow, small

346 Perfect mental balance

Indispensable for facing the difficulties of life.

Begonia. Yellow, medium

347 Integral balance

It multiplies itself so as not to be static.

Begonia. White, small

348 Perfect integral balance

One is ready for transformation.

Begonia. White, medium

349 Balanced use of integral power

In truth, power can only become integral when it is used in a balanced way.

Sinningia speciosa. White

HARMONY

For all problems of existence are essentially problems of harmony. They arise from the perception of an unsolved discord and the instinct of an undiscovered agreement or unity. To rest content with an unsolved discord is possible for the practical and more animal part of man, but impossible for his fully awakened mind, and usually even his practical parts only escape from the general necessity either by shutting out the problem or by accepting a rough, utilitarian and unillumined compromise. For essentially, all Nature seeks a harmony, life and matter in their own sphere as much as mind in the arrangement of its perceptions.    Sri Aurobindo

This manifestation of beauty and harmony is part of the Divine realisation upon earth, perhaps even its greatest part.    The Mother

350 Harmony
Let us work for the day when this will become both the means and the end.
Antigonon. Several colours

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351 Harmony in the vital
To harmonise the vital is a psychological masterpiece. Happy is he who accomplishes it.
Antigonon leptopus. Bright pink

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352 Harmony in the material vital
No disputes, no quarrels — the sweetness of a life without clashes.
Antigonon leptopus. Deep pink

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353 Integral harmony
Harmony between things, harmony between persons, harmony of circumstances and, above all, harmony of aspirations — all leading to the Supreme Truth.
Antigonon leptopus 'Album'. White

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CHARITY

Yes, there is a sublime charity, one which rises from a happy heart, from a serene soul.
One who has won inner peace is a herald of deliverance wherever he goes, a bearer of hope and joy. Is not this what poor and suffering humanity needs above all things?
Yes, there are certain men whose thoughts are all love, who radiate love, and the mere presence of these individuals is a charity more active, more real than any other.
Though they utter no word and make no gesture, yet the sick are relieved, the tormented are soothed, the ignorant are enlightened, the wicked are appeased, those who suffer are consoled. These individuals who, out of love, give themselves to all, who become the servants of all, are the living symbols of the supreme Charity.

The Mother

354 Collective harmony
Collective harmony is the work undertaken by the Divine Consciousness; it alone has the power to realise it.
Hydrangea. Several colours

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355 Conciliation
Likes smooth contacts.
Sesamum indicum. White

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356 Charity
Simple and sweet, attentive to the needs of all.
Commelina. Sky blue

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GENEROSITY

I was holding one of these flowers [Integral generosity] in my hand when I saw Z, and I explained to him what I meant by it. The effect of the ego, I told him, is to shrivel the being. This is the cause of aging, it shrivels you up like a fading flower, it dries you up. . . . I know that at one point I was talking about the difference between the two states, between the person, the individual personal being, turning towards the Lord, imploring Him to reveal His Will, and then this experience of becoming — by extending oneself, by opening, enlarging, merging into the creation — of becoming the Lord's Will, the Supreme Will.    The Mother

357 Generosity
Gives and gives itself without bargaining.
Impatiens balsamina. Several colours

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358 Psychic generosity
Gives for the joy of giving.
Impatiens balsamina. Pink

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359 Generosity in the vital
Gives itself unstintingly.
Impatiens balsamina. Rose purple

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360 Perfect generosity in the vital
(No comment)
Impatiens balsamina. Rose purple, double

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361 Psycho-physical generosity
Generosity of thought and act.
Impatiens balsamina. Pink and red

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362 Generosity in the physical
Loves abundance and loves to give it.
Impatiens balsamina. Red

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363 Manifold generosity
All in Nature is spontaneously generous.
Impatiens balsamina. Bicoloured

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FAITHFULNESS

This is faithfulness, to admit and to manifest no other movements but only the movements prompted and guided by the Divine.    The Mother

When I spoke of being faithful to the light of the soul and the divine Call, ... I was simply affirming the great need in all crises and attacks, - to refuse to listen to any suggestions, impulses, lures and to oppose to them all the call of the Truth, the imperative beckoning of the Light. In all doubt and depression, to say, "I belong to the Divine, I cannot fail"; to all suggestions of impurity and unfitness, to reply, "I am a child of Immortality chosen by the Divine; I have but to be true to myself and to Him — the victory is sure; even if I fell, I would rise again"; to all impulses to depart and serve some smaller ideal, to reply, "This is the greatest, this is the Truth that alone can satisfy the soul within me; I will endure through all tests and tribulations to the very end of the divine journey". This is what I mean by faithfulness to the Light and the Call.    Sri Aurobindo

364 Faithfulness
We can count on You; You never fail us when we need You.
Quisqualis indica. White, pink and red

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365 Incorruptible faithfulness
Nothing can turn you from the duty you have chosen.
Carlina acaulis. White or reddish

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366 Peace of integral faithfulness
Be faithful to the Divine and you will enjoy constant peace.
Portlandia grandiflora. White

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367 Joy of integral faithfulness
That bond of love which makes all faithfulness so easy.
Portlandia grandiflora. White with pink

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368 Belief
Simple and candid, does not question.
Clerodendrum. Cream white

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369 Aspiration for the right attitude
Energetic, willing, determined.
Clerodendrum Xspeciosum. Red, green calyx

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370 Aspiration for the right attitude
Energetic, willing, determined.
Clerodendrum thomsoniae. Red, white calyx

 
371 Right attitude
Simple and open, without complications.
Clerodendrum speciosissimum. Bright orange

 
372 Right attitude established
There is a moment when the right attitude comes spontaneously and effortlessly.
Clerodendrum splendens. Red orange

RIGHT ATTITUDE

To lead the Divine Life does not depend on any exterior activity or circumstances. Whatever you do from the highest work to the most ordinary, you can lead the Divine Life if you are in the true consciousness and the right attitude.    The Mother

If, in the presence of circumstances that are about to take place, you can take the highest attitude possible — that is, if you put your consciousness in contact with the highest consciousness within reach, you can be absolutely sure that in that case it is the best that can happen to you. . . . I even go so far as to assert that in each one's zone of immediate influence, the right attitude not only has the power to turn every circumstance to advantage but can change the very circumstance itself.    The Mother

373 Enthusiasm
True enthusiasm is full of a peaceful endurance.
Petunia Xhybrida. Many colours

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374 Cheerful enthusiasm
The best way of facing life. Joy unites with enthusiasm in action.
Petunia Xhybrida. Many colours, double

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375 Enthusiasm in action
All actions are done with energy and ardour.
Petunia Xhybrida. Bicoloured

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376 Cheerful enthusiasm in action
Action will become joyfully enthusiastic when it is governed by the Supermind.
Petunia Xhybrida. Bicoloured, double

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377 Psychic enthusiasm
A state that only the Divine can awaken.
Petunia Xhybrida. Light pink

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378 Cheerful psychic enthusiasm
An assurance of success in spite of obstacles.
Petunia Xhybrida. Light pink, double

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379 Enthusiasm in the higher vital
The vital being takes a lively interest in what it does.
Petunia Xhybrida. Pale lavender blue

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380 Cheerful enthusiasm in the higher vital
The result of perfect surrender to the Divine.
Petunia Xhybrida. Pale lavender blue, double

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381 Vital enthusiasm
Care must be taken that it be in the right direction.
Petunia Xhybrida. Pinkish mauve

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382 Cheerful vital enthusiasm
Very precious if it persists in spite of difficulties.
Petunia Xhybrida. Pinkish mauve, double

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383 Enthusiasm in the most material vital
Needed to face the difficulties of life successfully.
Petunia Xhybrida. Deep purple

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384 Cheerful enthusiasm in the most material vital
The most material vital will find its joy in enthusiastic action when it is governed by the Supermind.
Petunia Xhybrida. Deep purple, double

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385 Physical enthusiasm
The body takes a lively interest in life and action.
Petunia Xhybrida. Red

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386 Cheerful physical enthusiasm
The whole being lives only to serve the Divine.
Petunia Xhybrida. Red, double

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387 Integral enthusiasm
The whole being does whatever it does with ardour.
Petunia Xhybrida. White

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388 Cheerful integral enthusiasm
To ardour is added the joy of doing things well.
Petunia Xhybrida. White, double

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389 Life energy
Powerful and manifold, meets all needs.
Dendranthema Xgrandiflorum. Many colours

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390 Purified dynamic life energy
Superb, indomitable, all-powerful in its purity.
Dendranthema Xgrandiflorum. White

 
391 Supramentalised life energy
Manifold and supple, it has an immortal resistance.
Dendranthema Xgrandiflorum. Orange yellow

 
392 Life energy in the vital
Supple and resistant, it is tireless.
Dendranthema Xgrandiflorum. Light mauve

 
393 Life energy in the material
(No comment)
Dendranthema Xgrandiflorum. Golden red

 
394 Specialised detailed energy
Nothing is too small to merit its attention.
Chrysanthemum. Several colours

LIFE ENERGY

[Life energy], life-force is not physical in itself; it is not material energy, but rather a different principle supporting Matter and involved in it. It supports and occupies all forms and without it no physical form could have come into being or could remain in being. It acts in all material forces such as electricity and is nearest to self-manifestation in those that are nearest to pure force; no material force could exist or act without it, for from it they derive their energy and movement and they are its vehicles.    Sri Aurobindo

The true Life-Force too reveals itself as no longer this troubled harassed divided striving surface energy, but a great and radiant Divine Power, full of peace and strength and bliss, a wide-wayed Angel of life with its wings of Might unfolding the universe.

Sri Aurobindo

 
395 Organised material energy
Clustered, compact and methodical, it is powerful through its organisation.
Schefflera actinophylla. Dull red

396 Energy turned towards the Divine
The power of realisation offers itself in service to the Divine.
Lawsonia inermis. Cream yellow or red

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397 Plasticity
Always ready for the necessary progress.
Tagetes. Several colours

 
398 Mental plasticity
Indispensable for true knowledge.
Tagetes erecta. Yellow

 
399 Energy of a plastic mind
Does not draw back from any effort to progress.
Tagetes erecta 'Spun Yellow'. Bright yellow

 
400 Physical plasticity
One of the important conditions for transformation.
Tagetes erecta. Yellow or orange with maroon

 
401 Detailed plasticity
The plasticity needed to constantly progress.
Tagetes patula. Several colours

PLASTICITY

That which can easily change its form is "plastic". Figuratively, it is suppleness, the capacity to adapt to circumstances or necessities. When I ask you to be plastic in relation to the Divine, I mean not to resist the Divine with the rigidity of preconceived ideas and fixed principles.    The Mother

 
The physical being and physical consciousness must be very plastic to be able to lend themselves to all the necessary changes, so as to be one way one day, another way the next, and so on.    The Mother

 
Supramental plasticity is an attribute of finally transformed Matter. The supramental body which has to be brought into being here has four main attributes: lightness, adaptability, plasticity and luminosity. . . . Supramental plasticity will enable it to stand the attack of every hostile force which strives to pierce it: it will present no dull resistance to the attack but will be, on the contrary, so pliant as to nullify the force by giving way to it to pass off. Thus it will suffer no harmful consequences and the most deadly attacks will leave it unscathed.    The Mother

402 Supramentalised plasticity
One of the stages on the way to transformation.
Tagetes erecta. Orange to orange yellow

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COURAGE

True courage, in its deepest sense, is to be able to face everything, everything in life, from the smallest things to the greatest, from material things to things of the spirit, without a shudder, without physically . . . without the heart beginning to beat faster, without the nerves trembling, without the slightest emotion in any part of the being. Face everything with a constant awareness of the Divine Presence, a total self-giving to the Divine, and the whole being unified in this will; then you can go forward in life and face anything whatever.    The Mother

 
403 Courage
Bold, it faces all dangers.
Calotropis gigantea. Mauve

404 Integral courage
Whatever the domain, whatever the danger, the attitude remains the same — calm and assured.
Calotropis gigantea. White

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405 Vital courage
Must be controlled to be beneficial.
Solanum melongena. Purple

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FEARLESSNESS

Fear is an impurity, one of the greatest impurities, one of those which come most directly from the anti-divine forces which want to destroy the divine action on earth; and the first duty of those who really want to do yoga is to eliminate from their consciousness, with all the might, all the sincerity, all the endurance they are capable of, even the shadow of fear.    The Mother

406 Bravery
Fears nothing and knows how to stand up against adversaries.
Amaranthus tricolor 'Molten Fire'. Deep mauve

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407 Fearlessness in action
Manifold, unfettered and fearless.
Amaranthus caudatus. Dull magenta

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408 Fearlessness
Without fear or hesitation, it will obey the Divine's command.
Solanum torvum. White

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409 Fearlessness in the vital
Goes straight to its goal and fears no inclemency.
Solanum melongena. Light lavender and white

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411 Boldness
Do fearlessly what has to be done, dreading no difficulty.
Celosia argentea. Many colours

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412 Spontaneous boldness
One of the results of perfect trust in the Divine.
Celosia argentea. Green

 
413 Mental boldness
May our mind be capable of foreseeing the perfections of tomorrow.
Celosia argentea. Yellow

 
414 Vital boldness
Should submit to reason.
Celosia argentea. Dark red

 
415 Physical boldness
Nothing seems impossible in its consecration to the Divine.
Celosia argentea. Red

EFFORT TOWARDS THE TRUTH

Truth is the door of the spirit's Ananda, its beatific nature.    Sri Aurobindo

The Truth is not a dogma one can learn once and for all and impose as a rule. The Truth is infinite like the Supreme Lord, and it manifests at every moment to those who are sincere and attentive.

The Mother

We shall perceive that the truth we seek is made up of four major aspects: Love, Knowledge, Power and Beauty. These four attributes of the Truth will express themselves spontaneously in our being. The psychic will be the vehicle of true and pure love, the mind will be the vehicle of infallible knowledge, the vital will manifest an invincible power and strength, and the body will be the expression of a perfect beauty and harmony.    The Mother

 
420 Effort towards the Truth
Should exist in all men of goodwill.
Dillenia suffruiticosa. Lemon yellow

 
421 Absolute truthfulness
Must govern one's life if one wants to be close to the Divine.
Solandra maxima. Cream to light yellow

 
422 Straightforwardness
Shows itself as it is, without compromising.
Ixora pavetta. Off-white

 
423 Frankness
Says frankly what it has to say without caring for the result.
Gerbera jamesonii. Several colours

STRAIGHTFORWARDNESS

Those who are not straightforward cannot profit by the Mother's help, for they themselves turn it away. Unless they change, they cannot hope for the descent of the supramental Light and Truth into the lower vital and physical nature; they remain stuck in their own self-created mud and cannot progress.    Sri Aurobindo

NEVER TELL A LIE

It is never good to tell a lie, but here its results can only be disastrous, for falsehood is the very symbol of that which wants to oppose the divine work of Truth.    The Mother

To speak always the truth is the highest title of nobility.    The Mother

424 Never tell a lie
Absolute condition for safety on the path.
Pereskia. Pink

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425 Spiritual speech
All-powerful in its simplicity.
Asparagus densiflorus 'Sprengeri'. White

426 Power of expression
It is the power to manifest that which is latent.
Antirrhinum majus. Many colours

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427 Power of psychic expression
The psychic gets its power of expression when it governs the whole being.
Antirrhinum majus. Pink

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428 Power of mental expression
Has value only when it is at the service of the Divine.
Antirrhinum majus. Yellow

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429 Power of vital expression
Is useful only when the vital is converted.
Antirrhinum majus. Purple to violet

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430 Power of physical expression
One of the benefits of conversion.
Antirrhinum majus. Red

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431 Power of integral expression
Nothing is too difficult for it to say.
Antirrhinum majus. White with yellow

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432 Power of manifold expression
The result of suppleness and plasticity.
Antirrhinum majus. Multicoloured

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433 Progressive expression
What you cannot say today, you will know how to say tomorrow.
Antirrhinum majus. Many colours

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POWER OF EXPRESSION

The power of expression comes by getting in touch with the inner source from which these things come.    The Mother

 
For a certain state of consciousness there is not a word, not a gesture, not an action which does not express a deeper or higher reality, more lasting, more essential, more true; and once one has seen and felt this, everything takes on a meaning, and one sees more clearly how things ought to be organised, arranged so that a deeper truth may be expressed even better than it is at present.    The Mother

 
The truest expression comes out of an absolute inner silence.    Sri Aurobindo

434 Abundant expression
Has much to say and says it fully.
Celosia argentea. Golden yellow

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435 Joyful expression
It enjoys itself and gives enjoyment to others.
Celosia argentea. Golden orange

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436 Eloquence
We know how to express ourselves in a convincing way.
Alpinia zerumbet. White

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437 To know how to say what is needed
Neither too many words nor too few — just what is needed.
Alpinia galanga. White

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NO QUARRELS

All quarrels proceed from egoism which pushes its own opinion and affirms its own importance, considering that it is right and everybody else wrong and thus creates anger and sense of injury etc. These things must not be indulged, but rejected at once.    Sri Aurobindo

As for ill-will, jealousy, quarrels and reproaches, one must sincerely be above all that and reply with a benevolent smile to the bitterest words; and unless one is absolutely sure of oneself and one's reactions, it would be better, as a general rule, to keep silent.    The Mother

To be above offence or insult makes one truly great.    The Mother

438 No quarrels
A very important condition to fulfil in order to facilitate the advent of the Supermind.
Gloriosa superba. Greenish yellow

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439 Boastfulness
One of the greatest obstacles to progress. A stupidity one must carefully avoid if one aspires for true progress.
Parkia pedunculata. Brown

GOSSIP

The Mother's warning to you against the undesirability of too much talk, loose chat and gossip, social self-dispersion was entirely meant and stands; when you indulge in these things, you throw yourself out into a very small and ignorant consciousness in which your vital defects get free play and this is likely to bring you out of what you have developed in your inner consciousness.    Sri Aurobindo

I myself have had the experience that one can be fully concentrated and be in union with the Divine even while working physically with one's hands; but naturally this asks for a little practice, and for this the most important thing to avoid is useless talking. It is not work but useless talking that takes us away from the Divine.    The Mother

440 Gossip

Dark and pointed, this is a flower that wounds more than it charms.

Typhonium blumei. Deep maroon

441 Sharp tongue

Unfortunately too frequent.

Aphelandra tetragona. Orange

CARE

Always do what you do with care.

The Mother

Any work done with care becomes interesting. The Mother

 
The Divine is in things also and that is why they must be treated with care. The Mother

Yes, and we must take care of [material things], not because we are attracted to them, but because they too manifest something of the Divine Consciousness. The Mother

442 To know how to listen
To be attentive and silent.
Podranea ricasoliana. Light pink to lavender pink

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443 Observation
Likes to prolong its attention in order to see better.
Senecio. Yellow green

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444 Care
To be careful in what one does.
Chlorophytum comosum 'Vittatum'. White

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CERTITUDE

There is only one thing to do: to proceed on one's way keeping one's own faith and certitude, and not bother about contradictions and denials. There are people who need the support and trust and certitude of others to feel comfortable and to be at ease; they are always unhappy because, of course, they will always come across people who do not believe, and so they will be upset and it will trouble them. One must find one's own certitude within oneself, keep it in spite of everything and go one's way whatever the cost, to the very end. The victory is for the most enduring.
To maintain one's endurance in spite of all opposition, the support must be unshakable, and one support alone is unshakable, that of the Reality, the Supreme Truth.

The Mother

 
445 Prudence
Very useful for weakness since weakness needs prudence; strength does not need it.
Emilia sonchifolia. Scarlet

446 Enlightened prudence
Looks carefully before going forward.
Emilia sonchifolia 'Lutea'. Golden yellow

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447 Common sense
It is very practical and avoids many mistakes, but it lacks flight.
Nicotiana alata. Several colours

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448 Certitude
Assured and calm, it never argues.
Nicotiana plumbaginifolia. White

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UNOSTENTATIOUS CERTITUDE

[Unostentatious certitude] is the complete negation of "bluff". I find it very beautiful. When I saw this flower, it struck me as something very profound, very calm — and absolutely sure, something unmoving. I don't know why, but the longer I looked at it, the more it gave me that impression and when I was asked its significance, I said, "Unostentatious certitude". It is what one might call a superlative good taste in spiritual experience, something that contains more than it expresses.    The Mother

449 Unostentatious certitude
It does not attract attention or try to convince anyone.
Platycodon grandiflorus. Lavender blue

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