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Wielding the Torch of Perfect Sincerity -- the Way of Realisation on the Spiritual Path · Sri Aurobindo Studies

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  Some years ago, there was a movie coming out of Hollywood
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  that was based on the premise that someone was cursed with
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  having to tell the truth at all times.
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  The premise was developed as a comedy with the idea that rather
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  than using flattering terms or avoiding any harsh statements,
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  the individual would blurt out whatever thought or feeling
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  occurred to him inwardly. The person involved was an
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  attorney who had to defend clients in court, and thus the
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  comedic plot was thickened even further.
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  While honesty does not require people to simply spill their
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  impressions, feelings, emotions or thoughts of the moment out in
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  full at each moment, the story line made its point that we
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  essentially live a life that at best hedges on full truth and at
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  worst is purposely deceptive based on self-interest.
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  If we turn our attention then to the question of spiritual
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  practice by an individual, we can transfer the thought process
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  behind this premise to our own lives, our own inner thoughts,
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  motives, drives, feelings, emotions, desires and needs, and
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  compare these to the pure self giving and consecration needed
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  for the opening to the Divine and the transformation of our
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  lives. The Mother presents a challenge
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  to us to try this even for half an hour.
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  We will soon recognize the ground that needs to be covered
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  to become true doers of Divine works.
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  The Mother notes quote fundamentally, whatever be the
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  path 1 follows, whether the path of surrender, consecration,
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  knowledge, if one wants it to be perfect, it is always equally
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  difficult. And there is but one way, one
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  only. I know of only one that is
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  perfect sincerity. But perfect sincerity.
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  Do you know what perfect sincerity is?
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  Never to try to deceive oneself. Never let any part of the being
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  try to find out a way of convincing the others.
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  Never to explain favorably what one does in order to have an
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  excuse for what one wants to do. Never to close one's eyes when
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  something is unpleasant. Never to let anything pass,
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  telling oneself that's not important.
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  Next time it will be better. Oh, it is very difficult.
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  Just try for one hour and you will see how very difficult it
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  is. Only one hour to be totally,
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  absolutely sincere, to let nothing pass.
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  That is all one does, all one feels, all one thinks, all one
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  wants is exclusively the divine. I want nothing but the divine.
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  I think of nothing but the divine.
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  I do nothing but what will lead me to the divine.
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  I love nothing but the divine. Try, try, just to see.
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  Try for half an hour. You will see how difficult it
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  is, and during that time take great care that there isn't a
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  part of the vital or a part of the mind or a part of the
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  physical being nicely hidden there at the back, so that you
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  don't see it. Mother hides her hands behind
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  her back and don't notice that it is not collaborating, sitting
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  quietly there so that you don't unearth it.
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  It says nothing, but it does not change.
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  It hides itself. How many such parts, How many
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  parts hide themselves? You put them in your pocket
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  because you don't want to see them, or else they get behind
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  your back and sit there well hidden, right in the middle of
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  your back, so as not to be seen. When you go there with your
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  torch, your torch of sincerity, you ferret out all the corners
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  everywhere, all the small corners which do not consent,
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  the things which say no, or those which do not move.
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  I am not going to budget. I am glued to this place of
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  mine, and nothing will make me move.
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  You have a torch there with you, and you flash it upon the thing,
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  upon everything. You will see there are many of
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  them there behind your back, well stuck.
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  End Quote. Reference Srioro Bindu and the
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  Mother looking from within, Chapter 5.
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  Attitudes on the Path, pages 119 to 120.