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WRITINGS BY THE MOTHER
© Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust

Mother, please explain why I felt some hesitation about speaking to Y.

It was the influence of her external will acting on your mind and vital.

20 March 1934

Why doesn't the influence of each person's external will act on others, as in the case of Y and me? For example, I don't like speaking with my sister, but she talks to me; that shows that the influence of my external [old p. 27]will doesn't act either on her vital or her mind. Why?

That proves that her will is as strong as yours--and that is very good. By what right do you want your will to act on others? [new p. 27]Each one must be free. Only the Guru has the right to impose his will upon the will of the disciple who has chosen him.

21 March 1934

*

Yesterday you wrote, "That proves that her will is as strong as yours - and that is very good." I don't understand what you mean by "that is very good".

It is always very good when someone has a strong will.

22 March 1934

How does Y's will act on me, while mine does not act on my sister?

This simply shows that you are more open to Y's influence than your sister is to yours. It is always regrettable when one is open to the influence of another person. One should receive no other influence than that of the Divine.

22 March 1934 [old p. 29]

Is there a way for the mental being to avoid being influenced by the vital?

Let the mind receive the light from above and refuse to be influenced.

22 March 1934 [new p. 29]

What can I do about being influenced by Y?

Pay no attention to her, in thought and deed.

How am I influenced by her?

Because you feel an attraction for her, and her will seems to be stronger than yours.

Since my sister has a strong will to speak to me, I don't understand how that can be good?

That is a desire or an instinct rather than a will.

I am not saying it is good that she wants to talk with you; I am saying that in general it is good to have a strong will. When you have a strong will you have only to direct it properly; when you do not have a will you first have to develop one, which always takes time and is sometimes difficult.

Before asking random questions you would do well to think a bit and try to understand by yourself.

23 March 1934

Collected Works of The Mother, First Edition, Volume 17, pp. 26-27, 28-29