External Organization and Inner Harmony (Mistakes in Work)

A selection from letters of Sri Aurobindo on “The Mother and Mistakes in Work”
Recitation by Nolini Kanta Gupta.

Mistakes come from people bringing their ego, their personal feelings (likes and dislikes), their sense of prestige or their convenience, pride, sense of possession, etc. into the work.

The right way is to feel that the work is the Mother’s—not only yours, but the work of others—and to carry it out in such a spirit that there shall be general harmony.

Harmony cannot be brought about by external organisation only, though a more and more perfect external organisation is necessary; inner harmony there must be or else there will always be clash and disorder.

[26 February 1932]

You have written, “Harmony cannot be brought about by external organisation only … ; inner harmony there must be or else there will always be clash and disorder.”

What is that inner harmony? Union in the Mother.

[21 April 1933]

The Mother’s victory is, essentially, the victory of each sadhak over himself.

It can only be then that any external form of work can come to a harmonious perfection.

[12 Nov 1936]

[CWSA 32 The Mother and Mistakes in Work]