Sri Aurobindo

Letters of Sri Aurobindo

09. Sadhana in the Ashram and Outside

Fragment ID: 1679

It is not at all a question of usefulness – although your work is very useful when you put yourself to it. Work is part of the sadhana, and in sadhana the question of usefulness does not arise, that is an outward practical measure of things,– though even in the outward ordinary life utility is not the only measure. The question is of aspiration to the Divine, whether that is your central aim in life, your inner need or not. Sadhana for oneself is another matter – one can take it up or leave it. The real sadhana is for the Divine – it is the soul’s need and one cannot give it up even if in moments of despondency one thinks one can.