The Mother:

The Mother was born in Paris as Mirra Alfassa in 1878. She studied art, music and occult sciences in her early life, guided by spiritual experience at a very early age. In 1914 she met Sri Aurobindo in Pondicherry, India and in 1920 she moved permanently to Pondicherry to join him as his spiritual collaborator. In 1926 she was formally given full charge over the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and the spiritual and material welfare of the disciples who had formed around Sri Aurobindo by that time. She contined to expand the scope of the work of integration of the inner and outer life with the founding of the International Centre of Education, a model school which puts into practice the integral education methods developed by her. In 1968 the Mother founded the international city of Auroville as a place for material and spiritual research for the future evolution of humanity in harmony with itself and its earthly environment.

The Mother's writings are powerful, direct and decisive in their spiritual force and clarity.

Writings of the Mother:

Flowers and Their Messages:

309 pp Paper Back
ISBN: 094152468X
By entering into contact with the nature of a flower, its inner truth...one knows what it represents...if you are in contact with it, if you feel it, you can get an impression which may be translated as a thought. There is a kind of identification with the vibration, a perception of the quality that it represents...little by little there occurs a close approach between these vibrations, that are of the vital-emotional order, and the vibration of mental thought.

Commentaries on the Dhammapada

One of the ancient texts of the Pali Canon of Buddhism, the Dhammapada has a revered place among the noted scriptures of the world. It is quite special in its focus on the practical implementation of the Buddha's teachings in daily life, through the examination and self-control of one's thoughts, words and deeds. "Dhamma" is sometimes translated as "virtue", but in its deeper sense it is the innate law of life.
"Pada" means "footstep" or path. The Dhammapada is not so much a religious text as a text of practical psychology for those wishing to undertake an inner, spiritual discipline to change their lives.

The Buddha broke out of the conventions of his time in order to speak to the condition of mankind and provide a path toward liberation from the wheel of birth, death and Karma, the chain of consequences. The Dhammapada encapsulates his basic teachings and provides guidelines for gaining insight and an understanding that goes beyond any single teaching or religion. One of the "great books" of humanity, the Dhammapada can provide benefit to seekers from any philosophic or religious or spiritual path with its timeless non-sectarian wisdom.

The present edition is especially valuable as it contains an English translation that is at once clean and concise, while also filled with a spiritual sense and meaning. This translation compares favourably with those that have appeared in the past from an intellectual standpoint, and it is certain to awaken in the reader a sense of the reverence and
spiritual aspiration that truly resides in the text.

The commentaries are by the Mother, who was the spiritual collaborator of Sri Aurobindo and the spiritual guide of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram for many years. After each Dhammapada chapter, she has added her own observations and insights to turn our focus towards the realizations in consciousness that the text implies. Her practical acumen and spiritual wisdom create a force for understanding that is missing from a purely academic commentary.

Other Major Titles:

Collected Works of the Mother

17 volume set

7100 pp Paper Back
ISBN: 0940985780
This 2nd edition of the Collected Works of the Mother in 17 volumes has been released to coincide with the 125th Birth Anniversary of the Mother. The Mother's writings contain a powerful force of yogic action that can transform the seeker's practice.

Prayers and Meditations:

380 pp Paper Back
ISBN: 9788170580522

This volume contains the prayers and meditations selected for publication by the Mother from her diaries of 1912 to 1919, and five prayers of a later period.

Health and Healing in Yoga:

351pp Paper Back
ISBN: 9788170580232
The extracts for this book have been selected from the writings and talks of the Mother. Most of the chapters begin with a series of short written statements arranged under the first title. The titles which follow are generally longer passages taken from talks; a few are from essays and messages

Audio:

Four Aspects of the Mother CD

58.58 min Audio CD
Sri Aurobindo's powerful "Matri Upanishad" chapter 6 of The Mother, read by The Mother. The mantric force of the writing is accentuated by the power of The Mother's reading.

Mother's Agenda

Fascinating and powerful insights transcribed from talks between The Mother and Satprem

• Volume 1 1951-1960
• Volume 2 1961
• Volume 3 1962
• Volume 4 1963
• Volume 5 1964
• Volume 6 1965
• Volume 7 1966
• Volume 8 1967
• Volume 12 1971
• Volume 13 1972-1973
  

U.S. editions of The Mother's writings now available:

• Commentaries on the Dhammapada
• Flowers and Their Messages

Compilations from Sri Aurobindo and The Mother:

• Growing Within
• Hidden Forces of Life
• Living Within
• Living Words
• Looking from Within
• Our Many Selves
• Powers Within
• Psychic Being
• Yoga of Sleep and Dreams

Back to Sri Aurobindo Information Page

Institute for Wholistic Education Home Page

rev 1/2/21