Chapter 2

A symbol and a concretisation of the divine Work

Only when it is no longer necessary for men’s progress that my body should be like theirs will it be free to become supramentalised.

It is a fact that the Godhead has always taken a physical body with the intention of transforming that body and making of it a fit instrument for His manifestation upon earth. But it is a fact also that, until now, He has failed to do so and for one reason or another He had always to leave that physical body with the work of transformation unfinished.

In order that the Divine may keep, till a total transformation takes place, the body through which He is manifesting upon earth, it is necessary that, for at least one individual if not more, fulfilling the required conditions of harmony, strength, sincerity, endurance, unselfishness and poise in the physical, this body in which the Divine incarnates should be not only the most important thing, but even the thing exclusively important, more important than the divine Work itself, or rather that this body should become the symbol and the concretisation of the divine Work upon earth.

Adapting to the old body for the work

For the last few days when I wake up in the morning I have the strange sensation of entering a body that is not mine – my body is strong and healthy, full of energy and life, supple and harmonious and this one fulfils none of these qualities; the contact with it becomes painful; there is a great difficulty in adapting myself to it and it takes a long time before I can overcome this uneasiness.

The body repeats constantly and with a poignant sincerity: “What am I to demand anything whatsoever from anyone at all? Left to myself I am nothing, I know nothing, I can do nothing. Unless the truth penetrates into me and directs me, I am incapable of taking even the minutest decision and of knowing what is the best thing to do and to live even in the most insignificant circumstance. Shall I ever be capable of being transformed to the point of becoming What I ought to be and of manifesting What wants to manifest upon earth?” But why does this answer always come from the depths, from You, Lord, with an indisputable certitude: “If you cannot do it, no other body upon earth can do it.” There is but one conclusion: I shall persist in my effort, without giving in, I shall persist until death or until victory.

The body’s prayer

I cannot yet say “myself”, because when I say “myself” people think of my body, and my body is not yet truly myself, it is not yet transformed, and that produces a confusion in their minds. Besides, I have always felt that this attitude of my body perceiving its own imperfection was indispensable in order to keep a living and constant humility in the physical consciousness.

When the transformation is total, then I shall be able to speak, not before.

O divine Light, supramental Reality:

With this food, penetrate the whole body, enter into every cell, establish Thyself in every atom; may everything become perfectly sincere and receptive, free from all that obstructs the manifestation, in short, open to Thee all the parts of my body that are not already Thyself.