Journey to Supermind: The Life Divine, by Sri Aurobindo – Conversation #4
Channel: Cosmos Co-op
Date: 22/06/2018

This is our fourth session exploring Integral philosopher, poet, and yogi Sri Aurobindo’s spiritual classic *The Life Divine.* Psychologist Don Salmon, who has been studying Aurobindo’s work for over 40 years, leads off our discussion, which begins with his reading of an evocative passage from a letter by Aurobindo in *The Mother* (see forum topic for full text), and then goes on to focus on our different ways of reading Aurobindo, as well as some of the questions, challenges, and uncertainties that have come up in our individual readings thus far. These include concerns from scientific, cultural, and ethical points of view.

We also take up a couple points which have surfaced in the forum conversation regarding the relation between spiritual consciousness and the brain. It seems important to read (or receive) Aurobindo in a way that goes beyond the mental intellect, yet *The Life Divine* IS addressed to the intellect, and so we must also to do the work of clarifying concepts and connecting ideas with (as well as distinguishing them from) what we already know, other philosophers we’ve read, and so on.

Some of us feel we’ve glimpsed the greater reality Aurobindo calls “Supermind,” and others are not so sure. Don suggests that in a way, in these early chapters of the book, Aurobindo is still just setting us up, through precise conceptual distinctions, for greater revelations to come. 

Much more happened in this experimental supermantal-seeking conversation, including a couple of very interesting dream reports, so check it out! And please share your thoughts in our forum topic for this event:

https://www.infiniteconversations.com/t/the-life-divine-reading-group-session-4-6-21/2100

The Journey continues....

## Reading

The Life Divine, Chapters 12-16 (pps. 108–160)

## Background

Hosted by Metapsychosis.com, ‘Journey to Supermind’ is a series of reading/writing and creative/spiritual practice group events dedicated to the philosopher, poet, integral yogi, and spiritual revolutionary Sri Aurobindo. 

In this weekly series running from June to November 2018, we are reading his magnum opus of evolutionary metaphysics, The Life Divine, while creating a field for exploring his poetic and literary works (e.g., Savitri); political and historical thought (e.g., The Human Cycle); and practical teachings on human transformation, or Integral Yoga (e.g., The Synthesis of Yoga).

## Participants

Marco Morelli
Terri O'Fallon
John Davis
Geoffrey Edwards
Doug Duff
Don Salmon
Lauren Unger
Mateo Needham
Florian Moritz
Kim Smith
Fred Dolan 

Date Recorded: June 21, 2018

## Previous Conversations

https://www.metapsychosis.com/series/readers-underground/life-divine/

## How to Participate

https://www.infiniteconversations.com/t/journey-to-supermind-sri-aurobindo-reading-practice-groups-overview-schedule-and-guidelines/2053

## Support our Open Collective

https://opencollective.com/metapsychosis/#