Ageing, longevity & immortality

Physical immortality as a plausible concept has been popularized by The Mother & Sri Aurobindo and their disciples during the last several decades. Along side the post modern revolution this has also acted as an anchor or attractor for many a mind. The Mother’s Agenda, despite the controversial circumstances of its publication, and the avoidable digs and jibes it contains, remains a sprawling testament of an unprecedented adventure that teases science as well as imagination.

Immortality or longevity also encompasses ageing. Amal Kiran, a crucial player in the myth surrounding The Mother & Sri Aurobindo is here with us. Hosts of other sadhaks also are in their advanced age. Experiences of or experiments with bodily sadhana are hardly communicated and as a result our repertoire is poor in that portfolio. Coping with multiple troubles that ageing entails should also have attracted focus in the light of ongoing medical and psychotherapeutic research. But practitioners of Integral Yoga are pretty silent; perhaps they find it safe.

In Chapter 20 captioned “The Enigma Of The Natural State” of his book titled, The Other Side of Belief: Interpreting U.G. Krishnamurti, Mukunda Rao draws attention to the “experiences of the Mother” “that makes books on mysticism or mystical reports sound like the mere prattling of a child.” He, of course, links them to what UG undergoes concurrently and that might seem a bit disconcerting for us. But overall, he makes a compelling case for renewed attention toward “Salvation is Physical.” [TNM]