Conceive With Awareness

“The soul takes birth each time, and each time a mind, life and body are formed out of the materials of universal Nature, according to the soul’s past evolution and its need for the future.” — Sri Aurobindo We usually think of birth as the beginning of a new life. The body has its beginning, and the outer personality will slowly develop. But Sri Aurobindo points to a soul that has already been on a journey. The soul comes into birth carrying what it has gathered through its experiences and its growth. Sri Aurobindo writes: “The soul gathers the essential elements of its experiences in life and makes that its basis of growth in the evolution; when it returns to birth it takes up with its mental, vital, physical sheaths so much of its Karma as is useful to it in the new life for further experience.” “The soul comes into birth for experience, for growth, for evolution till it can bring the Divine into matter. It is the central being that incarnates, not the outer personality — the person...

What is consciousness? Awareness? Intention? Focus? The highest instrument that an ordinary human being is aware of and can exercise some control on, is the mind. By mind we know it as the part in us that thinks, ponders, broods, reminisces, tries to recollect, plans through a series of thoughts and decides to act; also one who exercises the will to act and prods a part of the body to act; it is also the one that becomes sad when the body experiences pain or illness; it is the one that is tormented when we face deceit or hurt in a relationship and it is also the one that gathers the being after a heartbreak and urges him to move on. But sometimes no word of the mind lands on the emotional being, the vital has taken over by running the painful memories in repeat mode and yet there is someone who suffers silently, allowing the vital energies to dry out- it is not the mind that tries to interrupt a few times to take charge, but is unable to get through. Again, when we freeze in fear and...

" There are other parents who know that their children must be educated and who try to do what they can. But very few, even among those who are most serious and sincere, know that the first thing to do, in order to be able to educate a child, is to educate oneself, to become conscious and master of oneself so that one never sets a bad example to one’s child.” — The Mother When a baby is expected, we naturally begin to prepare. Lists are made. Appointments are scheduled.  Books on parenting are purchased. The tiny clothes are chosen with extraordinary care. The room is cleaned. A cradle is brought home. A thousand little things are thought of before the baby arrives. There is something beautiful about this preparation.  It is love taking practical form. We want everything to be ready. We want the child to be safe, comfortable, healthy and well cared for. But while we are preparing everything for the baby, what about preparing ourselves? What about the person who will be caring...

“The psychic being is the developing soul consciousness manifested for the created being as it evolves” — Sri Aurobindo    When a child is born, we ask, “Is it a boy or a girl?”  “Whom does the baby resemble?”   “What shall we name the child?”   “What will the child become one day?”   These questions are natural. They arise from love. Every family asks them. Every generation has asked them. But there is another question we may not ask very often.   Who is this child who has come to us? We do not ask this question very often because we naturally see what is visible. We see a tiny body, a smiling face, little fingers wrapped around our own. We see the beginning of a new life. And of course, something wonderful has happened. A child has entered the world. Sri Aurobindo and The Mother ask us to look a little deeper. They ask us to look beyond the body. Beyond the name. Beyond the family. Beyond everything that is immediately visible. They ask us to see...

"Man is a transitional being; he is not final." — Sri Aurobindo There are ideas that remain relevant in every age. Some of them become even more meaningful as time goes by. Conscious Conception is one such idea. At first, the question may seem unnecessary. Why should we speak about Conscious Conception today?  After all, children have been born for thousands of years. Every generation has welcomed new life with hope, love and dreams for the future. Parents have always wanted the very best for their children. What has changed? Perhaps it is not only the way we bring children into the world, but the world into which we are bringing them. If we look around us, we can see how much humanity has progressed. Never have we had so much knowledge. Medicine has transformed pregnancy and childbirth. Science continues to reveal the extraordinary mysteries of life. Technology has connected people across continents. Education is more accessible than ever before. With a simple search, we...

"The state of consciousness in which the parents are at the moment of conception gives a sort of stamp to the child, which it will reflect throughout its life." -   The Mother There are some moments in life that make us look at things differently. One such moment came unexpectedly while attending a baby shower. The room was alive with joy. Family and friends had gathered to celebrate the arrival of a new life. Tiny clothes were folded with care. Soft toys lay waiting in a beautifully decorated cradle. There was laughter, affectionate teasing, and a steady stream of advice for the young couple. "Take enough rest."  "Eat healthy food."  "Don't miss your medical check-ups."  "Start preparing the baby's room." Every suggestion came from love. Every preparation was important. As we watched the celebrations unfold, a simple question arose within us. Everyone was preparing for the baby. But who prepares the parents?  We prepare the...