What is discipline?
To act according to a standard of Truth or a rule or law of action (dharma) or in obedience to a superior authority or to the highest principles discovered by the reason and intelligent will and not according to one’s own fancy, vital impulses and desires. In Yoga obedience to the Guru or to the Divine and the law of the Truth as declared by the Guru is the foundation of discipline.
Sri Aurobindo – Letters on Himself and the Ashram: CWSA, Vol. 35, p. 672
Without discipline no proper work is possible.
Without discipline no proper life is possible.
And above all, without discipline no Sadhana is possible.
The Mother – Words of the Mother – I: CWM, Vol. 13, p. 163
Sadhak = one who follows a yogic discipline.
Sadhana = yogic discipline.
Yoga = union with the Divine (by extension: the path which leads to this union).
The Mother – Words of the Mother – II: CWM, Vol. 14, p. 32
No life can be successful without self-discipline.
The Mother – Words of the Mother – II: CWM, Vol. 14, p. 45
…. A certain inner and outer discipline is necessary in order that one may grow into the spirit of the Yoga and the natural impulses of the vital cannot be a guide to action there. One has to perceive what one should or should not do and impose this discipline on oneself;….
Sri Aurobindo – Letters on Himself and the Ashram: CWSA, Vol. 35, p. 674
To be a man, discipline is indispensable.
Without discipline one is only an animal.
One begins to be a man only when one aspires to a higher and truer life and when one accepts a discipline of transformation. For this one must start by mastering one’s lower nature and its desires.
The Mother – Words of the Mother – II: CWM, Vol. 14, p. 46
…. But all the same, there is something you must find out; it is the necessity of an inner discipline. Without discipline you won’t be able to get anywhere, without discipline you can’t even live the normal life…. But instead of having the conventional discipline of ordinary societies or ordinary institutions, I would have liked and I still want you to have the discipline you set yourselves, for the love of perfection, your own perfection, the perfection of your being.
The Mother – Questions and Answers: CWM, Vol. 8, p. 184
…. A discipline in itself is not what we are seeking. What we are seeking is to be concentrated on the Divine in all that we do, at all times, in all our acts and in every movement. There are some here who have been told to meditate; but also there are others who have not been asked to do any meditation at all. But it must not be thought that they are not progressing. They too follow a discipline, but it is of another nature. To work, to act with devotion and an inner consecration is also a spiritual discipline. The final aim is to be in constant union with the Divine, not only in meditation but in all circumstances and in all the active life.
The Mother – Questions and Answers: CWM, Vol. 3, p. 20
The tapasya or discipline of beauty will lead us, through austerity in physical life, to freedom in action. Its basic programme will be to build a body that is beautiful in form, harmonious in posture, supple and agile in its movements, powerful in its activities and robust in its health and organic functioning.
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….There must be no little exceptions to the rule that are indulged in “just for once” but which are repeated very often -for as soon as -one yields to temptation, even “just for once”, one lessens the resistance of the will-power and opens the door to every failure….
The Mother – On Education: CWM,Vol. 12, p. 50
So discipline is a rule which the child should impose on himself. How can he be led to recognise the need for it? How can he be helped to follow it?
Example is the most powerful instructor. Never demand from a child an effort of discipline that you do not make yourself. Calm, equanimity, order, method, absence of useless words, ought to be constantly practiced by the teacher if he wants to instill them into his pupils.
The Mother – On Education: CWM,Vol. 12, p. 193
…. Today we know that the most pitiful weakling, for example, can with discipline become as strong as anyone else. One should not have a will which flickers out like a candle.
The Mother – Questions and Answers: CWM, Vol. 4, p. 5
Discipline
Sets the example and hopes to be followed.
Ocimum basilicum
Common basil, Sweet basil
Tiny white bilabiate flowers lightly tinged pink with green leaves and a greenish purple calyx and stem, the latter becoming entirely purple towards the tip of the raceme. A shrubby annual or perennial culinary herb with aromatic leaves.
The Mother – Spiritual significance of flowers
