Effectuating the Formations of Imagination Over Time and Circumstance

Creating a detailed imagination is the first step in a future realisation. The formation so devised will attempt to achieve its actualisation in the world. Yet, it must contend with the readiness of the ground upon which it alights, the preparation of the ‘soil’, the proper support along the way, and avoidance of those forces and influences which will tend to either destroy, distract or delay its coming to fruition. The formation struggles to survive, grow, thrive and bear fruit. It may take time. The more far-reaching the intended outcome, the longer it may take. Relatively simple desires may not have much difficulty in manifesting. It is similar to the way we receive new ideas in our brains. A neural pathway is developed and it may take several repetitions to fully form itself. Once it is there, when the vibration rises, it can immediately follow that pathway. Something less common may take some time to work out the situation, and, as the Mother points out, most people have ‘moved on’ from that formation by the time it comes to fruition and they are left dealing with the fruits of a past action that they no longer really want to taste! If we leave behind, however, all the purely personal desires and formations of imagination and move toward the larger scope of the evolutionary destiny of the human race, we may consider that time, past habit, karmic energetic flows and circumstances may throw up obstacles or delays, and thus, we may not ourselves see the fruit of the formation; rather, future generations will benefit from its realisation.

Imagine, for instance, that we can create a world of peace and harmony, where all human beings live with due care and consideration for all others, and also in balance with the world environment and the other beings with whom we share the planet. We do not let our personal greed, lust or desires intervene in this balance. We create economic and political systems that carry out this intention, so that we have no cause for war, gang brutality, or anything that might cause mass migrations. That we bring climate change under control and thus, reduce the spread of disease vectors and reduce the intensity of destructive weather events. Imagine a world that we can create where art and music thrive, where people do not have to be enslaved their whole lives simply to survive, but can follow their ideals, their dreams and their visions. Such a world, you may say, is not foreseeable in our immediate future.

Yet, there is no reason that, given enough time, and enough powerful intention behind it provided by many people who seek such a solution to the darkness and conflict we see in our present world situation, that such a result could not eventuate! Maybe 100, 200, 300 or 400 years represents the time frame for the necessary changes to take hold and effectuate the foundation of such a world of peace and harmony.

A disciple asks: “Then, is it through imagination that one can realise desires or aspirations?”

The Mother responds: “That means? What exactly do you want to say? Imagining that the desire is realised and in this way help its realisation?”

“Yes.”

“Certainly, quite certainly.”

“And ideals also?”

The Mother replies: “Only usually, yes, almost totally what people don’t have at their disposal is the time it takes. But for instance, if you have a very powerful imagination and build up the realisation of your desire, build it up well with all its details and everything, like an admirably made formation existing in itself, totally, you see… well, you may be sure that if you live long enough the thing will be realised. it can be realised the next day, it can be realised the next minute, it can take years, it can take centuries. But it is sure to be realised. And then, if to this imaginative power you add a kind of creative vital strength, you make a very living force of it; and as all living forces tend towards realisation, it will put a pressure upon terrestrial events in order to be able to realise itself sooner, and it is realised.”

“Only, as I said, there are two things. First, as regards desires, personal circumstances, one is not very… persistent or very steady, and after sometime what interested you very strongly doesn’t interest you any longer. You think of something else, have another desire, and make another formation. But now the first thing one imagined is very well formed; after following its curve in space it is realised. But by then the person has started another construction because for some reason or other the thing doesn’t interest him any more, and he is face to face with the realisation of his first desire, while having already embarked upon the second, the third or the fourth. So he is absolutely annoyed: ‘But why, I don’t want this any longer, why does it come?’ without his being conscious that quite simply it is the result of a previous deed. If, however, instead of being desires they are aspirations for spiritual things and one continues his line with a regular progress, then one is absolutely sure to obtain one day what has imagined. The day may be slightly far-off if there are many obstacles on the path, for example if the formation that you have made is still very alien to the state of the earth atmosphere; well, it takes some time to prepare the conditions for its advent. But if it something which has already been realised several times on earth and does not imply too categorical a transformation, you may have it quite quickly, provided that you follow the same line persistently. And if you add to this the ardour of a faith and trust in the divine Grace and that kind of self-giving to the Grace which makes you expect everything from It, then it can become tremendous; you can see things being realised more and more, and the most surprising ones can be realised one after another. But for this there are conditions to be fulfilled.”

Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter III Imagination, pp. 32-33