When the Spirit is invoked, it acts miraculously. How is it done? The tradition has several methods of which Japa is the most well known method. Mantras are powerful, especially when chanted according to the stipulation. OM is the most powerful mantra. It is called Sabda Brahman. The Immutable Spirit moves into creation becoming the mutable Brahman. It does so in three stages. The sound OM issues at the third stage when creation begins. Each line of tradition may resort to a different method. One sect requires the repetition of OM 1 1/2 crores of times.

Prayer is a part of our lives. From the boy who takes an exam and the robber who plans to break into a house, they suddenly become religious and find themselves praying. Of the three levels of prayer, The Gita describes the simplest one - to pray for a benefit. A prayer, a master act that reaches God makes miracles commonplace, is a line in the epic Savitri of Sri Aurobindo. All sincere prayers are answered without fail, especially those that issue out of the depths of one's being at times of imminent danger.

There is a story of a poor African who, having been excited by the gold rush of the 19th century, sold his farm and house and went to South America. The person who bought his farm discovered diamonds beneath the soil. Indian spirituality is rich; the Rishis had discovered God as Sachchidananda. What the scientists have discovered in the last century - that energy is the ultimate thing - the Rishis had already discovered in the period of Upanishads. They went beyond it. They found that energy issued from Existence. That too was not final.

It is said for a great soul to be born on earth, the family prepares itself over several generations producing better and better personalities in successive generations until a Buddha or Jesus or Krishna is born. It is true of a Gandhi or Nehru or Tagore. It is also said that after the great Avatar or Vibhuti is delivered, that family disappears into oblivion mostly. Each nation has its own unique tradition which saturates the very physical atmosphere of the soil.

Life is replete with events that express this phenomenon. Only that we do not understand it in this light. We rarely think this is a method to solve our problems. When a problem presents, it is customary for us to exercise our minds as well as our efforts to the full. It is good to work to achieve a result. It is better NOT to exercise ourselves. Not only do we not think along those lines, but it is hard for most of us to accept it as a valid method of functioning.

A government officer had been regularly visiting Pondicherry on every February 21st to attend a spiritual function most sacred to his faith. In the same tradition birthdays are the most receptive days in one's life. It is believed the soul is born anew at a higher level on that day. About thirty years ago bus services were not as organised as they are today. For this man to be here on February 21st, he needed to take three days leave from his office.

The soul SAW its woes disappeared when it forgot them and was wondering what it is all about. God laughed at the naiveté of the soul. So says Sri Aurobindo in one of His Aphorisms. The spiritual truth is man energises his misery by dwelling on it. Can this spiritual truth be of any use to us in our daily life? Though such occurrences are not in abundance, they are not uncommon. Often a man recovers from an incurable illness, especially when the doctor gives up. It is striking at the moment but our mental comprehension does not go beyond expressing a sense of wonder.

In 1980, Chrysler Corporation, the third largest US automobile producer, was on the verge of bankruptcy. Over the past three years it had lost $3.3 billion, a record in the industrial world at that time. It had borrowed billions of dollars from more than 400 banks, then received a bailout from the US Government. With all that support, the company got down to its last $10 million in cash to meet daily expenses that averaged $50 million-sufficient for just a few more hours of operations! Analysts, experts, newspapers, and investors unanimously declared the company's impending doom.

Functioning from the Spirit demands NOT functioning from the mind or vital attitudes or physical habits. Though not functioning from other parts is essential, it is not enough to release the Spirit into action. It needs an inspiration from inside or a compelling pressure from outside. Should either be there, preferably both, the Spirit acts at once and the results follow instantaneously, at least the new desirable results start flowing into the outer environment.

Men work for a long time to raise a nation or a family or to turn a losing company into a profitable one. Often they succeed. When they do not succeed, they say, 'the Time has not come'. The spiritual truth about such a situation is that Man can make the Time come.  

Such a moment has come now in the world. This is not an idea man is familiar with. Still, it is not very difficult to explain as several such events are happening around us and all over the world. Stated simply,