I disagree; metaphysics doesn't have to imply religion at all

From: M Alan Kazlev

Hi Tusar, we do seem to have very different positions regarding the relationship of religion and Integral Yoga. I agree with The Mother in seeing religion as something negative and limiting. I have also mentioned my position on religion in one of my essays on Frank Visser's Integral World. And just because Sri Aurobindo and The Mother are avatars doesn't mean one should make a religion about them, or about their teachings. It's the same with Ramana Maharshi; in my opinion he's an avatar too, and it would be stupid to make him into a religion as well. Look what happened to the messages of Jesus, Mohammad, etc when they made their teachings into religions!

RC said: "since integral yoga is dependent on a metaphysical premise (the descent of the Divine) there is no other way to speak about the yoga except as a religious practice."

I disagree; metaphysics doesn't have to imply religion at all. Platonism is based on metaphysical premises, but it isn't a religion. I distinguish between religion and spirituality. To me, Religion is dogmatic belief that is stuck in one particular revelation of the Divine, and hence exclusivist (no matter how authentic that Revelation may be). Spirituality (as I define it) is always receptive to new possibilities, and hence can include all equally. Perhaps also it is a question of semantics. You and RC may both have a completely different definition of religion to me.

Anyway, I support the fine work you do regarding presenting The Mother and Sri Aurobindo's very important teachings and the work of Integral Yoga in your excellent blogs. namaste alan

From: aju mukhopadhyay ajum24@yahoo.co.in

Dear friends and seekers- Tusar M has introduced me to this. Though I have not seen the whole, I feel I can post my feeling briefly, as invited.

True, Sri Aurobindo was not an usual temple goer- but he was beyond them- the means to attain the divine. As he wrote in On Himself, he was imbibing the divine who was immanent in him, nay, he was the divine. I wish not to compare or claim him as Avatar before others who do not want to go into it, and why should he himself claim, Such a thing which always was beyond him? What I feel is that after some time, may be enormous body of time, when one is ONE with the divine he comes out of the circle of birth and rebirth and death. he can appear or reappear as Babaji as Paramahansa Yogananda claimed- they see who see it.

We, if we practice Sri Aurobindo's Integral Yoga, it is pure spiritualism, beyond usual religion but if religion is taken to that height, without almost any usual rituals, we are practising that. Why bother whether it is religion or not? Love to all, Aju Mukhopadhyay