Study Notes
PARAGRAPH 8
In its nature and law the Overmind is a delegate of the Supermind Consciousness, its delegate to the Ignorance. Or we might speak of it as a protective double, a screen of dissimilar similarity through which Supermind can act indirectly on an Ignorance whose darkness could not bear or receive the direct impact of a supreme Light. Even, it is by the projection of this luminous Overmind corona that the diffusion of a diminished light in the Ignorance and the throwing of that contrary shadow which swallows up in itself all light, the Inconscience, became at all possible.
EXPLANATION
In the Supermind the movement of the One becoming the Many is always dominated by the consciousness of Oneness (Please refer to the third status of the Supermind). In Overmind though the same movement continues, division and separation become dominant and Oneness recedes more and more into the background. As a result Overmind becomes the delegate of Supermind to this Ignorance and division which are the features of Multiplicity.
Sri Aurobindo speaks of Overmind as a protective double. It is a screen of dissimilar similarity. Its Light, though looks similar to Supramental Light, is not the same. Overmind on one side is united with the Truth of Supermind and on the other side is the originator of Ignorance.
Supermind can act indirectly on an Ignorance only through Overmind. If the Light of Supermind were to act directly on the darkness of Ignorance it could not bear or receive the direct impact of a supreme Light. (Because of its intensity of Light, Supermind is referred to as Sun in the Rig Veda and the Isha Upanishad). Hence Sri Aurobindo describes Overmind as a protective double. On one side it is fully illumined by Supramental Light and on the other side it lets the Light pass through it in a diffused form through its screen (as the golden lid covering the face of Truth).
Overmind projects a luminous corona of the Supermind. (Corona refers to the glow round a conductor at high potential like the sun’s corona normally visible during solar eclipse surrounding the darkened disc of the moon). Only by this Overmind screen, the diffusion of a diminished light in the Ignorance and the resultant shadow which is the Inconscience become possible. This shadow or the Inconscience swallows up in itself all light. (Therefore what we call Inconscience here below is nothing but a diminished or absence of Light).
For Supermind transmits to Overmind all its realities, but leaves it to formulate them in a movement and according to an awareness of things which is still a vision of Truth and yet at the same time a first parent of the Ignorance. A line divides Supermind and Overmind which permits a free transmission, allows the lower Power to derive from the higher Power all it holds or sees, but automatically compels a transitional change in the passage.
EXPLANATION
Supermind transmits to Overmind all its realities. Yet, it allows Overmind to formulate their movements on its own. All movements are initiated by Overmind according to an awareness of things which is still a vision of Truth. Yet, at the same time this Overmental awareness (which is based on distinction and separation) is a first parent of Ignorance. Because, the division, the Ignorance starts from the Overmind.
A line divides the Supermind and the Overmind. This line permits a free transmission allowing the lower Power (Overmind) to derive from the higher Power (Supermind) all it holds or sees. But, in this process, it automatically compels a transitional change in the passage. (Imagine a white light entering through a prism. The white light is separated into its component colours in its passage through the prism).