The Aare has plenty of water at the moment

On the old wooden bridge in the background there are some posters with poems

A mobile of driftwood at a waterfall next to the river

A red “lotus” in a pond

The magic flower

Some bubble installation in a pond

Metal tubes floating above a river producing sound with the wind

The floating tubes

Visitors of the exhibition

Quotations from a poet on straw bales along the river

A beautiful little restaurant, “Jägerheim”, where we had a cup of tea

A well at the river

Thistle flowers

From the road over the mountain crest called “Storm Height” you can look into both valleys, on the one side the village of Egg and on the other the lake with Einsiedeln and the famous abbey on the other:

The village of Egg

Dawn over the lake

The Einsiedeln Abbey on the other side of the lake in the middle of the picture
A little later after sunrise

With a rowing boat on the lake, the sun’s reflection dancing on the water

A little spiral near the window

Lilies in the living room

In an unpublished seminar transcription Sri Kumar speaks about Sri Aurobindo’s chief work, the beautiful story of Savitri, summarising the content of the book:

“Sri Aurobindo is deeply linked to the concept of Savitri. His doctrine on Savitri is considered as a fresh presentation in English of the Rigvedic text. It is even appreciated in the Ashrams of the Hierarchy. The story of Savitri is very well presented by Sri Aurobindo in chaste poetry and is recommended to be read at least one page daily. Such is the instruction of the 2nd ray Ashram. That the intricacies of the light of the dusk and dawn need to be understood is the idea behind such recommendation for the study of Savitri. The book Savitri will receive more and more attention, when man reaches the brim of intellect and enters into intuition. It provides many ideas to consciously walk into the intuitional state which is called the supra-mental state by Sri Aurobindo. Sri Aurobindo is also considered as the modern seer of ancient quality.

The story of Savitri speaks of the importance of the light in darkness. There is a lady called Savitri. She is married to a person called Satyavan. Satyavan means ‘truth bearer’. It is a prophecy that within one year from the date of her marriage with Satyavan, he would die. It is in the horoscope of Satyavan that he would die within one year from the date of marriage. Savitri says, “I will marry him. I will ensure that he survives even after one year.” Her confidence in the Mother was unshakable. She lives with the husband and the in-laws and serves them with utmost veneration and gains their deep affection.

On the annual day, on the date of marriage, when Satyavan was to get into the forest to fetch wood for fire ritual, Savitri accompanied him, because she knew that her husband would die, and she wanted to be with him to ensure that he is brought back to life. So, she accompanied him into the forest. When the hours stroke, Satyavan felt an unimaginable headache. The head reeled and he fell on the ground. Savitri visualised that the soul of Satyavan was going to depart. She kept his head on her lap and sat there.

Then the Lord of the Death approached to excavate the soul from the body. A lot of discussions and arguments between Savitri and the Lord of Death took place. The Lord of Death tried to convince Savitri that every soul that takes to birth shall have to depart from the body. It is the law. Death is inevitable to the one who is born. Savitri argued, “Even while it is inevitable and even while it is the law, the one who formed the law is the Mother, and I seek the protection of the Mother to protect my husband.” The Lord of Death got interested in the wisdom of Savitri. He asked her many questions, many intricate questions about anthropogenesis and cosmogenesis, and she answered them all very well. He felt deeply generous and considerate towards Savitri and said “I would like to grant you a boon. You may ask any boon for your life, other than the life of your husband.” Savitri said, “Bless me with children.” The Lord of Death replied, “So it shall be.” Then Savitri said, “That means, that you have granted life to my husband.”

For a moment, the Lord of Death understood the subtlety, because to such a chaste woman a second husband would not be acceptable. And also for a man. Even after the death of the spouse the surviving spouse continues to experience the presence of the departed spouse in the heart. That is the original super-fine quality of a human being. Generally marriages are not recommended for a second time, because the marriage is for the soul. … The Lord of Death was perplexed having granted the boon of blessing children for Savitri. Savitiri smiled. The Lord of Death understood and also smiled and said, “It is the will of the Lord that I shall not take away the life of your husband.” So, he brought Satyavan back to life.”

When Satyavan was leaving to the forest, the parents knew that the day was fatal. Also Savitri knew it. She told the parents-in-law, “Don’t you worry, I shall accompany your son wherever he goes. Even if he is taken to the planes of death, with the power of the Mother, I will accompany him. I shall please the Devas of the planes of death, because I carry the grace of the Mother, and I am very sure that the Mother’s grace will help me and in turn will also help you.” She gave assurance to the parents-in-law that she shall come back with their son.

This is a story poetically conceived by the Veda to speak of the summer solstice and the return of the Sun in the winter solstice. That is how Satyavan is said to have been brought back. This play happens every evening in the West, when the Sun sets. The light that remains after the sunset is related to Savitri, because the light is still there, though the Sun has already disappeared. The Sun is the truth bearer. The solar disc of the Sun is a blind to the light which is the basis of the whole creation. He is the vehicle of that truth, since the vehicle of that truth is called the truth bearer. That is why the name is given to Satyavan. Savitri means ‘the light that accompanies even during the times of darkness ‘or ‘the light that promises the return of the Sun’.

The story relates to the Sun travelling through the night to dawn again in the morning hours. In the morning hours also the light comes first, and then the sun-ball comes next. That light is called Gayatri, the other name for Savitri. During the day, the light is called ‘the splendour’, and the whole movement of light is called Saraswati.”

Sri Aurobindo in 1916

A view over the valley. With clear weather you could see the Alps (Jungfrau) in the background.

Downhill through a little foot-path.

Besides the river there are some little lakes

View of the Muri-bath. You can walk up the river for some hundred meters and let yourself carry back to the bath – very refreshing. The river is going quite fast, but here it is not very dangerous to swim.

On the way back, opposite our apartment – a window of the old guardhouse of the castle.

The 8th moon phase

The little lake of Núria and the meadow, where our tent for 350 people was located.

Below the lake – an old bridge over the mountain river

Magic of a moon-set in the early morning over the tent

Mystic dawn on May Call Day morning

A blue sky is welcoming us, after two days of rain and clouds, with temperatures below zero. Like always on May Calls the devas cooperate with fine weather.

May Call sunrise, full of radiant energy

Fire Ritual

Sri Kumar before giving a talk to the group

A big “family reunion”

Over the mountain top a group of eagles is circulating. Sri Kumar once said that often Masters take to the form of animals like eagles to bestow blessings. A marvellous scene

A curious picture with a blue object on the top of the tent, taken at 23’00 h by a participant who was walking down from the youth hostel. It looks like an antenna or a big blue radar.

Mountain scenery near the hotel

Sign post to the little village surrounded by tulips – the point of departure of our walk.

Mini-pigs enjoying the warm weather

Panoramic view over the hills to the skyline of the Alps

Sheep with its lambs

Two lambs in the sun

A green valley

Marguerite field

Flowers in the meadow

Sculpture of a cow with a little calf in front of a farm

Old timbered farmhouse with beautiful paintings on the wall.

Pigs sleeping in the sun

Gnomes working in a garden

The dog likes being ruffled

An old “Stöckli”

We climbed on several rocks and felt a profound energy at the place. It was like space opening around us.

On the last of the rocks, a bit hidden in the forest, there was a magical ambiance, like a fairies’ world. We knew, this place would be most suited to give the ashes back to nature.

On the other side of the valley, the mountain tops of the “7 Stallions” looked down into the valley through the forests and the clouds. It reminded me of sceneries in paintings of a Vietnamese artist and refugee I had once taught German in an integration centre about 18 years ago. He gave me one of his pictures which is now hanging in my office.

The enchanted atmosphere accompanied us all the way back along the river. Now we are waiting for a good day when we can go again to the place with the family for the good-bye ritual with the ashes.