This was the one and only rule given by Sri Aurobindo when the sadhaks requested for it. What is interesting is that this rule is independent of outer space and hence naturally applies to all Her children everywhere. What is however more interesting is that the Ashram itself exists in at least two levels, – physical and the subtle which includes many who are not physically living in Pondicherry yet are part of the subtle Ashram or the Ashram matrix. Nolini da and others spoke about it. The Mother herself has confirmed it in the passage below.
‘For a very long time the Ashram was only a gathering of individuals, each one representing something, but as an individual and without any collective organisation. They were like separate pawns on a chess-board—united only in appearance—or rather by the purely superficial fact of living together in the same place and having a few habits in common—not even very many, only a few. Each one progressed—or didn’t progress—according to his own capacity and with a minimum of relations with others. So, in accordance with the value of the individuals constituting this odd assemblage, one could say that there was a general value, but a very nebulous one, with no collective reality. This lasted a very long time—very long. And it is only quite recently that the need for a collective reality began to appear—which is not necessarily limited to the Ashram but embraces all who have declared themselves—I don’t mean materially but in their consciousness—to be disciples of Sri Aurobindo and have tried to live his teaching. Among all of them, and more strongly since the manifestation of the supramental Consciousness and Force, there has awakened the necessity for a true communal life, which would not be based only on purely material circumstances but would represent a deeper truth, and be the beginning of what Sri Aurobindo calls a supramental or gnostic community…. He has said, of course, that, for this, the individuals constituting this collectivity should themselves have this supramental consciousness; but even without attaining an individual perfection—even while very far from it—there was at the same time an inner effort to create this “collective individuality”, so to speak. The need for a real union, a deeper bond has been felt and the effort has been directed towards that realisation.’
So you can see the golden rule is not only for all who are following the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother but the Ashram itself now extends and includes them. The devotees who have turned to the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother are, inwardly, part of the inner Ashram life and its larger field.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
