I have read somewhere that the Mother said the souls who are called for integral yoga are themselves asked for it in past lives, and by calling these souls in the path of yoga, they have kept their promise. How come all the souls on Earth are associated with Mother and Sri Aurobindo in their past lives?🤔[…]

(I am saying this because if divine life has to be established upon earth, logically all the souls at some point in time have to embark upon the path of integral yoga, which would mean all the souls in the past had association with Sri Aurobindo or Mother.) Please don’t mind Sir, if my question looks silly. 

Questions are never silly. In fact this is a very appropriate question. Actually the misunderstanding arises due to a mixing up of three different statements in three different context. The first statement refers to those who are drawn to the Mother and Sri Aurobindo and came to live near them for the purpose of the work and the yoga. This answer in 1929 was given when very few people were here. But in a general sense it would apply to all who are drawn to them and have the urge to participate in this new Divine Venture. The Mother has called these souls as heroic souls that have come to work for the Divine and His Victory upon earth rather than for personal Mukti.

‘How is that we have met?

We have all met in previous lives. Otherwise we would not have come together in this life. We are of one family and have worked through ages for the victory of the Divine and its manifestation upon earth.’

The second statement where the Mother speaks of promise again refers to those who have sought for the transformation of earthly life since ages. 

The third place where Sri Aurobindo speaks about those who were physically near them. To a question he answered that it is due to bhakti in previous lives as well as being physically connected to them in some way in earlier lives. Given that the Mother and Sri Aurobindo have been upon earth since its formation it would practically mean much of earthly existence including many human beings. 

Finally they speaks of those who have been called with a special occult purpose as part of the Divine necessity. It includes Asuras and many other beings who have joined the Divine Work. 

Does it mean others are excluded? Not at all. Like an ever expanding circle of Light or ripples of water, the New Consciousness will take all who aspire for a higher life in its ever widening embrace. It means many, many new entrants touched through each other. 

Affectionately,

Alok Da