If I were you, I would reframe the arguments below. It is precisely because of such emotional arguments that Western supporters of this book have concluded that all this controversy is superficial. That is why they erroneously assumed there is NO problem with the book, when actually there is. > We begin the Yoga by “a psychic call” and we try to bring > forward the psychic being into the outer activities of our life. > In fact, not only the disciples of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram but > most Indians constantly refer to this deeper aspect of the > being, and this is perhaps the greatest strength of our nation. One should avoid turning this into a national issue of Indian vs Westerner. It is possible to accomodate everyone in this work of transformation. > Now the disciples who have been deeply pained by reading the > Extracts have reacted spontaneously with this part of the > being, though the anger and revulsion which have followed > in its wake need not be taken as such. > If this is supposed to be only emotion, so be it, but then I > would call it “spiritual emotion”, and it is our bounden duty > to respect it and not dismiss it as mere religious sentiment. I would say that all these judgements stem from upheaval in the outer vital and have nothing to do with the psychic. One who has experienced the psychic transformation becomes indifferent and blind to the doings of his/her fellow human beings, be it violence, cruelty, treachery, etc. One must not expect anything from anyone. When one feels the surge of sentiment rising, one must stand back from it (take refuge in the Purusha) and wait for it to pass. So how then must one react to this book ? Our sole concern must be whether this book fulfills the mission of Sri Aurobindo or disturbs it. There is a chapter The Mother's Attitudes and Actions in Amal Kiran's book Our Light and Delight which reveals how the Mother tackled such problems. Here is the excerpt. (Perhaps RYD could pick this chapter and make it a post)

A man in Bombay who had been once a devotee had become sceptical and sarcastic. He was contributing a series of commentaries on an Upanishad to Mother India. The articles were appreciated very much. I had kept the man's personal attitude apart from my judgment of his writing. As long as the writing bore no trace of the attitude, I could afford to be impersonal. The Mother came to be told of his attitude and the several unpleasant things he had said. She knew also that his series was appearing in Mother India. She raised the topic with me one afternoon. I told her how much the articles had been admired and that they had no tinge of his critical approach to the Mother's workings. She very calmly heard me out. Then she expressed her wish that we should not seem to support the man by publishing his work. I inquired whether I could be allowed to run the series to its end and then forswear publishing anything else by the same hand. She paused for a minute and said: "It is best if we stop just now." I could see that there was no personal feelings involved on her part. Actually, I had noticed in the past that complaints had been made to her about somebody or other's hostile remarks against her and the proposal had been made that she should take steps against that person. She had said: "As the remarks are about me, I can't take any stand. If they were about Sri Aurobindo, I would certainly act." On the present occasion her decision must have had behind it some insight into occult forces which might harm either me or the readers or else the Ashram's general work. Obviously, through my backing of the article the hostile elements were drawing sustenance. Purely literary principles have little validity where the battle between the illumined future and the obstructive past is concerned. I put aside the impersonal editor in me and acted as the obedient disciple. It was a test for me over and above its being a lesson to the writer of the commentaries. There cannot be a compromise in such matters. But, of course, as the Mother's talk with me indicated, everything has to be done without personal animosity. A wide and wise serenity has to be at play in all decisive moves.