> How is the "better body" to come about? The answer to this question may lie in the subtle physical. ---------------- (1) The Supramental Manifestation, pp. 32-33: For in the theory of the occultists and in the gradation of the ranges and planes of our being which Yoga-knowledge outlines for us there is not only a subtle physical force but a subtle physical Matter intervening between life and gross Matter and to create in this subtle physical substance and precipitate the forms thus made into our grosser materiality is feasible. It should be possible and it is believed to be possible for an object formed in this subtle physical substance to make a transit from its subtlety into the state of gross Matter directly by the intervention of an occult force and process whether with or even without the assistance or intervention of some gross material procedure. ---------------- (2) Agenda, January 18, 1963 This is the subtle physical as I know it, I can't say if it is the same for everyone. Sri Aurobindo said, "There is a true physical," well, I have a feeling that this is what he calls the "true physical" - a subtler physical, the true physical which is behind. But does it influence the whole earth? Oh, yes! In general, these things are terrestrial. But probably it's still quite subjective, in the sense that each one has an impression of it according to what he is and his stage of development. But does it exert a DIRECT action on the earth, just as the vital has an action on the earth? I think that as the Supramental descends, the subtle physical will have a greater and greater action on earth, because it is the world where the new creation will be formed before it "descends," before it becomes absolutely visible and concrete. I often have a sense that it would take only a very tiny thing - which is hard to define - a very tiny movement of materialization to make this new creation concrete to us as we are. And it is probably - it will probably be formed completely in that subtle world before it materializes. I think few people are able to make the distinction. They have rather an impression that it's their "dream way" of seeing things; I mean they say, "Oh, it's just a dream." In most cases it's like that. The subtle physical has the character of a realm where things are more fluid and harmonious than physical things, but with the same concrete quality; its nature is not like that of vital things, which have vibrations of power but again not that very concrete and objective quality characteristic of material things. In the subtle physical, things are very concrete. For instance, if someone stands in your way, you have to push him aside: he doesn't just vanish, you can't walk through him. If you see an object that's not in its place, you have to move it. Voila. ---------------- (3) The Mother also distinguishes between two things : (a) the intermediate race which may be created by some section of the human race undergoing the supramental transformation, as they (Sri Aurobindo & herself) themselves demonstrated. (b) the purely supramental creation which will descend from the subtle physical. See Q& A, 26 June 1957 A transformation without passing through a terrestrial birth? Ah! Excuse me, you must not confuse things. There are two things. There is the possibility of a purely supramental creation on one hand, and the possibility of a progressive transformation of a physical body into a supramental body, or rather of a human body into a superhuman body. Then it would be a progressive transformation which could take a certain number of years, probably a considerable number, and would produce a being who would no longer be a “man” in the animal sense of the word, but would not be the supramental being formed fully outside all animality, for its present origin is necessarily an animal one. So, a transmutation may take place, a transformation that’s enough to liberate the being from this origin, but all the same it wouldn’t be a purely and entirely supramental creation. Sri Aurobindo has said that there will be an intermediary race – a race or perhaps some individuals, we don’t know – an intermediary rung which could serve as a passage or could be perpetuated according to the needs and necessities of creation. But if one starts from a body formed in the same way as human bodies are at present, the result will never be the same as a being formed entirely according to the supramental method and process. It will perhaps be more on the superhuman side in the sense that all animal expression may disappear, but it won’t be able to have the absolute perfection of a body that’s purely supramental in its formation. ---------------- (4) Adding some more speculation of my own here: This change coming from the subtle physical probably has something to do with the Tanmatras (subtle elements) described by Sankhya. http://www.mirroroftomorrow.org/blog/_archives/2009/1/23/4066775.html