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Process of Creation in Pride & Prejudice - Part 1

By Garry Jacobs

 

Supramental Perspective

In the chapter ‘Supermind the Creator' of The Life Divine [1], Sri Aurobindo succinctly presents the essence of the process of creation by which the Infinite One creates the universe. The process can be summarized in a few statements. This article explains and illustrates each of these statements in the context of Pride & Prejudice. The process by which Jane Austen conceived and created her novel in her imagination is used as an analogy for the process by which the Divine creates the universe in Supermind. The way in which the characters and readers experience the story she has created is an analogy for the way Mind perceives and comprehends the action of Supermind in life.

1. The One becomes the universe through a process of differentiation by the power of the Real-Idea in Supermind.

This passage describes the process by which the Infinite manifests as a finite universe, the One becomes the Many. It is by a process of differentiation, not division. The Divine does not create something outside itself, different or separate from itself. It manifests and expresses truths and powers that are contained within itself in the same way that a prism reveals all the colors of the rainbow that are contained in white light. The universe is a rainbow of the One. White light contains within itself all the other colors combined. The prism splits the white light into its component colors to reveal what is contained within it. The One is Infinite. It manifests only a portion of its infinity at any time. It can never manifest all of itself at once because that All is indefinable and unlimited. Manifestation takes place by delimiting a portion of the Infinite, setting it in relief from the rest, so that some aspect of the Infinite can express itself.

In this analogy, the story of Pride & Prejudice represents the universe. It is a manifestation of Jane Austen's own creative consciousness. It was created out of her conscious perceptions, aspirations and values. All that the story contains is an expression of her vision and intentions. Through the novel she reveals and expresses aspects of her consciousness that are there inside her, so we can say she delimits and differentiates from the rest certain elements of her own consciousness which she wants to express. Even though Austen's mental consciousness may not be infinite like the Divine, still it is capable of an infinite variety of expressions. This story is only one partial expression. She has written many others novels and was capable of writing the story in many different ways. For this story she chose a particular form and mode of expression to suit her purposes. This novel is one expression out of the infinite possibilities from which she has chosen to cast it.

P&P is not just a romance about four marriages. It is a story of social evolution. The Real-Idea expressing in the story is the social evolution of England toward greater individual freedom and equality among the classes through the marriage of Darcy and Elizabeth.

2. Comprehending Supermind subjectively conceives principles, forces and forms within itself, each of which contains all the rest of existence within it.

The Divine creates everything within itself and with itself as the substance, since nothing else exists or can exist. The Divine cannot cease to be Infinite. It can only take on the appearance of finite things. The cosmos, the Many, is contained within the One. It is not separate or external to the One. The One creates by a process of self-conception, by formulating certain aspects of its infinite potential - certain principles, forces and forms - which it decides to manifest as universe. Since it is always one, it manifests some portions by holding back other portions (self-limitation) and by concealing the whole of its infinite within apparently finite things (self-absorption).

In the same way, objects appear to be of different color when the same white light shines on each of them. Each object reflects certain wavelengths of the light and absorbs (conceals) others. That is why different objects appear to be in different colors when the same white light shines upon them. The white light represents the Infinite. The colors represent various finite appearances or expressions of it. In reality every finite thing is or contains the Infinite. It expresses a truth or power of the infinite and holds back the rest in concealment the way the object holds back certain wavelengths of color and reflects the rest. But it always is and contains the whole infinite and can never be anything other than the infinite.

The characters and action in this novel are finite expressions of Austen's creative consciousness. By a similar process of self-conception, she has formulated characters and actions within her creative imagination. The rest of her consciousness is held back in potential. The principle for her story is a clash of personalities, classes and cultures between Darcy and Elizabeth that eventually turns into love and marriage. The forces she conceives of are the forces opposing and pressing for social integration, which are represented in the personalities of Darcy and Elizabeth. Their personalities are the appropriate forms or instruments for expressing the Real-Idea.

She conceives of two people with contradictory personalities. He is proud of his wealth and class superiority, arrogant, retiring, aloof and insensitive.She is prejudiced against class distinctions, bold, energetic, aggressive and keenly perceptive. If we examine each of their personalities, we discover the whole story is reflected within each of them. Each of them contains the rest of society within themselves. Within Darcy we find the arrogance of Lady Catherine, the weakness of Lady Anne, the boorishness of Collins, the offensiveness of Mrs. Bennet. Wickham's falsehood is represented in Darcy by Darcy's false sense of superiority and self-righteousness. All these things are there within Darcy, though it takes careful observation for us to perceive them. Similarly, within Elizabeth we find  Lydia's impulsiveness, which is capable of responding to a Wickham, Darcy's pride, Mr. Bennet's refinement of mind and pride of being a gentleman, Mrs. Bennet's social aspiration to rise and impertinence, and so on.

Within the finite personalities of Darcy and Elizabeth, the whole universe of the story is represented, some aspects on the surface and the rest concealed deeper within. But if we look deeply enough, we see the whole story is there within them. In Comprehending Supermind, each form (character and event) contains the All (all the elements of English society), but those elements are only there in potential. We do not see all these elements express. For that we need a context, the action of a story and interaction with other characters. Austen conceives of the essential principles, forces and forms by a power of comprehension. In the next step she expresses them in a story by the power of apprehension.

3. Apprehending Supermind projects each of these principles, forces and forms as an objective reality and frontal appearance with all the rest of existence implicit behind it.

In Comprehending Supermind every form contains the All subjectively within itself. In Apprehending Supermind, there is a reversal. The all that is within each form gets expressed outside, around and encompassing the form as its field, environment and circumstances. What is there subjectively within each form in Comprehending Supermind expresses objectively as external reality in Apprehending Supermind. That is why our own external lives are always a perfect representation of what is there within our own consciousness.

All that Austen conceives of subjectively within the personality of each character in her creative imagination is translated into objective external facts, circumstances and actions in the story she has written. Thus, the characteristics of each person (inside) express objectively as circumstances, conditions and events in their lives (outside). All the aspects and potentials of Darcy's personality are represented by objective facts. He sees in others all the desirable and undesirable traits, urges and aspirations of his own personality. His attraction to Elizabeth is reflected in the attraction of Bingley to Jane, which he abhors. His arrogance and that of his family and class are expressed in the behavior of Lady Catherine. The weakness and vulnerability of his family and class is expressed by Wickham's attempted elopement with Georgiana in connivance with her governess, in the fact that there is no male heir for Rosings and in Lady Anne's feeble health. Darcy's false sense of self-importance comes to him from life as Wickham's scandalous falsehoods against him. Wickham's bold affronts against him signify that the whole aristocracy is vulnerable to attack. His hidden positive potentials come to him as contact with Elizabeth and through that contact his capacity for goodness, love, generosity and self-giving are brought to the surface. The presence of a good friend like Bingley, the testimony of Mrs. Reynolds, and the contact with the respectable and reliable Gardiners also reflect his positive character.

Similarly, Elizabeth's own attitude of pride comes to her from outside in the form of Darcy's pride. Her self-conceit regarding her superior intelligence is exposed by Wickham's lies. Her impulsiveness expresses with catastrophic results as Lydia's elopement. Her impertinences express in the rude behavior of Mrs. Bennet and Mr. Collins. Her partiality for her sister Jane is reflected in Caroline's partiality for her brother Bingley. Everything that comes to her from life (outside) reflects an element of her own character and personality, because the story (Apprehending Supermind) is an objectification of what is in her consciousness (Comprehending Supermind). The All within her expresses as circumstances and events in her outer life. That which is unmanifest as potential within the Infinite All expresses in terms of finite forms, forces and principles.

By this means, the Real-Idea of social evolution through romance which Austen seeks to express manifests as a story. All the facts, aspects and events of the story are expression of truths and powers of that Real-Idea.

4. Every seed possesses an infinity of possibilities.

Brahman is the Infinite. Since everything in the universe is a manifestation of Brahman, everything is Infinite in potential. Although it appears limited and finite to our minds, every moment, being, action, event, object is a seed laden with infinite possibilities.

The initial meeting of Darcy and Elizabeth at the dance in Meryton is one seed. The possibilities of that moment are infinite. Anything could have happened in that first meeting. Darcy may have agreed to dance with Elizabeth. She may have accepted and fallen in love and married him three months later. She may have refused or been chosen by another partner before he could ask her. They may have danced silently and never spoken again. If Jane had not liked Bingley or Bingley had not liked Jane or either of them had been attracted to another person, there might have been no occasion for Darcy and Elizabeth to ever interact again. Or Darcy may have declined to dance with her, but without saying anything to Bingley or without speaking loudly enough for her to overhear it. In any of these instances, the events that followed may have been very different than the actual course they took. Anything could have happened, but only one thing did happen as she described it. What determined that one thing? It is the Real-Idea expressing in the story.

5. It is the Will, the Knowledge-Force of the Conscious-Being, that limits the actual development of the seed to one law and one result. The Real-Idea gives expression to that Will.

Austen has formulated a Real-Idea of social evolution expressing through romance, that determines which of the infinite possibilities manifest out of the seed. At this point in the story, neither Darcy nor Elizabeth is prepared for social evolution. They are both satisfied with where they are. Social evolution requires a drastic change of attitude. Had Darcy and Elizabeth gotten off to a smooth start and married three months later, it would not have led to social evolution, because they would have remained exactly as they are, like Charlotte and Collins remain unchanged by their marriage. Social evolution requires a destruction of the attitudes and structural barriers separating the classes, a transformation of the attitude of superiority and inferiority which the classes felt at the outset. Darcy must be confronted by the imperfections in his character and own the truth about them. He must cease to feel superior to Elizabeth and embrace her as an equal. Elizabeth has to become conscious of the vulgarity of the middle class consciousness she inherited from her mother and be eager to give it up. The process of transformation required a meeting and clashing of their natures leading ultimately to reconciliation and complementarity. That was the law or principle expressed in their relationship. Conflict leading to reconciliation was the process required to bring about personal transformation and social evolution.

6. The Conscious-Being predetermines the forms and movements of its self-manifestation by means of the Real-Idea.

As the conscious creator, Austen's Real-Idea of social evolution determines all the characters and events of the story. Wickham's failed elopement with Georgiana, Darcy's disclosure of that secret to Elizabeth, his interference in the relationship between Bingley and Jane, Wickham's arrival at Meryton, Collins' inheritance of the entail, Bingley's friendship with Darcy, Caroline's aspirations for Bingley to marry Georgiana and for herself to marry Darcy, Wickham's pursuit of Mary King and his elopement with Lydia, Darcy's intervention to save Lydia, all are forms and movements designed to fulfill the intentions to further the social evolution. As readers of the story in Mind, we do not see their significance or know to what conclusion they are leading, but Austen the creator knows and has predetermined the outcome before writing the story. In that same manner, the Conscious-Being predetermines forms and movements in order to manifest its truths and powers.

7. The Seed expresses the Truth of Self-vision which the Self-existence perceives within itself.

What manifests is always a Truth or Power of the Infinite Self-existence. It may be partial, limited and concealed beneath the surface, but there is nothing else that can manifest. What manifests is determined by a Self-vision (self-conception) of the Self-existence. What it sees is expressed by the seed.

The first meeting of Darcy and Elizabeth is one such seed. Out of all the possibilities of their first meeting, Darcy's decision to call Elizabeth tolerable is the predetermined movement that emerges because that is the action needed to express the author's Self-vision. Darcy is not conscious of what he is saying or the consequencesof his speech, but Austen knows very well that this one tiny seed act sets the tone and foundation for the entire action that follows. Darcy may forget, but Elizabeth remembers and resents him for insulting her. That insignificant act is a true expression of the artistic vision the author perceives within her creative imagination.

8. The natural law that governs the development, formation and functioning of the seed is determined by the Truth of Self-action by which the Self-existence determines the Result.

In addition to a Truth of Self-vision, the seed also contains and expresses a Truth of Self-action which inevitably leads from the seed to the final result. The infinite possible lines of action that could emerge from the seed are limited to a particular course and sequence of events by that Self-vision. That too is predetermined by the Self-existent through the Real-Idea.

The predetermined result here is a merging of the classes through the marriage of Darcy and Elizabeth. The action needed to ignite that movement is a spark of confrontation between them. Darcy speaks out of false pride and Elizabeth is offended. From then on she carries a prejudice against him. The development and working out of his pride and her prejudice move according to a natural law which is determined by the Truth Austen is trying to depict in the story. First she laughs, then she feels slighted. Later she finds reason to dislike him for his wrongs to Wickham and hate him for his wrongs to Jane. Weeks later when he asks her to dance, she wants to refuse. Instead she taunts and abuses him. Neither is conscious of why they are clashing. It is the tension between the classes which they are destined to work out. The process of that working out is determined by the Truth that seeks to manifest.

9. That which results is the inevitable expression of the original Truth and the processes involved in that Truth.

The whole story, the stages through which it passes, and the ultimate conclusion are the inevitable result of Austen's original self-conception and the idea she seeks to express in the story.

10. All Nature is the Seer-Will of the Conscious-Being casting itself into Real-Idea and evolving inevitable truth of that Idea in force and form.

All the forces in the universe and in life are expressions of the Will of the Conscious Being involving and evolving truths of itself in force and form.

Pride & Prejudice is Jane Austen expressing her creative consciousness through a romantic story of social evolution that leads inevitably to reconciliation and marriage between Darcy and Elizabeth.

Mental Perspective

Having viewed the process of creation from the perspective of the One through Supermind, now we can examine it from the perspective of Mind to see how differently the same reality appears from these different perspectives.

1. Unity & Multiplicity: In Supermind the Many manifests by differentiation of the One. The One becomes the Many without ever ceasing to be the One. Supermind differentiates Truths and Powers of the One subjectively and objectively without ever losing awareness that is each an expression of the One. Each is in all. All is in each. Mind divides and aggregates. In Mind each created thing appears to exist separately and independently from everything else, including from whoever or whatever created it and from mind itself. Mind creates by division, multiplication and aggregation.

Mind views Jane Austen's story as different and separate from herself and her consciousness, rather than as an extension or objectification of the author. Mind views the characters in the story as separate from the author and from each other, each existing as if independent from one another, whereas Supermind knows that they are all inseparably interconnected aspects of a single reality, representing and reflecting one another and their creator.

Mind views the society as separate from the people within it and the changes in society as independent from their actions, whereas Supermind views the two as aspects of the same integral reality. The evolution of the society expresses in each and every individual member and act. The action and evolution of each member contributes to the evolution of the whole society.

Mind views the actions of each character as expressions of their own individual conscious will. Supermind views their actions as expressive of the subconscious reality, the society they represent, the character of Life, the laws of Existence and the Will of the Conscious-Being. It knows the same act which is predetermined by Real-Idea in Supermind is an act of free will in the surface consciousness of the individual.

2. Knowledge & Force: Knowledge and Will are one in Supermind and always act in harmony. In mind knowledge and will are separate and can even act at cross-purposes.

The Real-Idea in Supermind contains both knowledge and the force to realize that knowledge. In mind these powers are separate. Darcy's mind believes that he should not marry into Elizabeth's family, but his heart feels passionately attracted to her and finally overrules his mental reservations. Although he proposes, his proposal is crude, clumsy and ineffectual, because his knowledge and will are divided. She abuses and rebuffs him so vehemently that neither he nor she can ever imagine he would renew his proposal. By the time he comes to propose to her at Longbourn, he has overcome the division. His mind has come to understand and accept that his own family is in many ways as uncultured as hers and that she is in many ways more refined and cultured than he is. He has come to value her so highly as an individual that even the objections of Lady Catherine cannot deter him. He proposes again and she readily accepts him. Through his transformation, his knowledge and will have been aligned and harmonized. Or we can say he has moved from the surface mind to the psychic depths where his decision reflects the integral power of Supermind where knowledge and will are one.

3. Space: Mind regards Space as an objective reality and distance as a barrier to action, whereas Supermind regards Space as an objective status of Spirit.

According to Mind, that which is distant is out of reach, inaccessible, unconnected to that which is near. According to Supermind, space and distance are only objective physical expressions of subjective psychological phenomena. When the subjective condition changes, the barriers represented by space vanish. Darcy's mind never thought he would ever meet Elizabeth again after his proposal at Hunsford. Even the reader finds it difficult to imagine that they will ever meet. But afterwards Darcy fully overcomes his reaction to Elizabeth's harsh words and fully consents mentally and emotionally to marrying her. When Elizabeth comes to Pemberley, she sees the magnificence of his estate, hears the housekeeper's testimony regarding Darcy's character and realizes the grandness of being mistress of Pemberley. When psychologically they both overcome their resistances to one another, the barrier of space and distance vanishes. Darcy arrives the very next moment and is amazed to find Elizabeth walking around his estate. The spatial distance was only a reflection of their psychological distance. When one is altered, the other is altered as well. In reality, they were intimately connected with one another at all times, regardless of their physical location.

Wickham's arrival at Meryton just after Darcy has responded to Elizabeth emotionally is because Wickham is intensely related to Darcy vitally. Whenever anything very significant happens in Darcy's life, Wickham is near. When Darcy meets Elizabeth at Pemberley and thinks of renewing his proposal, news of Wickham's elopement comes and dominates the whole event. Wickham does not come physically. He comes vitally and makes his presence felt as surely as if he had walked in the room. Charlotte's arrival at Longbourn immediately after Elizabeth refused Collins' marriage proposal is another instance. She is intensely related to Elizabeth and interested in getting Collins for herself. Relationship in the Vital depends on intensity of interest and feeling. Relationship in Mind depends on intensity of mental awareness and concentration. Relationship in Spirit is always that of oneness.

Mind sees the spatial distance alone. Supermind is conscious of all the planes of space and all the types of distance and it knows how they interact with one another in each plane. Physical proximity increases vital interest. Vital interest intensifies mental concentration. Both act on the physical and determine who comes where and when.

4. Time: For Mind, time is successive. Mind lives only in the present, experiencing one moment at a time. The past is over and exists only as a memory. The future does not yet exist. Supermind has the triple time vision and lives in simultaneous time. It sees the past and the future in the present and can change them at any time, before or after they occur in successive time. In Mind, events occur in duration and there is a minimum duration required for any event to occur or any result to be achieved. In Supermind, results can occur instantaneously because the entire future is always present.

Mind believes in duration and expects big changes to take a long time. Supermind knows that anything can happen any time and major changes can occur instantaneously. Mrs. Bennet has five daughters to marry and expects to be preoccupied by that task for may years to come. Yet unexpectedly three daughters are married within a single year and it might have been four if she had not taken the initiative to spoil Mary's chances with Collins. In fact, all the marriages might have occurred within three months instead of twelve, if her initiatives had not interfered.

Mind views simultaneous events as the result of chance, luck or misfortune. Supermind knows there is no such thing as chance. Things occur at the same time because they are related to one another. Simultaneity is an expression of intimate relationship. Darcy met Elizabeth at Pemberley and called on her the next morning to introduce his sister. The same afternoon Elizabeth and the Gardiners returned the visit to Pemberley and met Caroline. The next morning Darcy went to visit her at Lambton Inn and learned of Lydia's elopement with Wickham. News of the elopement arrived soon after Caroline's jealous remarks the day before. Darcy and Jane's letter arrived at the inn within a few minutes of one another. The timing appears remarkable. The letter, which was already delayed several days, could easily have come a few days or a few hours earlier, in which case Darcy might never have met Elizabeth that morning or known the contents of Jane's letter. As it is he arrived just as she was overcome with grief and he learned the truth even before the Gardiners knew it. Darcy's powerful emotional interest in Elizabeth brought him to the inn at precisely the time when she was most intensely open and receptive to confiding in him. The simultaneous timing reflected their psychological receptivity.

Mind believes in the fixed and unalterable sequence of past-present-future. Supermind knows that all three dimensions of time exist simultaneously and forever and that the sequences can be altered or reversed at any moment. Future can come now. Past can be changed. Elizabeth knows that once Lydia has eloped with Wickham the situation is hopeless. For mind, what has been done is done and cannot be reversed. Supermind knows that it is never too late to reverse a past act. In this case Darcy takes conscious initiative to reverse it and succeeds. But Elizabeth knows nothing about his efforts or the events taking place. From her mind's perspective, the situation remains hopeless for another one month, until suddenly the whole situation reverses and she learns that Lydia is to be married. What takes mind by surprise and looks so unexpected, seems natural and inevitable to Supermind which knows the process, is conscious of the forces at work and uses time as an instrument for its own purposes.

Fifteen year old Lydia aspires to marry before 21 year old Jane or any of the others and she succeeds. It looks very unlikely to mind that looks at the surface. Supermind sees the intensity of her aspiration and her capacity for impulsive action and knows it can happen. Traveling back to Pemberley a day early, Darcy might have been dreaming about Elizabeth and wondering whether he would ever see her again some time in future. His mind is incapable of imagining that he will see her that very day. But Supermind knows that the intensity of his aspiration can make it happen the next instant and it does so. When Elizabeth saw Pemberley, she realized what she had refused and wished she had not been so impulsive. But she knows - her mind knows - that her refusal is irreversible because she has bitterly abused a very proud man in a manner he can never forgive or forget. Yet her change of feeling for him brings him in front of her the next instant.

For Mind, things always happen one moment at a time and then they are over once and for all. For Supermind, time is Eternal and all time co-exists eternally. This is an inconceivable reality for mind to comprehend. For the characters in the story, the events of Pride & Prejudice unfold one at a time in a succession from the beginning to the end of the story, but for Jane Austen as author and for us now that we have read it, the whole story co-exists simultaneously. Before she ever wrote down the first word, Austen may have seen the whole story in her creative vision. Or she may have seen the ending first and worked backwards to discover the beginning. Time and again during the writing, she would have ranged over the full story, sometimes starting at the beginning and moving to the conclusion. Perhaps sometimes starting with the conclusion and tracing her steps backwards to the beginning. Or she may have jumped into the story at any point and moved backwards and forwards in time from there until the whole story was before her consciousness. Or she may have stood back and held the whole story in consciousness at once, as an editor might examine the frames of a movie on a light board. The capacity to encompass the whole story in one view, to see past, present and future of the action simultaneously, to remain aloof and regard the story as an eternal fact outside of all time movement represent the triple time vision of Supermind.

5. Finite & Infinite: Mind sees the world as finite. It is incapable of seeing the Infinite. According to mind, each event has finite, limited possibilities. Each person has finite and very limited capacities and potentials. Each moment is an infinitesimal, which means it contains very little within it. Supermind knows that each being, action and moment is a frontal expression of the Infinite and contains the whole Infinite within it. Thus every infinitesimal is a seed laden with infinite potential.

When Darcy comes to Herefordshire with Bingley, his mind seeks nothing and expects nothing. According to his understanding, it is a low, common place without interest. When he comes to the dance, his mind is closed, defensive, aloof, preoccupied with his own self-importance. When Bingley tries to introduce him to Elizabeth, he views her with the surface mind through the distorting coloration of his aristocratic opinions and arrogant attitudes, so he sees nothing of value and passes up the opportunity to dance with her. The apparently insignificant word he speaks at that moment when he calls her ‘tolerable' becomes the seed of the future events that evolve from it, ultimately leading to his marriage. His mind sees a tiny, meaningless moment. His psychic knows he has just met his soul-mate and has made the first move toward winning her for his own.

Every great event in life can be reduced to what appear to be infinitesimal and apparently insignificant details. That is the illusion of quantity. Mind judges importance and value according to size. But to Supermind nothing is small or big. Everything is Brahman, Infinite. One impulsive word spoken by Lydia reveals the whole secret of Darcy's role in her marriage to Wickham. Without that revelation, Elizabeth may never have understood the magnitude of his love for her, the extent of his transformation or the possibility of a second proposal. This word prompted her to openly express her gratitude to Darcy on the walk at Longbourn, the sign of encouragement that made him bold enough to risk proposing a second time.

A glance from Darcy to Wickham at their meeting in Meryton, a delay in the arrival of a letter, the timing of Fitzwilliam's disclosure to Elizabeth about Darcy's interference in Bingley's relationship with Jane, the assuring words of the maid servant at Lambton that Darcy was away in London, Mr. Gardiner's delay and change of holiday plans, Elizabeth's reluctance to tell her father what she had learned of Wickham's character, Jane's reluctance to make evident her affection for Bingley, Mrs. Young's information about Wickham's whereabouts in London - each of these tiny details turned out to be of huge significance. Mind understands it only after the fact. Supermind sees the true movement and significance of each tiny detail and can convert any infinitesimal into the seed for an infinite accomplishment.

6. Dualities: Mind and ego see the whole world in terms of dualities and opposites - good and evil, right and wrong, truth and falsehood, progress and reversal, good fortune and misfortune, pleasure and pain. The dualities do not exist in Supermind. For Supermind everything is an expression of the Spirit and serves an essential evolutionary purpose.

To Darcy's mind, Wickham is a scoundrel and a plague that haunts him and on two occasions nearly succeeds in ruining his life. To Supermind, Wickham is an essential complement to Darcy that is necessary to touch the falsehood in his depths so that Darcy can transform himself. Darcy's arrogant, selfish sense of his self-importance is vital falsehood that must be rooted out in order for him to win Elizabeth and for the aristocracy to give up its stranglehold on English society and evolve toward democracy. Wickham's attack on Georgiana and his elopement with Lydia are crucial acts for Darcy's progress. What his mind views as bad or evil, his soul knows as Grace.

When Darcy calls Elizabeth ‘tolerable' and she tells him he is the last man on earth she would ever marry, to mind both statements sound like mutual indifference or emphatic rejection. Supermind knows that beneath the surface rejection, anger, and resentment, both are attracted to each other and moving toward each other through negative feelings and actions. The intensity of their negativity reflects the intensity of their relationship.

Mrs. Bennet prematurely celebrates Jane's wedding to Bingley and then is crestfallen when Bingley leaves for London. Both her joy and depression come from the mind's understanding, which sees only the dualities. When Elizabeth refuses Collins, he is deeply disturbed, little knowing that he will find a better wife within 24 hours and she will accept him. When Charlotte does, Mrs. Bennet is overcome with anger, disappointment and a horrible depression that lasts more than a month. Yet within a year she can celebrate that instead of Collins' £1000, Elizabeth got a man worth 10 times as much.

Just when Elizabeth has come to understand the immense privilege of being mistress of Pemberley and is hopeful that Darcy may renew his proposal, news comes of Lydia's elopement and she is certain that all hope of ever marrying Darcy has been forever banished. Beyond that the marital aspirations of all the five girls are permanently destroyed. During the following month, she undergoes tortuous self-recrimination and suffering over what she has lost and has no hope of ever recovering. Then everything reverses. Within weeks she, Lydia and Jane are all married. Mind assigns positive value to what is pleasing and negative value to what appears harmful. Supermind perceives the true role of each circumstance, person and event and experiences the delight of existence, even in acts that appear most negative to the surface mind.

7. Causality: Mind perceives that what comes before, determines what comes later, that is, the antecedents of any act are the cause of the consequences of the act. Everything has a cause that precedes the result. But what mind calls causality is really only a description of the surface processes and circumstances in which a result issues, not the real determinants of the result. Its logic is often circular as in the case of the seed and the tree. Supermind sees the deeper source of causality expressing in the surface processes. It knows that both the seed and tree are forms built up by the force of universal life and it is the Real-Idea in Supermind that determines that force and those forms.

To the mind of Darcy, wealth and status are the determinants of marriage. Like Collins, he too believes that Elizabeth will readily accept his proposal because he offers her wealth and position. Fitzwilliam cannot marry Elizabeth because he needs to marry for wealth. This is the view of the ignorant mind which sees only surface appearances. Darcy has failed to understand that Elizabeth seeks something more and deeper in marriage than wealth and status. She seeks love and romance. She wants a man whose character she can respect and admire and who cherishes her value as an individual, not merely someone who is acceptable to Lady Catherine or society-at-large.

Jane Austen views the characters from a higher perspective, which can be likened to a supramental consciousness. She sees the emerging individuality in Elizabeth. The author knows the seed of shame Elizabeth carries within herself and her deeper aspiration to be loved at a depth that will accept her for what she is and wipe out the shame with affection.

When Elizabeth tells Darcy that he is the last man on earth she could ever marry, his mind tells him that all hope is lost. Her mind tells her Darcy is out of her life forever. But like Supermind, Austen knows that their clash at Hunsford is only a surface conflict which raises up the deeper elements for transformation and sets in motion events that will ultimately lead to their marriage. After Elizabeth refuses his proposal and reads his letter, everything appears to be over between them, but actually everything is only beginning. He has successfully exposed Wickham's character and made her ashamed for believing the scoundrel's lies. She has informed him of Jane's deep affection for Bingley and made it clear that their marriage is a precondition for her to accept him. She has recognized the vanity of her judgment. He has become conscious of his selfishness and boorish behavior.

Mind conceives that personal attraction and acceptability determine the choice of a marriage partner. But Austen knows that marriage also expresses social values and aspirations. England is in the process of evolving and the choice of partners is determined by the forces trying to emerge in English society. Elizabeth's assertiveness against Darcy expresses the greater freedom and assertiveness of the lower classes. Darcy's attraction to her liveliness, energy and intellect reflect the search of the aristocracy for a renewed source of vitality and its willingness to embrace the lower classes in order to survive. The forces of social life influence and determine their individual choices. Darcy and Elizabeth marry because their marriage is sanctioned by the evolutionary social forces and is itself an expression of those universal forces. The universe (society) expresses in their lives and evolves through their actions. Austen's vision encompasses this knowledge of the wider forces expressing in her story.

Mind judges wrongly because it sees only surface truths. Darcy and Elizabeth initially reject one another because by superficial appearances they are so very different and mutually objectionable. It does not see that beneath the surface differences, subconscious urges and force of social evolution, each of their souls seeks out a spiritual complement who can help awaken, transform and complete them. Her lovely liveliness, selfless goodwill, insight and intelligence, courage and pleasing cheerfulness are a natural complement to his morose, secretive, recluse, silent, conservative, dominating personality. He needs her bold, courageous energetic self-assertion to burrow beneath his false formal exterior and awaken him to the inner darkness he needs to overcome. She needs his haughty arrogant pride to touch her deeply at the points of her inherited weakness and impurity and his passionate, idolizing acceptance of her in order to be able to accept the truths she discovers within herself.

Mind observes that the arrival of Darcy and Bingley at Meryton is followed three weeks later by the arrival of Collins and then Wickham. To mind, these events are entirely independent and unrelated. Yet they become important determinants of the outcome. Collins' marriage to Charlotte brings Elizabeth to Hunsford where Darcy comes to meet his aunt and propose to her. Later it is Collins who alerts Lady Catherine to rumors about Darcy and Elizabeth, prompting her to actions that inadvertently promote the marriage she sought to prevent. Wickham's arrival captivates Elizabeth and makes her susceptible to his lies about Darcy. His elopement with Lydia later provides the opportunity for Darcy to completely redeem himself with Elizabeth and finally win her hand in marriage. So too, the fact that Collins has been awarded a living by Darcy's aunt Lady Catherine and that Mrs. Gardiner spent years of her youth at Lambton just a few miles from Pemberley are remarkable coincidences to mind. To mind the course of events seems full of such disconnected facts that acquire significance.

Jane Austen views the characters and events from a deeper perspective. All are essential aspects and expressions of the story she has created in her consciousness. She knows the significance of each of these apparently chance details. In fact, she has consciously crafted them as an inevitable movement that flows to an inevitable conclusion. She sees as Supermind sees. To her all these facts are expressions of an underlying truth and force for accomplishment. Like Supermind, she knows the Real-Idea that she is working out in the story through the lives of all the characters. She determines how life in obedience to the predetermined Will (the will of the Conscious Being) has created the necessary conditions for achieving the result. Wickham's birth and relation to Darcy and Georgiana, Mrs. Gardiner's childhood, Collins' career, and the entail are various expressions of that Real-Idea.

8. Ego & Psychic: Mind views everything from the separative viewpoint of the ego, which is divided and cut off from all other existences. Supermind sees from perspective of the spiritual individual which possesses its own unique viewpoint, but also is capable of seeing from the perspective of every other individual and from that of the Cosmic Being and the Divine Being.

Each character in the story views the unfolding events from their own separate perspective, which is the perspective of mind. When Mrs. Bennet hears news of Bingley's arrival in Meryton, she sees him as an opportunity to marry one of her daughters to a wealthy man. When Bingley points out Elizabeth to Darcy, he sees a woman who is slighted and neglected by other men. When Wickham arrives, Darcy sees an enemy. Caroline views Elizabeth as a rival. Lydia and Mrs. Bennet view Brighton as an excellent place to find husbands. Collins views Elizabeth's refusal as a serious setback to his plans. Lady Catherine views the prospect of Elizabeth's marriage to her nephew as a desecration of her family.

In creating the story, Austen knows, understands and identifies with the viewpoint and feelings of each of the characters, but she is not limited by their egoistic viewpoint. She knows exactly how Elizabeth feels when Darcy calls her ‘tolerable' and she receives the charming attention of Wickham, how Collins feels when Elizabeth refuses him, how Elizabeth feels when Fitzwilliam discloses Darcy's interference and hears Darcy's insulting proposal. But the author also understands people and events from a deeper and wider, non-egoistic perspective. She knows that even when Elizabeth is abusing Darcy, she is rising in his estimation because she is the first one who is not humble before his vast wealth and status. She knows that even when Wickham is consciously trying to harm Darcy, his ill-will is helping Darcy progress and evolve spiritually to become a better person. She understands that the freedom Mr. Bennet gives by indulging his wife leads to Lydia's elopement, but that this freedom is essential for her intense aspiration to fully express in the family, exhaust her negative initiatives and ultimately elevate the family to a far higher level.

As the author, Austen may sympathize with the sufferings, disappointments and failures of her characters, but she knows the accomplishment these experiences prepare and she feels through all the events without interruption the underlying vibration of intense creative delight that runs through the entire story.

 


[1] p.129



story | by Dr. Radut