Time for invitation

Surely most of us have noticed the action of the new consciousness that is emerging, how it is getting more and more accelerated, and how some great changes are becoming not only necessary but unavoidable: changes on Societies, changes on the way we see spirituality, changes on the Environment, changes on ourselves. And all along there is a radical and effective revaluation of ideas and things.

One clear sign of such changes is that in more recent times the perception of an oneness underlying the whole humanity is no more foreign to the human psyche, and in spite of the difficulty in manifesting it on a material level, this truth is taking roots on a growing number of individuals and organizations all around the planet.

The apparently strong opposition, seen everywhere, can not deter the Force pushing towards a more concrete realization, because the ideal of human unity surely contains in itself its own power, and this power is awakening everywhere, bringing with it new possibilities of realization, both at individual and at collective levels.

The project of Auroville, even if it is still under construction and far from being complete, has been a living and inspiring example of efforts towards this ideal. Now, we do think that the time is ripe to invite people from different places to know more about it and to find new ways of participating in the Auroville experiment. To join in our forces, aspirations and dreams.

Maybe this will help us, the residents of Auroville, to enlarge ourselves and to look at the world with new eyes. Maybe a sense of a golden thread, invisible and yet tangible, will permeate the new contacts, the new relationships that will be created, and will grow and spread…. Maybe we will learn to dream together, and make Mother`s dream our collective dream, and be able to believe in our dreams. And maybe one day, the big dream of being one and universal, will become true. And this will only be the beginning of a far greater adventure…

The Responsibility and Privilege of Building Auroville: Protecting the Dream of Sri Aurobindo and Mother


For the last 23 years I have been visiting Auroville regularly. I have also presented the city of Auroville through the Lur Gozoa Association, especially two exhibitions of the city, the model of the Galaxy and its Master Plan. At the end of this letter, I expose my curriculum for your more detailed information. I have spent a few weeks in Auroville, on such important dates as Mother’s Anniversary and the 55th Anniversary of the City of Auroville, I have shared and held conversations with all kinds of Aurovilians, old residents, some of the pioneers, new Aurovilians, visitors… people of different nationalities. All these people seemed to have no other type of conversation than to give their opinion on the subject of the Galaxy and more specifically on the Crown.

I believe that the moment we are living is extremely delicate in the sense that the project of Sri Aurobindo and Mother is about to manifest itself in a progressively active way, finally after 55 years in which it has been slowing down for various reasons. The reasons for which the project has been stopped and slowed down for so many years are not relevant and it is not appropriate to count them and even less to personalize or name the different ways of manifesting the “fear” of realizing such a great work, not because of its size, but because of its significance. 

The work, the project of manifesting the City that the World Needs, the City that will welcome the Humanity of the Future, to participate in it, in this laboratory, is very scary, it is an enormous responsibility, because it is not a matter of manifesting and building houses, roads, social premises, dining rooms, commercial places… etc., which also, of course, is a matter of course. The difficulties of building are solved immediately, mostly with money, with financing.

The problem comes, the fear of responsibility arrives when the construction of a project of colossal magnitude, born from the dream of some exceptional beings, is in hand. Those same exceptional beings, by They Grace, have called in some subtle way all the people who are now living in what will be the City of Auroville. It is understandable that during all these years it has been difficult to prioritize the construction of the city taking into account the difficulties of financing, finally the Matrimandir has been built, the soul of the city, its gardens, the lake (for so many years it was believed to be an “impossible dream” and finally thanks to new technologies it has been possible to build, nothing is impossible if someone already dreamed it, and in that case the Dreamers were, are exceptional), the different aids and donations have had to be distributed and prioritize the most immediate and necessary. It is understandable, even occupying land with the most immediate to continue to keep the spaces alive while building, but without losing sight of the ultimate goal: why and for what reason we are in Auroville, why I answered the call.

With new technologies it will be possible to do things now and in the near future, innovations that seemed impossible when Mother dreamed them up. It is clear that Auroville is not going to be the place from which new technologies are born for the rest of the world, but it will be the place where those technologies are used in unexpected and innovative ways. What is certain is that the very experience of living in Auroville, of overcoming the difficulties, of attending to the detachments to our way of living, the flexibility in changing our minds, our ideas, overcoming the need to want to reduce with our little minds with their egoic needs the projections of Beings who have come to push our evolution, is what will make Auroville different from any other human enterprise undertaken so far. This is the wonderful contagion. Reaching 50,000 people living in Auroville with those who one day managed to reach this goal, is what will give the critical mass necessary to replicate it in other places in the world. This is what the Auroville laboratory is based on.

Auroville is for the world, it is not for a few privileged people. The privilege is to live to build Auroville, to have heard the whisper of the Masters and to accept it.

At this time, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Sri Aurobindo’s birth, the eyes of India have turned to Auroville and have begun to recognize the figure of the Master in a strong way. Sri Aurobindo’s 5 Dreams resonate strongly and this seems to have activated the need to strongly support the building of the city, another of Sri Aurobindo’s dreams. “There should be somewhere in the world…”. Mother knew that no other nation could participate in the experiment, allow it. And 55 years later, India goes a step further and commits to fully fund the construction. And it begins to do so…

It is time to protect the Dream of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, supporting the construction, being as close as possible, contributing what we have learned. It is time to build and protect, being grateful. It is not time for unsustainable absurd confrontations that confuse, that generate pain and allow fear to have its way. The people who live in Auroville have to remember their Dream. The people of Auroville have to remember that they have gone to India, to Auroville, to become Aurovilians and that being Aurovilians does not consist only in living in Auroville, but in getting involved in building the city of Human Unity and overcoming all the difficulties, material, emotional and spiritual that this challenge demands. Remember the words of Mother: “To be a true Aurovilian …………” the 7 points that She lists and that I, although I do not live in Auroville I consider them as a reference for my daily Sadhana, how to be a true human being. ALL LIFE IS YOGA.

In Auroville there is no need to build bridges of understanding. Whoever calls himself a mediator is fulfilling a task that no one has asked of him and is not necessary. Only an exquisite equanimity can attend to the needs and approaches of all the parties involved and, in this sense, as far as I am concerned AVI Spain is not fulfilling the function of representing all the sensitivities that are taking place at this time and with its clumsiness (which I do not doubt has good intentions) is aggravating an issue that the good will of all the people involved will know how to solve with intelligence and heart.

I request, by means of this letter, that AVI Spain, in this case, cease with the particular personal opinions of its president. I do not believe that AVI Spain is being able to transmit in an equanimous, fair and serious way to the people it represents, the reality of the delicate and decisive moment that the Auroville community is living and that with its visceral appreciations it is being of little or no help, furthermore it is producing unnecessary confrontations.

I can provide documents addressed to AVI Spain that last year I already sent through the Lur Gozoa Association, if required. I understand that the way in which AVI Spain, in the figure of its president, continues to address and present the issue is inappropriate and seriously affects the honor of some people living in Auroville giving names and whatsapps, thus subtracting them ability to resolve personally in a serene way any injury that may arise due to the different ways of understanding and evolve with respect to the construction of the city according to the Master Plan, accepted and sealed by The Mother.

The impartiality in “telling” the story of the process that the Auroville Community is going through must be exquisite, in the case that the different AVI’s have decided that they must participate and transmit the evolution of this important and decisive moment. I understand that we must all the people involved in different ways, transmit calm, serenity and support and above all confidence that the people will be able to solve it with the sure help of The Mother, who is taking care of them and of the City that the World Needs, the City of Human Unity.

A twinned embrace in Her Light

Rosana Agudo
www.rosanaagudo.com

Rosana Agudo is Founder of the Association Lur Gozoa for a Conscious Citizenship (Antenna of Auroville International Spain) and of the Association for Women’s Leadership Mirra. Director of TTi, Technology for Inner Transformation (she participated in the 1st Business and Conscience in the city of Auroville). She is a Dharma Master and Zen Master. Creator of the School of Active Meditation and Evolutionary Development where she works in the Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo and Mother. She has been traveling regularly to Auroville for more than 20 years and has a very close relationship with the city, actively collaborating with its aims and objectives at every moment according to the most immediate need.

From Citizens to Servitors: Understanding the Aurovilian Way of Life

Auroville is not like any other city or community in the world. Its unique way of life is based on the principle of universal brotherhood and spiritual aspiration. Aurovilians are not considered citizens, but rather individuals who have chosen to serve the collective ideal of Auroville. This mindset encourages individuals to prioritize the needs of the community over their personal desires and aspirations, and to work towards the greater good of all.

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Auroville’s Open Source Philosophy: Why Sharing is Essential for Sustainable Living

Auroville’s open source philosophy is rooted in the principle of collective ownership, which emphasizes the importance of sharing resources and knowledge for sustainable living. This philosophy is based on the belief that resources and knowledge belong to everyone and should be freely available to all, without any restrictions or barriers. By adopting an open source approach, Auroville aims to create a culture of collaboration and cooperation, where everyone is encouraged to contribute to the collective well-being of the community.

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Challenges and Solutions for Achieving Collective Ownership in Auroville

Auroville’s guiding principle is that it belongs to nobody in particular and is intended to be a model for sustainable living and human unity. However, achieving collective ownership in such a diverse and dynamic community can be challenging. There are several factors that contribute to this challenge, including financial sustainability, cultural differences, and balancing individual freedom with collective responsibility. In this article, we will explore these challenges and potential solutions to achieving collective ownership in Auroville.

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Exploring Auroville’s Guiding Principle: A Place for Universal Brotherhood and Spiritual Aspiration

Auroville’s guiding principle of “a place for universal brotherhood and spiritual aspiration” has been the foundation of the community since its inception in 1968. The community was envisioned as a place where people from all over the world could come together and live in harmony, without any discrimination of caste, creed, or religion. It was meant to be a place where people could realize their highest potential and work towards the betterment of humanity.

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Willing Servitors of Auroville

The concept of “Willing Servitors” is central to the community of Auroville, a utopian township located in southern India. The term refers to individuals who are willing to serve the greater good of the community, putting aside their personal interests and ambitions to work towards the collective well-being of all members.

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Reminiscences of August 15th 1947 by Aster Patel

Aster grew up in the Ashram in the presence of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother from childhood; did her thesis on Sri Aurobindo from the Sorbonne and was asked by the Mother to join Auroville.

Reminiscences of August 15th 1947 by Aster Patel

A well known Sri Aurobindo scholar she held the Sri Aurobindo Chair at the Banaras Hindu University and also held charge of Bharat Nivas, the Pavilion of India in Auroville’s International Zone besides being one of the longest serving members of Auroville’s Governing Board. Here is the complete recording of her reminisces of 15th August 1947 in the Ashram and the aftermath, the impact of the 5 Dreams, and the unfolding years.

Response of an Auroville Resident to The Observer Article

In response to the article published in The Observer on January 16, 2022, titled “Bulldozers, violence, and politics crack an Indian dream of utopia” by Hannah Ellis-Peterson, I, as a resident of Auroville since 1979, wish to provide some insights and perspectives on the issues raised.

I have been an integral part of Auroville, and I’ve operated a unit producing handmade pottery, which has transformed over the years into what we now call Mantra. I’ve also had the privilege of being a land steward, responsible for caring for about 10-11 acres of land within the city’s boundaries. It is important to note that this land plays a role in the context of the “Crown,” a designated area within Auroville.

It has been evident since my arrival in Auroville in 1979 that this land would eventually need development. I’ve been cautious not to plant anything of high value or create issues for future development, a situation that has begun to unfold 42 years later. The land I’ve looked after is characterized by gravelly terrain with a deep ravine. I’ve contributed to its recovery by fencing it off, preventing grazing and tree cutting, and actively engaging in conservation efforts. This approach has been adopted by many land stewards across Auroville. Land stewards have traditionally been individuals who work during heavy rains to divert water flows to enhance conservation efforts. This organic process has been crucial in making Auroville the green haven it is today.

However, there is a divide in perspective within Auroville. While some residents believed that a focus on reforestation would delay or prevent the development of a relatively dense urban area, others were aware that urban development was a part of the long-term plan.

Auroville’s master plan envisions a circular city with spiral arms, referred to as the “Galactic Plan.” The mid-to-late 1990s marked the point where it became clear that laying underground infrastructure, particularly water pipes, was essential. Drilling individual wells wherever necessary was no longer sustainable, as we needed to limit water extraction and prioritize conservation.

Auroville’s unique criterion is that it belongs to all of humanity and, therefore, no one can have individual ownership of land. All Auroville lands are vested in the Auroville Foundation, a corporate body established by the Auroville Foundation Act of 1988, an Act passed unanimously in the Indian Parliament.

In 2012, Cyclone Thane devastated the area, causing extensive tree loss and prolonged electricity outages. This event prompted Auroville to initiate the underground placement of electrical infrastructure. The plan includes harnessing wind energy and distributing it to Auroville. The installation of cables and optical fiber cables initiated a debate between those focusing on geometric perfection and those advocating for environmental preservation.

While the removal of a few trees raises concerns, Auroville residents possess the expertise to mitigate the impact through reforestation efforts. Replacing a 30-year-old tree with a sapling, placed in a suitable location, can ensure that it thrives unhindered. As Auroville moves forward with denser construction, it is important to consider the broader perspective of building the greenest city on Earth.

It is not my intention to write an extensive article on Auroville, but I believe it is essential for journalists to gather in-depth knowledge and information before expressing the opinions of a specific section of Auroville residents.

I recall that in 1996, a group of residents intentionally occupied the circular service road area and planted indigenous trees. Some residents also transformed a catchment pond into winding footpaths along the Crown’s line. It seems contradictory to now claim environmental degradation by developers when some residents participated in similar activities in the past.

In conclusion, it is my hope that responsible journalism maintains high reporting standards and avoids perpetuating a one-sided narrative.

Regards,
Nobody in Particular