The Auroville Foundation has issued new regulations for the admission and termination of individuals in the Register of Residents. These guidelines include procedures for volunteers, newcomers, and residents, as well as the formation of committees for scrutiny and appeals. The regulations emphasize adherence to the Auroville Charter and specific admission criteria.
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Auroville is a unique town. It will receive people who, from different parts of the world, will come with the determination to live together in an atmosphere of harmony and mutual understanding. Traditional social and human relations will have no place there. Competition and struggle will give place to emulation, collaboration and brotherhood.
This shows how inadequate are the standard techniques and the vocabulary of Town planning. But this inadequacy should not exempt us from carrying out a research on the leading principles of organisation and working of the urban space. The philosophical and humanitarian purpose, as well as the will to fit the architecture to the framework of life is confronted with demographic, economic, technical and financial exigencies of all such endeavours.
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Including Luigi and Aryamani with Jacqueline
Car-free cities will probably become the norm this century due to energy constraints. It seems appropriate, therefore, that Auroville should be willing to take a lead in this. But how can we design Auroville as a city which could function without cars and motorbikes?
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Auroville, to be true to The Mother’s vision, will provide alternative forms of mobility to suit the needs for peaceful conditions throughout the
city area. Today’s type of environmentally polluting, hazardous, and high-speed motorized transport will no longer have its predominant,
overbearing position – the individual will regain his own spatial dignity. The layout of Auroville is ideal to develop a pedestrian-friendly city
INTRODUCTION TO THE TEN POINT GAME
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4 Housing
4.1.1 Accommodation which can be rented. We have to put our heads together and come up with a way to finance housing which is owned by AV and is rented to Aurovilians and Newcomers. Having to build one’s house to live here is no longer workable if it ever really was. Having education as a main theme should make it easier to raise funds for housing
4.1.2 Housing: Create a pool for the construction of housing with collective funds. Avoid relation architect-client.
4.1.3 Promote rotation of houses so that the feeling of property gets diminished.
4.1.4 Should stop Aurovilians buying properties out side of Auroville, if you have clear pictures about them need to be reviewed their aurovillian status.
4.1.5 Since the buildings are coming up more and more let’s open one construction service team instead of giving to individual contractors, so the construction percentage will come to Auroville
4.1.6 There should be a study to find out about the housing condition of Aurovilians who have been working for the community for at least 10 years and who are in need of better living conditions. Maybe some are too shy to ask or some have been asking but have not yet been helped. The Housing Service as it is doesn’t seem to be able to cope with such situations.
4.1.7 More cooperative housing such as Creativity should be built as new arrivals are no longer allowed to build individual houses.
4.1.8 Proper and decent houses or flats for every Aurovilian and also for the youth who want to leave their parents’ home or for the ones who come back after higher studies to experience Auroville.as adults.
4.1.9 Have boats in AV for fishing, outing and just live in.
4.1.10 Have free accommodation for young volunteers.
4.1.11 Build more low-cost housing, implementing all important ecological guidelines. (See APDC).
4.1.12 Housing unit – simple + comfortable –for everyone
4.1.13 Get more housing going simple, collective and fast
4.1.14 Housing (to promote development – right now the situation only blocks or discourages)
4.1.15 Housing collective + economical, utilitarian ,elegant
4.1.16 Better housing
4.1.17 Low cost actual collective housing projects where by Aurovillians are part of the physical labour – collectively homes would be erected quickly.
4.1.18 Affordable housing with user friendly architecture
4.1.19 Housing. How to ensure decent and adequate accommodation for all community members?
4.1.20 Less concrete buildings (more advanced, sustainable methods should be used)
3 Development of Community Life
3.1 NEED FOR BETTER COMMUNITY
3.1.1 To create again a community where we all feel home and part of a big family, beyond cultural, social, financial, racial differences. A community where our youth want to live when they grow adults, not because they don’t know where to go or what else to do, not because life is easier than in the villages, not because they don’t have the financial means or the educational background to live somewhere else in the world, but because the community has developed an atmosphere of growth, of adventure, of brotherhood that gives a special sense to their life
3.1.2 We as a community as a whole need to find our CENTRE. Why is it only, that when there are extreme cases like Sydo’s murder, that we all come together for a short while…that we feel bonded to one another, for a short while, and then everyone continues to live in his own way…what is lacking? what will bring us all together and keep us together, not just for a short while, but for years to come???? What, what??
3.2 COMMUNICATION BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS
3.2.1 Smile more… J
3.2.2 Respect for all, for Aurovillians old ones and new ones, Newcomer and Guests and their individuality
3.2.3 Invest more time in knowing and improving relations with our neighbours
3.2.4 Replace criticism by support + loving feed back
3.2.5 Increase communication within Auroville.
3.2.6 Be friendly with each other: No more grumpy faces!
3.2.7 Get people to loosen up –take themselves less seriously
3.2.8 I wish Aurovillians to inform themselves about each other without gossip, care about each other so that also the share of financials is easier
3.2.9 Build trust- through regular sharing of information
3.2.10 Better relation among Aurovillians (more unity)
3.2.11 Better communication between the Aurovillians.
3.2.12 Community wise consciousness – Family is unity
3.2.13 Personal contact with people.
3.2.14 Inter community interactions
3.2.15 We don’t know each other anymore. A systematic, periodic way of introducing new people to the existing community should be created. I would like to be able to hear people, both new and old, speak about what brought them here – their commitments, circumstances, vision. I’ve been here almost 9 years now and have always had the sense of not knowing what we had to work with, human resource-wise. Entry Group announcements of Newcomers in the N&N should include a photo and be much more substantial in terms of introducing people
3.2.16 More smiles and smiling.
3.2.17 Enhance inter Aurovilian communication.
3.3 LANGUAGE
3.3.1 Spoken English and Tamil
3.3.2 Get everyone really learning Tamil!
3.3.3 A compulsory fulltime crash course in Tamil language and culture for any person that is going to live in Auroville. A three month course 30 up to 40 hours a week could be considered. The situation of people living for ten years or more in Auroville without being able to put up with a single conversation in Tamil is really too much.
3.3.4 Give classes in Tamil to Tamil Aurovilians about life in a community, human unity and how to achieve it
3.3.5 More courses for languages – eg Tamil and English
3.4 METHODS OF COMMUNICATION
3.4.1 Radio Station (with 2 KM radius)
3.4.2 See to it that everything in “News and Notes” is translated into Tamil. Encourage Annemarie to free herself from self-censorship.
3.4.3 Invest in communication infrastructure – for rapid communication / feedback/ decision making.
3.4.4 Communication (telecom, internet, radio, TV, print …..etc)
3.4.5 A magazine called Vision Auroville
3.5 PLACE TO GET TOGETHER
3.5.1 Would be great if Auroville had a place where one could ‘hang out’ in the evening, chat with friends, have a good juice and a sandwich. Just a place for clean fun – we are so uptight due to all the work pressures.
3.5.2 There should be a place where all can meet casually for games, talk, videos, listening to music. Kosmos Kafe was a step in the right direction.
3.5.3 Places to meet, others than meetings or restaurants, to enjoy being together after the movie for ex., a convivial place, like the Kosmos coffee, that is not closing at 8.30PM… To share, to communicate, to drink a lemon juice, to dance on life music, etc… Even if it is just a place opened just once a week or a month, will be great.
3.5.4 Create place like cosmos café
3.5.5 Create a space for Kosmos – like activities.
3.5.6 Have public spaces for the youth (open beyond 9pm!)
3.5.7 Go on with more gathering “cosmos café type”)
3.5.8 Have a permanent meeting place in interaction and exchanges
3.5.9 Entertainment (restaurants, cafes, movies, theater, sports …. Etc )
3.5.10 A community centre to meet – like the Kosmic café.
3.6 WAYS OF COMING TOGETHER
3.6.1 More celebration, coming together with whole of AV
3.6.2 Collective festivals, Deepavali, Pongal, Christmas, New Year ,AV, Ma’s Sri Aurobindo’s B’day
3.6.3 Take steps to improve the quality of our communal life-community Eating, community games, festivals etc.
3.6.4 Music live once a week.
3.6.5 Develop outing from AV to other places in India.
3.6.6 More full moon walks, cycling trips and just walks around AV in day and night times.
3.6.7 Let’s build ring road together!
3.6.8 Community picnics, tours, outings, get-togethers with lunch, dinner, amongst Aurovilians, with friends of Auroville, with long term associates, etc.
3.7 TAKING CARE OF EACH OTHER
3.7.1 A way to take care of people, particularly youth who become psycologically unbalanced.
3.7.2 To bring about a greater caring for each other by creating a safe, homely, medically oriented and realistic approach and place for those of us who may be, temporarily, disoriented or otherwise in need of psychological care (this certainly in regard to our youth).
3.7.3 Parties with alcohol and drugs do incalculable harm to AV on many levels and a way must be found to stop them once and for all, whatever it takes, even if it involves not renewing the visa to the incoscients who organize them.
3.7.4 Encourage rather than discriminate against each other.
3.8 INVOLVE THE YOUTH
3.8.1 Mobilize and Auroville youth to take an active part in the management and realization of the city. That means how to motivate them to learn something useful for Auroville and to do it?
3.8.2 Youth gatherings.
3.8.3 See what more we must provide for the adolescent youth in Auroville and do it.
3.8.4 Kids go into dope. Can we arrange for them a group with a few adults who know how to use “the profit of smoking”? It could let kids not use “grass” as the way of wiping from the reality. Mauna has some Information.
3.8.5 Give youth responsibilities and bring them to the main stream.
3.8.6 To train the youth and children to become true Aurovillians for which adults should be role models
3.8.7 Read and explain Mother + Sri Aurobindo To the kids – explain to them the goal of AV; What it mean to change one’s consciousness, How to change one’s consciousness.
3.8.8 Channel the youth force
3.8.9 Support the youth rather than building retirement homes.
3.8.10 A light point for the game: The peacock’s population is exploding and destroying gardens and silence. Unfortunately the peacock is in India is a protected bird. May be as part of a new game, children can be rewarded if they can find and collect their eggs!!?
3.8.11 Craft training for AV youth.
3.9 SECURITY
3.9.1 Security (especially in the evening/nights and holidays) also more security for women (example. Eve-teasing by locals and etc..
3.9.2 Finally an idea could be picked up form Holland as regards the crime situation. There in the 250, 000 Citizens city of Almere, the safety situation had been deteriorating over the years. Finally a mediation group did an offer to the Town Council. They promised to bring down the crime rate with 25% meditating each week on bringing down crime. They got a place somewhere in the centre of the city and in fact they brought down crime by meditating on it and nothing else. The experiment worked and has been going on ever since.
3.9.3 Security (No police!! internal or alternative presence)
3.9.4 Better security (though I feel this is now being implemented )
3.9.5 Auroville guards – training, replace MM guards, etc
3.10 OTHER
3.10.1 Provide opportunities for meditation at MM and silence………..
3.10.2 Summer exodus.
3.10.3 We have become too Tamil in composition, which limits possibilities for all of us (including the Tamil Aurovilians).
3.10.4 Reduce the flourishing materialism in AV.
3.10.5 No more junk food!
2. ECONOMY
2.1 GENERAL
2.1.1 A sound basis for economic development. This could be education, and related (publishing, software, restaurants) renting of accommodation and manufacturing articles that are needed in the bioregion.
2.1.2 Economy should be strengthened by following realistic goals rather than idealistic coz then failure to achieve those goals would be reduced.
2.1.3 Take care of all basic material needs for everybody and create opportunities for self-improvement
2.1.4 Create conditions that money chases us rather than we running after money.
2.1.5 Proper banking in AV. (dividend received, confirmations of expenses and credits adjusted bi-annually) Stop selling community property for personal gain and share it within the community after expenses are covered. (ie. Fruit trees in the garden etc)
2.1.6 To get a better economic system together.
2.1.7 An economy with two aspects: one internal, towards a collective abundance , and one for the development of the City, both aspects having a clear “set” of priorities.
2.1.8 Then there is this whole issue of “MONEY”…which seems to deteriorate as the years go by… As, I see it MONEY= Security…and people are mostly insecure, not just physically, but mentally as well as financially!!! And the community as a whole doesn’t provide you with the feeling that you will be taken care of! Right, from the start as a Newcomer, you are told that you have to take care of all your needs and community will not provide you with anything. We will not provide you with anything but we want all your money and all the work you can put in for the community.
2.1.9 Build economy on 3 pillars: Asset creation –cash, Basic needs – kind ,
2.1.10 Auroville’s money is kept in the bank to get the interest. I’d say that this insecurity blocks the free flow of money to Auroville.
2.1.11 There is “conversations with god” book 2 by Neale Donald Walsch, where suggested interesting ideas as how to change the economic system of the existing world. For the benefit of people and the world as whole.
2.1.12 Economy – prepare Auroville annual budget of receipts / expenditure.
2.1.13 Stop to consumerism inside the community
2.1.14 Separate work and maintenance
2.1.15 How to invigorate the economy?
2.1.16 Encourage decent life style (simple living) / working for AV.
2.1.17 To achieve a better balance between commercial units and service
2.1.18 Moving away from the private economy – more collective economy.
2.1.19 Economy. A major and important field for exploration, innovation and action.
2.1.20 Money is still the sovereign lord here. Every conceivable effort needs to be made by all of us to create a different economic environment in Auroville.
2.1.21 We need to move toward managing the assets of Auroville as if they were actually collective, rather than private, assets – with a view toward the good of the whole rather than the power and personal enrichment of those who are holding/controlling these assets. Includes land, houses, infrastructure, and commercial unit assets (including bank accounts). I’m not a communist and I don’t think “the people” should “seize everything and redistribute the wealth”. I think we need to learn how to model something in the world that is different than the global status quo.
2.2 NO EXCHANGE OF MONEY
2.2.1 No money exchange economy!!!
2.2.2 Adopt Ashram system of “prosperity”
2.2.3 No Money Economy, following Mother’s guidelines
2.2.4 Implement more exchange stores. Support everything that already functions without money, like health treatments and cultural events.
2.2.5 ‘Basic” needs for everyone.
2.2.6 Get to a new and real financial sharing/kind economy.
2.2.7 No circulation of money (collective economy).
2.2.8 Replacement of “maintenances” by supply of basic needs in kind for everyone who is doing useful work for the community.
2.2.9 Economy (including no exchange of money!)
2.2.10 No circulation of money.
2.2.11 No private property.
2.2.12 Basic needs covered by the community (Food, housing, clothing, etc…) for simple life style.
2.3 INCOME GENERATION
2.3.1 If Pour Tous sells many items at the same price than Pondy or higher, it should made a profit for the community.
2.3.2 Create and support a big, efficient and capable fundraising team with possibilities of travelling and making contacts.
2.3.3 Individual guest house incomes need to be checked.
2.3.4 Corpus Fund Hording and Contribution in Kind
It has long been a standing practice of larger units to maintain a fixed deposit account of 100 Lakh rupees for operational purposes. This is necessary, we told, because units are forbidden to seek bank loans. Nonetheless when one of largest units receives 84 Lakh Rupees from interest alone, indicating 900 Lakh Rupee deposit has taken on a characteristic of hording and should be discussed at the FAMC. (OK griping is finished.)
More importantly is the long abandoned practice of units giving, as a contribution, 33% or 10% of turnover or whichever is higher, be reconsidered. The practice of ignoring the 10% of turnover regulation is the fact the units may be running at extremely high personal overhead expenses and or to be competitive, marketing at very low profit margin. In any case it would be a very considerate gesture if commercial units would contribute a percentage, say 2%, of their product to a revived and enlarged Saraswathi Store.
2.3.5 All personal assets/savings to be given to AV
2.3.6 Business expertise and consultancy for AV units and sharing of resources and contacts for export etc.
2.3.7 Units in AV to contribute according to profits and gross income, assess the income versus the quality of life and environmental impact to the community as a whole, encourage larger units to go further out.
2.3.8 To develop a budget, structure and vision, and possibly require expert consultancy in this field, on how to receive tourists.
2.3.9 To develop a budget and common vision & message on how to present Auroville to the outside world.
2.3.10 The Charter’s point of no private property must be respected and enforced if necessary. How is to be discovered, but Aurovilians who collect rent, profit etc. from guest houses, commercial units, etc. without properly contributing to the community must be made to do so. Transparent audits, or whatever is necessary must be employed. We all hope for higher consciousness to govern our communal acts, but this is not always the case. Therefore, some kind of checking and enforcement by proper accounting is necessary.
2.3.11 Auroville is presently a gift economy. However, this must be supplanted by income from entrepreneurial effort. The commercially talented stewards of such enterprising units must be dedicated to Auroville and the Mother’s Dream so that profits from these enterprises go properly to the community.
2.3.12 To recreate an ABC, not only to solve the problem from the units existing, as it came out in their last meeting, but to create a professional core group which can advise new units executive and see if their project is sustainable, if yes than some money should be lent if needed to start.
2.3.13 High yielding business unity
2.3.14 The founding of a centre for entrepreneurship, in order to let Auroville also takes benefit of the present economic up rise in India. It should be a gathering place for young entrepreneurs as well as a centre of knowledge-lectures on economy could be given by people in and outside of Auroville. It is a vital thing in order to stop this constant asking for donations (local, regional, national and international) – and therewith being constantly dependent on movements or groups outside Auroville.
2.3.15 Business (stimulation of enterprise in AV.
2.3.16 More fundraising ideas/events to raise money to purchase land –talks/advertising/ weekly write –up in new and notes – ideas/ways to conserve water — Contests among community – who decreases consumption the most.
2.3.17 Promote Auroville products or products commercialised by Aurovilian units: Promote its consume and commercialisation by giving financial support and marketing. Give more information about the existing products within Auroville. (what about a campaign of trying to be for one month consuming only AV products and products commercialised by AV units?)
2.3.18 To set definite ethics for all our inside commercial unity
2.3.19 To avoid Tamil Aurovillian as a executive – he having lot of relatives, so it spoil environment in Auroville community
2.3.20 Guest houses regulations Back the community.
2.4 DISTRIBUTION OF PROSPERITY
2.4.1 I agree that the maintenance of an Aurovilian which is already an issue, should be the first priority as it is really miserable for people who survive only on maintenance… for example mostly Indians (apart from the people who have come here after retirement).
2.4.2 Proper maintenance for all Aurovilians, can be in goods, free access to services or in cash
2.4.3 Food should be at least free to the Aurovilians in the Solar Kitchen. Maybe this is the first step which should be taken towards kind economy!!!!
2.4.4 Free food for all, Solar Kitchen and other community kitchens should cook for free.
2.4.5 Reduce the price of products in AV to match Pondy’s or less
2.4.6 Improved maintenances
2.4.7 Require equal maintenance for all Aurovillian.
2.4.8 Economy – Better maintenance for Aurovillians based on cost of living (current).
2.4.9 There are some people like Barbara, Mallika… Who help many of us doesn’t charge anything but in the need to be paid. Can they get a constant money support from Auroville?
2.5 BECOME ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE
2.5.1 In economy: to point toward a self sufficiency and a strong development of the services and to get rid of the concept of individual maintenances. A distribution in kind could help us a lot. We could also if necessary consider the use of a complementary currency to help us on these steps.
2.5.2 Change the trend in the Auroville Economy: a) Channel all income and expenditure through the Central Fund. b) Support fully the services and encourage the exchange of services between them, without exchange of money. c) Support fully the Aurovilians working for Auroville in any field by providing services and in kind as much as possible. d)Cost price Pour Tous. e) Aurovilians working on commercial units to follow the same system as those working in the services. f) Centralise the income generated by visitors in guest houses, guest rooms, restaurants, etc. g) Creation of revolving funds to promote creation of new business. h) Make an annual budget at the beginning of the year. i) study on the commercial units: those that are not clearly profitable for AV should not be occupying the space.
2.5.3 New Economy -If we are to achieve a “new economy” then we better start defining what we mean by this term. The idea of no exchange of money is hardly new and has the reality in Auroville’s early years. I don’t think there are many who want to go back to what we had already lived through. Nonetheless there are those who may not have had this experience and need to go through it. It could be possible to have the Solar Kitchen open for three meals a day and those are wish to participate in a money free economy can dine there, for free, for all meals. As they are part of an experiment they will donate whatever funding they can and all will be provided for them. They will participate fully and therefore will need no private kitchen, no need to shop at Pour Tous, no trips to Pondy, or Chennai they will live in a world utterly free from the tiresome pressures of an economy born out of an old dieing world.
2.5.4 Evolve an Economy concept, which respects Mothers guidelines AND which achieves a steady growth towards self sufficiency and sustainability
2.5.5 Focus on education as a primary engine for economic sustainability of Auroville
2.5.6 The dream of self-sustainability for producing our basic needs must be energetically pursue
2.5.7 Reduce dependence on Govt. Grants or other donations and move towards self-sufficiency.
2.5.8 Alternative experiments for appropriate AV economy
2.5.9 Alternative means of exchange-additional needs, rewards + village
2.5.10 Sustainability. How to develop a city for 50,000 which is at the same time sustainable and self-supporting in terms of natural, financial and human resources? This is a major and complex challenge, which has to be addressed at every step of Auroville’s development and, however difficult, in every aspect of our lifestyles
2.5.11 The AV Council and Working Committee could help the project holders to evaluate the feasibility and financial possibilities of important projects. If a realistic evaluation is done in the preliminary studies, lots of frustrations and losses of energies, time, work and money could be avoided.
2.6 WORK
2.6.1 Work: a) Encourage more hours of work and a more efficient timings. b) Give advantages to Aurovilians who are more involved in work and particularly in work for the collectivity. c) One day a week work for the collectivity.
2.6.2 Incentive for priority to AVlian employment with decent wages, before creating salaried workers. For all to have the experience of collective cooking at Solar kitchen when the employees are out (Sunday)
2.6.3 The Youth of Auroville should be encouraged to give a few hours a week for communal duties. In fact, not only the Youth, but all Aurovilians, especially the self-supporting ones should do so.
2.6.4 Let AV start and run (i.e., do the work ) in some collective, productive work,
2.6.5 Job rotation, in order to create a more flexible atmosphere as regards work.
2.6.6 Voluntary work! (Let’s not forget…)
2.6.7 Eradicate unemployment in Aurovilian.
2.6.8 Re-analyze working hours in Auroville – be work efficient.
2.6.9 People should be encouraged to work more for the collectivity, not only during the newcomer period.
2.6.10 Don’t be ambitious, be always aware that
10 Ideals of Auroville
10.1.1 Collaboration based on mutual goodwill and the wish to build Auroville as a small urban community, not on “ecological” or “spiritual” arguments. Collaboration is the primary desirable heroism in Auroville, NOT heroism and martyrdom for the “right opinion”, the “true dream”, the “only way to sustainability” etc.
10.1.2 Respect and Love for every being as a form of Divine Creation A constructive, caring, joyful and nourishing way of life could bring to people “- the joy of work according to their own nature and free leisure to grow inwardly, as well as a simply rich and beautiful life for all.”(p.241 SAB The Human Cycle, Conditions for the Coming of a Spiritual Age).
10.1.3 A free, constructive communication between all human beings, where every being has place to express himself (see also Virginia Satir, for a healthy family life) is the basic for a creative, productive, rich and beautiful society – or ECONOMY
10.1.4 PR and self-representation of Auroville reflecting reality of sincere struggle and challenges of unresolved problems, not on ecological or spiritual elitist dreams. The more we present a new age dream towards the outside world, the more such dreamers come to Auroville. The more we honestly talk of our struggle for an integration of ecological, economical, social factors (under the overall umbrella of the Charter), the more we attract people in these efforts. (Otherwise, how is it possible that newcomers come to Auroville “to do hatha yoga” or “to meditate”?)
10.1.5 To discourage, psychologically and administratively, the feeling that Auroville status is an achievement.
10.1.6 One of the very last messages written by Mother reads as follows :”<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />18-3-73. Auroville will become what it must be, only if and when the people living there will stop lying. M.” In my observation and experience the situation has much worsened and we are sliding deeper into a maze.
10.1.7 Encourage study of Sri Aurobindo’s and The Mother’s works
10.1.8 QUALITIES NEEDED 1 Simplicity 2 Openness 3 Beauty 4 Joy 5 Respect 6 Honesty 7 Sharing 8 Studies 9 Discovery 10 Love
10.1.9 I believe we should focus on an Auroville of the present and work on the old Ideas of 50 000 inhabitants and similar things. Some of those up to 50 years old ideas are golden calves; we are dancing around them, because Mother once said so. But if the evolution goes differently, sticking to any old idea becomes increasingly countereffective to its original cause. Personally I have no doubts that Mother would have adjusted her plans about Auroville many times in the past 35 years, as I believe that such a dynamic force is the very nature of advanced personalities like Mother. But it still seems a sacrilege to doubt anything Mother said 40 years ago and be dynamic ourselves. I believe I have to dare to view the truth by my Self, not by what Mother or anybody else said.
The study and reverence to Masters is extremely important and helpful to increase my capacity to act according to the present reality. However, for the action, in absence of an Adesh, I have to use whatever light is there, rather than using the image of a torch, given by a Master. Such an image radiates no light at all. Unfortunately.
If we shift our perception gradually to what are the really important movements to monitor, also discussions about the right material for a door handle of Matrimandir or the appropriate height for a line of Force or the location of a kindergarten would become more relaxed and proportionate.
I see Auroville better off, if we play low key and are really uninteresting for the majority of the world. It is not helpful to those few inner progresses, to do international congresses with as much VIP’s as possible, arriving with BMW’s and such, to see Town Halls and such, to be documented on glossy art paper public relation papers and such. I am not saying it is a waste of money. I say it is harmful for the progress.
10.1.10 People/groups could be less judgemental.
10.1.11 Take steps to build relations with the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Sri Aurobindo Society and other Sri Aurobindo related organisations and people all around the world.
10.1.12 Respect; of course we are all different, we don’t need to agree with each other all the time, but let’s respect each other. Then we will be able to go to the next level: Unity. Out of respect and trying to identify with other people from the heart, we can realize that we are actually one. Then love will grow.
10.1.13 Love needs no words; Harmony Beauty Wisdom will be able to grow in us and there will be Light and we will be One force and we are able to work together in harmony: Collaboration WE ARE ALL ONE
10.1.14 A feeling of love and transparency in our ‘collective air’ – of being ‘together’ in this experiment of the Divine’s! … another ‘form’ of the game? ….. ten times over!
10.1.15 Define a unifying purpose for Auroville’s raison d’etre, i.e. the ideal of Human Unity applied to transform the Bio Region.
10.1.16 Auroville should choose its main theme for future development, because how we develop economically, architecturally and socially depends on this. Without a theme, we are subject to mundane forces such as tourism, selling arts and crafts, massage parlours, consumerism etc. A theme will determine how we earn money and raise funds, the kind of buildings we will make, the kind of newcomers we will attract etc., etc. If we choose education as our major theme, many sources of funds will open up to build accommodation for students and teachers, to build schools, and centres of higher learning. Whatever theme we choose must include the villages and the bioregion.
10.1.17 To bring about a shift in our collective awareness so as to become true stewards who consciously and intelligently take up the work of building Mother’s city, instead of trying to execute suggestions made long ago that may have been caught up by environmental, scientific and other relevant discoveries and in-depth studies of Auroville’s geographical, climatic and bio-regional situation during the last 30 years.
10.1.18 Let’s concentrate on how much we have in common instead of how much different we are.
10.1.19 Let’s put Service to the Divine and Goodwill towards the Community as our main aim instead of personal gains and interests.
10.1.20 Let’s do more introspection and self-improving, because a society reflects the people it is made up of, so if the people are perfect the society will mirror it.
10.1.21 To love Auroville
every day anew
in spite of auroville,
in spite of ourselves,
in spite of our shortcomings.
to be in love with Auroville
in spite of all the trouble and challenges
to wake up every morning
saying thank you to be surrounded
by the dear forest’s embrace
hearing the birds’ songs concertos.
to meet a dear auroville face
see the smile in the shining eyes
catch the grin,
and knowing the heart’s language
of appreciation, encouragement, love.
this is auroville for me.
10 times over
10.1.22 Auroville as a lively centre of cultural activities, where the search for beauty and refinement is appreciated and supported by all its citizens. Children should be included and provide with a rich cultural environment.
10.1.23 Building the city together. Emphasis should be put on working as a way of offering to the community (be it as a service or as a commercial unity, for me there is no differences both in its own way are services) and people who commit themselves and stay committed should be totally supported by the community its needs assessed and covered. While lack of commitment or “functionary” type of attitudes should be addressed help for a changes or redirect the individual to another type of society.
10.1.24 Self knowledge and self-control versus a wide spread concept of freedom which defines freedom as an indiscriminate following of all the vital movements, and to often the lower ones. Auroville as a door (or a path) to a higher freedom from all this vital and also the mental enslavements in which we all find ourselves. More respect for each other and stop abusive language or behaviour should be the starting point. This point should include the checking on the unfortunate sexual abuses that have happened and may still happen in the community.
10.1.25
: That we don’t have to choose suffering and pass through it.
: That the way can be joyous, sun light and beautiful.
8. If we try each one of us to feel and be conscious. Let us take all the opportunities give in Auroville to learn to be conscious.
10.1.26 Reaffirm that Auroville is meant to be the cradle of supermanhood and that one and everyone should aim toward this goal of transformation, from the higher parts of the being to the least physical cell.
10.1.27 Offer oneself entirely to the Divine, without withholding anything. Being a transparent tool in the hands of the Master and through everything we have and are in this burning brazier.
10.1.28 Go beyond our human nature and transcend its actual reality. If most Aurovillians would believe and try to live “Her Dream”, and become true Aurovilians, everything else would be granted.
10.1.29 Develop a sense of dedication, sharing, collaboration, emulation for doing better, openness and harmony in the relation with others. That means lay the basis of true Brotherhood and Human Unity where one and every one is hero to help each on his own are path. Unity through the Divine.
10.1.30 Establish and generalize Karma yoga as the basic of action. That means the work done without desire, as an offering to the Divine and without seeing any fruit for oneself of the action undertake.
10.1.31 More Love
10.1.32 Bigger and more is not always better.
10.1.33 Cultivate environmental awareness.
10.1.34 Enhance self awareness.
10.1.35 Remove the priority off materialism.
10.1.36 A feeling of love and transparency in our ‘collective air’ – of being ‘together’ in this experiment of the Divine’s! Another ‘form’ of the game? Ten times over!
10.1.37 Real effort towards consensus
10.1.38 Sincerity of the effort to improve ourselves
10.1.39 Integrity in accordance with what we sign when enter the process of becoming Aurovillian.
10.1.40 Try to fill a little the empty room of the soul of Auroville.
10.1.41 Auroville should become a Universal Township and not a private club of people who think that they can decide who is to become part or not. A free spirit of collaboration can never become a reality if form the very onset the principles of the charter of Auroville are neglected and opposed.
10.1.42 The main change in Auroville that I would like to see is, that we work more concisely on our own inner individual being than to busy and critical about each other. Most of our (collective) problems would just not exist if we would be more in touch with Sri Aurobindo and Mother’s teaching.
10.1.43 If every Aurovillian understands that, to make our aims possible, he/she has to put some time and energy into whatever other field of Auroville that his working area (MM, village action, Guest Service, Children etc) we would need less group, structure and services. (S. point 1)
10.1.44 To relate all our activities to the Charter.
10.1.45 To recreate our day to day life towards her dream
10.1.46 To appreciate people who devote themselves in releasing the goals of Auroville.
10.1.47 Everybody who lives in Auroville should know for what purpose Auroville was founded and what it requires from us to make it work and progress together towards a higher spiritual consciousness.
10.1.48 Change of consciousness
10.1.49 More widespread awareness of the Fundamental aims +ideals of Auroville as given by the mother.
10.1.50 More concentration on these in all our collective work and processes.
10.1.51 Sincerity
10.1.52 Mission statements for all major areas of Auroville
10.1.53 Collective resolutions
10.1.54 Common code of conduct to Aurovillians who stress individual freedom
10.1.55 More common sense in all aspects of Aurovilian life.
10.1.56 Don’t lie, don’t hide your lies – work with them! Don’t protect others who lie in order that they will protect you.
10.1.57 Share your information with others, don’t hide it. Don’t use your information in the ‘right’ moment to win personal battles with others.
10.1.58 Don’t call ‘black’ ‘grey’, or even ‘white’. Call ‘black’ black but follow the white path against the mainstream.
10.1.59 Make compromises but always keep in mind it was a compromise and when a better solution arrives at the horizon stretch for that and skip the compromise.
10.1.60 Measure all your decisions from the point of view of whether the following action will contribute anything to the building of something new and not just copies the old stuff out of inertia and comfort we have lived in for centuries.
10.1.61 Human Unity. Still a long way to go…
10.1.62 Of course this list could be endless. More than anything, I feel we need the courage of our convictions! To change or implement anything, we need to have the courage to look how it currently is straight in the face – to tell the truth about it. Perhaps we can even start here – i.e. practice this “telling the truth together”. This is not about blame, but about the courage it takes to be willing to know. The truth of a situation is often complex. In the telling and sharing of our various perspectives and pieces of it, we may create the opportunity for us to experience and appreciate more the other pieces – the ones we did not bring to the discussion, the ones we did not know about or were not sensitive to. If we do this, we may find ourselves more able to stand together – at least sometimes for some things. If we can’t work out how to do this genuinely (not the superficial, short-lived and generally false sense of togetherness that constitutes crisis-reaction mode), there can be no real trust and no true basis for our collectivity. We’re committed to “the impossible” here. You need a solid place to stand to move a mountain. Most of all, in whatever ways we can, we need to try to build/strengthen this base
10.1.63 My Nine Points Auroville-Playlist of all times!
1 All You Need Is Love The Beatles
2 Universally Speaking Red Hot Chili Peppers
3 Rhythm Divine Yello
4 Oh Ironie! Stephan Eicher
5 Vogue Madonna
6 It Ain’t Over Till I’ts Over Lenny Kravitz
7 Losing My Religion R.E.M.
8 Let’s Go Crazy Prince
9 Easy Faith No More
10.1.64 After 36 years of our experience here we believe that one of the main source of problems and disharmony in Auroville is a too wide a gap between dreams and realities.
10.1.65 Sincerity……..That’s all…….. Everybody thinks they are being sincere all the time, and in their own way they are………But it is not enough. We need to be more sincere………..Even the smallest lack of sincerity is enough to postpone all progress.
10.1.66 More courage
10.1.67 More trust
10.1.68 For me there is only one point about who has to change i