Auroville was envisioned as a city of human unity—not just in spirit, but in systems. Yet while our ideals soared, our economic structures have often lagged behind: fragmented, reactive, and at times, disconnected from our collective aspiration. Today, Auroville faces a pivotal crossroads. Compliance pressures are rising. Trusts are under scrutiny. Community contributions are dipping. There’s a growing fatigue—financially, administratively, and emotionally.
But within this discomfort lies a powerful opportunity: to fundamentally reimagine what economy means in a place like Auroville.
Can we move beyond money as the sole measure of value? Can we shift from transactional survival to a regenerative, purpose-led economy—one that reflects the spiritual and social ideals we were founded upon? An economy that is not driven by profit, but by potential. Not powered by scarcity, but by shared abundance.
This isn’t about patchwork reform. It’s about writing a new economic story—bold, conscious, and aligned with the vision of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.
The time has come to integrate purpose with practice, vision with viability. To move from bookkeeping to soul-keeping. From mere management to manifestation.
Auroville’s next economy must be nothing less than integral.
Beyond Money – The Six Ms of Auroville’s True Wealth
Auroville’s economy is more than numbers in a ledger. To truly understand our strength, we must look at all the forms of value that flow through this community. This means expanding our view from finances alone to six core forms of wealth—what we call the Six Ms.
Manpower is at the heart of any economy. In Auroville, it includes Aurovilians, Newcomers, volunteers, and friends from outside. Each brings unique skills, experiences, and intentions. Mapping this human resource helps us see where energy is flowing and where support is needed.
Materials & Assets refer to everything we use to create and sustain—from tools and vehicles to land, buildings, and infrastructure. Understanding their availability and condition helps us use them better and plan for growth.
Mastery is the invisible capital—knowledge, craft, research, and innovation that have grown quietly over time. Whether in design, education, farming, or healing, every unit and individual holds wisdom that can be shared and scaled.
Minutes, or time, reveal our priorities. Tracking how time is used—in meetings, production, learning, or maintenance—can show where alignment with purpose is strong, and where we may be drifting.
Money continues to matter. Income, expenses, contributions, and grants form the financial flow. But it becomes powerful only when it supports the rest.
Finally, Meaning—the most vital of all. Does our economic activity support Auroville’s ideals? Are we working from a place of service, joy, and collective progress?
Together, the Six Ms give us a fuller view. When we map them with honesty and care, we begin to see an economy that is alive, diverse, and filled with possibility.
From Cleanup to Creation – A Shift in Economic Posture
Auroville has spent the last few years addressing urgent issues in its economy—audits, corrections, and efforts to bring order to a scattered system. This phase was important. It helped restore a basic sense of structure. But order alone cannot build the future we aspire to.
A conscious economy calls for more than just fixing. It needs imagination, initiative, and a collective shift toward building something meaningful. This means engaging with our units and trusts as partners, not just subjects of review. Each unit holds lessons, struggles, and strengths that can guide the way forward.
We need open conversations—honest, respectful, and focused on solutions. Where things are working well, let us highlight and support them. Units that show financial clarity, social impact, or creative direction deserve recognition and encouragement. These become examples others can learn from.
Where there are serious concerns, we must step in with clarity and fairness. The goal is not blame, but responsibility. Auroville can stand taller when it stands truthfully.
This is the moment to move from response to renewal. By rooting our actions in shared purpose and practical steps, we can begin to design an economy that grows from the inside out—creative, conscious, and capable of holding the dream we came here to live.
The Three-Pronged Strategy – Carrots, Sticks, and Seeds
Real transformation begins when we act with clarity, courage, and care. To move Auroville’s economy forward, AWARE proposes a simple and focused three-part approach—each part working together to support growth with purpose.
Carrots are about encouragement. Many units are already walking the talk—delivering value, staying aligned with Auroville’s ideals, and showing strong integrity. These units need to be heard and supported. By understanding their needs—whether it’s mentorship, shared infrastructure, or policy clarity—we can help them grow and become models of what’s possible.
Sticks are about responsibility. Some units show patterns that harm the collective—missing data, unclear records, or personal benefit masked as community service. These cases need attention. Honest dialogue comes first, but where needed, we must step in firmly. The aim is to restore balance and make sure that shared resources are treated with care.
Seeds are about vision. Alongside this, we will bring together a small, dedicated group of Aurovilians to design the economic path ahead. This includes planning investments, building support systems, and creating a roadmap rooted in the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.
Together, these three steps can shift our economy from drift to direction—from scattered effort to shared purpose.
Designing the Future – A 5-Year Plan for Integral Growth
The road ahead calls for direction, care, and clear intent. A 5-year plan offers more than a timeline—it offers focus. This plan aims to plant strong roots while opening new paths for evolution.
First, strategic investment will follow purpose. Funds will be placed where they nourish values, not just ventures. Projects that align with Auroville’s deeper call will receive priority—whether it’s in sustainable products, social impact, or long-term community benefit.
Next comes youth. The energy, insight, and dreams of younger Aurovilians must be shaped with mentorship and real opportunities. Entrepreneurship is vital, but so is skilling—helping young minds build what the community needs and what the world seeks from Auroville.
Third, shared services will bring more unity across units. From accounting and marketing to tech and logistics, pooling resources will save time, raise standards, and reduce friction. It’s about designing systems that uplift everyone.
Then comes storytelling. Auroville has value far beyond its products. Through thoughtful branding, we can share its essence with the world—honestly, beautifully, and boldly.
Finally, continuity matters. Those who hold the space today must pass it on with clarity. Planning for generational transition ensures that spirit, stewardship, and skill all endure.
This is how we grow—with clarity, care, and coherence.
A Call to Courageous Collaboration
If Auroville’s next economy must be nothing less than integral, then its making must be nothing short of collective. We began with the question: can economy reflect unity, purpose, and spirit—not just survive on structure? The answer lies in what we do now, together.
This is our chance to step into the ideal we speak of—where resources follow vision, and contribution follows consciousness. The moment demands courage—not just to fix what has fallen through, but to lift what has always longed to rise. A new story wants to be told. A new model wants to be lived.
We will need each other more than ever. Builders, thinkers, doers, keepers. Not to compete, but to converge. To co-create a system where wealth means meaning, and success means service.
This is how we return to the original promise of Auroville—not just as a place of spiritual search, but as a living demonstration. Of what is possible when economy becomes a field of evolution.
Let this be the turning. Let this be the strand where our strategy and spirit meet. Where we move from maintenance to manifestation. Where we don’t just imagine the next economy—we build it.
Together.
