Friday, November 30, 2007

The Mother's Service Society & Garry Jacobs

Values in Business Sunday, November 25, 2007 About Garry Jacobs
Hello! I'd like to introduce myself as an American-born consultant on business management and economic development with international experience in Western and Eastern Europe and Asia, especially India.
My interest in Human Science arises from the work of Karmayogi, founder of The Mother's Service Society, a social science research institute based in Pondicherry, South India. For the past 35 years, the Society has been applying the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother to research in the fields of economic and social development, global governance, peace and security, management, psychology, education, literary criticism and spirituality. My activites have included theoretical research on social development, organizational theory and a theory of money, as well as studies for major corporations and business associations, international organizations and national governments.
From 1989 to 1994, I was Member Secretary of the International Commission on Peace & Food (ICPF) and editor of the Commission's report Uncommon Opportunities: Agenda for Peace and Equitable Development.In 1995 I became Executive Director of the International Center for Peace and Developmentin Napa, California, an organization established to continue the work of the Commission.In 1994 I was elected as a Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science and in 2004 I was appointed Chairman of the Academy’s Standing Committee on Peace and Development and a member of the Board of Trustees.
I am a practicing management consultant and partner in Mira International, a consulting firm based in Napa, California providing management guidance to firms in a wide range of industries in the USA, Europe and India. My work includes assignments for small, medium and large corporations on strategies to elevate corporate values, accelerate growth, and improve profitability. I have also co-authored two books on the process of corporate growth: The Vital Difference: Unleashing the Powers of Sustained Corporate Success, and The Vital Corporation: How American Companies Large and Small Double Profits in Two Years or Less. Posted by Garry Jacobs at 9:41 PM The Issue

Sunday, November 25, 2007

March-past at the Playground

DARSHAN
24 November 2007 (Saturday)
Sri Aurobindo's Room will be open from 5 a. m. to 12 noon
Programme
5 to 5-15am For Bakery, Dining Room, Corner House, Farms people and Nursing Home
5-30am General queue
6 a. m. to 6-30 a. m. Meditation around the Samadhi
6-40 a. m. to 12 noon General queue
12 noon Closing time

The Birthday people of 24th Nov. to come at 12noon

3 to 3-30pm - Aged and Invalid in walking
3-30 to 4pm - Invalids to be carried by Chair

6-30 p. m. - March-past at the Playground
Location: Home > Homepage Fixed2 > 24Th - Nov - 2007 The Darshan Day

Prashant Khanna to deliver lecture on The Life Divine

Engagements - New Delhi In The Capital Today The Hindu Sunday, Nov 25, 2007 Sri Aurobindo Ashram: Prashant Khanna to deliver lecture on "The Life Divine,” Sri Aurobindo Marg, 10 a.m. to 11-15 a.m.
Engagements - Chennai The Hindu Sunday, Nov 25, 2007 Sri Aurobindo Society: Meeting, 5, Smith Rd., Anna Salai, 10 a.m.
Sri Aurobindo Society Centre: Meeting, AP-514, J Block, 8th St., Anna Nagar, 6 p.m.
Engagements - Coimbatore Today Sunday, Nov 25, 2007 Sri Aurobindo Devotees Prayer Group: Joint prayer to Divine Mother, Sasi Balika Vidya Mandir, Azad Road, RS Puram, 9.30 a.m.; Sri Annai Meditation Centre, West Powerhouse Road, Tatabad, 10 a.m.; W7\C, Kovaipudur, 4 p.m.
PERFORMING ARTS November 24 at Sri Aurobindo Bhavan; 6 pm: The Jayanti Function features reading/ recitation by Santwana Bhattacharjee, Arup Basu and Bimal Dutta, and songs by Shantanu Bhattacharyya and Durba Bhattacharyya. Front Page > Calcutta > Timeout The Telegraph Saturday, November 24, 2007

Friday, November 23, 2007

Thursday, November 22, 2007

The Sunlit Path or The Integral Yoga

The CD is composed of 4 talks by Dr.V. Ananda Reddy
1.The Call
2.The Effort
3.The Grace
4.The Supramental Mahashakthi
Dr.V. Ananda Reddy is the Director of Sri Aurobindo Centre for Advanced Research. He graduated from Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, in 1969. He Joined Auroville in 1971 and participated in the early experiments in Integral Education. He has travelled widely in India as well as in the U.S.A, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain and England, Italy, Russia, Spain, Japan, Bangkok and Singapore and delivered extensive lectures and conducted workshops on the vision and work of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother.
Sri Aurobindo Centre for Advanced Research Friday, September 7, 2007
Posted by satya at 9:38 AM 0 comments

Seventeen sanskrit composition by Sri Kapali Sastriar

Kapali Sastriar's PRAYERS on The Mother & Sri Aurobindo
(Set of 2 CDs and Cassettes)
Seventeen sanskrit composition by Sri Kapali Sastriar, complied by his disciple Sri Madhav Pandit rendered in the form of bhajans. Contains commentary by Dr. R. L. Kashyap. Aslo available in the form of book. These prayers are meant for those who are interested in cultivating a direct relationship with the Divine. They are all dedicated to the Mother & Sri Aurobindo. These prayers make us become aware of the Masters, Make our spirit of surrender deeper and increase our aspiration to attain all-round perfection. Feel free to listen some of the tracks.
Commentary: Dr. R. L. Kashyap
Rendered by: B. E. Kamal Kumar, Archana Udupa, R. Shruthi & Harichandana.Muisc
Composer: B. E. Kamal KumarMusic Director: H. S. Sudhindra
Flute: Surmani Pravin Godkhindi & Chandrakanth Kamath
Violin: Charulatha Ramanujam, Sitar: Kumar Das
Table: Kiran Godkhindi, Percussion: S. G. Pramath Kiran
Posted by Make Donations at SAKSI Trust at 4:35 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Her entreaties were not listened to or cared for

Thirty-three years back, on the Seventeenth Day of November, 1973, Mira Alfassa, The Mother in Sri Aurobindo’s Yoga, left Her physical body and walked and entered into the then newly formed Supramental Body. The World knew and told that She has passed away.

She wanted to walk into Her new supramental body along with Her old body. But that did not and could not happen. The cooperation that She deserved from the fellow human beings was not received. Someone who was close to Her on that day, did not render the needed assistance and She had to lie on Her bed, as She was medically ill. Her instructions were ignored and unheard. Her entreaties were not listened to or cared for. Someone failed to become a true representative of the aspiring mankind. [...]
A divine possibility failed due to the non-co-operation and disobedience of Man. The negative force and will prevailed for the time being and the Destiny of Mankind and the Evolution had to have a different Course. When the Old Form could not walk into the Supramental Body, a New Course was taken by divine possibility — the New Body must not have failed and must have assimilated the essence of the Old Form.

The Mother, in Her subtle body, walked into the New Body. That was the triumph of which the mankind did not know. She is continuing Her work of the Supramental Manifestation and Transformation through those instruments who are open to Her, throughout the world and Her activity or Her will not be limited to the Ashram or to Auroville. Her work is now for the entire world and for the entire humanity

Barin Chaki
17-11-2007
Written on 17-11-2007, Revised from 18-11-2007 To 20-11-2007

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

An entreprenuer can have a substantial impact on transformation of world

Joydip has a vast interest on the concept of Transformation of world into a sustainable economy, enviroment and society- which is popularly refered as triple bottom line. This blog are his thoughts on how global environmental interest and global economic interest can be colloborated with Global socetial interest. As a entreprenuer himself he is a lover of the profession of entreprenuership and believes that an entreprenuer can have a substantial impact on transformation of world. He is also lover of the epic poetry Savitri written by Sri Aurobindo which talks about world transformation in poetic and spiritual verses. View my complete profile

Monday, November 19, 2007

Upward and downward pointing arrows

Gagdad Bob said... 11/18/2007 01:32:00 PM
That's a great article about Rosenzweig. Interestingly, Aurobindo used the same symbol of the upward and downward pointing arrows, one signifying the involution of God into creation, the other the return home from man toward divinity.

The day of victory on which Sri Aurobindo brought down ‘The overmind consciousness’ to the earth on 24.11.1926

ChennaiPlus home 18 November 2007
The 81st Yoga Siddi Day of Sri Aurobindo (The day of victory on which Sri Aurobindo brought down ‘The overmind consciousness’ to the earth on 24.11.1926) will be celebrated by Sri Aurobindo Society Centre, AP-514, J-Block, 8th Street, (16th Main Road, Behind Sri Devi Hospital) Annanagar, Chennai-40 on 24.11.2007 at its premises at 6.30 a.m. collective meditation and prayers for world harmony and progress, at 6.30 p.m. Audio show “India and its future”.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Dr. Ramesh Bijlani to deliver lecture on the “The Human Cycle”

The Hindu Engagements - New Delhi In the Capital Today Sunday, Nov 18, 2007
Sri Aurobindo Ashram: Dr. Ramesh Bijlani to deliver lecture on the “The Human Cycle,” Sri Aurobindo Marg, 10 a.m. to 11-15 a.m.
Engagements - In Coimbatore Today Sunday, Nov 18, 2007
Sri Aurobindo Devotees: Writing of Savithri Episode, Sri Annai Meditation Centre, Tatabad, 10 a.m.; joint prayers, Sasi Balika Vidya Mandir, R.S. Puram, 9.30 a.m.; Kovaipudur, 4.30 p.m.
Engagements - In Coimbatore Today Saturday, Nov 17, 2007
Sri Aurobindo Devotees: Writing of Savithri episode, Sri Annai Meditation Centre, Tatabad, 10 a.m.; talk on Sri Annai, Kongu Vellalar Higher Secondary School, Karumathampatty, 3 p.m.
Sri Aurobindo Society: The Mother’s Maha Samadhi – Special Meditation, Trichy Road, 6 a.m.; 7 p.m.

The Birthday people of 17th November to come on 18th November

17th November 2007 (Saturday)
The Mother's Room will be open from 4 a. m. to 4 p. m.
Programme

4 to 4-15 a. m. For Bakery, Dining Room, Corner House, Farms people and Nursing Home
4-30 a. m. General queue
6 a. m. to 6-30 a. m. Meditation around the Samadhi
6-40 a. m. to 4 p. m. General queue
4 p. m. Closing time
Token Counter will close at 4 p. m.
The Birthday people of 17th November to come on 18th November

18th November 2007

Sri Aurobindo's Room will be reopen from 9 a. m. to 10 a. m.
Only for Aged and Invalid people who could not stand in the General queue
Programme

9 to 9-30 a. m. Only for Aged and Invalid in walking group
9-30 to 10 a. m. Invalids to be carried by Chair
10-15 a.m. The Birthday people of 17th and 18th November to assemble near Incense Room
Location: Home > Homepage Fixed2 > 17Th November 2007 Saturday

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Sri Aurobindo Selected Writings Software CD Rom

Sri Aurobindo Selected Writings
Software CD Rom Price Range: $29.95 from 2 Sellers

Description: Software for Windows 9x or higher or Macintosh system 7.1 or higher. Software includes extensive searching, bookmarking and compilation capacities. Included titles are: The Life Divine, The Synthesis of Yoga, Essays on the Gita, Savitri: A Legend and A Symbol, Essays Divine and Human, Essays in Philosophy and Yoga, The Secret of the Veda, The Upanishads, Letters on Yoga, The Human Cycle, The Ideal of Human Unity, War and Self - Determination, The Renaissance in India (formerly Foundations of Indian Culture), Sri Aurobindo: A Life - Sketch. By Sri Aurobindo Paper Back ISBN: 0914955888 Health and Beauty

People from the entire country and abroad began to throng the ashram here

Arrangements made for Mother's death anniversary
Puducherry Friday, Nov 16 2007 IST
The inmates of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram today made all arrangements to observe the 33rd 'death anniversary of the Mother' here tomorrow.
People from the entire country and abroad began to throng the ashram here.
On the occasion, the ashramites would organise a 'mass meditation' and the room used by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother would be thrown open for public darshan from this evening. webindia123.com

Sri Aurobindo gave the English the most wonderful thing in their language by writing Savitri

Krishnaprem held a great regard for Sri Aurobindo and once remarked that Sri Aurobindo who fought against the English rule gave the English the most wonderful thing in their language by writing Savitri in English. The language was enlightened to an uncharted height so far unknown to this language. I can not remind the exact sentences Krishnaprema used for his comment on Savitri – unfortunately but the sense was close to it. Sri Krishnaprem passed away on November 14th 1965. His last words to his beloved disciple; M Ashish were-“My ship is sailing”.
For further reading on Krishnaprema and the life and sadhana of Yashoda Mai-the suggested book is: "Yogi Sri Krishna Prem " by Dilip Kumar Roy Published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay -400- 007 Posted by Debabrata Ghosh at 11:53:00

Friday, November 16, 2007

A dynamic, living engagement and relationship with the Divine

I am posting these quotes from the Mother due to some questions friends have asked me about the integral yoga. The yoga is not a religion, an ideology, a cult, or even a philosophy. It is a dynamic, living engagement and relationship with the Divine purely for the sake of the Divine, and nothing else...The Stumbling Mystic

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Sri Aurobindo University at Dalijoda

Towards her, our knowledge climbs-- Sri Aurobindo

S R I A U R O B I N D O U N I V E R S I T Y
AT – SRI AUROBINDO SHREEKSHETRA, DALIJODA, PO – KARANJI,
DIST –CUTTACK –754022
Phone : 0671 2343307, 2340718, 2344338, 2873405 Cell : 9437023407, 9437120220 E-mail
ctk_matrubha@sancharnet.in
An Appeal

Friends,
To encourage aspiring individuals to be a part of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother’s vision of the new world through learning and research of their works, the “Sri Aurobindo’s Unversity” at Dalijoda is being established. It is hoped that this University will be a stepping stone to open an avenue to the future of humanity as envisaged by Sri Aurobindo.

An undertaking of this nature requires the support of members who believe in this vision. The project involves development of infrastructure such as buildings, comprising of office, library and class rooms, teaching and learning materials & aids, residential quarters for the learner and counselor etc.
The task is formidable and difficult to accomplish without the help of individuals and groups.
We make an earnest appeal for funds to carryout the work of establishing a seat of learning for aspirants of an enlightened future, to realise the vision of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.
Please note that being a unit of Sri Aurobindo Srikshetra Trust, all donations to Sri Aurobindo University will have income tax relief under U/S 80g of the I.T.Act 1961.
Kindly circulate this appeal amongst all well-wishers, friends and acquaintances by e-mail or otherwise.
Thanking you and expecting your hearty co-operation,
Yours in the service of The Mother-

Prasad Tripathy
Convenor

From: "Gadadhar Mishra" matrubhaban@bsnl.in matrubhaban.com/matru.htm

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Aim in Life Survey

I am currently working on a Doctorate (Ed.D) in the Joint Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership at UC San Diego and CSU San Marcos. Through some of the research for my dissertation I discovered some really interesting ideas regarding life purpose. In light of Mother's opening in her essay on "The Science of Living" ("An aimless life is always a miserable life. . .") life purpose is a particularly relevant idea in the context of Integral Education research.
Recently I found two interesting surveys on life purpose and sources of meaning in life, which I would like to use as a sort of trial run for the collection and analysis of data. I have uploaded the questions from these surveys to Survey Monkey, a website where one can create, store, and administer research instruments. I am calling this the Aim in Life Survey.
I would be very grateful if we can get as many members of the worldwide Sri Aurobindo community as possible to fill out the survey on-line by going to the link below. The survey consists of six pages and should only take about 15-20 minutes to complete. The survey is completely confidential. My interest in doing this is to validate the survey and then share the findings with anyone here who would be interested in them.
The more participants the better. There are hundreds of people on the SCIY Blog and I need a minimum of 200 respondents to get reliable data. If you take the survey, make sure you complete all six pages and answer all the questions. If you choose to participate, please click here:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=4i_2fZx0hoAZ7aRGumkXBWPQ_3d_3d
Click Here to take the Aim in Life survey. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Thanking everyone in advance, Prapanna

Prapanna Smith, MAED
Principal, Integral Elementary School http://www.IntegralElementary.com
Rainbow Kids Integral Preschool
http://www.RainbowKidsSchool.com
Office: 858-450-4321 Cell: 858-204-2096
Keywords: Survey, IntegralEducation, RainbowSchool, PrapannaSmith by ronjon on Tue 13 Nov 2007 07:18 PM PST Permanent Link

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

We speak many languages and come from all walks of life

Divine Mother Sunday, November 11, 2007 Posted by K.Valli at 7:08 AM
AURO-ADITI
Welcome to the Web site of information on Integral Yoga, a spiritual path founded by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.
This site includes introductions to the yoga and to the people and centers who aspire to its golden promise -- including the revolutionary experiments in south India known as the Ashram and Auroville. The people whose lives are being transformed by this path comprise a diverse group which spans every continent. We speak many languages and come from all walks of life. And we aspire to an integrated spirituality inclusive of all aspects of life.
Since the early part of the century, when Sri Aurobindo and the Mother began publishing articles and books, to the present day, as journals and books continue to appear, a large body of literature has grown up related to this yoga. Our web site will contain excerpts, reviews, and texts so you can begin exploring for yourself. We will also include news of current meetings, artistic events, cultural exchanges, and conferences around the world.

Monday, November 12, 2007

I'm moving towards a more purist and intense Aurobindonian position

Busy writing Posted on Nov 12th, 2007 by M. Alan
I find I'm moving towards a more purist and intense Aurobindonian position; Wilberian Integralism is much too exoteric and non-spiritual and not many of the people involved would be receptive to radical esoteric, occult, and yogic ideas.
i'm not saying that's bad, not at all; there's absolutely a place for all that; and many are inspired by AQAL and Spiral Dynamics to work for a better world. It's just that I myself am more interested in true esotericism. So I'm much less interested now in attempting any sort of “compromise” position between Wilberian and Aurobindonian.
The Aurobindonian tradition (Integral Yoga and Integral philosophy) really is unparalleled in its insights, inclusiveness, and confronting understanding of spirituality and what is required for the Divinisation of the world. Access: Public Add Comment Print Send views (16) Tagged with: writing, book, essay, Integral Metaphysics and Transformation, Metaphysics, exoteric, esoteric, Wilberian, Aurobindonian, integralism

Devidip Ganguly to talk on ‘The Adventure of Consciousness'

Sri Aurobindo Society:
Devidip Ganguly to talk on ‘The Adventure of Consciousness – India’s Spiritual Evolution’, Sri Aurobindo Bhavan, Musheerabad, 6 p.m. Posted by sri at 6:08 PM hyderabad-today

34th Maha Samadhi Day of The Mother of Sri Aurobindo Ashram on 17th November

Sri Aurobindo Society Centre, AP-514, J. Block, 8th Street, Annanagar (16th Main Road, Behind Sri Devi Hospital), Chennai-40, will observe the 34th Maha Samadhi Day of the Mother of Sri Aurobindo Ashram at its premises as follows on 17th November -
  • At 6.30 a.m, Collective meditation and prayers for end of terrorism and world peace;
  • At 6.30 p.m, Audio show “The Mothers Voice”.

All are welcome. For details contact: 26161826 Related Posts: Aurobindo Centre Plans Prosperity Day Mother’s Birth Anniversary On Feb. 21 Spiritual Songs Spiritual discourse

Time as an aid in the realization of a Supramental Consciousness

Robert E. Wilkinson
Robert is a writer/astrologer/teacher residing in Asheville, N.C. He is V.P. of Aeon Group - an international educational organization devoted to the promotion and distribution of the yogic and cosmological teachings of Sri Aurobindo, the Mother and Patrizia Norelli-Bachelet. Mr. Wilkinson's primary area of expertise is the role of applied cosmology in the areas of science, psychology and human development. He has lectured throughout the world on the subject of Cosmology, Yoga, Evolutionary Philosophy, Spirituality and Science, and has written extensively on Time as an aid in the realization of a Supramental Consciousness. www.quantumyoga.org

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Sri Aurobindo agreed to Churchill's Call for Military action

It should be remembered that at the same time when Gandhi did his good work in India, Churchill was highly successful in Europe combating Nazi Germany. Was he practicing “Be the Change you want to see in the world”?
Churchill did the change - and contributed to it - what the world needed. In fact-some know it - Churchill disagreed with Gandhi about military actions against Germany. it was Sri Aurobindo, one of the Big Integral Pioneers, who agreed to Churchills Call for Military action and to the arms... Posted on Nov 10th, 2007 by Albert

Sri Aurobindo Ashram, New Delhi: Bimal Mohanty will deliver a lecture

The Hindu Sunday, Nov 11, 2007
Sri Aurobindo Ashram: Bimal Mohanty will deliver a lecture on “Spiritual Approach to Life”, Sri Aurobindo Marg, 10 a.m.
Sri Aurobindo Society: Meeting, 5, Smith Rd., Anna Salai, 10 a.m.
Sri Aurobindo Devotees: Joint prayer, Sasi Balika Vidya Mandir, R.S. Puram, 9.30 a.m.; Kovaipudur, 4.30 p.m.; Sri Annai Meditation Centre, Tatabad, 10 a.m.
Front Page > Calcutta > Timeout Saturday, November 10, 2007
TALK November 10 at Sri Aurobindo Bhavan, 8 Shakespeare Sarani; 6 pm: A lecture by Dr Karan Singh, MP.

Saturday, November 10, 2007

"Beyond Man" - "Oltre la spezie umana"

Talks in Italy
Georges van Vrekhem, well known Auroville resident author will be in Italy during November 2007 and will speak on the 13th of November in Rome at the occasion of the publication in Italian of his book "Beyond Man": "Oltre la spezie umana".
Further information can be obtained from the book's publisher irradiazioni@irradiazioni.com On November 9th Mr Van Vrekhem will speak in Torino . For information on this event, contact the book's translator dariabl@katamail.com ; or AVI I taly via manarada1@virgilio.it
Beyond Man
After a thirty year study of the source material, Georges worked for six years on the book 'Beyond Man, the Life and Work of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother' which has been published in The Netherlands, India (second printing), USA, Russia and also in French. This book is moreover translated in German, and the Spanish translation is almost finished. His subsequent biography 'The Mother, the Story of Her Life', has been published in January 2001. See for other works here below.
Books published (in English):
Beyond Man – the life and work of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother (HarperCollins Publishers India, third impression)
The Mother – the story of her life (HarperCollins Publishers India, second impression)
Overman – the intermediary between the human and the supramental being (Rupa & Co Publishers)
Patterns of the Present From the perspective of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother (Rupa & Co Publishers)
Hitler and his God - Van Vrekhem gives a revealing picture of the rise of the unknown Austrian corporal

Thursday, November 08, 2007

A measure of compassionate religion, an awareness beyond the matter-of-fact

Aravind Eye Care System
Aravind Eye Hospitals are named after Sri Aurobindo, one of the 20th century’s most revered spiritual leaders. In spirit, Sri Aurobindo’s teachings focus on mankind’s transcendence into a heightened state of awareness through repair, as an instrument of what he called the Divine Force.
At Aravind one finds, mutual with modern talent and management practice, a measure of compassionate religion, an awareness beyond the matter-of-fact, and the impetus of a mission. Given the scale of blindness and the challenges faced in a developing country, the Government alone cannot meet the health needs of all. Realising this quandary, Dr. Venkataswamy wanted to establish an swap health care model that would supplement the efforts of the Government and also be self-sufficient.
Link: aravind Email Address: Email Contact Form Phone: 0091-452-4356100
Our Specialities: At Aravind single finds, united with modern know-how and supervision practices, a assess of concerned spirituality, an responsiveness beyond the matter-of-fact, and the impetus of a mission.

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Inner knowledge and inner technique can change the world

Tuesday, November 6, 2007 Auroville We took a short day trip from Pondicherry to a township named Auroville. Part of their charter;

"For millennia, we have been developing outer means, outer instruments, outer techniques of living, and finally those means and techniques are crushing us. The sign of the new humanity is a reversal in the standpoint, and the understanding that inner knowledge and inner technique can change the world and master it without crushing it."

Auroville is an international commune of 1800 residents started in 1968. It is a VERY BEAUTIFUL place. The residents renounce religion and meditate for 6-7 hrs a day in the meditation center, Matrimandir. With their free time, they do what it takes to keep the community together. They strongly stress education and applying learning and understanding from the world at large. They engage in ; research into a cashless economy, environmental regeneration, organic farming, renewable energy, health care, education, handicrafts, etc.
In addition to sustaining this in Auroville, the township also provides a major source of employment to the 40,000 inhabitants of local villages and works with those villages to improve their infrastructure and provide education and health care.On our arrival, I was very impressed with the visitor center. A series of unique buildings built into a hillside and with many terraces w/vines and trees. It was a very clean, cool and modern place. The walk to the meditation center was about a 10 minutes walk on a beautiful path- lots of shade, a beautiful rock garden, benches to rest under a huge Banyon tree. The path is supposed to be walked in silence.... so I skipped ahead of the kids a bit to take that feeling in.
The center itself, Matimandir, is a huge golden ball (very Epcot center-ish) with a point at the top bringing in light to a prism where it is reflected on the walls. There is a deeper meaning to each reflection point....but, I didn't take notes on that. I may have remembered, except that when I got to the center, I discovered that I couldn't enter it. It was closed for remodel. "When will it be opened?", I asked the security guard. "Six months, Maam". Drats.
Well, of course, I sat down and did the meditation that I came to do, anyway! Back at the visitor center, I did some shopping....could have done a lot more. It's probably good that the kids needed to go!
It is certainly one of my favorite adventures on this trip and points directly to the need to come to India again. I want to go inside Matimandir to meditate.
The reflection that I have on Auroville.....it's rather interesting that this community renouncing all religion is in India- a place filled with religious history and practice so powerful that it is an intricate part of daily life. Here churches aren't important for most. Religion is practiced wherever you are. If you are Hindu (most are), there are temples everywhere, but you don't need to go to a temple and you don't enter into a religious community to offer puja....there doesn't have to be a service and other people...it's an innate part of each individual.
In Auroville, the inhabitants renounce all religion, but it feels no different. It's an extremely spiritual place. It's just practiced in a different way. What I've been surprised by is that regardless of each person's religious beliefs, the culture here really respects all religion and is quite open and welcoming to anyone- even a Western female tourist. Peace-W:) Posted by A Reedy Adventure at 8:00 PM

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Savitri by Sri Aurobindo

To contact us for suggestions, feedback, questions etc, you can email us at narad@alltel.net
For information on the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry, South India search their excellent website. http://www.sriaurobindoashram.org/home.htm
The Sri Aurobindo Society is headquartered in Pondicherry and has many branches and numerous websites. http://www.sriaurobindosociety.org.in
For a list of the many Sri Aurobindo Centers in the U.S. and internationally search the website at: http://www.miraura.org
For a complete list of Sri Aurobindo Centers and Study Groups in the U.S. and for books on the Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo as well as numerous products from Auroville, one can contact Sri Aurobindo Sadhana Peetham at: SASP@LODINET.COM
Another Sri Aurobindo Center and an excellent source for books and products is Matagiri in Mt. Tremper, NY. Their website is: http://www.matagiri.org The email address is: matagiri@aol.com
For information on the East-West Cultural Center in Los Angeles and their many programs: http://www.earthlink.net/~ewcc
A site consecrated to the works and vision of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother and an offering to the Humanity and The Divine residing in it: http://www.searchforlight.org/

Saturday, November 03, 2007

Discourse on Indian culture by Kittu Reddy

Sri Aurobindo Society: Discourse on Indian culture in the light of Sri Aurobindo’ by Kittu Reddy, 100, Gangadhara Chetty Road, Bangalore 6.30 pm. Deccan Herald » City Today Saturday, November 3, 2007

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Integrity ends up taking us to purity

Integrity demands that one be willing to bear their share of the burden, their share of the evil, the suffering, the fear, and the anxiety, without running away from any of it. This is an essential part of the spiritual journey that we simply can’t avoid. Integrity ends up taking us to purity, but you can rest assured that it doesn’t start there. It starts with a lot of ignorance and impurity, faces it, and offers it up for transmutation, being totally naked and unashamed with the Divine. The Dangers of Moralism from The Stumbling Mystic by ned

It is not yet known if any one else has trodden on this Way

Satprem is remembered Satprem is remembered TODAY, the 30th October 2007, on his birthday anniversary. He was a rare person, who dedicated his life and existence, for the Future, for the mankind, for the future mankind, following The Words of The Mother, on the Way towards Supermanhood from the present manhood, on the Way transforming the mankind into the New Race, the race of the Supermen, the race of the Supramental Beings. After departure of The Mother, he left Sri Aurobindo Ashram, published Mother’s Agenda, and wrote a number of books of immortal value, which shed Light on the New Way.
For those who are less acquainted with Satprem, it may be said that he was born in Paris in 1923. In course of his life, when he was twenty years old, he was arrested by Gestapo (of Germany during Hitler’s regime) and spent about a year and a half in some concentration camps. He came out therefrom as an extremely shocked, upset and sad person. A spiritual destiny led him to Egypt and thence to India, where he took up a job in the French colonial government in Pondicherry. And he then knew Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Soon, he resigned and left for Guiana, Brazil, Africa etc.
He finally returned to India in 1953. On 3rd March 1957, The Mother named him Satprem. His previous name was Bernard. Satprem was a close disciple and also a confidante of The Mother, and he stayed in Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Sometime after the Mother’s Departure on 17th November 1973, Satprem left the Ashram.
In 1982, Satprem withdrew completely to set out on a new venture, on a new adventure, uncertain and dangerous, of finding out the great passage in the next evolution, the evolution beyond Man. And specially, he undertook the task of exploring the cause of “death” and the ways and means of conquering “death” — Life has evolved since billions of years, but it is conquered by “death” — and it continues to be an enigma for Mind also. Evolution beyond Mind shall have to be an Evolution beyond “death” too...
Satprem concentrated and worked on bringing this change in the consciousness of the cells in the physical body. That is the Way for integrally transforming the human being towards Supermanhood. That work is Satprem’s contribution to the mankind, in which he is indeed unique and it is not yet known if any one else has trodden on this Way.
Satprem says:
And then you begin to wonder if it is not the body that holds the true secret — if it is not these first cells or that microorganism from a few billion years ago that hold what we have been seeking in vain with all our scientific or intellectual artifices, if it is not this first spasm of “life” enclosed in a bubble that knows or recognizes its Nectar, its air from beyond the graves, its life denser than all our lives, its breathing more powerful than all our oxygens — and that, finally, not only the way out of this grave, but the way to let another air in here which will bring our walls down.
A new Life.
A new Earth.
A new Evolution — Evolution II.
[Satprem : Evolution II]
And Satprem lived and worked for this progressive journey beyond death and beyond Ignorance. He has definitely made a great deal of progressive exploration and advancement on the Way. And the Work must go on till the goal is achieved. That is the greatest and the most important for the mankind — to go beyond mankind. The Work must continue and will continue. That is why Satprem should be remembered, as a brilliant pioneer.
Barindranath Chaki
30-10-2007
Posted simultaneously in The New Vision , Zaadz and Sulekha.