Monday, May 31, 2010

She cooked people from the inside

We are not against the book simply because it challenges our beliefs, as if we need the testimony of a non-entity like Mr Heehs to have faith or understand things. Our main objection is that first of all it is Untruth (falsehood as it is called) and any sensible right thinking man must have enough courage to stand by Truth. What makes it worse is that not only it is falsehood but a conscious one, for it comes through the pen of someone who has spent decades at the Ashram and cannot claim ignorance of all that has been said by Sri Aurobindo. This book besides is a retrogressive step as it tries to re-establish the old materialistic paradigm that men all over the world are fast discarding. It is necessary to challenge it and set the record straight.
Dr Raghu needs to know that not only old sadhakas but also new ones, including scientists and experts in their own field, trust Sri Aurobindo's vision and have ample evidence to testify it. It is not some cult or blind irrational belief, but the call of Truth that motivates us. Dr. Alok Pandey 30 May 2010
Notwithstanding the words of M.P. Pandit, I am agnostic on this Amma. This hugging business seems disingenuous ["ugh, don't touch me"]. The Mother [the real one] did not have to hug anybody, did she?  She cooked people from the inside.

Thursday, May 06, 2010

Integral Psychology Conference (IPC) at Menla Mountain Retreat

In a unique collaboration between the California Institute for Integral Studies (www.ciis.edu) and Matagiri Sri Aurobindo Center (www.matagiri.org), the Fifth Integral Psychology Conference (IPC) is being held at Menla Mountain Retreat in Phoenicia, NY July 1st-5th. 

The first IPC was held at Matagiri, just outside of Woodstock, NY. The conference has since been hosted in the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry, the Cultural Integration Fellowship in San Francisco and last year in Auroville, the international community in South India.

Integral Psychology is based on the philosophy of Sri Aurobindo, an Indian nationalist political leader, who later discovered the real revolution was in a change of consciousness and the further evolution of humankind. His description of the planes and parts of the being is considered by many to be the most sophisticated and complete.

In the West, Sri Aurobindo is often compared to the French Catholic philosopher Teillard de Chardin. Michael Murphy, founder of the Esalen Institute and William Irwin Thompson, founder of the Lindisfarne Association are among those who cite Sri Aurobindo as a major influence in their thinking and have themselves served as catalysts for change in our worldview of human potential and culture.

Among the featured speakers attending the conference from India are Dr. Aster Patel and Dr. Alok Pandey. Dr. Patel, a graduate of the Sorbonne, is the daughter of Dr. Indra Sen, a pioneer in Integral Psychology and coined the term. Dr. Pandey has practiced as a psychiatrist for many years in India and is the author of the new book, "Death, Dying and Beyond".

Brant Cortright, Department Chair from CIIS, and Jungian therapist Richard Stein are coming from San Francisco along with a number of other outstanding scholars who are presenting at the conference.

Local workshop leaders include author and therapist Stephen Larsen and educator Lucy Barbera, whose extensive credentials also include the use of sandplay and expressive arts for both self-exploration and therapy.

The natural beauty of the Catskills with its lush rolling hillsides, the spiritual history of the facility (now under Tibet House, NY) and its proximity to Matagiri in Mt. Tremper make Menla an idyllic setting. Attendees must register in advance. Day passes are available for local residents to attend the programs.

Two evening concerts by Karunamayee (vocal) with Ray Spiegel (tabla) and the overtone choir, Prana and one evening lecture on “Sri Aurobindo and Jung” are also open to the public. Details are on the Matagiri website: www.matagiri.org or by calling 845-679-5358.

Matagiri and CIIS are also collaborating with the New York Open Center (www.opencenter.org) on a symposium on Integral Psychology Thursday, June 29th from 4-10 pm in Manhattan. Please contact the Open Center at 212-219-2527 for reservations. Author Information Julian Lines Matagiri Sri Aurobindo Center

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Sri Aurobindo Society, Hyderabad

Committee Members Sri Aurobindo Society, Hyderabad Management Committee members: 2009-10 

NameDesignationBackground              
1.      Sri A.Prem ChanderChairmanIndustrialist
2.      P.V.SubbaraoVice ChairmanRetd. I.G. of Police
3.      V.SubbaraoSecry. & TreasurerRetd. Top Exec. SBI
4.      C. Ganapati PrasadJt. SecretarySr.Chief Engineer, APSRTC
5.      A.K.BaneMemberRetd. Exec. ITC Ltd.
6.      P.Sudershan ReddyMemberCorrespondent, Mothers Integral School
7.      SmtT.V.NagaranjaniMemberLecturer, Reddy Womens College
8.      J.Durga raoMemberAdvocate
9.      M.SrinivasMemberNetwork Engineer
10. Sri B.RamuluMemberRetd.Scientist DRDL
11. M.V.Bhaskara ReddyMember 
12. J.P.SinghMemberRetd. Addl. GM, MIDHANI
13. B.VenkatramaihEx.Officio MemberRetd. IAS

Saturday, May 01, 2010

Online research facility at Overman Foundation

From Overman Foundation overmanfoundation@yahoo.com to tusarnmohapatra@gmail.com date 30 April 2010 21:49 subject For Savitri Era Open Forum and Aurora Mirabilis
We are aiming to create an online research facility at Overman Foundation within the next four months. 
Dear Friends,
      Overman Foundation has completed a month of its existence yesterday. From the day of its inception on 29th March 2010 till the present date, we are working to build the infrastructure which would enable us to fulfill the objectives of our organization. And at every step, we have felt the Grace of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother and experienced their Force helping and guiding us. We’ve miles to go but we are confident that we would be successful in our endeavours because of the constant presence of the helping Hands of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother who are the architects of our material and spiritual destiny.
     We are aiming to create an online research facility at Overman Foundation within the next four months. The work for the said project has already begun. A catalogue containing the details of the research materials available at Overman Foundation would be provided to the interested researchers upon request and according to their requirements, the materials (documents or photographs) would be sent to them either through e-mail or by courier. In return we shall charge a nominal sum of money as fees. By August 2010, we hope to launch the facility of online research and if everything progresses well and as per schedule, we would be able to launch it on 15th August 2010.  
With warm regards, Anurag Banerjee