An experiment in human unity

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Well, we've spent the past couple of days hanging out with our new german friend, L.S., and trying to get a sense of what The Mother's experimental city is all about. We have definitely realized that we need much more time to really understand how Auroville works. The main goal of the experiment is to create a place where humans beings from all over the world can live together in unity. After spending a couple of days there, we can see that they are far from doing that, but on the other hand they are much closer than many other communities around the world. We visited the matrimandir finally after being turned away on Sunday. This is a giant golden golf ball with a meditation chamber inside that is the center and focus point of the city. Non-guests are not allowed to go inside without jumping a lot of hurdles so we just viewed its grandeur from the outside. I wasn't very impressed with The Mother's Shrine. I don't understand how an enormous monument in the middle of the city will promote unity, but that could just my weakness in trying to comprehend the Mother's global vision. I just haven't reached her level yet. All of the Aurovillians speak of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo as if they were gods or something. They take whatever they said to be the right thing to do. They seem to have a tremendous amount of blind faith in these religious figures. But I guess almost all schools of thought rely on some type of blind faith. The city was also extremely spread out and everyone pretty much does their own thing. There didn't seem to be a community, just a bunch of white westeners working on their individual projects. I was impressed with some of the alternative energy methods that the local engineers had come up with. They were making use of both wind and solar power. The designs still seem to be experimental and not completely functional but never-the-less very cool. I wouldn't mind moving here and working on some of those problems. We also found that the majority of the work in Auroville seems to be done by the local Indians. They are hired to do work around the city while the westerners sit practice their yoga and find themselves. The Indians do get paid a decent salary so it isn't too much like slavery, hehe. These were just impressions based off of a very brief stay in this experimental self-sufficient community and may not be that accurate, but it was very fun seeing how one could possible work. Maybe next time in India I can spend a month or so here.

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Photos

Bean and Jason in the city of Auroville
this one is for Emily. e. As you can see, auroville is quite crowded.

Bean found a guitar
L.S. is behind the plant, and Lisa is on the right. She is a Texan with a 600 rupee guitar.

Comments

[anonymous]

Kiss an elephant for us!!
We are enjoying your adventure tales. Hope the elephant didn't have peanut breath. Kiss one for us. Bean, do you have any other pants? Your bottom always looks the same; however, your top is changing!!!!!!!!! Love and kisses from some people who love you. - Grandmother, Aunt Cindy and Mom

[anonymous]

Looks like you guys are staying out of trouble!! HaHa!! I sure have enjoyed reading about your adventures. Continue to have fun. - Auntie Karen

[Samantha]

Well, well, well
Hey there. I'm an aurovillian. I left for a year last March, but I guess i must have been there around the same time as you. You obviously didn't really see the whole picture. Did you visit our Youth Centre or any of the other sites of youth interest? Where you from anyway? Samx

[moorepants]

reply to the aurovillian
No, I didn't see the whole picture and I didn't visit the youth center. Although I did speak to several Aurovillians. Most who had been there quite a while. The ones we spoke to may have been the minority but they were generally frustrated with how the community functioned.