Home is where the heart is

Home. House. Home. On my mind, in my heart, and on my lips. Lately, it is all I think about. It is what I long for and if you met me for more than 5 minutes, it’s what you would hear me speak of – the house I do not have in the place that I call home.

This is my “now” reality. Same as it has been the reality of almost anyone who lives in Auroville. Because, at one point or another, most of us have had the experience of feeling one’s home is Auroville regardless of having a house.

It can be said it’s like this everywhere else and yes, of course, it is, especially when we speak metaphorically of an inner sense of home. However, as with most things in Auroville, having, or living, in the actual physical structure we call house is poignantly and distinctly Aurovilian because in Auroville you are either a steward or a house sitter. There is no in-between.

Being the steward of a house means you have invested money in the exercise of responsible non-ownership, fully aware that the home you have chosen to invest in is, in fact, a property of Auroville. Whereas being a house sitter means you are the temporary caretaker of an Auroville property during the time in which the steward of the home is Temporarily Out of Station. This entails sharing the responsibility and, usually, the running expenses of the house.

So far so good, yes? It then follows that as long as our lives carry on in a straight line, and provided we are okay with our current housing situation, we will continue to make do with our circumstances. End of story. But, what happens when we are no longer okay with our current housing situation and, for whatever reason, are unable to become the steward of a home? What happens when there are no available houses, or when the available ones don’t match our needs or resources; or when life changes in a way that impacts our living arrangements, like for example, if we separate from our partner and can’t continue to live together under the same roof anymore. What happens then?

Aside from a few alternatives – newcomer housing (time of occupancy: 1 year), youth housing (age of occupants: under 35), staff quarters (by work engagement) – what other options are there? None.

So let’s imagine a new possibility for an in-between housing alternative in Auroville which lets us feel at home. Could an income-generating unit or activity of Auroville invest money and become the steward of one or several houses? Could these houses be made available to people who are looking for a home and can pay a monthly amount? Could the fees from such an exchange cover the administrative expenses of the endeavour and eventually even generate interest?

I tried out this suggestion on a friend. “Run the numbers,” he said. “Talk to the architects and with the people involved in housing. Do the research, see if this is a viable alternative, write a proposal, present it to the community.” My jaw dropped open. There I was looking for empathy and instead was being made responsible. “Look,” he said, “if this is coming up for you then it’s coming up for others as well. And if you benefit from working on this issue, then others can also benefit.”

“But it’s a considerable undertaking and I am already overloaded,” I muttered, feeling completely flustered. “That’s so typical,” he countered. “I am tired of people who are ready to criticize and complain but when it comes down to it, are unwilling to take things up and see them through.” Needless to say, I was stung by his words. It took me a while to process and grasp the intended meaning of what he was saying.

The thing is, you see, I experience Auroville as an extremely reflective place where everything I am dealing with is mirrored back at me with unmerciful clarity. Despite the profound challenges it brings, it’s also the saving grace that offers me the opportunity to hold the concerns of everyday life in a wider context. Helping me understand, for example, that ‘home’ is not a static concept I can move into and within which I remain fixed; rather, it’s a dynamic expression of an inner space where I can take residence within myself. And ‘house’ is not only a place where our bodies can relax and be replenished. It is also where we rest our minds and nourish our hearts. Where we can experience a sense of stability that allows us to give more of ourselves, do better work, and relate more generously with each other.

We need places that let us develop a stronger sense of belonging, where we can stay long enough and feel steady enough to put down roots, and make deeper and more effective commitments with the community.

Only time will tell whether it is or not my job to “run the numbers” and explore alternative housing solutions that are better suited to accommodate the ever changing landscape of our life. However, as my friend rightly helped me understand, it is my responsibility to do what I can do. And what that boils down to right now is asking a question and seeing it through.

Can we have houses for rent in Auroville?

Let’s begin the conversation