In memoriam - Joan Tomb

Former Auroville resident Joan Tomb left her body on June 23rd at the age of 85 in her apartment in Tucson, Arizona, USA, with three of her four children by her side.

Joan had first heard of the Mother through Dietra (Claire Worden). In 1971 she decided to go to India to meet the Mother, together with June Maher. It was a momentous event, of which she later wrote “Extremely lucky to have met the Mother in this lifetime, without whom nothing would have been possible.”

In April 1972, June phoned her, reading a message from Mother, “We are here to prepare the way for the new creation. For centuries and centuries humanity has waited for this time. You are here at this moment, that is to say on earth, because you chose it at one time. You do not remember it anymore, but I know it. That is why you are here. Well, you must strive, you must conquer all weaknesses and limitations, above all you must tell your ego: ‘Your hour has gone.’ It is the Divine Consciousness which will allow the race to develop itself and the supramental being to take birth.” It was a sign for Joan to settle in Auroville. She later wrote, “We were both very moved … it affirmed that ‘YES’, we took birth so as to participate in this work, this process.”

Soon afterwards she left the USA by ship with three of her four children, and saw a spectacular pink/orange sun setting behind her over the San Francisco bridge. She later learned that that colour was the shade Mother designated as the Auroville hibiscus. It became Joan’s favorite colour to wear.

Initially Joan divided her time between Ashram and Forecomers in Auroville. She drove a small moped up and down, sometimes staying over at Forecomers. But soon she moved to Auroville as a resident. She was one of the first Aurovilians to build a tree house in the Certitude area, and later had a house built there which she called ‘Recueillement’. She became a friend, mentor, and guardian angel to many in Auroville.

In later years she decided to return to the USA, regularly returning to Auroville for short periods. In early 2011, Joan came back to Auroville for the last time. Shortly before her 80th birthday Joan wrote, “Although I miss the babies born in Auroville and the close expressions of spiritual family there, here is the best home for me now. My spiritual family in Auroville live forever here in my heart wherever I reside. I feel the Mother’s presence at work, arranging even details of my life, which was my experience in Auroville as well. So, while the outward has changed, my inner life is the same.”