From spiritual refresher to living together

The thought of Mother and Sri Aurobindo cannot be taught in a didactic, scholastic or catechistic way. The force that emanates from their words and writings is deposited within us in the silence of the mind and heart, when the receptacle is ready to receive it. When I first read a major work by Sri Aurobindo (The Synthesis of Yoga) in 1970, I could feel the power of the words pouring out with great peace into my whole being. I could mentally understand the meaning of the sentences, but that’s not the most important thing; what’s important is the contact with the transforming consciousness of Sri Aurobindo or Mother, which flows through their words and then does its own work in us – we just have to let it act. This can only happen in a personal relationship, not in a classroom or lecture hall, and certainly not in a spiritual re-education workshop run by Aurobindonian pseudo-priests dressed in white.

Sri Aurobindo and Mother always warned, even in the Ashram, against the temptation of certain disciples to turn their teachings into a religion. Spirituality, yes. Religion, no! Religion is all about indoctrination and enrolment, severe and authoritarian. Spirituality can only flourish in conditions of complete freedom.

Even if the source of the initial message was pure and luminous, almost all religions have subsequently diluted this message, turning it into an instrument of domination for the benefit of an oligarchy. And religion almost always ends up as nothing more than an amalgam of mechanical rites and empty, pointless pious similes. Spirituality, on the other hand, develops and blossoms in free discovery and inner joy.

Auroville is not an ashram, and its founder made it clear that the only condition for becoming an Auroville resident was goodwill. A number of Aurovilians first came to Auroville by chance, many having never read the writings of Sri Aurobindo or Mother beforehand, but the atmosphere of Auroville itself has induced many to read and study their works in more depth. Others are natural karmayogins and pursue their spiritual path through the consecration of their work. In any case, if you can’t stand the pressure of the force-energy that bathes Auroville, you can’t stay there and will eventually leave.

This unfortunate initiative – which is anything but refreshing – is imbued with provocative overtones, and is also accompanied by the announcement of a new Human Resources Department, as well as a battery of directives issued in a stern, reproving tone. A change of vocabulary doesn’t necessarily lead to a change of reality, especially when the new name is borrowed from multinational corporations, where this department is generally the most hated, the people in charge being mostly accountants and technocrats with far more affinity for statistics and profit curves than for human beings.

As for the rules, if we examine them closely and set aside their imperative tone, we have to admit that most of them have in fact always existed – but have not always been respected. Everyone knows, for example, that an Aurovilian undertakes to stay and work in Auroville. If one is absent, one must provide a reason – medical, family or professional – within the framework and benefit of the unit in which one works.

Everyone has also agreed that the property in which they live is the property of Auroville. You can’t do as you please with it, rent it out to guests, or house friends and family without permission, as some have been known to do. And what if it was this laxity – or even “je-m’enfoutisme” – that had called for this severity of tone, as a clumsy and probably counter-productive response to the hope of putting things back in order and in their place?

In the current state of humanity in general and Auroville in particular, logical, humane, simple and clear rules ensure a certain order, thus fostering harmonious living together in the community.

However, people need to take responsibility and discipline themselves to follow these rules, without always trying to get around them. On the other hand, if new directives are continually issued and changed arbitrarily and suddenly at the whim of those in charge, this can only create stress and frustration, and can only lead to widespread confusion and disorder.

Without rules, we can only speak of non-divine anarchy. Divine anarchy, which Mother has evoked as an ideal of collective management, is not yet on the agenda, and can only be implemented by supramentalised beings, or at least by the vast majority of citizens centred on and guided by their spiritual or psychic being. If we remain, as we do today, hopelessly on the mental plane, everyone thinks they hold the truth and will be right against all odds. This fatal trap leads people to turn against each other and use confrontation as the only means of communication. No harmony can emerge from this state of things.

Impermanence has always been the norm in the world, and we’re discovering with anguish that today everything is increasingly unpredictable and unstable. Since it’s an illusion to believe in any kind of security outside ourselves, it’s time to remember that the true bedrock of stability lies within us, in the heart chakra, where the Divine has deposited its immortal presence. In any case, nothing is ever lost, and all life is lived.

For those who remain, the Great Adventure continues. For the others, they are enriched by the gift of experiences accumulated on this blessed soil, and will retain eternal gratitude for it, from life to life. The Divine Mother is behind all the events and happenings we encounter and, despite appearances and opposing winds, we must remain confident and certain that She knows better than we do what is best for our individual and collective development. Isn’t that the one and only purpose of our presence in this world: progress?