By Lucie Reed

Auroville is grounded in a philosophical search for wholeness, expressed integrally in all aspects of what constitutes being. This vision manifests through its education facilities, outreach organizations, shared resources, and its integral health institute – Santé. Rooted in a deep commitment to equity and mindfulness, Santé stands as a unique experiment in harmonizing care for the planet, all living beings, and the nucleus of humanity. Mirroring Sri Aurobindo and the Mother’s philosophy of integral education, Santé sustains and vitalizes Aurovillian society through a deep appreciation of functional medicine. This multi-dimensional approach to medicine nurtures the mind, body, and spirit. Their services in the clinic range from acupuncture, allopathic medicine, integrative psychotherapy, and ozone therapy. They have emergent stations for injury and illness, which nurses and doctors stabilise, treat, and prescribe various therapies and remedies to their patients. 

Integral healthcare does not view illness as a mere ailment to be quickly treated but as an opportunity to restore balance within the whole system. This perspective closely mirrors practices found in functional and holistic medicine, which aim to address the root causes of illness rather than merely treating symptoms. Their diverse approaches to care are not siloed but integrated into a cohesive and collaborative framework that responds to the needs of each individual. This is particularly revolutionary in a global healthcare context dominated by the rigidity of specialisation and the fragmentation of care. 

In capitalist systems, healthcare often functions as a commodity instead of a universal right. Therefore, access to quality care is frequently undermined by socioeconomic status, insurance coverage and premiums, and profit-driven motives. Hospitals and clinics in these structures tend to prioritize efficiency over patient care, subsequently reducing patients to numbers in a system of transaction and not relation. Santé offers a stark contrast. Care is provided as a relationship grounded in equity, mindfulness, and collective well-being instead of a product to be consumed and discarded. The Charter of Auroville’s emphasis on sharing resources and creating a commons of kindness ensures that healthcare at Santé is accessible to everyone, regardless of finances. This model reflects a societal commitment to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Good Health and Well-being, which envisions universal access to quality healthcare for all. Furthermore, Santé fosters an environment where care extends beyond clinical interactions. Patients are seen as partners in their own healing, empowered through education and community support. This contrasts sharply with capitalist healthcare systems that often leave patients disempowered and alienated from their own health journeys. 

Santé’s work and structure align closely with many SDGs, most prominently SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). Through offering accessible and holistic healthcare, Santé reinforces the well-being aspect of medicine that most of the world mitigates for cash. Their bridge of traditional and modern practice helps to blossom good health which transcends boundaries which other cultures and societies are unable to. They additionally help to foster education through a life-long learning of self-care and health. Their emphasis on the mind, body, and soul help to remind their clients to take care of all aspects of their being – knowledge which they can share, making their community more sustainable in all practices. Finally, Santé has their own sustainability efforts as they function off of renewable energy, minimize their waste production, and promote preventative care. By adopting practices that reduce environmental impact while promoting human well-being, Santé challenges the unsustainable practices of mainstream healthcare systems that often disregard ecological concerns. 

Santé serves as a beacon of hope, offering a model for how healthcare can transcend the limitations of capitalist frameworks. It demonstrates that medicine, when practiced integrally, can become a force for healing not only individuals but also communities and the entire planet. If healthcare systems worldwide could incorporate even a miniscule fraction of Santé’s integrative philosophy, the world might see a global paradigm shift toward a more compassionate, equitable, and sustainable future. Santé is not merely a clinic—it is a vision of what healthcare can and should be: a practice that cherishes the wholeness of life.

Learn more about Santé on their website: https://sante.auroville.org.in/