Its interesting how we are learning about a space where alternatives are the norm and yet there is still this feeling that its all WRONG. Which begs the question of ‘what is wrong?’ Is thinking outside of the box wrong? Is innovation and originality wrong? Are we so stuck in our ways that doing anything different is inherently wrong? Is it wrong to not be satisfied with how apathetic we have all become to the world around us?

In a little over the last decade thousands of cotton farmers in India have become so desperately in debt they’ve committed suicide. The rising costs of farming, GMO crops and lawsuits brought about by the Monsanto corporation has driven them into crippling debt. In response to this tragedy a local fashion designer decided to change the way she did fashion in order to support her community. Uma, the founder of UPASANA spoke to us about the challenges of being a fashion designer that has decided to practice sustainable fashion. She tells us this “change doesn’t come easy. When you get hit and are crying helplessly that is when you find the change.” To her that moment was the loss of so many lives due to corporate greed and a general lack of consciousness. At first, this change, to her, meant 100% organic cotton. “I will give you organic whether you want it or not,” she states emphatically, “I will give you fashion, but I will make it my own way.” Her label states 100% organic cotton, her marketing and advertising all emphasize this point. This new practice has taught her the difficulty of effectuating change in a consciously unconscious society; a society that chooses not to see the damage caused by massive consumption and consumerism. The challenges of staying a float in a society that prefers not to think of their impact or simply does not have the luxury to think past their personal needs due to financial constraints.

When she is asked why she chose to use fashion as her medium for social change, she replies, “Because I didn’t know anything else. If I had known music I would have used music. If I were a writer I would’ve used writing…If I don’t think in a certain way, I will never act in a certain way” Over the years, however, she has found that organic does not necessarily mean sustainable. If organic means that you have to import your material then this is not necessarily sustainable. She is now planning to expand her label to include simply locally grown cottons and will not qualify her brand as 100% organic, though she does plan to continue supporting organic farmers.

When she promotes sustainable fashion and conscious consumerism she does not throw shame, guilt, and pity into the consumers face but is of the belief that “positive conversation has a far greater effect than negative conversation for a positive cause.”

Despite all the strength of conviction and character this woman has, one gets the sense she is very much disillusioned with the world and their reception of the new consciousness that is being awaked by people like her. She says to us over and over again “I did it all wrong,” she explains that she feels she jumped in blindly and had she known how difficult it would all be she would have done things differently. Instead of taking a leap of faith she might have taken baby steps in the right direction.

Auroville is a community of social entrepreneurs. We have been told several times that Auroville despite all its challenges is a place you can try, a place to experiment, a place to give up many preconceptions. Without a space like Auroville, Uma’s conception of sustainable fashion may have never come to be. In the greater sense of development, sustainability, social change and social entrepreneurship; we are coming to a place in the human collective experience where we are more open to alternatives while still remaining skeptical to change. “We are all looking for change, but change can be quite difficult,” sometimes it can feel like we’re doing it all WRONG.

Lina Reyes

Who does one turn to in time of need? Our families, our friends, our religious or political leaders? Auroville is a village where community comes first. On the 26^th of December AUP students took a visit to the Free Store in order to better conceptualize one of the many methods by which Auroville sustains itself. This store serves as a local market where Auroville residents can benefit from a range of commerce on a needs basis. One does not take more than is needed per individual or family. This concept of Free seems idealistic; however, in Auroville though you may Freely take it is generally expected that one must also Freely give. While 30% of the products range from local produce, the other 70% are imported to the village creating a challenge to remain 100% sustainable on local produce. However, beginning with nearly 100 volunteers, the Free store rapidly expanded to over 1,000 volunteers allowing for a higher range of intuition and support from local villagers.

In a world that seems to be tarnished by the self gain and violence, it seems rare that there have been no cases of stealing or robbery from the Free store, but how can one steal something that is Free? Perhaps when there are enough basic necessities in life to sustain everyone, the concept of stealing would seem inane. While concept of sustainability is still being defined, I feel that it should be a continuity of sustenance for a society. Sustainable development is a field that is constantly shifting based upon paradigm shifts or what seems to be important at the moment. It is not sufficient to say that sustainability provides enough in a society such as Auroville. On the other hand sustainability is a community effort that depends on all the strength from links in a continuous chain of effort.

-Ashley Boykin

The Tamil Nadu region, and more broadly India as a whole, is riddled with deeply rooted, systemic problems.  These include mass suicide among farmers who have lost hope under crushing debt, a seemingly inescapable caste system designed to keep certain portions of the population segregated and out of sight, and much of the female population subjugated as second class citizens in the workplace and the home.

Most ordinary places in the world would take the burden of these and wear the gloom they cause on their sleeve.  However, India is not a normal place.  Everywhere we’ve been, we’ve heard stories of horribly depressing situations, yet equally consistent has been encountering irrepressible joy and humility.

The women of W.E.L.L. Paper (Women’s Empowerment through Local Livelihood) craft beautiful products like baskets and jewelry using upcycled waste materials, including newspapers, magazines, and styrofoam packaging. The women come from the surrounding villages, some from troubled situations.  The result of their work is gorgeous, but their uplifting spirit is the real souvenir one takes away.

The trash problem in Tamil Nadu is all-consuming and ever-growing.  The source of the issue is nuanced and complicated, but the result is very clear.  You can walk with it in the streets and swim with it on the beach.  For some, though this is a financial opportunity.  A number of off-the-books recycling operations have sprung up.  The one we visited was a plastic dealer who buys bottles mostly, sorts them, and cuts them down into smalls chips for resale to plastic factories.  The people that work there are literally dealing with garbage all day, but somehow they were all beaming.  They laughed, joked, and asked for photos with us.

By far the most surprising example of the resilience of this region, though, was when we visited the Samugam Foundation.  The foundation operates as an orphanage and education center.  The children there are gypsies, growing up in the most destitute areas of Pondicherry, mostly amongst the rag-pickers near (and in) the landfill.  However, once the door opened and we stepped inside, you  could never have guessed that any child there had ever had a bad day in their life.  They immediately grabbed us to dance and sing and eat with them, continuously wearing ear-to-ear smiles and bright eyes.

As a group of mostly Western, privileged people, confronting stories like these day after day can cause some serious soul-searching and self-analysis.  Particularly at this time of the year, it has been an important reminder that materiality and happiness are not necessarily components in the same equation.

Merry Christmas!

-Sam Baird

“She will arrive precisely at four o’clock”, said our Professor. His respect for the woman who was going to hold a lecture about Auroville for us was vibrant and obvious. Who is this authentic woman, was the question we all asked ourselves. The woman that entered the room had an aura beyond description. Her being filled the room to its fullest and her voice mesmerised us all. Not once, did she use a filling word like “Uhm” or “Eh”. She spoke with absolute authenticity and clarity.

The session opened with questions from the floor. “What is the most incredible thing Auroville has achieved?” Deepti responded: “Auroville’s most incredible achievement is that people from all over the world keep coming here. People that sought for and want change. Auroville is the foundation for freedom and personal discovery.” 

The idea of humanity was put into practise and realisation by the creation of Auroville. It is a much needed critical space, a space for seekers of alternative ways of living. People that oppose Margaret Thatcher’s “There Is No Alternative” (TINA) statement with respect to Democratic capitalism – people that wish to explore the options. There have been precious attempts to create this critical space of freedom and complete absence of hierarchy. The United Nations is such an attempt, but has in that sense failed, as it consists of varying levels of hierarchies and powers for example the VETO power that is only granted to five major Western powers. Thus Deepti concludes that there have been aspirants but in practise none have achieved this goal.

On the 28th of February, Auroville was officially opened by the participation of 120 countries that all brought a portion of soil from their land to India. This soil is collected at the city centre of Auroville to represent collective unity. The Mantra is the driving force of Auroville i.e. there is no single chief. Rather “things will be organised as the underlying truth is revealed.”, says Deepti. A Charter from UNESCO was also created, which contains the four basic principles. The first one says: Auroville doesn’t belong to anybody in particular. This suggests that the sense of ownership is seen as a problem among the Aurovillians as they recognise that Auroville belongs to humanity as a whole. To live here, one must be a willing servant of the divine consciousness that is within you – in your heart. “The best way of living life is to live in consciousness of that. That is who you are and the purpose of life is to discover that.” Yoga is the prominent method used to discover that. Deepti defines Yoga as the process of self-evolution. It encourages you to step out of yourself, look at that and make changes. This results in the totality of realisation i.e. self-conscious awareness. Our lecturer explains that this practise has been the truth in Indian culture for thousands of years. In India you don’t believe in rebirth. Birth is simply the growth of your own consciousness. Once you master this total realisation and revelation from darkness you become a Guru. The lotus flower is the symbol of the divine consciousness.

The second point states that Auroville will be a place of education, constant learning and a youth that never ages. In practise this is shown through the non-existence of retirement. The idea is that as long as you learn you will not grow old. “Work is a journey and purpose  – it serves a meaning. And you should work as long as your body can do it.”

The third point says “Auroville will be a bridge between the past and the future. One needs to be dedicated for the future by taking advantage of all possibilities and learn from past experiences. This is practised through various solutions to sustainability, which is seen everywhere. For example, Mitra guest house where we stay, has its own sewage system, which can be observed in front of the building. Professor explained that every complex in Auroville has their own sewage systems for maximum sustainability – each building should be sustainable on its own. Another example are the bricks used when building some of the houses. They are made of the red dirt that one finds locally, which then is compressed into blocks without the use of heating machines or long transportation of material. A third example is linked to sustainability of lifestyle with respect to finances. Each Aurovillian is given a card, to which money is being deposited each month regardless of your occupation. The purpose is that you should not have to work for survival but rather for fulfilment, meaning and the inner drive to contribute to the community. Is the Western materialistic and over-working lifestyle really sustainable? Would one be able to work 12 hours/day for the rest of their lives? Perhaps it is due to our hectic lifestyles that we have to have the system of retirement – because our lifestyle cannot be sustained throughout life.

Lastly, the fourth point expresses that Auroville will be a seat of material and spiritual research and embodiment of a mindful life. This refers to the Power of the mind. Deepti explained that there is a historical paradox between human thought and action. Thus Auroville is, as mentioned in the introduction, a critical site for the explorers and seekers of ways to act according to your thoughts. With a mindful life, you are self-aware of your actions and how they contribute to society. This self-evolution results in a sustainable life.

I believe that I speak for the group when I say that we couldn’t have received a better introduction to our stay here in Auroville. Deepti is a true Aurovillian after having spent 40 years of her life here. After her talk I would like to say that she is an embodiment and extension of the Auroville Charter. During informal conversations with some of the other students, I got the feeling that this was a collective perception, as we all seemed struck by her presence. I will keep this talk with me in the back of my mind during the rest of the month and try to explore the divine consciousness and my self-evolution!

Elin Pettersson

Something thats keep popping up as a question is; “how do they survive economically here in Auroville”. This day we had a economic talk by one of the persons working here in Townhall, Auroville and he showed us how much percentage of Aurovilles money that comes from donations from the outside (mostly the western world). He showed graphics that Auroville don’t make it by itselfe and need help from the outside.

But did not Auroville want to go away from the western world of money dominance, individualism and capitalism? But still they could not function without some help from it? It makes me think of a metaphor that Auroville is like a rebellious teenage and the western world are som rich parantes. The teenager want to see the world and spread love and a better place for everyone, the teenager dislike the parents stif and way of living without solidarity, but the teenage still receives an allowance from the parents every month to continue.

This doesn’t make Auroville as good as I thought before, but I talked a bit with Anadine, a guy that helps us Linnaeus and AUP students and have grown up here. He said something that turns this around. He talked about that you can be here to make money, but you want to do it in a fair way, a way that take in count what is best for people, nature and everything else on the planet. I think that they are not there yet, but they are striving for independence and experimenting to find a sustainable way to do survive without the western parents.

Then I start to think, are their any non-profit organizations that are completely independent? If you look at the big Organizations, they all get money for “the outside”, by donations from both corporations and private persons. Would it be possible to make the whole Auroville self-sufficient and only rely on them self? I think that they really could make it, if they just continue, and then they would have achieved something really remarkable! – to make profit in an ethical way.

Many times when I start to question Auroville and how it’s become, I think back on what a women said the first day here; “Auroville is not perfect, but we are striving for it”