Auroville?

tapir · May 8th, 2004, 20:34

Hi
I've read quite a lot about auroville and I am also planning to visit it this summer.
However, it seems that there are also some negative opinions about auroville. So, please tell me for what reasons you think the auroville project is a positive or rather a negative thing.

Anybody been there?

tapir

wandering_kat · Oct 11th, 2004, 04:25

Tapir - bit of a late reply, but if you're still interested in Auroville, PM me with more specific questions and i'll try answering them - i was there 2mths this year.

ruthy · Oct 11th, 2004, 08:31

i spent a few days in auroville in 1997 and found it freud, boring and pretentious- full of so called 'spiritual' westerners who have indian locals working for them. didnt like it at all plus there was never enough food around!

wandering_kat · Oct 11th, 2004, 14:35

Ruthy - it took me almost two weeks to start liking the place - it's a hard place to judge in just a few days.

Karma Queen · Oct 11th, 2004, 17:40

sorry for the monstrously vague question, but what is it like there? why did it take you 2 weeks to start to like it? and how does staying there make you spiritual/enlightened/whatever you want to call it?

wandering_kat · Oct 11th, 2004, 17:52

Hey KQ - yea that's monstrously vague!! I think i took a while to like it because at first i felt very isolated. I was staying in a community (to work) which wasn't too near any others, didn't have a moped so couldn't get around too much, esp after sunset, and the ppl of the community were all a bit older and more family-orientated than i was. So it was perhaps just my circumstances rather than AV itself. But once i got mobile, met ppl from other communities and learned my way around the place, i started to like it. And i realised as time went by that every time i thought i knew it, there was something more to explore - just like anyplace, i guess.
As far as making you spiritual or enlightened - well you can do that anywhere or nowhere, depending on your attitude and what activities you pursue. There are plenty of yoga/meditation/massage courses, talks on all sorts of subjects and an esoteric library, plus the Matrimandir (i have to confess i never went inside) - which has a dedicated meditation room at the center which everyone says is the most amazing space. I was there to volunteer and didn't actually have much time to devote to stuff like yoga, but perhaps next time i will.
Hope that was at least half an answer....

May 8th, 2004, 20:34	#1
tapir Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: germany, stuttgart Posts: 27	Auroville? Hi I've read quite a lot about auroville and I am also planning to visit it this summer. However, it seems that there are also some negative opinions about auroville. So, please tell me for what reasons you think the auroville project is a positive or rather a negative thing. Anybody been there? tapir

Oct 11th, 2004, 08:31	#3
ruthy Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: london Posts: 2	auroville i spent a few days in auroville in 1997 and found it freud, boring and pretentious- full of so called 'spiritual' westerners who have indian locals working for them. didnt like it at all plus there was never enough food around!

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Oct 11th, 2004, 04:25	#2
wandering_kat All India Permit Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Cape Town Posts: 342	Tapir - bit of a late reply, but if you're still interested in Auroville, PM me with more specific questions and i'll try answering them - i was there 2mths this year.

Oct 11th, 2004, 14:35	#4
wandering_kat All India Permit Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Cape Town Posts: 342	Ruthy - it took me almost two weeks to start liking the place - it's a hard place to judge in just a few days.

Oct 11th, 2004, 17:40	#5
Karma Queen Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: England Posts: 365	sorry for the monstrously vague question, but what is it like there? why did it take you 2 weeks to start to like it? and how does staying there make you spiritual/enlightened/whatever you want to call it?

Oct 11th, 2004, 17:52	#6
wandering_kat All India Permit Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Cape Town Posts: 342	Hey KQ - yea that's monstrously vague!! I think i took a while to like it because at first i felt very isolated. I was staying in a community (to work) which wasn't too near any others, didn't have a moped so couldn't get around too much, esp after sunset, and the ppl of the community were all a bit older and more family-orientated than i was. So it was perhaps just my circumstances rather than AV itself. But once i got mobile, met ppl from other communities and learned my way around the place, i started to like it. And i realised as time went by that every time i thought i knew it, there was something more to explore - just like anyplace, i guess. As far as making you spiritual or enlightened - well you can do that anywhere or nowhere, depending on your attitude and what activities you pursue. There are plenty of yoga/meditation/massage courses, talks on all sorts of subjects and an esoteric library, plus the Matrimandir (i have to confess i never went inside) - which has a dedicated meditation room at the center which everyone says is the most amazing space. I was there to volunteer and didn't actually have much time to devote to stuff like yoga, but perhaps next time i will. Hope that was at least half an answer....

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