SRI AUROBINDO ASHRAM

SRI AUROBINDO ASHRAM: "This Ashram has been created with another object than that ordinarily common to such institutions, not for the renunciation of the world but as a centre and a field of practice for the evolution of another kind and form of life which would in the final end be moved by a higher spiritual consciousness and embody a greater life of the spirit." Sri Aurobindo Both in its outward manifestation and inner seeking, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram is entirely different from the popular conception of an ashram. Outwardly the Ashram is engaged in a wide variety of activities, and it is difficult to perceive the inner spirit hidden behind those works which apparently are no different from similar works undertaken elsewhere. In order to comprehend the true significance of this Ashram, it is necessary to develop an understanding of Sri Aurobindo's vision. Sri Aurobindo's teaching starts from that of the ancient sages of India that behind the appearance of this universe there is the "Reality of a Being and Consciousness, a Self of all things, one and eternal". This "One Being and Consciousness", according to Sri Aurobindo, "is involved here in Matter. Evolution is the method by which it liberates itself." Evolution is possible, Sri Aurobindo argued, only because the Divine has "involved" or "hidden himself" in the material universe at the beginning of creation. The "Superconscient Spirit" has involved himself in the "inconscient Matter" which gave birth to this material world. The seemingly inconscient Matter, therefore, is nothing but the Spirit in disguise. Evolution is the gradual unfoldment of this hidden spirit. Matter, Life, Mind, are nothing but different expressions of this Spirit at the different stages of evolution: the involved Divine through his creative energy gradually emerging in ever more conscious forms. The process of evolution will complete the circle with the manifestation of this hidden spirit, the involved Divine Reality in the material world. Without this inner significance, Sri Aurobindo pointed out, the word evolution "merely states the phenomenon without explaining it". For, something cannot emerge out of nothing. How else could life evolve out of material elements or Mind out of living form if the possibility of such an emergence was not already concealed there in Matter in the form of an Omnipotent Divine Consciousness? The process of evolution, therefore, is not merely a mechanical development without any reason or aim as outwardly it may appear to be, but a gradual unfoldment or release of the hidden Divine Consciousness from Matter. Life in plant and animal is the first step of this release. Mind in man is the second. But Mind is not the highest possible power of the Divine consciousness for "mind is not in possession of Truth, but only its ignorant seeker. " The next step of evolution therefore must be towards the development of a being with a greater consciousness than mind, a consciousness supramental and spiritual. For, "only then will the involved Divinity in things release itself entirely and it become possible for life to manifest perfection." Man, in Sri Aurobindo's view, is a key to this ultimate perfection; the highest form of life upon earth he has a vital role to play in his future evolution. A conscious being, man can choose to take part in his own evolution and also accelarate the process through a methodised effort towards self-perfection, exceed his inherent limitations as a mental being and become a supramental being. Through an integral process of self-purification, it is this acceleration of the evolutionary process which is being attempted here at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Unlike the popular conception of an ashram, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram is not a religious body or a monastery. It has nothing to do with religion or asceticism or even spiritualism as it is commonly understood and practised elsewhere. This Ashram can be defined more appropriately as a human laboratory where, through a unique and unprecedented research work initiated by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, man is consciously attempting to transform himself into the next species on the evolutionary ladder. The process of self-purification which is followed at this Ashram is known as the Integral Yoga, a system of self-discipline evolved by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. The principle of the Integral Yoga is a constant "self-surrender" to the supreme creative and transformative force of the Divine, the force of the Supreme Mother. As a result of this self-surrender the consciousness, power, delight of the Divine shall descend in the human being, gradually perfecting his nature and eventually transforming his mind, life and body. The main process that goes on silently behind the appearance of all the outer activities in the Ashram is this "self-surrender" to the force of the Supreme Mother. The primary purpose of the various activities is not to satisfy any practical or economic need but to provide a field for spiritual growth to the members of the Ashram through such works. The actual nature of the work ceases to be important when all the works are carried out in the spirit of self-giving, as an offering to the Divine Mother. And it is this inner attitude rather than the outer accomplishment which is the essence of all the works done in this Ashram. Significantly in this Ashram the conception of work changes radically as it no longer denotes just the vocation of a person in which he is engaged only for a limited period of time. All he thinks, all he feels, all he does at every moment of his life is to be offered to the Divine Mother for purification, for an integral transformation. The aim of perfecting one's nature and finally transforming one's mind, life and body is too formidable a task for any human capacity or endeavour. For, in the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, perfection does not mean some superficial changes or a refinement of nature attained through a rigorous self-discipline based on certain moral, ethical or religious ideas. Not a pretension of perfection but a genuine transmutation of the present base human nature into the higher principle of a divine nature; a conversion, a transformation which is something permanent and real, is the aim here. This can be achieved only as a result of the direct working of the supreme transformative force of the Divine Mother, which alone has the power to effect in man this integral transformation. But this supreme Force will act directly only in response to an aspiration for this ultimate perfection. A constant self-surrender to this Force with an unwavering aspiration, therefore, is the key to this perfection, this integral transformation. Since its founding in 1926 the Sri Aurobindo Ashram has grown from an informal grouping of two dozen inmates into a diversified spiritual community with about 1400 members, both male and female. Ashramites live and work in more than 400 buildings spread throughout the town of Pondicherry. The central focus of the community is one group of houses including those in which Sri Aurobindo and the Mother dwelt for most of their lives in Pondicherry. This interconnected block of houses - called "the Ashram main building" or more commonly just "the Ashram" - surrounds a tree-shaded courtyard, at the centre of which lies the flower-bedecked "Samadhi". This white marble shrine holds the physical bodies of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. The Sri Aurobindo Ashram provides its members with everything they need for a decent and healthy life. Various departments have been organised to look after the essential services. There is a community kitchen where food for the inmates is prepared three times a day. The Ashram runs a modern printing press. Several small industries have grown up around the Ashram where the Ashramites work for a fixed time. Facilities are also available for physical culture and various artistic activities in which most of the Ashramites participate as a part of their spiritual practice. The Ashram runs a unique educational institution, Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, which has about 450 students and 200 teachers. Instruction at the Centre of Education is given according to the "free progress system", which is, in the words of the Mother, "a progress guided by the soul and not subject to habits, conventions or preconceived ideas". The Sri Aurobindo Ashram is administered by the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust, managed by a board of trustees. Understandably, there is no spiritual head or hierarchy in this Ashram to guide the inmates in their search for self-perfection. Each person here is following in his own way the path shown by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, according to his own inner guidance. All the necessary help for proceeding on the path is available in the various books of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. The presence and the help of a higher Guidance are also felt by many which makes the practice of yoga in this Ashram often a very joyous and fulfilling experience.