Date: Feb 12–17, 2015 Place: Puducherry and Auroville
Complete Report by AURO University (PDF ~ 1MB)
Shri H. P. Rama, President, AURO University, and 6 staff members visited Puducherry and Auroville from February 12 to 17, 2015, as a part of the experiential learning trip. The tour was an endeavor to facilitate the understanding of Sri Aurobindo Ashram and its philosophy towards leading life with the realization of inner consciousness and Auroville’s living experience of people having distinct background but similar approach towards leading life with oneness and harmony.
Surat-based educational institution, AURO University aims to be a Premier University of Integral and Transformational Learning for Future Leaders, while providing a platform to be mentors and guides who shape the country’s future leaders by imparting knowledge and skills; opportunities for research on emerging trends and industry practices.
In its endeavour to be “The Centre for Integral and Transformational Learning Center” where the mind, body and spirit are aligned to embark on the journey of academic excellence Auro University organized academic trips to AUROVILLE, ASHRAM and SRI AUROBINDO SOCIETY so as to give a first-hand lifetime experience to the faculty members and provide an opportunity to foresee what kind of opportunity they are being chosen for. The trip helps the faculty to understand and see what Integral Education is and how it is being implemented and experimented in education. This is not merely an excursion trip but our journey to the next level of learning and as a teacher there are few expectations from us once we are done with the trip.
The following were the objectives of the trip:
• To understand collective living with common “aspiration” in daily life.
• To have an understanding of Integral Education and its Philosophy.
• To develop a better understanding of how the four aspects of Integral Education can be replicated at the University level in the teaching and learning.
• To outline the probable steps for implementing Integral way of teaching and learning at AURO University
• To make a presentation (individually or in a group) based on our understanding and learning to the fellow teachers in the University after our trip.
To enhance their knowledge on experiential learning, Shri Rama and his team held meetings with and attended sessions of various resource persons from the focus areas of Sri Aurobindo Society: Shri Vijaybhai; Shivakumar, Director ICIE; Senthil and Chitra, Directors, SARVAM; Saikat Sen, Director, SAFIM; Baburam from Matrikunj about Conscious Farming and Sustainable Development; and Dr Alok Pandey, SAHIIIR.
In Puducherry, they also visited various departments and sections of Sri Aurobindo Ashram in addition to the Samadhis of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother at the main Ashram and the Dining Room. At Auroville, the places visited include: Visitors Center, Matrimandir, Vérité, Swaram, Future School, Centre of Scientific Research (CSR), Savitri Bhavan, Sri Aurobindo International Institute of Educational Research, Solar Kitchen, Pour Tous Distribution Centre, Nandanam—Kindergarten school, Auroville’s Town Planning & Administrative Office.
All in all, the experience was indeed difficult to explain in words as there exists no other way but to visit in person to have the real feeling of living experience and the true meaning of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother’s vision for a new way of life and to understand the concepts of spirituality, consciousness and transformation. A full report is available as PDF file (link given above).