Auroville – Its Struggle in the Quest for a Spiritual Utopia – A New Perspective(HB) | Joseph Vrinte(author) | MLBD Publications

This book attempts to give a critical commentary on the current events within the Auroville community. It poses questions that require collective answers to understand the underlying causes of the difficulties and obstacles that currently divide the community.

-What are the citizens’ understanding of their ideals in Auroville, and how do they move to achieve their ideals?

-To what extent is Auroville capable of adapting to the changing needs of its citizens and implementing external changes?

-Are their ideals still able to influence the larger society?

The solution to today’s problems in Auroville must come from the community itself. It does not rest on mere external expertise from those who offer all kinds of services, but rather on deep affection and knowledge of Mother’s dream.

Such an attitude, which reinforces the power and policy-making of outsiders, may lead to a form of social control. Perhaps the collective inability to truly realise Mother’s great challenge has much to do with a too-narrow view of her spiritual vision.

-Should Aurovilians, to get a clear picture of the cause of this weakness, re-examine Mother’s vision and interpret it with more open eyes and adapt it to the present factual reality to remove the present polarisation and foster a dialogue between the struggling groups?

The author does not endeavour to disguise complicated and ticklish issues in a beautiful style; his critical, constructive questions are related to practical interests and foster a meaningful dialogue among citizens. It is not his intention to make unfavourable comments about Mother’s spiritual insights; he only aims to offer a critical, loyal evaluation as a window frame to those who seek more clarity without remaining closed in their cocoon.

• Dr. Joseph Vrinte, a retired mental health worker from the Netherlands, graduated from Lucknow University. Afterwards, he joined Rohilkhand University in Bareilly, where he obtained his M.A. in Philosophy/Psychology and his PhD. During his early research study, he was connected with the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, where he received some necessary academic guidance from several Ashramites.
• In 1999, he moved to Auroville, where he participated as a scholar-practitioner in various activities within the Auroville community and continued his research studies This book is written by a researcher and a worried citizen of Auroville’s future existence; he does not present the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother in a closed vision, but he uses their insights in an open way and in the context of Auroville’s present crisis.
• Dr. Vrinte is the author of “The Concept of Personality in Sri Aurobindo’s Yoga Psychology and A. Maslow’s Humanistic/Transpersonal Psychology”. (Ph.D) and “The Perennial Quest for a Psychology with a Soul”, as well as “Reflections upon Psycho-spiritual Obstacles on the Journey to the Divine”