Iany films feature good hotels that are centrally located and where the political, intellectual and economic elite meet. I have always perceived this as something very elitist, colonial and power-hungry. What escaped me in the films, and was probably rarely a topic there, is the networking that takes place in such places. Now, the Center Guesthouse in Auroville can hardly be compared to a luxury hotel in a metropolis, even though it is a very nice place that is welcoming, friendly and makes life easy.
Rather, the Center Guest House is a place of encounter. Every day I meet new people here who have a strong relationship with Auroville - this relationship can be spiritual, supportive or friendly. It is quite amazing what it means to be in a place like this. Every day I learn new things about Auroville and the impact it has on the world. There is a lot of German, English, French, Hindu and Tamil spoken.
Two worlds intertwine here: the world of the Tamils and the world of the mostly Indian and European visitors. These worlds are ultimately connected spiritually. I rented my scooter from a Tamil, he gave me a 'student price' because we are all students of the mother here. It is remarkable that the two worlds here are moving towards each other, united in the will to build something new.
The Devine Life
I read on and on in Sri Aurobindo's book, a lot is explained here: the basics of consciousness, spirituality, the self, being. Aurobindo explores the big questions and does so with maximum openness, accompanied by reason, but not reduced to it. He places reason and intuition in a symbiotic relationship and points out that we can learn a lot from the Upanishads.
The exciting thing is that Aurobindo's philosophy can also be felt in the Central guest house. The people, the architecture, the forest, the birds and other animals, the conversations and offerings, the cooking and the silence, the solidarity of the people, the respect, a common goal, the trust in a sense of purpose, the satisfaction and devotion, and the richness in modesty are the keyboard for Aurobindo's philosophy.
