[In Sri Aurobindo's life-embracing philosophy, the Ashram is not a place for world-renunciation, but a "laboratory" for practicing and perfecting a divine life on earth. Unlike traditional ashrams focused on escape from the world, Sri Aurobindo Ashram provides a controlled environment to transform every aspect of human nature—physical, vital, mental, and spiritual—as part of the larger evolutionary process. A center for life's transformation Rather than a place of worldly escape, the Ashram offers a structured setting for a spiritual practice that is intimately engaged with daily existence.
A spiritual field of practice: The Ashram provides a field for practicing Integral Yoga, a system developed by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. The ultimate aim is not personal liberation (\(mukti\)), but the transformation of the entire human being and the manifestation of a divine life in the material world.
A "laboratory" for consciousness: Sri Aurobindo described the Ashram as a "laboratory" for the spiritual and supramental yoga. It is a microcosm of humanity, bringing together different individuals to collectively work through the varied elements—favorable and unfavorable—that arise during the process of transformation.
Divine life on earth: The Ashram is intended to be a "cradle of the new world" by creating a center of spiritual life that serves as a means of bringing down a higher consciousness. This higher power is meant to affect and change the conditions of life on earth, rather than solely leading to a personal, otherworldly salvation.
Life in the Ashram as a tool for yoga
The structure of Ashram life was designed to facilitate the practice of Integral Yoga and make daily work a vehicle for spiritual growth.
Work as worship (Karma Yoga): The Ashram is organized so that inmates can devote their time to useful work as a part of their spiritual preparation. Work is not done for personal gain but as an offering to the Divine, which purifies the ego and turns external actions into a form of inner development.
Freedom from worldly necessities: The Mother deliberately created a living environment where people would be free from the anxieties of basic survival, such as food, lodging, and clothing. The purpose was to see if the energies freed from these concerns would spontaneously turn toward a divine life.
Overcoming desire in the presence of objects: In a radical departure from traditional asceticism, the Ashram provides reasonable provisions for its members. This allows the practitioners to overcome their desires and attachments in the presence of the objects of desire, rather than in their absence, thus proving a deeper freedom of spirit.
Integrating Ashram experience with the wider world
The ultimate goal of the Ashram's work extends beyond its physical boundaries, influencing the rest of the world.
Preparing for greater work: The Ashram is a field for preparing for a greater spiritual work that will be founded on the consciousness and power (shakti) of Yoga.
Return to the world: Integral Yoga is meant to be put into practice not just in the isolation of the Ashram but in the world itself. The transformation achieved within the Ashram's protected environment is intended to eventually manifest in society at large.
An accelerated evolution: The intense spiritual atmosphere and collective focus in the Ashram accelerate the evolutionary process for its members. This individual and collective transformation contributes to the larger goal of raising human consciousness and manifesting a divine life on earth.] - GoogleAI
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