Soul of Sustainability? Inner Dimensions of Work for a Sustainable Society. An Auroville Case Study.

Pommerening, Matthias (2017) Soul of Sustainability? Inner Dimensions of Work for a Sustainable Society. An Auroville Case Study. Masters thesis, Medical School Berlin.

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Abstract

Explorative pilot study using qualitative research methodology of narrative expert interviews with a small number of Aurovilians on the topic of their perceived relation between inner individual development and outer work in the field of sustainable development.

During the fieldwork conducted for this study Aurovilians kindly shared their inner worlds, processes and experiences on site in the community, often at their homes, places of work or both. The study participants shared their outer and inner journeys to and within Auroville, out of the academic or professional world (back) into the community. The stories they narrated took them through challenges with their own individual natures and collective work in Auroville as well as its surroundings. They attributed their perseverance and progress on the way to an inward orientation, contemplative practices and especially Karmayoga within their respective fields of work: sustainable development, specifically environmental education and alternative building and energy technologies. The interviewed Aurovilians also articulated how meaningful the support they feel in the community is to them, from their collaborators at work to significant others and individuals inspirational to them. The interviewees emphasised the importance of the worldview indigenous to Auroville and the practices and aims of inner concentration and outer action they affirm. The inner discovery of soul qualities such as sincerity, humility, equality, aspiration and peace and even the inner most experiences of the “glow”, “fire”, “light” and “warmth within” of the “soul” were mentioned as essential to bringing about lasting transformative changes towards greater harmony in societies and natural environments. These processes were said to be facilitated by the attitudes and practices mentioned above as well as the physical spaces within the community dedicated to and symbolising their development, specifically Auroville’s forests, gardens and “the soul of the city”, Matrimandir.

Item Type: Thesis (Masters)
Subjects: Collective Organisation > Collective Organisation (General)
Depositing User: Admin User
Date Deposited: 02 Jun 2020 09:12
Last Modified: 12 Jan 2022 12:13
URI: http://aurorepo.in/id/eprint/45

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