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International association to study integral psychology

I nspired by an online discussion on psychology and yoga, members of the Auroconf e-mail forum are founding an international association dedicated to developing an integral psychology based on the Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.

The new Association of Psychology of Integral Consciousness has a fourfold purpose:

  • To gather, organize, discuss, and distribute material in Mother's and Sri Aurobindo's writings pertaining to psychological practice and theory

  • To join together (online at first, eventually in person) in a forum specifically created to foster discussion, planning, and development

  • To create a bibliography of work by disciples and others that will lead to a theory and practice of integral psychology

  • To support each other in research and writing that can further develop a body of knowledge in this new psychology

Future projects may include a journal for publishing the association's findings and a conference to highlight the central tenets and growing implications of the new psychology.

A special e-mail discussion group has been created for people interested in becoming a part of this effort. To subscribe, send e-mail to psych-request@compatible.com. Leave the subject line blank. In the body of your message, type subscribe psych.

A Web site has also been established at http://wwwserv.caiw.nl/~biedel/.


Man Ravikant remembered

W e regret the passing of a dear friend, Man Ravikant, on January 28, 1998. A joyful singer of devotional songs and an inspired sadhak, Man embodied a wonderful confidence and sense of purpose. His illnesses -- cancer, kidney failure, weakened bones, and finally respiratory failure -- were all placed in the context of the yoga. He endured them with tremendous dignity and high aspiration, even though his training as a medical nurse gave him a deeper factual knowledge of the problems associated with each more difficult complication. Some Collaboration readers may have met him at last year's AUM.

He has left a small treasure trove of blessings packets and photos to Matagiri, where his memory will be cherished.

-- Julian Lines, jhl@aol.com


The cat who went to heaven

F riends of Matagiri would want to know of the passing of Baruch, the white cat, at the ripe age of 20 (almost 21). Sam and Eric were both with him. His devotion was so great that his cause of death was uremic coma, the same as Sri Aurobindo.

He usually meditated with those who lived at Matagiri. An accomplished hunter and alpha cat among many dogs and cats at Matagiri, Baruch was, to the end, affectionate: loud in purrs, demanding of petting and scratches, and generous with licks.

Baruch is now buried near the new apple tree in the lower garden. He is survived by Sam, Eric, and Yukki.

-- Julian Lines, jhl@aol.com


Work started on Sri Aurobindo library

S am Spanier reports that in October 1997, work was begun on the renovation of a building to house Matagiri's Sri Aurobindo Library and Archives. We would like to thank all those who have already so generously contributed to this project, and as funds are still needed, invite anyone who would like to help make this dream a reality to send tax-deductible donations payable to Matagiri, 1218 Wittenberg Road, Mt. Tremper, NY 12457 USA.

We are also interested in having donations of archival material such as letters and notes of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo, photographs, books, and correspondence. We already have materials from devotees who have died, including Marilyn Widman, Rutledge Tompkins, Gene Maslow, and Lalit (Scott Fullman). We invite others to consider making provision in their will for such material to be donated to Matagiri.

The Matagiri Sri Aurobindo Library is one of the largest in the U. S. and is used by devotees and scholars alike. The library will be dedicated on August 15, 1998, along with an observance of the passing of Eugene "Mickey" Finn of Boston, who asked that his ashes be brought to Matagiri at that time.

-- Notice courtesy Matagiri Newsletter,
available from Matagiri Sri Aurobindo Center,
1218 Wittenberg Rd., Mt. Tremper, NY, 12457 USA
(or online from matagiri@aol.com)


Scholars to tour

T wo important scholars will be touring the U. S. in the fall of 1998: Arabinda Basu and Georges Van Vrekham. Prof. Basu is a highly respected expert on Sri Aurobindo's philosophy, while Mr. Van Vrekham is the author of Beyond Man, a new book about Sri Aurobindo and Mother that is receiving high praise in Holland and India and will be published soon in an American edition.

For more information about Prof. Basu's visit, please contact Debashish Banerji at the East West Cultural Center: phone (310) 390-9083; e-mail, ewcc@earthlink.net.

If you would like to sponsor a talk by Georges Van Vrekham, if you have contacts at a university or other forum who would benefit from a talk on the vision of Sri Aurobindo and Mother or Auroville, or for more information about Mr. Van Vrekham's visit, please contact Julian Lines at Matagiri: phone (914) 679-5358; e-mail, jhl@aol.com.

-- Notice courtesy Matagiri Newsletter


Briefs

  • Surama Bloomquist announces that the East Bay Sri Aurobindo Center in Berkeley, California, has officially closed.

  • The 1998 Auroville color calendar is available. Send a check for $10 made payable to the Auroville Information Office, P.O. Box 676, Woodstock, NY 12498. Sales support the acquisition of land for Auroville.

  • Cassia Berman's book of poetry, Divine Mother within Me, is available from 11-1/2 Tannery Brook Rd, Woodstock, NY 12498.

  • Errata: In the last issue of Collaboration, Ben Irvin's e-mail address was incorrectly listed; the correct address is irvinb@ix.netcom.com. Ameeta Mehra's name was incorrectly spelled as "Meera." The photo above the story on the Pavilion of Tibetan Culture was actually the Matrimandir. We apologize for the errors.

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