1. Integral Yoga: Uniting the Divine and the World
Sri Aurobindo’s core spiritual path, Integral Yoga, is a synthesis of ancient yogic traditions adapted to the modern world. Unlike ascetic paths that reject the material world, Integral Yoga seeks to transform human life itself into a divine existence. The goal is not merely personal liberation (moksha) but the realization of the Divine in all aspects of life—body, mind, heart, and society.
He emphasized that spiritual practice should not isolate one from the world but instead elevate the world through spiritual realization. Through aspiration, surrender, and the action of the higher consciousness (the Supermind), humanity can evolve toward a divine life on Earth.
2. The Evolution of Consciousness
One of Sri Aurobindo’s most groundbreaking contributions is his theory of evolution, not just as a biological process but as a spiritual one. He proposed that consciousness is evolving through matter, life, and mind, and will eventually lead to the emergence of a new species—the Supramental being, or Gnostic being.
This evolution is guided by a Divine Intelligence, and human beings are not the final product but a transitional species. The aim is to facilitate this evolution by aligning ourselves with the higher forces and embodying greater levels of consciousness.
3. The Supermind: Bridge to the Divine
In Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy, the Supermind is the plane of perfect knowledge and divine will. It is the intermediate power between the absolute Truth (Sat-Chit-Ananda) and the world of ignorance and division. The descent of the Supermind into the Earth consciousness, he believed, would bring about the divinization of life.
He described the Supermind as a power that harmonizes opposites, heals fragmentation, and integrates the personal with the universal. For Sri Aurobindo, the supramental transformation is the key to realizing heaven on earth.
4. The Role of the Mother in Sri Aurobindo’s Vision
Sri Aurobindo’s spiritual collaborator, Mirra Alfassa, known as The Mother, was central to the execution of his vision. While Sri Aurobindo formulated the philosophy, The Mother embodied and applied it in the daily life of the Ashram and Auroville.
She represented the dynamic aspect of the Divine Shakti, guiding seekers toward inner and outer transformation. The Mother’s emphasis on sincerity, aspiration, and openness helped translate the lofty ideals of Integral Yoga into practical disciplines for spiritual growth.
5. Auroville: The City of Dawn
To manifest the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, Auroville was founded in 1968 as an international township in Tamil Nadu. Conceived as a universal city, it is dedicated to human unity, sustainable living, and spiritual evolution beyond national, religious, or political boundaries.
Auroville is a living experiment in Sri Aurobindo’s ideal of “a divine life in a divine body”, where the individual and collective are uplifted by conscious living, integral education, and community building.
6. Karma, Dharma, and Divine Action
Sri Aurobindo redefined classical ideas of karma and dharma. He taught that rather than escaping karma through renunciation, one should offer all action to the Divine, aligning with a higher will. This spiritualized action becomes karma yoga—work as a means of transformation.
True dharma, in his view, is not rigid duty but the soul’s unique role in the cosmic order. When we act from the soul’s knowledge, we participate in the divine unfolding of creation.