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 I
was free to take in the beauty and mystery
of India, as all logistical details were
expertly handled by our good-natured leaders.
I particularly appreciated the variety of
options and the easy pace. I never felt
herded around or over-directed, but rather,
supported and given access to have my own
rich personal experience of the people,
places, and ways of living there.
I hope to return for a longer stay at Auroville.
I felt essentially drawn to its spiritual
and ecological lifestyle. I found that my
own daily spiritual practices deepened during
the trip.
Thank you, CIIS, for allowing me to experience
the full embrace of Mother India.
—Catt Carr
Trying to grasp Auroville is like trying
to grasp Integralism: it is vast, multi-dimensional,
diverse, and amorphous. One of my most meaningful
experiences was having an afternoon with
Kathy Walkling and the residents of her
community, Adventure. We had an opportunity
to not only see individual residences, but
to have a roundtable discussion about the
realities of living there. Participation
in the relief effort, fund raising, and
for one member, making professional connections
were all activities that allowed anyone
who was interested to go slightly below
the surface in experiencing life in Auroville.
I think alumni trips should be an integral
part of CIIS. I appreciated the caliber
of fellow travelers. I liked being with
people who had a sense of pilgrimage or
journey, and who were willing to engage
with the local culture as much as possible.
India is a challenging country for tourists
in that there is such disparity between
a Western mode of travel and the local one.
I liked having both available.
—Frank De Luca, Integral Counseling
Psychology, ’94; East-West Psychology,
’01
 In
Auroville I had the opportunity to deepen
my understanding of Sri Aurobindo's work.
I also gained a better understanding of
the magnitude of the Mother's vision and
of her intention to create Auroville as
a physical manifestation of Aurobindo's
philosophy.
Auroville is a complex city in the making.
It was powerful to see first hand the challenges
and rewards of creating an intentional community.
To experience Auroville in the beautiful
accommodations of the Afsana guest house
only added to the experience.
—Eric Murphy, Social and Cultural
Anthropology, ’98
 My
meditation in Auroville's splendid Matrimandir
clarified that I was in India for tsunami
relief work. I am grateful for the opportunity
to serve and to get to know many beautiful
Indian people. Thank you for this life-changing
experience.
—Susan Christy, Doctor of Psychology,
’99
 Traveling
with CIIS to India was incredible. I was
able to fully relax knowing that much planning
and foresight had gone into each stop across
South India. The trip was well-balanced
between group and individual activities,
allowing for maximum exploration of our
fascinating surroundings. It was amazing
to be allowed access into the inner sanctum
of several ancient Shiva temples—definitely
something that would not be possible traveling
alone. I have very fond memories of all
my travel companions and would strongly
urge anyone considering the trip to go and
experience the magic of India.
—Erin McCleary
 I
had traveled to India 29 years ago and was
anxious and curious to return. The CIIS
tour to India seemed like the perfect opportunity.
I knew I would be guided by people who had
been to India more times than me, and who
were well-informed about the temples and
religious sites of India. This expertise
made the visits to religious places that
much richer and relevant.
Auroville is such a fascinating experiment
in communal, spiritually-conscious living.
It also provided an opportunity to have
a home base, to do yoga, read, relax, play,
meditate, and to create our own little community
within our group. I would encourage anyone
who is interested in India to participate
in this tour. It is eye-opening and heart-opening.
—Tim Rogers
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