So much activity does not happen online, and does not get seen online. And thank goodness for that! As I research what is happening around the world as people wake up to the likelihood of a more unstable future, I am feeling grateful and reassured that so many of us want to make a difference, and can, even if small, or fragile, or transient. As I used to live in Southern India, I was excited to hear what is happening there, and this guest blog is the result. If you have your own local story to tell, please contact the blog team at the Deep Adaptation Forum.
Lakshmi Venugopal, member of Deep Adaptation Auroville and Founder, Inner Climate Academy.
As an Indian woman returning from abroad, I was attracted to the international spirit of Auroville, an intentional community in Southern India. Both Indians and foreigners seek to live a life that is a holistic application of the principles of Sri Aurobindo. We seek not to separate the spiritual realm from our livelihoods and lifestyles. Therefore, for decades, the people of Auroville have sought to live more gently on the land and with each other. That holistic approach to conscious living may be the reason why the Deep Adaptation concept and framework has been flourishing here in our corner of Tamil Nadu, with implications for our wider region. As I witnessed the international discussions online in the field of collapse anticipation and Deep Adaptation in particular, I have wondered whether there are many people like us in the Global South, but whose experiences and initiatives are being overlooked. I wondered whether it might help to share what we are doing, so we might learn from each other, inspire others, and perhaps even shape the international agenda.
Continue reading “A Different Kind of Hope with #DeepAdaptation in Southern India”