Sri Aurobindo - Icon Profile | Alexandria
Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950), born Aurobindo Ghose, was a revolutionary Indian philosopher, yogi, guru, poet, and nationalist who transformed from a fierce advocate of Indian independence to one of the 20th century's most influential spiritual leaders. His evolutionary philosophy synthesized Eastern and Western thought, proposing an integral approach to human development and consciousness that continues to intrigue scholars and spiritual seekers worldwide.
Born in Calcutta during the British Raj, Aurobindo received a Western education in England, studying at King's College, Cambridge. This unusual combination of Eastern roots and Western intellectual training would later inform his unique philosophical perspective. While his early life was marked by revolutionary activism against British rule, a profound spiritual awakening in 1908 while imprisoned in Alipore Jail redirected his life's mission from political revolution to spiritual evolution.
Settling in Pondicherry in 1910, Aurobindo developed his signature philosophical framework, integral yoga, which he expounded in seminal works such as "The Life Divine" and "The Synthesis of Yoga." His evolutionary spiritual philosophy proposed that human consciousness could progress beyond its current limitations toward what he termed the "Supramental consciousness." This radical reimagining of human potential attracted followers worldwide, including Mirra Alfassa (known as "The Mother"), who would become his spiritual collaborator and eventually establish the Sri Aurobindo Ashram.
Aurobindo's legacy extends far beyond traditional spiritual boundaries, influencing fields as diverse as education, environmental philosophy, and political theory. The experimental township of Auroville, founded in 1968 near Pondicherry, stands as a living laboratory for his vision of human unity and conscious evolution. His writings on nationalism, culture, and consciousness continue to resonate with contemporary discussions on global transformation and human potential, while his poetic masterpiece "Savitri" remains the longest poem in English meter. Modern scholars increasingly recognize Aurobindo's prescience in anticipating many current debates about consciousness, evolution, and the integration of Eastern and Western modes of knowledge. His vision of a transformative spiritual practice grounded in everyday life raises pertinent questions about humanity's future evolution and the role of consciousness in shaping that future.