More than 160 people lived in Sadhana Forest the last weeks.
We all smile when Buddha smiles
Myrtille | 3.03.2010By Niki
Last weekend Buddha Smiles, a dear friend of Sadhana Forest, invited
us to celebrate their annual school event with them. Buddha smiles is
a community that works with children and involves them in all of their
community projects, including environmental education, permaculture,
and social outreach. Around 25 of us, including 3 families from
Sadhana, set out in a bus to get to the community in Vellore. The
happy bus that stopped for an idli-dosa breakfast and a water melon
break got to Buddha Smiles around noon to be welcomed by the warn
smiles and hugs of the people there and by the interesting sight of
some banana leaf mummies (who we soon learned were taking a special
banana bath that is an old technique where a person wraps up in
banana leaves from head to toe and then sun bathes for over 30 minutes
to sweat it all out). No surprise, a whole bunch of us soon decided to
experience the goodness of the banana baths. After the banana baths and after a delicious lunch meal in the beautiful dining hall,
everyone present joined in for the ceremony where all the teachers,
volunteers, supporters and friends of Buddha Smiles were felicitated.
This was followed by Ramu introducing Buddha Smiles to all of us by
giving a tour of the place and sharing their ideas, plans and
experiments with us. We were all very inspired after learning about
the beautiful project.
As the sun was beginning to set, people were in
great spirits and came together to play some fun games that filled the
atmosphere with laughter and happiness. Later in the evening we all
got a chance to enjoy some live traditional south Indian music. The
beautiful open space outside was perfect for some happy chicken
dancing. As we danced and played we laughed hysterically together and
bonding beautifully. When it was time to sleep the open space was like
a reflection of the dotted sky with people dotting the entire place
with their mats and blankets, sleeping under the open sky, enjoying
the pleasures of sleeping under the stars. After some cricket and
breakfast the next morning we set out again to come back to Sadhana in
the happy bus that always stops for lunch breaks, snack breaks, and
even peanut jaggery sweets 
pictures by Myrtille
About veganism
Myrtille | 19.02.2010Last week a group of Sadhana Forest’s (long term) volunteers participated in a workshop on cooking and veganism, as a follow-up on the famous Peas vs Pills workshop that Dr. Nandita Shah regularly gives in Auroville. During five days we cooked one or two meals a day and discussed the meanings of the vegan choices. This workshop enabled us to share our experience and expand our knowledge, as for most of us it is still quite a new concept.
It has been a bonding experience because every time we work together we get to know each other better and cooking is an interesting way to learn about cooperation. If you make the dough and I cut the vegetables, we can make a dish together and enjoy a new taste.
To give you an example of the quality of what we learned I’m really amazed about how simple it is to make vegan pancakes and mostly about how enjoyable and tasty it is. Basically you soak whole rice for three hours, then you blend it with some grated coconut and enough water, you wait again a couple of hours and here is your dough. Cook the pancakes and fill them with a mix of steamed pineapple and dates, mashed bananas and walnuts. As Reza said with a big smile and his eyes closed from pleasure, “This is high class food!”
As Sadhana Forest is a vegan community it’s important that we can answer the questions the volunteers have about our beliefs and the practical aspects of it. Becoming a vegan is not a choice that you can make only with your head. I believe that it has to be in harmony with your heart, otherwise you might find it difficult. You might feel depraved, or guilty. Facts, numbers, and practical information are essential, but to explain people why Sadhana Forest is a vegan community we probably have to explain why we individually make this choice and to somehow communicate the feeling behind it. Every person has his/her own reason to become vegan, for the environmental aspect, for animal rights, for health reasons, etc. Sadhana Forest wants to be a place where to raise the level of consciousness and as Nandita says veganism changes not only the body, but also mind and spirit.
We are very grateful to Nandita! She taught us wonderful recipes during these five days. She is a patient teacher and she shared her knowledge with a great enthusiasm, and listened to our needs, worries, or ideas. Thanks to her I think we are more conscious about something we have in common: that we want to inspire people about what touches us in Sadhana Forest. And it can be about veganism.
Alegria Brazil
David | 11.02.2010by Myrtille
Last Friday was Brazil night at the Eco Film Club, to start February the festive month of carnival. Our day began early, 6:15 AM like every day of the week. Together in a big circle singing a Brazilian song that woke us up in alegria, joy. Today you’re in Brazil, you have to be happy, said Tiago. There was no need for the command, I think I can say that most of us kept on smiling until late in the night. Because there was joy in the morning work, joy in the preparations, excitement also, joy in the music and the dance shared in the afternoon, capoeira vibes, joy in the movie we watched with all the guests crowded in the main hut or even standing outside because there was no place to sit anymore (these Friday nights have become very popular!). And there was joy in the wonderful vegan Brazilian dinner. You should have seen the chain of plates passing through the hut to serve all the friends of Sadhana Forest. You should have heard the serving crew singing and singing while filling hundreds of plates. And you should have tasted the sweetness and the colors of the dinner.
Then was the time for a nice performance. A live illustration of the history of capoeira, the second national sport of Brazil (after soccer). But much more than a sport, capoeira is actually a way of living, a philosophy. Back to the smile and the joy that I mentioned first: capoeira came to the African slaves in Brazil as a way of freeing themselves. Because capoeira is a training in physical strength, concentration and balance. It’s full of positive energy and sharing. Fighting and dancing at the same time. Making music and singing. Smiling. Alegria.
Water Conservation Continues!!
David | 3.02.2010Our forest work during this time of year is focused on water conservation. Many of our volunteers have been spending their mornings making bunds to help the forest. Bunds are small water conservation earth mounds that help save water during the rainy season. A lot of the bunding work has been focused around challenge hill where we recently planted Tropical Dry Evergreen trees.
Led by our long term volunteer Reza, the work in the forest has taken on a very intense energy. Volunteers have been digging water conservation holes that are over 2 meters deep and building bunds that are high, wide, and strong. This will enable us to hold much more water on this important area for forest growth.
Mulch is being harvested from all corners of our land and placed on the newly planted trees. The trees and the forest will greatly appreciate all of this hard work once the next rains come.
Thank you to all the bunders!!!
