SAFIER, the Integral Education Initiative of Sri Aurobindo Society, together with SAS Hindi Zone, hosted AntarYatra 2025 — a five-day exposure trip to Puducherry for 24 participants from North India. The trip in the form of a workshop ran from 2–6 September 2025 at Society House and was conducted mainly in Hindi. The SAFIER facilitators were Shivakumar and Priti; SAS Hindi Zone facilitators were Aneeta Bansal and Kirti Adhikari.

Purpose and Spirit

The journey aimed to introduce the living spirit of Integral Yoga as presented by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, not as abstract theory but as something simple, real, and usable in daily life. From the very first moment we invited participants to travel on two yatras at once — an outer journey and an inner search to “know oneself” — and that gentle invitation became our thread throughout the five days.

What We Did

We blended short talks, experiential activities, quiet inner work, and visits around the Ashram and Auroville so the experience felt organic and connected. Sessions moved from playful awareness games and painting to chanting, singing bhajans, and visits to the Samadhi, Matrimandir, and Savitri Bhavan. Conversations and practices were mostly in Hindi, creating an intimate, easygoing atmosphere.

Key Sessions and Activities

• Welcome by Pradeep Narang, Chairman of Sri Aurobindo Society

• Opening reflection on the twin yatras — outer and inner — by Shivakumar and Priti
• Connecting to oneself and each other through deeper qualities — Priti
• Introduction to Sri Aurobindo and the Mother through films and a presentation — Shivakumar and Priti
• Q&A on Sri Aurobindo, the Mother and the Ashram — Dr. Alok Pandey
• Invoking peace and devotion through a bhajan — Aneeta Bansal
• Chanting Sri Aurobindo’s Gayatri Mantra to invoke the higher light — Priti
• Connecting with flowers and their significance — Sushanto and Rathirekha
• Awakening to the physical through awareness games — Shivakumar
• Connecting to Nature — watching a Sunrise in Silence — Priti
• Jeevan Ek Prarthana — living life as an offering — Kirti Adhikari
• Introduction to Sri Aurobindo Society and its activities — Shivakumar
• Bheetar ka Mausam — inner discovery through painting — Priti
• Introduction to Auroville — Lakshay
• The Mother’s symbol and Yoga Nidra — Jaya
• Introduction to Savitri — Neel

Conclusion

The closing practice — invoking the Fire of Aspiration — tied the experience together and gave everyone a simple personal resolve to carry forward. Participants left with soft, bright changes rather than dramatic conversions. Many felt touched, grateful, and quietly joyful. Several discovered inner layers they hadn’t noticed before and found small treasures — new ways of being that feel helpful in everyday life. AntarYatra 2025 was a gentle, heartfelt journey that wove inner discovery with shared moments. It offered approachable tools from Integral Yoga so that the participants could bring spirituality closer to their daily lives, carrying back small sparks of change and renewed belonging.