Ever Slow Green - Re-afforestation in Auroville, South India
(A film by Christoph Pohl)
This extraordinary film tells us about a place where re-afforestation is taking place today, in a previously denuded area of South India. It shows us the individuals who are undertaking this activity of re-afforestation, who share their feelings and thoughts, with intimate depth and clarity, revealing the spirit of determination and dedication that makes such a remarkable achievement possible. It is a film that goes beyond documentary conventions and limitations to reveal the spirit in which this work is being done, the spirit of the forest that is being created, the spirit of creativity, excitement, purpose, and urgency of the people involved.
I am using the term "spirit" here to convey the energy, understanding, and will that give meaning to people's lives and work. It is also the energy that empowers nature to embody the forces of life, fulfilling her role as mother-earth, providing the basis of a strong and healthy environment. In Sanskrit philosophy the term for this power of nature is "prakriti," and the term for the power of will that acts through her mental creatures is "purusa." We can witness these principles coming to life in the silent will and determination of the human beings engaged here in nature's regeneration, and in her response that rejuvenates the forest habitat and environment, so essential to our specie's continued success. The idea of "purusa" is conveyed by the absence of talking heads; no one speaks directly to the camera, the commentary runs parallel to the perfectly synchronized images of people and nature, whose energy of motion, power, colors and sounds seem to embody the principle of "prakriti," as if the two together, different yet one, produced the reality.
At the same time this film makes us aware of the forces that threaten all natural habitats and species on earth today. We see here the potentials of harmony and beauty that can be expressed in association with nature, as they are actively focused on overcoming the inertia and destruction that might otherwise characterize this human habitat, as it does societies everywhere. The quiet will and determination to support nature is evident in the voices of these committed environmentalists as they move slowly and confidently through their lush tropical forests, contemplating their experiences and sharing the knowledge they have gained through their deep conversation with nature. It is a conversation they have carried on uninterruptedly for the past fifty years, growing ever more attuned to the nature they serve, ever more fluent in her language, and sensitive to her needs. We can feel the promise of her loving response as she spreads her canopy over the lives and creatures that she shelters. The film's artistry conveys the essential nature of the humans and plants whose stories it tells, the unity and diversity of spirit and nature, through an impersonal monologue that unites the voices of a diverse international community with the hundreds of plant species that they nurture, as they journey together toward a peaceful and sustainable future on earth. It is a film that deserves the international recognition it has begun to receive, for both the skill with which it has been created, and the importance and poignancy of the themes that it presents.
Rod Hemsell
{Rod Hemsell is a former resident of Auroville and the author of The Philosophy of Evolution - Darwin and Sri Aurobindo (2014), and The Philosophy of Consciousness - Hegel and Sri Aurobindo (2017).}
