Mystery and Excellence
of the
Human Body
This book is the result of the cooperation of the following members of the research teams of the Sri Aurobindo International Institute of Educational Research, Auroville:
Alain Antoine, Alain Bernard, Arjun Puri, Aryamani, Ashatit, Christine Devin, Deepti Tiwari, Frederick, Patricia Greer, Jivatman, Jyoti Madhok, Pala, Sanjeev Aggarwal, Sharanam, Serge Brelin
General Editor: KIREET JOSHI
We are grateful to many individuals in and outside Auroville who, besides the above mentioned researchers and general editor, have introduced us to various essays which are included in full or in parts in this experimental compilation. We also thank photographers in and outside Auroville who have given us some of their works. We would like to mention in particular Olivier Barot, Francois Gautier, Pavitra and Frederic Soltan. Our gratitude also goes to Bob from the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Archives who gave us digitalised photos of Mother.
The Indian Council of Philosophical Research (ICPR) acknowledges with gratefulness the labor of research and editing of the team of researchers of the Sri Aurobindo International Institute of Educational Research, Auroville.
Printed in Auroville Press, 2003
Mystery and Excellence
of the
Human Body
An Exploration
General Editor: KIREET JOSHI
Birth is the first spiritual mystery of the physical universe, death is the second which gives its double point of perplexity to the mystery of birth; for life, which would otherwise be a self-evident fact of existence, becomes itself a mystery by virtue of these two which seem to be its beginning and its end and yet in a thousand ways betray themselves as neither of these things, but rather intermediate stages in an occult processus of life.
— Sri Aurobindo