New Dawn
NAME
Ricardo Cosarinsky, from Argentina
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NAME
AND LOCATION OF YOUR UNIT
My unit is called 'New Dawn', and is presently located in Kottakarai
village. In the not too distant future I hope to have the means to re-build the
unit within Auroville itself.
BACKGROUND, OR SOME INFO
ON YOUR TRAINING, AND WHEN YOU JOINED AUROVILLE
I joined Auroville in February 1997. It so happened that I arrived on the 21st
which at that time I didn't know was Mother's birthday. I have been a carpenter
since about 22 years, and started my training in this craft when I stopped my
career as an airline pilot.
WHEN DID YOUR UNIT
START?
I
started my unit 10 months after joining Auroville. Soon after I arrived I was
requested to oversee the crew of carpenters working at the Surrender collective
housing project. After 10 months or so I finished this project, got together
with the best
guys of the team and together we decided to develop our own workshop. Due to
lack of financial means, I rented for the time being a little house in
Kottakarai village which we had to somewhat modify to make it appropriate for
our purposes.
WHAT
WAS THE MAIN INSPIRATION BEHIND STARTING IT?
The main inspiration for me
was to find the way to serve Auroville in the best way I can, and since my
skills were in the field of carpentry I felt I should do something utilising
that skill. Also, because I came here without any money at all, I thought that
this would be the best and easiest way to get economic independence in order to
avoid being involved in the maintenance system. Moreover, the urgent demand for good
carpentry work steered me in this direction.
SOME MILESTONES IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR UNIT?
The only major milestone that I have experienced is the learning that I received
from the Tamil workers that are with me. At the beginning I thought that I had a
lot of carpentry knowledge to give to them, and in some ways I was correct
there, but I never suspected how much they could teach me on the human level!
Our workshop has become a real human school for all of us involved. It has become such a
beautiful experience that it's not easy to put into words.
PRESENT
SITUATION
My present situation is quite hopeful, due to the fact that the demand for our
work is increasing, and I believe Auroville may give me the financial support to
build my workshop inside the township itself. I will then be able to enhance the
work and give more quality and efficiency in my service.
SOME DESCRIPTION OF THE
NATURE OF YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE/ACTIVITY
Basically we are involved in building construction, doing all kinds of doors,
windows, louvres and cupboards, together with lots of furniture for Aurovilians.
Since about four months we have also been doing aluminum work.
THROUGH YOUR
PRODUCT/SERVICE/ACTIVITY, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SEEK, OR EXPRESS?
Mainly I'm trying to be aware that whatever we are doing is for serving the
Divine, and I take everything that I do as a means of getting closer to Him/Her
through my material activity. Of course, the carpentry work is an open window to
be creative and express beauty in all that we do. Therefore, I put a lot of
strength into pushing all of us to be as good as we can. We grow every day, and
we are improving without a doubt.
WHICH ASPECT OF YOUR
WORK BEST EXPRESSES YOUR VISION, PHILOSOPHY OR APPROACH TOWARDS AUROVILLE?
The human relationship with my workers best expresses the level on which we are.
And, of course, the quality of our work is telling about our harmony.
 IS THERE A
SPECIFIC ASPECT OF AUROVILLE YOU WOULD WISH TO SUPPORT WITH YOUR ACTIVITY?
Maybe the economic aspect? I'm willing to join the Free Flow experiment and thus
give the chance to everybody in Auroville to have the opportunity to have wooden
products at an affordable (non)price.
FURTHER REMARKS
Just to remind all of us that we are here to be conscious servitors of the
Divine, and whatever we do has to be done in this context, otherwise we lose
sight of the goal and put the whole experiment in peril.
Contact: ricardo@auroville.org.in
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