Project Number 2: Life University

Sept 08, 2010


Land Management of the to be university, Life University. (lifeuniversityglobal.org)

Today Rico, Shyam, Ameli, two representatives from the Center for Sustainable Agriculture (an NGO which helps farmers become organic in the area) and I, all met up for Breakfast to have a meeting about our plans for the work today and the plans for Life University.

In addition to the university serving students to receive their bachelors, masters and doctorates in spiritual sciences, transpersonal sciences and life sciences, the university is also envisioned to become a spiritual retreat, sustainable demonstration and resource site.
(the local villagers have built some temporary structures while all the planning is taking place)


The creators have in mind to eventually
--grow all of the food needed on site.
--bring wisdom about good health through education and health camps.
--create a community market, making sure there is no competition in selling the same goods as some of the surrounding villages.
--establish meditation pyramids, sacred groves, a labyrinth and a prayer garden.
--build an old age home, mental health home, health center (with many different holistic therapists) and a primary youth school.

After discussing some of the key aspects of the University, the six of us made a trip out to the surrounding villages of the university.


The first village was called Nagsan Pally. The villagers were extremely curious, none of them had cars, and we pulled up in a car. It took only a couple of minutes and our whole car was surrounded. None of them spoke english, so it was good we had a couple of translators. They led us to one of their square white buildings. Many places in India—even some stores—it is proper etiquette to take your shoes off at the entrance. So we all took our shoes off and the villagers made sure the six of us had patio chairs to sit on, while 20 or 30 of them crowded into the room with us and made themselves comfortable on the floor. There were only men at the meeting and the ages ranged from about 14 to maybe 90? It's hard to guess ages, because even the elderly are very strong, and I've seen them carry outrageous amounts of weight on top of their heads! They usually have some sort of a scarf, which they wrap around the top of their head, and then either they will stack bricks in the scarf, or big bags of rice, anything!

It's essential that the university creates good relationships with its surrounding neighbors (the villagers)
so the questionnaire that we wrote up for the village was basically to find out about the crops they were growing, how they were growing them, what they knew about the soil, plants and animals in the area, what schools and medical centers they had available to them. Also to find out about pesticide, herbicide and fertilizer use, costs and economic issues in maintianing their farms and the rate of suicide farmers (because of their accumulated debt from unsustainable farming practices)

They told us that from this years crop, they hadn't earned any money from the harvest because of their debts. They have been averaging about 4-5 farmer suicides per year. The village is 2,500 people. They use pesticides and herbicides heavily. And when asked if they were willing to try organic, all the villagers in the room raised their hands.

It was hard to follow the conversation because of course it was in Telagu. And I just received bits of information about what they were talking about here and there. And there were a few Telagu note takers of the interview but we have yet to receive the translated version through email.

I'll give you an update when we receive it :)

The second village we visited, seemed a bit more modern. It looked like they owned their own tractors, and didn't have to rent. We were again guided to a room to seat ourselves with the villagers. This time the discussion was much less about the questionnaire and more so explanations to the villagers about the benefits of organic produce. It became a little difficult to stay awake as we sat there for a few hours not understanding anything that was going on. I decided to keep myself awake by trying to pick out words and write them down, and ask people later what they meant. Anyway, one of the villagers noticed I was taking notes, and all of the attention was on me for a minute. HAHA rather embarrassing, since it really didn't make sense for me to be taking notes since 1- I didn't speak the language and 2- even if I did, it wouldn't make sense for me to be taking notes at that time, since it was one of the Organic Consultants who was explaining the importance of going organic. I stopped taking notes after that. Falling asleep might be more appropriate.

We walked around the land a little after that, and it briefly started to rain. Promptly I had one of the elderly village men at my side with a raised umbrella! What great people! Lol very accommodating anyway.

The monsoon was still way too out of control to visit the land were Life University will be. We tried to go a back-way to the University from the village. But the dirt path was way too swampy, and it could've very well been the villagers toilet. We decided to turn back.

For dinner we ate rice and the same spicy hot five different sauces that taste exactly the same. HOT. Cool. Oh someone asked for our autographs on the road today! I'm pretty sure this is the least visited town by white people in India.