The Potential of Kindness

In the spirit of discovery, Helen and fellow Aurovilian Nikethana undertook on a beautiful journey in 2025: a project exploring the Potential of Kindness. This work was made possible through the generous support of Stichting De Zaaier.

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Our purpose was to dive deeper into how acts of kindness impact the vibrant tapestry of our own Auroville community. We sought to understand what kindness means to our diverse members, what encourages them to offer or receive it, and what sometimes stands in the way. We were also curious to explore if factors like age, gender, or nationality added nuances to these experiences.

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As part of this exploration, we had the privilege of capturing 19 stories of kindness from randomly selected community members. You can find excerpts from these sharings - accompanied by beautiful photographs, many taken by fellow Aurovilian Alessandra - in the 'Portraits of Kindness' booklet.​​

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​Our hope is that by capturing and sharing these experiences of kindness, we can send further ripples of connection, empathy, and kindness through the wider community and beyond.

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We also hope that the insights gained from this research will deepen our individual and collective understanding of the many layers of kindness, illuminate the various pathways towards it, and offer conscious, kind, and supportive guidance on navigating the blockages we may face.

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The stories of kindness and research report are available to read below.