This two-part workshop offered an introduction to Sri Aurobindo’s Ilion, his epic re-imagining of the Trojan War, beginning with the Homeric world that lies behind it and gradually opening into the wider evolutionary and spiritual vision of the poem.
Session One — Entering the World of Ilion
The first session introduced participants to the world of Homer’s Iliad: its heroes, gods, and distinctive epic atmosphere, together with the background and essential events of the Trojan War. From this foundation, we turned to Sri Aurobindo’s Ilion — its conception, poetic form and relationship to the Homeric tradition.
We then traced the first seven books of Ilion, following the unfolding of the conflict between the Trojans and Greeks. Central to this portion is the attempt to avert the catastrophe through a peace proposal, followed by the debates, opposing perspectives and mounting tensions that ultimately lead both sides towards war. The session concluded with the call to arms, as the Trojan and Greek forces prepare for the coming confrontation.
Session Two — The Book of the Gods
The second session moved from the human drama of Troy to the extraordinary divine perspective of “The Book of the Gods”. We entered Mount Olympus and the great council convened by Zeus, where the fall of Troy is revealed not merely as a historical tragedy but as part of a much larger evolutionary movement. Zeus sees past, present and future as one continuum and understands the suffering of humanity within the vast creative design of the Eternal Artist.
The gods themselves ascend through progressively higher planes of consciousness, becoming increasingly subtle and luminous as they move beyond the earthly forms through which they are ordinarily perceived. Through the voices of Ares, Aphrodite, Apollo, Poseidon, Athena, Hephaestus and Hades, we explored the different forces shaping successive civilisations and ages — war and empire, beauty and love, truth and vision, commerce and material civilisation, reason and order, industry and material power, death and renewal.
A Shared Experience
For me, the experience of facilitating these two sessions was particularly beautiful because the workshop became more than an exploration of a literary work but an immersion into a world that Sri Aurobindo has created. His vivid descriptions of the Trojan War, the intimate conversations between characters, the vision of Achilles, the cultural immersion into the beauty of Troy, all reverberate with a deep Truth, and it feels like a privilege to view this grand historical event through Sri Aurobindo’s eyes. The interaction within the group was deeply appreciated. The discussion at the close of the second session became a particularly meaningful part of the experience, where we discussed the higher planes of consciousness, the evolution of both Man and the Gods, and their relationship with one another. From there, we found ourselves wondering together about the future of humanity and the emergence of a new age, including some of the subtle intimations of what may lie ahead that Sri Aurobindo places within the visions of the gods.
Feedback
“Meditative and interesting.”
“The reading and explanations were beautiful. Very participative. Deep and insightful.”
“I was inspired to read Ilion. And understand small parts of it.”
“Got an understanding of the legends of that time and the various parallels from Vedic gods and the puranas. Sri Aurobindo’s intuitive vision of the bygone times, its actors and action brought home the essence of these cosmic powers in our own life and how it can help us to progress on the path.”
“Found the atmosphere transporting me to a different time and space in all its grandeur.”
“Though I have read it, I will be re-reading it many times more.”
“Very inspiring. Starting with the music, few moments of silence and James's introduction always manages to bring in the peace and beautiful atmosphere to begin with. Then Maya transported us to a different world. :)”
“From a widened perspective this narrative has beautifully captured the shifts of one age to another. The role and the play of gods in our journey. The power of Divine Will over individual will. The yoga of Works (doing one's duty irrespective of the end results). And many more.”
“Overall, such a grand and magnificent endeavour. Maya has this amazing clarity, gentleness and grace in thought and speech. The slides were gorgeous. Only wish in some slides, the font size were a bit larger. Looking forward for more. Thank you, Maya for this enriching workshop. And James for your presence and holding space for us all.”
[Take-homes?]
“Understanding of the way civilizations were transformed and the journey of heroes and warriors towards transformation.”
[Did the workshop convey the grandeur and majesty of Sri Aurobindo’s poetry?]
“Absolutely, and the mantric power of the words used are mesmerizing. And the way Maya read, explained and narrated the lines along with the imagery brought the era to life!”