The Prout Research Institute develops practical projects and policies, raises consciousness, and trains people in the holistic model of the Progressive Utilization Theory. Construction began in 2021 and the building will have two offices, a large meeting hall, and an upstairs yoga and meditation hall for a total of 2500 square feet plus an unfinished basement. South facing, its rooftop solar panels will provide electricity. In the future, additional guest rooms and bathrooms will be added in the basement and as part of an added wing. The estimated cost will be $500,000.
The PRI site is on the Neohumanist College of Asheville campus and in the middle of a vibrant supportive community based on Prout principles. It is adjacent to the Prama Institute, the Prama Wellness Center, Mountain Breeze Preschool, the Women’s Welfare and Development Foundation Lotus House, and individual homes of 20 adults and 7 children.
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With a goal of providing access to healthy, heritage foods for the local community of Greene and Columbia Counties, Seedlings for Sovereignty operates as a plant nursery and distribution center for seedlings and garden supplies in Purling, NY. In Fall of 2021 a greenhouse was constructed with recycled materials and outfitted for the growing season of 2022, serving around 50 families with pay-as-you-can starts.
- 1500 seedlings distributed locally at community events
- 250 grow bags and 1.5 yards of custom compost distributed
- Urban U-pick as a living food pantry established with Kite’s Nest (30 x 7 gallon grow bags)
- U-pick and 4 community garden beds at Ananda Viplava
- Greenhouse insulation and vents installed
Financial Support by the Elias Foundation, Prout Alliance, Master Unit Retreats Inc, and individual donors. Partnerships with Athens Community Farm, Catskill Food Pantry, Community Action Greene County, Grow Black Hudson, Long Table Harvest.
Ananda Viplava is a working farm and retreat center located on 84 acres in the foothills of the Catskill mountains in Purling, NY. The intentional community is dedicated to the physical, mental and spiritual upliftment of society, and hosts programs teaching yoga, meditation, and regenerative agriculture. The farm hosted the food justice initiative Seedlings for Sovereignty in 2022, and grows 8 acres of fruit and vegetables for its full time residents and public programs. As a Master Unit, Ananda Viplava strives to secure the minimum requirements of life while serving as a center for individual and collective transformation, as proposed by P.R. Sarkar.
“In a nutshell, a Master Unit is a self-sufficient zone, based on all-round service, that inspires and offers a more balanced, healthy and proactive lifestyle. Using an economical sustainable model (PROUT), it acts as a nerve centre for the local community, and demonstrates new technologies for environmental sustainability while providing guidelines in order to facilitate its replication.”