Françoise Arati
On Wednesday 20th April our good friend and sister Aurovilian Françoise Arati passed away in her country, France, after a brave and enduring battle with cancer. She was 66 years old.
Françoise was an architect by profession and active in urban affairs for years in Mayotte, just off the coast of Southeast Africa. After a change in her life, she immersed herself fully into the study of the Tarot and co-authored a book on the same, ‘Pelerinage du mat dans le tarot de Marseille’. Having come into contact with works of Sri Aurobindo, the Mother and Satprem, she left for Pondicherry around 2000 where she lived near the Ashram, helping among other things with the final stages of the translation into French of the Life Divine.
In 2003 Françoise came to Auroville, where she lived in Arati (which community, bizarrely, carries her name), and worked as therapist and tarot reader in Pitanga, helping many an Aurovilian through moments of inner need and stress while always placing their situation in the light and context of our Integral Yoga. People who benefitted from her readings gratefully mention her soft energy, skilful guidance and insightful approach to life.
In June 2014 Françoise left Auroville in order to go through challenging times of her own during which she was supported by various friends, of whom Aude Zeller, her best friend and co-author of her book, and Aurovilian Léonard Pietri, accompanied her up till the moment of transition.
Françoise proceeded to better spaces. Her remains were cremated at Vannes in Bretagne, on Saturday 23rd April at 11 am.
Jay MA~
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