Mia
On the night of October 24th to 25th, our good friend and sister Mrs Mia Berden left her body in her house in The Hague, the Netherlands, at the age of 97, after a long and rich life.
Mia, who from the early eighties onwards had been a true believer in and a staunch supporter of Auroville, made many friends through her frequent visits and her attentive, caring contacts with a large range of Aurovilians. Through her earlier experience as consultant for the Dutch Government, and her involvement in Auroville International Nederland and Stichting De Zaaier, Mia had been considerably instrumental for Auroville in numerous ways, and we will always remain grateful for this. Having Sri Aurobindo's epic poem Savitri as her focus of integral yoga, she regularly held 'Savitri reading' sessions in her house, which lead to the translation and pending publication of the poem into the Dutch language.
We salute this old soldier, known for her fierce stamina and persistent supporter of women's rights, and know her to be in the hands of the Mother to whom she now surrendered herself.
On Saturday 29th Mia's remains were entered into the family grave in the south of Holland. A large wreath was laid at the funeral home saying "with thanks for all you have done for Auroville". Our love and sympathy go out to her family and friends, and specifically to her daughter Glory, who lovingly guided her through the last stages.
OM ~
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