“Creativity is divine,” says Julian Lines, who has organized a centennial celebration of the life of Sam Spanier (1925-2008), beginning with a talk and screening at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 3 at the Woodstock Artists Association and Museum on the village green and an opening the next day at 4 p.m. to a month-long exhibition of 50 of Spanier’s art works for sale at the intentional community Matagiri at 1218 Wittenberg Road in Mount Tremper (there’ll be a tour and refreshments). Call 845-679-8322 or go to info@matagiri.org.
Sam Spanier certainly was creative. He studied painting with Hans Hofmann and worked as an artist in Paris. He was also a seeker who studied the philosophy of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky.
Looking around the Hudson Valley and the Catskills, known for their variety of spiritual communities, he was drawn to these 49 acres of forested hillside where a small residential community is today supported by an extended family of disciples and friends, where visitors can utilize facilities designed for contemplation and creativity, and where research and study take place.
Activities include meditation, talks, performances, yoga classes and educational programs related to the teaching of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother and the international community of Auroville.
The name Matagiri means “Mother’s Mountain” in Sanskrit. Founded in1968, Matagiri, operating under the stewardship of Matagiri Sri Aurobindo Center, a non-profit organization, has been a residential center, library, importer of Sri Aurobindo ashram products (such as handmade paper and incense), publisher and distributor of Sri Aurobindo and Mother’s books, and has hosted numerous international visitors. A Woodstock store called Pondicherry importing incense and stationary from Auroville was closed during the pandemic.
People in intentional communities “are bound by invisible strings,” Lines said.
Other events in the centennial celebration include 100th birthday Zoom sessions at 2 and 8 p.m. on May 6 (pre-registration required) and a remembrance session of Sam by his friends at the Woodstock Library at 5 p.m. on May 10.
Matagiri welcomes visitors to its bookstore, art gallery, library and meditation room by appointment. Please call if you would like to visit. Regular online readings take place Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.
Join the family! 
