Creative Workshops for Students and Teachers in India

In July I had facilitated a creative workshop using dramatherapy techniques the Poodar International School in Hassan, Karnataka, India, with my co-facilitator, Unnath Jain.  It was an amazing experience…

This was the first time I had visited a school in India. Both of us were asked to speak at the assembly. I found the assembly very meaningful. A few students  were called upon to take an except out of each of the main religious text/scriptures, read it out and explain it in English. The main scriptures were the Bhagavad Gita, the Quran and the Bible. Then a year 7 (12 year old)boy gave a book review of a chosen literary book.  Then the Indian National Anthem was sung after which those who had their birthdays on that day were called upon and given a little gift.

Then the principle introduced both of us and had pretty much read aloud most of what was written in our resumes to give us some credibility to what we were going to do later that day and the next day with the teachers. He had even read out the list of languages I had taken up and speak and asked the children ask me to teach them a few words or practice them with me if they knew them.

Then it was my turn to speak… The first thing that came to mind is how honoured I felt for being invited to do the workshop with that school and how impressed I was with the children, of their presentations that morning and also how impressed I am with the way the assembly was conducted. It was so much more meaningful that the school assemblies here in Malaysia. The way I remember school assemblies in Malaysia is that we all were expected to gather in front of the flag poles, we sang the national anthem, the school anthem and had our nails, and attires and cleanliness and neatness checked by the teachers and/or prefects and went back to our classes. Frankly, I used to think it was horribly boring and a waste of time.

It was so different in this school. The children looked inspired though out the whole assembly. The principle had a constant, kind smile on his face though out the assembly. The energy in that environment was encouraging.

The workshop with the children was a lot of fun! There were forty of them with lots of energy! I could not have managed it without my co-facilitator. My co-facilitator is also a professional dancer and he took over the physical warm up and was very good in keeping the crowd under control.  This was the first time that we had worked together. It was great working with him. I think we make a great team.

The students were very excited throughout the workshop. The energy was very vibrant and they all wanted to participate in everything we did.

At the end of the workshop, both Unnath and I felt like rock stars! All forty children wanted our autographs and had formed a mob around us. We finally said that they had to queue to get our autographs. They even asked me to say and write in their books in the languages which I knew.

The outcome of the workshop with the children was very positive.  The children said that they had learned so much about creativity, one of them whose story was chosen was given the opportunity to direct the play. That was the first time she had ever done that and she was very pleased.  They also mentioned that they had a lot of fun throughout the workshop.

On the next day when we came again to do a basic dramatherapy skills training workshop for the teachers the principle had said that the children told him how much they had enjoyed the session. They even brought it up during the school assembly that morning.

The workshop for teachers turned out to be very successful.  Some of the comments from the teachers included how much they had learned from the workshop and how they could see incorporating the creative ideas into their classes. A few of them mentioned that they did not realize that they are that creative. And one of the common feedback in all the workshops which I have facilitated is how much fun they have had in the workshop. The energy level in the room was very high and positive.

I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to facilitate this workshop for such a wonderful group of students and teachers in India. I would like to thank Unnath Jain for organizing it and for being my co-facilitator for both the workshops.

 

The End of an Incredible Job

At the end of  June 2011, I left a full time position in an NGO as the Head of Home and Welfare. I was there for eight months. Frankly, I am surprised I had lasted that long... At the end of the second week, I was getting what felt like heart palpitations! And one day after about two week of working there as I got out of my chair, I noticed that there was a whole lot of hair on the floor!!! It was no wonder as this job which I had taken on was very challenging and stressful.

I was in charge of 70 underprivileged children. Many of them were from single parent families and who cannot provide for them financially and in many cases, emotionally.

I had never taken on such a position before and took it on for the experience of it... And decided to say "yes" instead of chickening out of the grand scale of responsibilities which came with the job.

This was also the first time that I had taken on an administrative position. I was in charge of about 18 staff and 70 children. Everything which had to do with the children, had to go through me for approval or decisions.

 I truly appreciate the opportunity to have had experienced  being in this position. It had expanded me  mentally, emotionally and spiritually in ways which I have never expected and it had allowed me to explore the depths of my capability of handling crisis almost everyday and sometimes a few times a day! It taught me to maintain healthy detachments and yet take appropriate action  when necessary.
Most importantly, it had I felt my heart expand...I felt love for all those children and compassion and understanding for the staff. I guess it is a given when one works with children... It is hard not to love them....
It thought me how to  stay calm in the eye of the storm. What an an amazing journey it had been!!! As you may guess, it was hard to say goodbye to the children but it was time for me to move on.. My gift to them on my last day is an Odissi  dance performance.

'Dramatic Healing' article on Doctorjob's Courses Now! magazine, issue 69, March 2011, pg40 -pg42

The Power of Silence

Last September, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to participate in a meditation retreat for a total of 10 days. It was a silent meditation retreat. We were not to speak or even have eye contact with anyone  for first 9 days. The exception being, if we had a question for the teacher, we were allowed a 10 minute to interview with the teacher, or if we had a problem with our living quarters we can contact the manager (but we had to get right to the point. No unwanted discussions allowed).

In the first two days I found it difficult not to acknowledge others. In contrast, after the two days,  I felt almost violated when/if anyone would whisper something or ask me a question when they were not supposed to.


I was fortunate that it took me only about a day to become aware of  and to quiet my mind…almost completely. I think I owe it to my previous meditation practice.

 I loved the silence both of my inner self and my environment. It was so comforting. Like a nice warm blanket on a cold winter’s night. I was just content  its to be in its warmth. Nothing else mattered. Accept the present. And once I am in the present- fully and completely, when I went for my quiet walks on the serene grounds of the meditation centre, nature seem to do a dance for me… or rather with me.. she dances and I respond to her moves with my appreciation and love of her performance (As I’m writing this, I just saw  a swift and an hawk circling the sky on opposite directions {apart from each other, of course} from my balcony… Love the synchronicity!).

I would see a few birds sitting on straws of long grasses making beautiful curves like the waves of the ocean. I would hear the different melodies the songs of birds, and their intricately, synchronized choreographed dance in the sky.

The squirrels played with each other like children do, having so much fun hiding and seeking.

On the eighth day of the retreat, I left the meditation hall for a water break after the first hour. It was about 5:30 in the morning. I went outside and gazed in awe at the star studded sky. I was amazed at the beauty of the jeweled sky. A few moments passed and I saw a bright shooting star… followed by another!! That was not a common sight for a city girl…

On that same day just about noon, I was walking past a huge, tall tree and just before me a feather floated to the ground, as if to say, this is your gift from the heavens, take it!

I noticed that when I am present in silence, the universe reveals its beauty to me. And my heart expands to infinity. There is no thought. There is only joy, appreciation and love for what is. And all I saw in that state was beauty. At that moment joy, love, beauty and peace is all one and all present.