Jagriti 55th Batch

Hi This to inform you that we are officially closing this email group and there will be no further emails in this group. You can continue to interact in the telegram group, or access the previous posts in the Jagriti 55th batch's blog. The zoom link which we were using for Jagriti sessions is also disabled, but you can continue to access the recordings of the 55th batch in  the youtube playlist . The   telegram group for  Jagriti is  not just for the current group but also for anybody interested in being connected and continuing the fire burning. From our side we are  assur ing you that we will keep sharing stuff in the group - so we will fuel the fire. You can join and passively enjoy  the sharings by us or others or you could also share your stories, learnings, thoughts, insights and questions. More the merrier. Some of the Jagriti participants also want to have continuous meets-ups - and that can be an exciting opportunity for many of us to interact with other 'parents'...

As we grow older, we  seem to thank more people. The list of whom we're  in-gratitude seems to increase every year. But think of it, when we came into this world - as a baby - we were  totally dependent. But we had no need to say thank you to anybody because we were considered a gift. The gratitude was mutual. It would not be preposterous to say that the parent-child or teacher-learner relationship is one of gratitude. And Love thrives in an environment soaked in gratitude. And learning grows in a soil enriched with gratitude. And life becomes carefree with an attitude of gratitude. Our  daughter wanted to have an Apple pie and we landed up in a bakery. In the showcase we saw two apple-pies left - one conspicuously bigger than than the other.When the shopkeeper started to give her the bigger one, she interrupted, "Gimme the smaller one, let the next customer have the bigger one" So there is gratitude that we  feel when we  get something. But there is a much d...

It appears to me that most people are in love with fear, so much so that they have chosen to live with fear. We seem to cling to enough fears, like fear of the future or fear of others acceptance / opinion about us or fear of others getting the better of us. We even preach children to be scared of God. We like fear so much that we gift it to our children. Some tame children with fear: "Do this else that will happen, eat this else you will not grow tall or fair" and so on. Some give them a childhood of fear called school. The whole working of school, as we experience it, seems to be based on fear. Study this or else you will be a dullard, an illiterate. Do this in this way only, sit still, talk only when you are told, behave in this way or you will grow to be an undisciplined wayward. Pass this exam, else you are a failure. The desk, the studies, the classroom, the teacher and principal - are all to be feared. And if this is not enough, constantly fear the future. Parents live...

Excerpt from a book by OSHO - Rajneesh (Autobiography of a spiritually incorrect mystic ) The wise man wants you only to have insight into things so that you have your own light. But you don't want insight, you want clear-cut instructions. You don't want to see yourself, you want to be guided. You don't want to accept your responsibility towards yourself; you want to throw the whole responsibility on the shoulders of the master, on the shoulders of the wise man. Then you feel at ease. Now he is responsible; if something goes wrong, he is responsible. And everything is going to be wrong, because unless you take your responsibility nothing is ever going to be right. Nobody can put you right except you yourself. A real religious person is born the moment you accept your responsibility for yourself, the moment you say, "Whatsoever I am is my choice—not of the past but of the present. It is my choice of this moment, and if I want to change it I am absolutely free to change ...

What is the opposite of Control? (Its not Freedom) It was time for the children to leave for home. A mother, who had come to pick up her daughter, came to me with her daughter and asked, "What makes you work with children, what makes you 'tick' with them". I was about to say my standard answer, "Because I love them". However, suddenly the child tugged at her mother's dress and said, "Mamma lets go". The lady turned to her child and in a curt voice reprimanded her, "can't you see I am talking to Uncle, how many times have I told you not to interrupt when I am talking to elders. Bad manne rs" It was at that very moment that I realised that it was not 'love' that made us work with children, but it was  RESPECT . If I was in the mother's place I would have responded with, "Yes, dear, you must be hungry, I will hurry up with uncle" or something similar. I would have respected the child's needs. Just as I would...

What if you got an operating manual with your child? Obviously you are glad that you did not get any such manual. What fun would be parenting, or for that matter life, if we knew exactly what to do when the child drops his saliva into his milk to check out how the taste will change or when the little teen wants to shave her head just because her classmates are doing so. But lets today talk more about what our children would want to put in that manual, what would they like to tell us parents and teachers - since a fork is not designed as per who holds it, rather what needs to be picked up! Remember, I no-like you a referee; I prefer you a coach : A referee whistles the whole day, points out mistakes, shows what is wrong. A coach comes in only when needed, recognises and works through my strengths, gets me to understand the game, so that I can develop my own style. Remember, I am the child you use to be : I will not only grow-up, but also grow out - of many habits, behaviours, ideas, des...

Hi I am sure you are cursing us  - so many questions unanswered and J a griti  is already over. When will that session, where all questions are answer ed , happen? Well that session may happen in a few years :) - till then for any situation, problem or question - simply question every belief, consider all motivations, acknowledge the feelings, discard all images, ask what you REALLY want and then invite the child to lead, collect, imagine / play and create new perspectives and ideas, reflect on HOMs engaged, explore via multiple intelligence, accept and respect via understanding intentions and facilitate by giving S.P.A.C.E Above in a visual form is attached. Poster it, make it your desktop background or print cards and distribute - just like that. After all of the above - if still, you are confused - come to Aarohi and we will enjoy our days with children so that we have no time/need to resolve the confusions. Let us  end with this song by Bob Dylan -  BLOWING IN THE WIND (listen her...

Hi Consider this as a reflection of the whole program or Consider this as a favour to us. Either way,  it won't take too much time but would add great value to our taking the  Jagriti  program forward. Pl fill this online Jagriti Feedback Form     Thanks Aditi-Ratnesh

Hi All Today is  the last session ( Tuesday, 10th Aug  - same time 9pm-11pm ) . See you all there. This is  what we're  proposing as a format for the #16 Review session. But if you have any other ideas - surely we can take it that way - this session is y ours - so you all can decide the contents and the format. We will start with Open Q & A   to discuss  any doubts  from any  Jagriti   sessions  - 40 min R eview / Recap of all the 1 5 sessions - 3 0 min Followed by w e would like to listen to your views about how the program has benefited you (or not benefited you) - would like you to come on mic+video and share your thoughts - 30 min F inally, w e all can discuss how we can keep the fire burning (and how you can engage with A arohi Community )  - 2 0min We will then officially close the 55th batch sessions, with a story. ;-) For the  # 1 Q&A   come ready with your questions for we will answer them all 😜   For the #2 recap we all will make a drawing - so please bring o...

One day, the sage gave the disciple an empty sack and a basket of potatoes. "Think of all the people who have done or said something against you in the recent past, especially those you cannot forgive. For each of them, inscribe the name on a potato and put it in the sack." The disciple came up with quite a few names, and soon his sack was heavy with potatoes. "Carry the sack with you , wherever you go , for a week," said the sage. "We'll talk after that." At first, the disciple thought nothing of it. Carrying the sack was not particularly difficult. But after a while, it became more of a burden. It sometimes got in the way, and it seemed to require more effort to carry as time went on, even though its weight remained the same . After a few days, the sack began to smell. The carved potatoes gave off a ripe odor. Not only were they increasingly inconvenient to carry around, they were also becoming rather unpleasant. Finally, the week was over. The sa...

My Past is not the whole truth, It is only the part that I have chose n to save in my mind. Experience is not necessarily a good teacher. It can bias, limit and mislead. My past and my beliefs are  not fixed.  I need not be stuck in my past , in my beliefs . These are  just file s on my hard disk that I can edit anytime. I do not need to operate from the past. I can let go of it and operate out of possibilities.  

Hi We have come to almost the end of sessions of Jagriti. We hope not only you have enjoyed the program , but it has already added considerable  value to your life / parenting and that it will continue to add richness as you explore many perspectives we all shared. This email is to share our thoughts regarding your contribution towards the program . Jagriti is not free , rather it is  AKSD - Apni khushi se doh . (Give as per your wish) It is our endeavour to disconnect the work we do and the money we receive. From our side Money is just one of the many needs that we all have. Which apart from covering the cost of running the course is also required for many of  Aarohi's charitable / developmental activities for which this course works as a fundraiser. You are free to contribute whatever amount and that too in whatever instalments. If you have already contributed (which many of you have done) - please ignore this email. If you want to do a transfer now or later - here a...