From on the Streets to a Loving Leader: Happy Birthday Bharat

About 17 years ago, Bharat was bootpolishing on the streets of Ahmedabad barefooted, raggedy clothed, trying to make a few cents to contribute to his family’s daily income. A family strapped with problems, he has grown a lot and has become a loving leader at Manav Sadhna and in our EKATVA journey. I will save his life story for a later post by our dear friend Pooja. But for now,  we celebrate his growth, his birthday and the potential that he represents in all of us, even the most underprivileged.

Day before yesterday the kids and I decided we’d pull off a surprise birthday celebration for Bharat’s 25^th birthday. When Bharat was not around we all split up tasks for what we were to bring early the next morning at 7am, to decorate and set up for Bharat’s surprise before he got to practice at 830am.

Chandani and Prinyanka balloons and confetti.

Devram and Sanjay, flowers.

Krishna, Payal, Bharti and Nikita, small gifts, lighted clock gift.

Nitesh , chocolates.

Dipmala, Asha, Bhavnik, Vicky, Dharmaji, Vishal, a Jesus Christ pendant.

He loves music and dance so I got him an ipod and speaker system.

We decorated the entrance of our practice area at the Gandhi Ashram and locked the door, and when he knocked, we bumped his favorite song “Dinka Chika Dinka Chika” (seriously that’s the title) and starting dancing and celebrating, a big party of dance and music that lasted about 45 minutes.

Twas’ beautiful to see how much love the kids have for him and how he has grown to become a loving leader for them.

Love.

1st Vali (Parents) Meeting

How can one explain the feeling felt when a deep longing joy within a child is shared with their parents. Well, that and much more, happened today, all within the span of 2 hours.

Over three months ago Bharat and I met with all the kids’ parents at each and everyone of their slum houses. This is when we had 26 kids selected and we were looking to narrow down to 18. Some kids lived very far and most others were within 2-8 kilometers proximity. Going to each home has gave us an opportunity to learn more about our kids, their families, their family and home environments, economic conditions, etc.  Each of those meetings were primarily to begin the process of developing a relationship, gain an understanding and verbal commitment from the parents that they were willing to support us and their kids through this project. Their support really means, supporting their children emotionally and mentally. Making sure the kids are studying at home and be willing to have their kids come to practice daily and come back home late.

Three months later, we had our first Vali Meeting (parents meeting)here at Manav Sadhna, Gandhi Ashram. It was truly powerful!

We had been telling the kids all week to tell both of their parents to arrive at 4pm on Friday, January 9^th, 2011. I even pseudo-threatened the kids that if both parents don’t come out, then we’ll assume that they are not supporting you in this project and we may have to take you out. In these types of meetings, it is usually always the case that the fathers do not come. Mainly because they are either working (many labor workers) who cannot take time off their job due to obvious financial reasons, or they are drinkers, which makes it difficult for them to come. For example, yesterday, I went to the Shankarbhuvan Slum area to talk to the kids’ parents, because Vicky, Vishal and Dharmaji all said that their fathers would not make it. As I met with their fathers I found out, Vicky’s father was half drunk, Vishal’s father was sick and Dharmaji’s father said he has to work tomorrow. Through some good conversation, I was able to convince Vicky’s father not to drink tomorrow and come and Dharmaji’s father to skip work for 2 hours to join. Wow, I thought, that wasn’t too hard….Come today, the fathers did not show up. All the mom’s showed up, and about half the fathers showed up, which I hear is still a really good turnout.

So the parents show up. We have them sit outside and fill out a form with all their information and confirmation that they support our kids for the project and even if we have to take the kids out of the city, state or country. Our eventual objective with the actual production of the show is to tour, so everyone should be prepared well in advance to support the idea of their kids going to other parts of the country or world if that ends up being the case. The parents tend to be very supportive, they almost see us as their kids’ second parents. The only thing they are truly concerned about is their childrens’ safety.

Once we reached around 430pm, Jayeshbhai and Virenbhai (our founders and soul and spirit of Manav Sadhna) came inside, as well as our kids. We gave our kids one white rose each and 2 beautiful hand-crafted puffy heart pins. They made two lines facing each other at the entrance of the door and then Jagatbhai started playing the dholak live. The parents were invited into the Manav Sadhna home and we welcomed them with love. Bharat and I were at the front door. The parents would walk by us first so we would bow down and touch their feet with love and respect. Many of these parents are actually younger than me, but to know they are the parents of these children, I treat them like my parents. Then as they walk by the row of our children, each of our kids bowed down and touch the feet of another kids’ parents and then pinned the heart onto their chest and handed them a white rose with lots of love.

This is a small seed planting activity for our kids in Oneness, but very important – that each kid bows down to the feet of another kids’ parents and gives a rose to another kids’ parent. All while Jagat bhai is continually playing the dholak live. The kids were so excited to welcome their parents and you can feel the love the parents felt in entering in the MS home. A beautiful and powerful interaction. Love and bonds are built in these ways – you can see it happening.

As the welcome was complete, all 45 of us, sat in prayer and then in silence. Even Dipmala's 3 year old sister, Surya, closed her eyes and prayed with us.

The words “Jai Jagat” (“Hail to the whole world”) awakened the silence and then we proceeded to introduce all the kids and parents to each other. One of our kids would raise their hand, then the respective parents would raise their hands. It was a family getting to know each other.

I then talked for a little while in my limited Gujarati, thanking the parents for coming. Explaining what this project means to all of us, where we all come from-the roots of EKATVA and Manav Sadhna –Ishwar Dada, Jayeshbhai, Virenbhai, Anar Didi. And really sharing the energy and commitment that we all have towards these kids.

Jayeshbhai then spoke very powerfully, bringing truth, light, love and strength to the parent’s hearts and eyes.

Bharat continued thereafter sharing his thoughts on how we all need to work together, parents included, to pull off this type of project. He compared this process to the likes of building a house. The engineer, carpenter, architect, laborers, etc. all have to work in unison for this to bloom like rose.

And lastly Virenbhai shared his powerful love and wisdom towards the parents, once again deepening their trust and connection to the EKATVA experiment.

Then the parents shared their loving thoughts and growth that they have seen in their children since they have been involved with the EKATVA project. They also voiced a few concerns, mainly to do with timing and transportation for the kids.

Lastly, we had a surprise act: the kids performing for the parents, what they have learned to date at Darpana Academy. Prior to performing, each kid got on the mic and expressed what this EKATVA journey has meant to them. That was truly beautiful and powerful, to see the confidence with which they expressed themselves and the gratitude they shared.

The kids performance was beautiful! Beautiful because they were as excited as if they were performing a real show. They did a good job for their first performance, everyone loved it!

Kamaraben made some beautiful mint chai for all the family members.

We all loudly and in unison chanted “Hum Sub EK He!!!”, three times (“We are all ONE”!). And then in beautiful prayer and silence we finally ended our meeting.

The children, for the first time, departed back home from the Ashram not by themselves, but with their parents in hand.

EKATVA. The journey begins, continues and is ongoing.

Love.

In Meditation We Trust

Today was a special day for us. We came to Darpana for practice today. And as usual we get their about a half hour early so that we can do our group prayer, meditation and sharing before the teacher, Kishore Sir, gets their.

As we finish prayer and silence into meditation its always a unique experience. I lead our meditation by suggesting different things for the kids to do each time. Today I suggested, while all our eyes were closed, for all of us to take notice of any specific sound in the environment, whether it be in the room, outside, of nature or machine, anything. And try to keep your focus on that sound for the next minute or two. If your mind wanders away from that sound, no worries. Once you realize it has wandered just bring it back. Then we will share all our respective sounds that we connected with after meditation is complete.

But something was different this time. For the first time, over the many months that we have been doing prayer and meditation, I didn’t feel this internal tension that the kids are restless during meditation. For some reason or another, something in the air, felt like the kids were comfortable in this space of silence.

After meditation was complete and everyone shared their sounds, it just felt right to ask the kids about how they were feeling about meditation. From the many months which we have been religiously practicing, 2 times a day (before and after practice), 6 days a week, have they notice a difference in how they are feeling in this space of silence. The majority of the kids were excited to respond and really shared their comfort and joy in the meditation process. I really wanted to encourage it being okay, if someone was not comfortable and so finally Guddi responded saying that she feels really impatient still in the process. Then Krishna followed up saying that she used to feel really impatient and restless as well, but now doesn’t feel that way.

The question was asked (a question we have previously discussed in depth), ‘why do we do meditation’? To bring peace to our minds and our bodies. To train and exercise our minds. To take out bad thoughts. To quiet the mind and body that is constantly running all day. To just listen without judgement.

Bharat then shared how he just can not find a peace of mind. He said he has a lot of anger inside of him. We continued on a in-depth discussion, as a group, about Bharat’s anger and why it might be there, and what are some potential roads to easing that anger and bringing a little more positive energy and peace.

Its beautiful, that we were at dance class today, but that meditation felt like the more powerful experience of the day.

Love.