Saturday, April 24, 2010

Techno-70 get-together at INS Shivaji, Lonavala

Forty three of us joined the Technical Branches of the Indian Navy in 1970. We celebrated the 40th Anniversary of joining the Indian Navy and we called it Techno70. Today, none of us are serving in the Navy. The event was an extraordinary one and I met some of the pals after 40 years. I met many of them decades later as I was one of the early deserters. It was wonderful to see that our buddies travelled form around the globe to participate in this event. Though I was in the Navy for 20 years, I never went to Shivaji. A beautiful, scenic campus and perfect weather! We decided to make it an annual event from now on.
I was privileged to conduct an experiential session on Awareness to this extended family of mine. I am grateful for the opportunity and the interest shown by my friends and the attention they gave. That is not easy as they know me in the earlier Avatar(s) so well that it must have been a Herculean task to relate to me in my new Avatar and listen to me. Thank you, my dear friends.

Stress Management Workshop at GMR Infra, Bangalore

This is the 4th stress Management workshop I have done for GMR and it gets better and better each time. I started realizing that conducting personal growth workshops is actually a performing art and the performance gets better and better with practice. I also notice the synchronicity in each workshop. While I do have an agenda and time line, the way each workshop flows is different - like each river has a unique course. Like all rivers do reach the ocean, all events help the unique journey of each participants to the ocean of Awareness and the deep stillness within.

Workshop with the little ones at Nandanam School

Thanks to Vinodhini's suggestion, the willingness of Shilpi and Suresh (the teachers) to try it out and encouragement from Jyothi, I had 6 sessions of pure fun and spontaneous joy in playing with the children (on the pretext of teaching pranayama). Working with them is pure fun - they have incredible energy and their participation is so different from the adults. It is amazing to watch how they grasp form each other. I always enjoyed being with young children and look forward to serve such opportunities.

Personality Development Workshop at GMR Infra, Bangalore.

My sense that the last workshop went well is accurate. I have been asked by GMR to offer it again and this time the room was overflowing with 37 participants in a hall meant for a maximum of 30. It was a bit of a squeeze and I am actually happy to share the session with more people. I refined the workshop based on the earlier experience and managed the time better. I am looking forward to doing it as a 2 day event and add reinventing and deepen the core distinctions.

Well Being Workshop at Auroville

Sometimes friends ask me "How can you do the same workshop so many times and say that you enjoy it?”
The joy comes from this incredible work. It is similar to a singer or a dancer enjoying the performance. And in some sense beyond it as I am blessed to work with people who are interested to enhance their health, happiness and inner harmony. As per repetitiveness, I have been eating 3 times a day (sometimes more) as long as I can remember and enjoy every meal. The workshops are like meals to my soul!

Centenary Celebrations of Sri Aurobindo's Arrival in Pondy

This is the event of a life time; celebrating the Arrival of Sri Aurobindo in Puducherry on 04.04.1910. The week-long celebration started on 28th March.
I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to offer the first workshop on "Towards Integral Health". This is a combination of Well Being and Being Well; focussed on health. What is particularly delightful for me is the venue - Savitri Bhavan, the centre dedicated to the study of "Savitri", the epic poem of Sri Aurobindo.
We had seven session of programme in the early mornings and six sessions of two hours (10AM to 12 noon) on health and healing aspects. This was great opportunity for me to to rehearsal for the forthcoming events at Madhuban in the Himalayas, where I would be offering week long and retreat.
I had the privilege of conducting a very intersting session on 'You as an energy field' at Savitri Bhavan to a group of visitors to Auroville.

Personality Development for GMR Infrastructure, Bangalore

This is the first workshop I offered on this topic and it is based on the Being Well Workshops I do over 2-3 days. It was a challenge to offer it in one day to corporate executives.

I was very happy to see some of the participants who were in my earlier workshop on Stress Management at Bangalore. This is reassuring and encouraging to me. My sense is that the workshop went well and I immensely enjoyed offering it. I am particularly happy with the questions as they make the event interactive.

Stress Management at GMR Energy -New Delhi

I came into Delhi after a long gap of 14 years. And, how Delhi has changed! It is incredible and the look and feel is more like another country. It has no resemblance to the Delhi I visited first in 1968.

It was a pleasure to offer stress Management workshop at GMR Energy on two consecutive days for two different groups of people. I enjoyed it immensely and am grateful for offering the workshops so far from Auroville! (the farthest so far)

Conference on Health care

This is an extraordinary experience for me - to participate in a conference on Health - MCHCI-2010 as an invited speaker. These two days were very valuable for me to get a glimpse of what health management is today - a complex multi-disciplinary trillion dollar business. I am deeply grateful for being included in this event.

The abstract of my talk is reproduced below.
Self Healing – A sustainable approach to health management


Captain JV Avadhanulu VSM I.N. (Retd)

Abstract

Current health management approach is cost and energy intensive, rising doubts about its sustainability. A more fundamental concern is related to ‘management’ of diseases as opposed to the real goal of healing. Natural and alternative health care systems are rooted in ancient wisdom and have been coming under severe pressure from advocates of modern medicine. There appears to be a widening rift between these two schools of thought. The pioneering work of Dr. Deepak Chopra, Swami Ramdev, Dr. Jindal, Dr. Devendra Vohra, Louis Hay, Dr. Dean Ornish threw new and scientifically convincing light on Mind-Body connection and the efficacy of Yoga and Naturopathy in healing and health management.

In 1987, the speaker was diagnosed with ischemic heart disease, prolapsed mitral valve, high blood pressure and high blood sugar level. Fortunately, he chose to follow the path of Pranayama, Ayurveda and Yoga. This approach not only healed the incurable diseases but also rejuvenated him, giving a new level of energy, enthusiasm and jest for life. He started offering workshops and retreats based on his personal experience.

In this talk, the speaker shares his personal experiences in healing as well as the impact of the workshops on participants. Simple but powerful self healing techniques have been a major corner stone of his experience. The speaker also intends to experientially share a few techniques, if time permits. The talk emphasizes the importance of self healing as a sustainable approach to health management. Using such techniques does not conflict with modern medicine but allows for appropriate use of` modern medicine. A shift in consciousness; individual and collective; based on inner harmony, and being in harmony with Nature holds the key to sustainable and holistic approach to health.

See picture at http://www.iimidr.ac.in/iimi/pages/institute/mchci-day3.php

Well Being Workshop at Auroville

This is my favourite workshop and it is was very special for me to offer it during the birthday celebrations of Auroville. There is magic in the air of Auroville in the week starting with the Mother's Birthday on 28th February. The atmosphere is charged with celebration and it is amazingly festive.


This workshop was the largest ever in term of member of people participating - 38. On the Birthday of Auroville, there were actually 51 people in the session!

I feel satisfied and fulfilled to be the chosen one to offer this event!