SAIIER 2020:Arulvazhi - Exchange programme
Exchange programme 2019-20, ‘Each one teach one’
a project of Entity::Arulvazhi Education Centre
The aim of this programme was to bridge Auroville with other integral educational centres. To kindle their inner sparks of light, ‘Each one teach one’.
For the past more than 12 years we have been conducting Auroville – Tamil Nadu seminars, every year on March 29th and November 24th with devotees of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother and some delegates from the Sri Aurobindo Society. Now in 2019-20 we started an exchange programme with children of various centres and Auroville Outreach schools.
Programme in detail:
Part 1 (3rd November 2019):
We along with 12 students, teachers and 10 resource persons from Auroville visited Chengalpet Othivakkam Centre near Chennai. We were inspired by the welcome from the students and teachers of Othivakkam Centre. Children of both centres mingled together and shared their talents in dance, songs, drama, Savitri and Prayers and Meditations.
Part 2 (15th December 2029):
From Chengalpet three resource persons, including Mrs. Meena, and Rajendiran with their assistant, visited Arulvazhi school and children. Ms. Syamala from Arulvazhi school and Meena shared the teachings and readings of Savitri lines and explained about Service (karma yoga) and Gratitude. Muthukumari, Nimila, Velmurugan, Arun and Mahendiran interacted with the Chengalpet resource persons in a lively get-together, educative and inspirational. Mr. Varadharajan and Mr. Rajendiran chaired the occasion.
Part 3 (29th December 2019):
From Arulvazhi school four resource persons (Nimila, Arun, Muthukumari, Mahendiran) went to Chengalpet centre. They shared teachings about Tamil heritage words, significance of Aathichudi, Arulvazhi and Auroville Matrimandir gardens, how energy functions in the body with demonstration and songs with dance. At the end there was a group meditation with children lighting candles.
Part 4 (18th January 2020):
In an exchange programme with Arulvazhi children, resource person Senior Aurovilian Meenakshi Akka shared her views the on Bharathiyar songs and her own experience. She also explained about the quality ‘Gratitude’ to our children.
Part 5 (1st February 2020):
We had an exchange programme with Morattandi village women. 22 women participated in this session, which started at 10.00am with Prayers and Introduction. This programme was coordinated by resource persons Shri T. Rajagopalan and Shrimathi Vasuki along with the Arulvazhi team and ended at 2.00pm.
This session had the them ‘Each one teach one’. Each one got the opportunity to talk about one quality, feeling or need in their families. In the beginning of the session most of the women felt shyness and were afraid to speak, and also some of them cried emotionally, because this was the first time they had space to talk about their feelings and problems faced in everyday life.
These are the qualities the women are expecting in their families: peace, harmony, prosperity, happiness, wellbeing, equality. A few exercises on concentration and observation of breath were given to them. And then they learned about flowers' spiritual significances related to their qualities.
The women felt like this was a healing space, they felt lightness of breath and their mind relaxed after this session. They felt empowered through deep listening and sharings. They learned about spiritual significance of flowers, they felt this session connected each one together and created the collaboration of unity.
Part 6 (2nd February 2020):
35 students from Thamarai Education Centre along with their facilitators, together with 35 Arulvazhi children, participated in an exchange programme at Arulvazhi welcoming the Thamarai staff and children.
After prayer and meditation one of the students from Arulvazhi explained the purpose of the exchange programme and the meaning of ‘Each one teach one’.
After the Auroville songs, both schools shared their activities by Power Point presentation.
They learned about the 12 qualities of the Mother s symbol with their creative ideas. The significance of the flowers connected with the 12 qualities were also explained.
After a delicious lunch, the children enjoyed group games, songs and cultural programmes.
Closing with The Mother prayers, the participants happily received the Mother symbol dollars as a memento and gesture of gratitude.
This programme was coordinated by resource persons Shri T. Rajagopalan and Shrimathi Vasuki along with the Arulvazhi team.
Feedback and learning by participants:
- They learned and enjoyed the ‘welcome march’.
- They learned more about the spiritual significance of flowers.
- They experienced and respected each other’s good qualities in each activity.
- This programmes kindled their dormant inner qualities.
- They learned and experienced about Arulvazhi, Auroville and different songs.
- Each one found new friends and got to know new places.
- Through these programmes many participants got rid of stage fear and were ready to share the team responsibilities whole-heartedly.
- These programmes showed the future captains.
- They got a chance to know more about Sri Aurobindo and the Mother's visions.
- The exchange programme gave the feeling of “Oneness to ALL”.
