Awakening the Dreamer Workshop goes to INDIA
October 2012
For the first time in India, outside of Shantivan, Awakening the Dreamer (Kumbhakarna) Workshop was presented at Shantisarovar Retreat Centre in Hyderabad. The Brahma Kumaris and the Pachamama Alliance collaboratively presented the workshop with Jon Symes, Program Director from Pachamama Alliance and Brahma Kumari Elizabeth of San Francisco, USA. There were 110 participants, half of which were BKs and 25 of the other had come to a BK event for the first time.
The reception was overwhelming and was met with a lot of enthusiasm. The gathering rose to a simultaneous standing ovation to declare their support and commitment to bring forth an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling and socially just human presence on this planet. Some had asked to have the same workshop presented again or at their Rotary Club, University or workplace.
The Shantisarovar team has made a wonderful video of the event with multimedia presentation and testimonials at the end can be viewed on YouTube (watch below). More photos can be seen on this Picasa album link
* Feedback from participants and BKs are below.
India Tour During October Jon Symes of the Pachamama Alliance travelled in India in support of this partnership. To start with he and his wife attended the Peace of Mind retreat at Mount Abu, sharing that “we got such a deep experience of the teachings and hospitality of the Brahma Kumaris, it’s been rich for me and invaluable for our partnership.” Jon and his wife Sand also visited the Om Shanti Retreat Centre in Delhi and met with Sr. Asha. In Ahmadabad, Sandhan College Academic TV Channel presentation where Jon and Elizabeth address the students and faculty on webcam. Photo: (LtoR) T.J. Neff, USA; Shailendra Nautiyal, Times of India; BK Elizabeth, USA; Indrabhai Sarvaiya, Sandhan College; Jon Symes, Pachamama Alliance; Sand Symes, USA, a Representative of Sandhan College
Workshop Presentation for National and Centre Coordinators
In Shantivan, Mount Abu, the workshop was presented to National and Center Coordinators from around the world by BK’s Elizabeth from San Francisco, USA, Conny of Australia and Pratibhaben from Nairobi, Africa which was met with a lot of enthusiasm. Thirty of the participants took copies of the materials and videos of the workshop to use back at their countries. Information and materials are also available
http://www.pachamama.org/bkwsu or http://environment.brahmakumaris.org/
* Feedback from participants:
“Excellent, being the first of this kind, organized in a Spiritual Organization. The whole program was enjoyable, educational and very effective. Very glad to know that such an awareness campaign is going on at a grassroots level on global scale.”
“Beautiful, peaceful, loving talks. This is my first visit to Brahma Kumaris. I learned a lot from you. My commitment to action is to “be cool and help others to be cool.”
“AWESOME!! SO ILLUMINATING!!! I learned the awareness of how my actions unintendedly affect the world and people around me. My favorite part is… knowing that there is a powerful possibility for the future. I discovered that I can make a change.”
“It was very informative and interesting and educational. Kept the dreamers fully awake!! My favorite part is in knowing that, a big shift is happening: In view of the people of the Earth and in view of the Brahma Kumaris.”
“The most effective part is that there must be commitment in making this work and to take it into action at the right time. The workshop is very informative and it can be spread worldwide.”
Feedback from BKs:
“In few words it was essenceful and powerful. Service wise, a powerful and a meaningful tool to get connected to people in India. It will help to change people's image of people from being only spiritual to socio-spiritual. Great effort coming together of BKs and another NGO, something new.”
“My life has become so comfortable and secure. Now I realize that I must speed up my spiritual effort. I experienced that we are at the confluence of the Confluence age.”
“Awakening the Dreamer' Workshop was very creative and interesting. The workshop has brought a clear picture in the mind about the increasing urgency to sustain mother nature. Meditation reflections all through the programme added a spiritual and holistic perspective of dealing with the issue.”
“The experience of this workshop has reminded me why I came into this knowledge. It woke up a memory within me to care for the environment and the human world family.”
“I am very glad to know this type of Awakening Programe is presented. This type of programme should be done in every part of our country.”
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