Sonia Califiore reports:
“It was a great pleasure to be available at LEPS High School yesterday. Some 50 – 80 students learned Sahaja Meditation and experienced realization. Students came  in groups, each of us were having 2-4 at a time. The room had so many options on different stalls that students were just enjoying roaming here and there but finally some would sit down for meditation and would have a deep meditative experience notwithstanding that even with the music being so loud and us being unable to tell them about meditation, they were all able to meditate beautifully and we could completely feel their subtle energy, their vibrations. The students themselves were also able to notice this phenomenon, that even in such a distracting environment how easily they were able to relax and go deep inside themselves. It was a tremendous experience for all of us, we enjoyed it and felt blessed to be able to participate.
Most of the students in this school are Chinese and on asking how did they feel afterwards, their answers were—-relaxed, peaceful, something inside….i can’t describe, warm but good, strong vibrations on my head.. its not anywhere else its on my head…..!!!
Alan, please let us know when there are further programs.
Mark Taylor, who with Linda ran a health fair at North Bergen New Jersey, reports
| Photos of the event taken with my cell phone are at:Â http://meditationfor.us/healthfairs/nbhs/
North Bergen High School, NJ, Healthcorps “Health Fairâ€, Tuesday, December 7, 2010
The fair was fresh, innovative, and reflected the sincere and focussed attention of the Healthcorps coordinators. Coordinators Alvin and Joshua and others supported Hannah’s event. The theme for me seemed to be, “respect who you are, and respect others for being who they are.â€
Only Grade 9 students were invited. They felt the depth and sincerity of the presentations. They were respectful, and participated in a real way. At one booth they wrote personal testimonials about being bullied or discriminated against. These were clipped to a clothesline for others to read.
The Sahaja Meditation station was popular. Usually students were standing, waiting for their turn, as we had seven available chairs. (We’ve requested more chairs for the next New Jersey health fair in Newark.) Mark, Nidhi and Nilgun showed the students how to meditate. We appeared to be the only “outside†group that took part in the fair. Everything else was contributed by the school staff and students themselves, and by the tireless dedication of the wonderful and extraordinary Healthcorps coordinators. I learned that Healtcorps coordinator Joshua is a very good hula-hoop practitioner. I couldn’t decode the “tiful†on the small posters all over the gym. It took Nidhi to tell me, it says, “BE YOU-tifulâ€. There were several “two images in one†drawings displayed. Some people could see only the one, and some people saw only the other image. In one, was it two people sitting (one with a guitar), or two old people in profile? I learned that Healtcorps coordinator Alvin is another hula hoop master. I call him “the guy with the boundless energy and enthusiasm,†that is, your typical Healthcorps person.
About a hundred schoolchildren experienced Sahaja Meditation. A few asked for a second session. One boy, after sitting for a second session, was seen a minute later, a few yards away, describing the experience to other students. His face beamed as he drew a large arc high in the air over his head, encircling his entire head from shoulder to shoulder, as a way to illustrate what he felt.
Someone told us that the most popular station in terms of photos taken of it by cell phone-carrying students was the Sahaja Meditation station.
Monday evening we attended a seminar at W34th st designed for people who’ve been meditating now for some 4 months or so. Eleven newish people attended, accompanied by established Sahaja people including Paul Ellis, Linda Taylor, Vasu Vallabhaneni, Nisha Joshi and Niraj Nanotkar. The objective was simple, to be able to demonstrate how to go deeper in the meditation, how to be more vibrationally aware as we go through our daily lives, how to keep noticing where our attention is going plus imparting a few new techniques. This is always an interesting stage and the eleven who attended seemed to really get it. Time will tell. Linda, played a short excerpt of a talk give in India by Shri Mataji, about how to watch without reacting. This relates beautifully to the situation in West Side just earlier in the day. If the students could watch the drama of their lives unfold without reacting, most of their difficulties would disappear.
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Here’s the excerpt from the talk that Mark and Linda researched, and which I also played in three schools this week. The students all got the point very easily, and it’s particularly germane, for most of their stress coming from reacting to situations or their thoughts about them:
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(Audio: Shri Mataji – Watching Without Reacting)
Last night, Tuesday, was the 34st Street meeting. There were lots of newish people there, probably 16 or so, and a wonderful young woman who’d come across Sahaja Meditation in Berlin. We said very little, but did a guided meditation up the left channel, and it was obvious to everyone present, that whereas our vibrations at the outset were all over the place, we ended the evening feeling balanced and joyful, a feeling confirmed by the coolness on both palms and a gentle breeze at the top of our heads. One or two left the program looking blissful.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Off to Kristy Borak’s EBC school in Brooklyn. She had organized an unusual kind of health fair. Instead of it being in a gym, classes of students went with their teachers into classrooms in which a particular presentation was made to them. This, from our perspective worked very well, for it’s good for the teachers to see the immediate benefits that Sahaja Meditation produces. Unusually too, the classes were all same-sex, and a group of girls I spoke to said they liked that because it enabled them to focus on school work and not on boys.
We had four groups during the morning, which ran from 9 am to 12 noon, and forty students learned to meditate. We gave each of them the Stress-Busters form and the vast majority of students reported that their stress levels were hugely improved after a short meditation. Stephen Evans was there, and, as always, enlightens Alan in aspects of the US political system that would otherwise elude him.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Three students turned up for breakfast meditation at Ms Mac’s Fordham Arts. We had a deep meditation, after which I played the same four minute talk by Shri Mataji. These students have been meditating for some time got a lot of out of listening to this talk. What an incredible confluence of Erica’s – an explosion of talent, energy and enthusiasm, Erica Rodas, Erica McLananhan and Erica Ervin. It’s not a common name, is it a coincidence that three are in HealthCorps at this time?
Friday, December 10, 2010
Kurt Hahn HS, Brooklyn. About 15 students came to meditate at 8 AM including Mr. Mendelson, the Dean. He enjoyed it so much he said he will come every week. He brought a new girl, Margaret, who was able to meditate very easily. Again we listen to Shri Mataji’s talk on watching without reacting and again, the students say they fully understood.
Then to University Heights high school, which has moved to the South Bronx. A very lively health fair at which about 30 students meditated really well in the cacophonous revelries of their peers. Met an extraordinary teacher, Paul Woods, from Dundalk. He was watching what was going on on our stall and he could feel that the students were in deep meditation. Here’s Erica Ervin’s thank you note to the outside people who participated. It gives a good idea of the different activities that happen in a HealthCorps health fair. I am especially indebted to Amy Barone who brought over to the Sahaja Meditation stall at least half the students who ultimately tried it.
Subject: The Biggest Thank You Ever from Erica, of HealthCorps at UHHS
| Thank you to every health person who participated in today’s Health Fair at University Heights High School!
Today was such a success. But I could not have done it without each of you. Its relatively easy to order the materials, make the posters and convince the teachers to not teach (long enough for the students to attend) or to convince the students to miss class. Thus the success of this event rests on each of you. With your knowledge and guidance, my students not only enjoyed today’s event but they actually grew from it and became more healthy individuals. As for particular shout outs (in abc order because everyone was such a HUGE help today):
- Alan – You are amazing. No matter how wash up we going to meditate before you were easy you make it seem, it is no easy feat to convince students to be quiet and mediate. Yet you do it. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for the attention and love you shared with the students and staff of the school I love. You amaze me every time I engage with you. Your ability to converse and calm every one around you is most impressive. I would love to have you back at UHHS to continue your mission of meditation.
- Yet the owner we going toAmy - Thank you for coming today. You kept apologizing for ridiculous reasons that I have no recognition about, as all I remember is that you were such a powerful advocate in pointing my students towards engaging booths. We all know that the booths are fun and interactive, but the students often dismiss them at a quick glance. So thank you for helping me persuade the lethargic student to become engaged. Furthermore, thank you for inviting Kerry Mclean from WHEDco, I hope she enjoyed the fair.
- Ashley – You killed the organs booth! So many kids came “complaining†about how gross they were! Yet how cool. Kudos to you! Its a hard booth to run, as we booth know. It doesn’t help that we have booth run the booth more times then we ever thought possible with real human organs (what a job we have). Cheers to us both completing our health fairs!
- Caleb – At the end of today, I snuck a peek at some of the New Years Resolutions in the Time Capsule Box, and I was astonished with how powerful they were. Thank you SO much for motivati only going tong my studen ats to become the best they can be. I can tell them a million ways to become healthier and mentally stronger, but when they actually write down a promise to themselves, the reality of them following throw is %100 more probable. Their personal improvement in the new year is a reflection on you (and maybe a certain pop star).
- EricaM - Thank you, thank you for coming today! Your presence was such a blessing. The Think Before You Drink Booth is a classic and effective booth if the right person administrates it (aka you). It was an early Christmas present when you emailed me that you were coming. I am so sorry I won’t be able to repay the favor next week (as I will be bring students on a field trip). However I would love to help you in any other way possible. Please let me know if you would like to utilize any of my materials/documents. Or if you have any questions. I would love to return the favor as you were such an asset today.
- EricaR – Yoga/Pilates may be the hardest booth to run at a health fair. Thank you so very much for stepping up to the plate and making it successful. Every time I glanced in your direction you were conversing or instructing one of my students. Yoga is one of my most personally cherished activity/outlets and it brings so much joy to my heart to see my students giving yoga a try. Besides running a great activity, thank you a MILLION times for picking up the balloons this morning. You were able to deliver the last piece of the health fair puzzle, and I am eternally grateful to you for that.
- Jennifer – Thank you for coming to my health fair. I appreciate it beyond words can say, as you had to leave Ian’s Fair in the LES and trek all the way to the South Bronx. Not only are you an amazing advisor but you are one of the best Poop Masters I know (2nd year in a row you have educated UHHS students on what their waste products say about their digestive system). Thank you for your kind words and your support, it means the world to me.
- Katrina- You are the best roommate ever. I have yet to hear of another coordinator’s roommate attending a Health Fair (unless they were also a health coordinator). Thank you for holding down the Positiv-i-tree and for making Devon (my charismatic little chef) feel welcome and involved. THANK YOU. I owe you. So how can I help with one of your grad finals? Which paper would you like me to write? Due date?
- Natasha- My original BX LTM mate. It means volumes that you joined me today in the South Bronx. Thank you for being flexible with the booth I assigned you (I know I originally assigned you the New Years Resolution Booth, but the Poop needed a true expert). Working with you has always forced me to look at the situation from a different viewpoint and has thus made me a more effective coordinator. Thank you for the New Years Revolution Time Capsule Idea! You are a true Bronxer and the ideal neighbor coordinator. I can’t wait till your fair in Janurary.
Now if you haven’t figured it our yet, I’ll give you a hint: I am one lucky HealthCorps Coordinator to have such a RAD Health Fair team today. My principal was overjoyed with the outcome today, and I ultimately must thank each of you.
THANK YOU.
Erica Irvin
HealthCorps Coordinator
University Heights High School
There were two other health fairs in the New York area today, in Brooklyn at Abraham Lincoln high school, Ocean Parkway, and at the Lower East Side Preparatory high school in Manhattan. Georgia Davis, who handled the Brooklyn fair said, “The health fair at Abraham Lincoln HS today was not at all what I was expecting! It was quite amazing to see how eager the kids were to come and meditate – many said they meditate regularly already – or to experience meditation for the first time amidst the blaring music (auntie Joan now I understand what you meant by LOUD music!).
About 40 or so students received their Self-realization and some of the comments they made were:
“this made me feel calm”
“this was awesome”
“i am feeling like i am near to the God”
One boy was brought over by his girlfriend. When asked if they have mediated before she said yes very sweetly but he said no. When asked to check a box on the ‘stress-o-meter’ sheet, he said he did not know what to check since he felt neither stressed, neutral or clam but “extra hyper”. So I told him he could write that on the sheet. He could barely sit still and was grooving to the music. But it only took a few seconds and he was in deep meditation. After a few minutes when he opened his eyes he was in a totally different state saying “I could take a nap now” in a calm, centered voice.
Orly and Sarah were wonderful as well with great energy and constant smiles.â€
When what it was like to run the health fair on her own, and for the first time, Georgia said, “it was manageable. the students came in waves. but I felt I did not allow them a long enough meditation since they kept coming and if they were not involved they would disrupt the students already meditating. guess its ideal with 2 yogis in attendance but one is better than none right?
There were two first today, Georgia and Tina, who coordinated LEPS, experienced their first health fairs as coordinators. Ian Forster, the HealthCorps man at LEPS said, “Thanks for making it over to LESP this morning Tina. As always, Sahaja was a wonderful addition to the LESP atmosphere. Although I did not get time to speak at length with your other guests, please pass along my gratitude to them as well.  I saw a number of students and faculty members walking away from your area with that familiar at-peace-look about them – kudos to you for a job well done.†|
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