Y'dig?

Thursday December 15 saw an 8 am meeting of the Wellness Council at WestSide HS. In attendance were some twenty people including the Principal, teachers and social workers and a woman from the NY City Department of Education. The meeting was ably led by Sarah Frank, HealthCorps coordinator at the school and many aspects of wellness were discussed.

At the end of the meeting Sarah asked Alan Wherry to lead a spontaneous meditation and he did by showing the council the way he teaches Sahaja Meditation to a class of students who aren’t that much initially interested in meditation.

Sarah wrote to Alan to say:

“Thank you so much for leading the meditation! Many teachers and social workers came up to me to tell me how much they enjoyed it and how they want to bring meditation into their own lives.  As we work on our employee wellness programming, I’d love to talk about ideas you have for incorporating meditation.

Have a wonderful holiday!

Sarah”

As a HealthCorps Coordinator in a Bronx high school, I provide innovative health and wellness workshops for my students.  Our curriculum includes a fair amount of nutritional and fitness education but also touches upon mental resiliency topics.  And I truly believe, optimal health and wellness begins not with education but rather the openness of the heart and the mind.

For the past 7 weeks, Alan and sometimes Lioudmila Wherry have graciously practiced Sahaja meditation with my students and allowed them to discover its power. Without question, it’s been the highlight of working with my students within the classroom…the best part of the work day.  Every week, we position desks in a circle and read one passage pertaining to themes such as forgiveness, trust, being present, fear & love, and the true source of joy.  “Joy is not what happens to you; it is what comes through you when you are conscious of the blessing you are.”  Alan and myself share personal anecdotes and pose questions that allow the students to find their own individual answers.

In a neighborhood and school environment with constant noise, distractions, and one too many fights, I’ve been encouraged by the ability of the students to quiet their voices, minds, and focus on themselves.  To incorporate ”personal growth-work” into their traditional school work is important.  To scan a room and see 20 students in utter deep silence for 10-15 minutes is damn near breathtaking.

Leslie Dolland

something not quite right, but we know what it intended!