Where's my Nirvana?

This article written by me was published in the Anglophone newsletter of the International School in Fontainebleau on 17.04.08.

Where’s my Nirvana?

Relaxation? Meditation? De-stressing?

If you are like most moms, juggling three kids, a husband and a job, your idea of “a moment to yourself” is probably standing in a long queue at Champion (where for some reason only two of the counters are open at peak hour) and where your queue refuses to move along because someone forgot to put a price tag on his bag of onions. Whatever your thoughts are at this time, for sure they are not the most pleasant.

Nirvana? Probably not in this lifetime!

But if your goals are slightly more modest-- a need to be able to relax and de-stress, have more energy and reduce anxiety, tension or depression-- help might be just round the corner. In this day of fast food and fast cars, anything that takes longer than 15 minutes (even if it is reputedly a great tool to release stress) probably does not merit our attention. It is with precisely this in mind that The International Art of Living Foundation (IALF), teaches practical tools to destress and rejuvenate. Only 15 minutes a day does wonders! Too good to be true? Apparently not. 25 million people in 147 countries will vouch for its efficacy. From NASA scientists, to CEO’s, to university professors, to doctors and politicians, people across all cultures and continents, are thronging to these workshops and reaping the benefits of an age old Vedic technique that has been made adaptable to modern life.

The IALF courses are generally conducted over a weekend, comprising of 6 sessions of 3 hours each. The core of the course is the powerful Sudarshan Kriya™, or the Healing Breath Technique, which is a rhythmic breathing technique that releases toxins from every cell, and rejuvenates the mind and the body. At the end of the programme, one is given an individual technique that can be practised at home without any outside help. As IALF instructors often joke, “As long as you have your breath, you can do this anywhere.”

So why is the breath such an important factor in eliminating stress?

Ancient yogis in India have said that the entire secret of life is contained in the breath. Firstly, every emotion is linked to a specific breathing pattern. For example, when we are angry, we breathe very fast; when we are scared, we block our breath; when we are sad, our exhalation is much longer than our inhalation, and when we are happy, our inhalation is much longer than our exhalation. Knowing this, one can use specific techniques to rectify the breathing, in order to come out of habitual emotional patterns.

Secondly, it is known that 80% – 90% of our toxins are released through the breath. Studies have shown that we use only 25%- 30% of our lung capacities. (In the Introductory workshops, one can do a specific exercise to see just how well developed one’s lungs are.) Hence toxins accumulate over time, and over the years manifest itself in the form of high blood pressure, hyper tension, anxiety, depression, insomnia or more fatal illnesses.

The organisation, founded by Indian spiritual leader His Holiness Sri Sri Ravishankar in 1982, has international headquarters in India, Germany and Canada, and local chapters in almost every major city in the world. It is now the largest volunteer-based NGO in the world. Apart from personal development, the organisation also focuses on socio-developmental work. In France for example, there is a programme called, “Un Euro pour un Heureux”, which provides value-based education to children of rural and tribal India. Apart from formal education, the children are also provided text books, school uniforms, meals, medical and dental care.

In 1997, Sri Sri founded the International Association of Human Values in Geneva, which till date has adopted 30, 000 villages in India. Under its 5H Program (5H stands for Home, Hygiene, Health, Human Values and Harmony in Diversity) development projects have been carried out, bringing self-reliance and sustainability to millions of people. The program is aimed at educating the villagers about cleanliness and proper sanitation, various health issues, as well as eliminating stress and violence in society. As an NGO, IALF works in special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005 and 2006.

A wonderful opportunity awaits all in Fontainebleau this week. From April 18th to the 21st, the IALF will conduct a 4 day workshop here. The programme is open to all above the age of 18. It will take place at the Centre Alchimie des Sens, at 13 Rue Guerin, Fontainebleau. Prior reservation is necessary. For more information call 06 10 08 79 42 or visit www.artdevivre.fr or www.artofliving.org

Les Couleurs de Printemps!

It is (almost) spring... yet most days are colder than January.

With chattering teeth and layers of warm clothes, 11 brave participants arrived at the course. They were Annie, Mathilde, Ursula, Nalini, Francois (Nicki's husband), Ania, Meghna, Chantal, Isabelle, Andrea (repeating for the second time) and Jonathan (Andrea's husband). The course went splendidly, inspite of the room heater not working and the cold air chilling us to the bones.

Andrea and Jonathan braving the cold

I translated from French to English for Meghna, Ania and Jonthan. By the 4th day, my depleted
prana was apparent when I translated "Vie a plein des secrets" as "Vie is full of secrets". (Right now I have a complulsive need to translate every French sentence I hear to English..)

We had a beautiful mix of cultures, (thanks again to INSEAD)...French, German, Indian, Polish, British and American... From the motherly Ursula (who called me "ma petite indienne") to the chivalrous Jonathan and Francois, to the fun-loving Isabelle, Andrea and Ania, to the soft-spoken Mathilde, Annie, Chantal, Nalini and Meghna.

(L to R-second row)Ursula, Meghna, Andrea, Francois, Mathilde and Jonathan

(Front row) Stephane, Nalini, Annie, Ania, Chantal and myself. Isabelle's "surprise gifts" displayed in front.

The buffet spread I keep talking about! The reason you don't see too much food on the 'table' is because its in our tummies :)

Isabelle brought delicious home-made pastes and compotes for all of us, even though she herself could not taste any of our foods (due to a dietary restriction). Meghna brought me some yummy chocolate muffins, because she had overheard me saying that I loved chocolate :) Mathilde's lentille-loaf (its meatloaf only made of lentilles) disappeared in seconds as did Nalini's perfumed rice.

The transformation was apparent in the radiant smiles and the glowing faces. Thank you Stephane, for yet another beautiful course!! Its amazing how you do it...hats off!!

Isabelle's surprise gift for everyone had us "oohing" and "aahing" like little children. I recounted my "blue yoga flier" story, of how Kanchan thought that people in Fontainebleau ran away from me (for the fear of being talked into signing up of the course), and Chantal said this amazing story of how she had come back to the center a second time just to return an extra flier she had picked up! Nalini recounted her "act of kindness" for the day was giving lifts to strangers, something she had never ever done before! And Ania made a special salad for Isabelle the last day, so that she could at least eat something from the rest of us...

Sssh...the magic has begun...

Merci Michel pour les photos!!!

January 2008!

It was the New Year once again, and time for yet another course in Fontainebleau!

By the begining of the year, I had managed to register only 2 people. Stephane insisted on atleast 10 new !!The 6 people who had signed-up for the course in October(which was later cancelled) were not available this time. All in all it looked like yet another disaster waiting to happen.

But we continued none the less. A couple of Introtalks later, we had 11 people (all first time participants!)

The course was held from the 18th to the 21st. Xymena, Katie, Max, Valerie, Nicki, Serge, Katrina, Anne, Michel, Cristina and Andrea! 11 amazing people, who gave the course their 100% !! I was assistant to Stephane.

After a sumptuous buffet (which has come to characterise courses in Fonty) on Sunday, we went to take a walk in the chateau gardens. This time luckily for us, we had Michel, an ace photographer, who clicked merrily away.

It was during this walk that Andrea discovered that "Chitta" was not a French word! (No wonder she was confused.) Katie, Xymena and I talked about Universal Consciousness, and Cristina wondered how long it would be before she got her "Nirvana". Oh well!

In the group photograph, instead of saying "CHEESE" we all said "CHITTA"!

Are anyone's eyes "clinging?"?

Stage YES!

Just a month later, Bea organised a Stage YES for the 13 to 17 year olds. The course, which comprised of 11 adolescents, took place in her house in 30 rue des Bois.

Stephane and Vidyut were the two teachers.

Hello and welcome to Art de Vivre, Fontainebleau!

After an year of sustained efforts, which included several setbacks and half a dozen "Atelier Decouvertes" we were finally able to have the first Art of Living course in Fontainebleau in September 2007!

Beatrice Cherrie (my good friend and principal motivator)and I managed to register 11 people! Our group of 13 included Linda, Monique, Sandrine, Corrine, Amanda, Claudine (from Nice), Inga, Emily, Luis, Marie Claire, Maryse, Bea and myself. Stephane was the teacher with Camille as assistant.

The course was great. It was spread over 4 days from Sept 14th to the 17th! We laughed till our tummies hurt, and hugged each other like children. Lunch on Saturday and Sunday was a sumptuous spread of exotic vegetarian food. Sunday post lunch session was held in Bea's garden. We spread out our yoga mats in the warm sun, and sang "Om Namah Shivaya" to the strumming of Stephane's guitar.

Organising a course was no easy matter. But a group as wonderful as this, sure made all the efforts worth it.

Unfortunately none of us had remembered to bring a camera :(