Date: 27 Sep - 02 Oct-2024 Location: Sharanam Community Centre Sourcing Our Oneness aspires to nurture a living spirit of unity and harmony among the organisations inspired by the vision of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother. It seeks to create spaces where hearts and minds meet in collective aspiration, collaboration, and inner growth. In this spirit, the Annual Sourcing Our Oneness (SOO) Camp was held at the serene and eco-conscious setting of Sharanam Community Centre, from 27th September to 2nd October 2024. The camp brought together individuals and representatives from the Sri Aurobindo Society, Auroville, and the Sri Aurobindo Ashram – Delhi Branch, in a shared journey of discovery, learning, and inner work. The theme for this year’s camp was:  “Embracing Harmony as the Means – Embracing Harmony as the End.” In alignment with this theme, the camp invited participants to explore harmony not only as a goal of our collective evolution but also as a living, conscious practice in each moment. It focused on deepening our engagement with the integral vision of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother — through reflection, embodied practices, creative expression, and collaborative learning. The program was thoughtfully curated to foster a sense of inner & outer harmony, and collective growth. Participants were immersed in a rhythm of meditative silence, physical awareness, thematic explorations, nature connect, and artistic offerings. Each day unfolded as a journey into deeper consciousness, rooted in the values and dreams offered by Sri Aurobindo and The Mother. Through sharing spaces and insights, the camp served as a reminder of the potential for oneness that lies within each of us and in the communities we nurture. The daily schedule included early morning sessions with activities like Awareness Through the Body (ATB) by Jayanthy of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Delhi branch, Yoga Asanas taken up by Shweta Rajurkar and walks with gratitude, conducted by Anju Khanna of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Delhi branch and Jaya of Auroville. Every day, post breakfast, Shramdaan was embraced as an expression of Karma Yoga, taken up wholeheartedly by the participants in a spirit of harmony and as a joyful offering to the Mother. Each session began with Mantra chanting, setting a positive and uplifting tone for the rest of the day. Day 1 Welcome and Introduction The camp began with a warm welcome and a brief introduction by the core organising team. Participants were familiarised with the daily schedule and activities. This was followed by an engaging narration by Shiva Kumar of Sri Aurobindo Society, about the story behind the Sharanam Community Centre—the serene and inspiring space that would serve as home for the participants throughout the camp. Introduction to the Deeper Me The session began with participants gathering in a quiet, reflective space to begin the inner journey towards discovering the ‘Deeper Me’. As a gentle opening, lights of aspiration were shared, allowing each individual to express a personal longing or intention from the heart. Priti of Sri Aurobindo Society then guided the group through a deep, insightful session that invited self-exploration and sharing. The day ended with Meditation with the Mother’s Music and journal writing. Day 2 Five Dreams of Sri Aurobindo With both zeal and clarity, Dr..Arati of Sri Aurobindo Society engaged the participants in Sri Aurobindo's Five Dreams, offering a comprehensive and easily understandable explanation of their significance in today’s world. Implementing the 5th Dream of Sri Aurobindo Following a short juice break, the learning continued with Anju Khanna leading a session on Implementing the 5th Dream—the dream of human unity. Jayanthy’s flute music enhanced a meditation on oneness. Participants in groups silently crafted a mandala from baskets of flowers, each group contributing a floral pattern. Lighted candles illuminated the mandala, fostering a meditative silence, symbolising human unity and collective aspiration. Sunlit Ways Participants engaged in introspective exercises, reflecting on fulfilled aspirations and sharing their experiences led by Uttama of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry. Sri Aurobindo's poem "A God's Labour" sparked a creative activity where they drew rainbows, symbolizing their hopes and dreams. Centering Within Jayanthy facilitated an activity which helped the participants to centre oneself and to observe the different parts of one’s being to lead a life founded on unshakable faith. Sunset walk to the Ashram Mainland Following tea, the group set out on a sunset walk to the Ashram Mainland, lovingly guided by Shivakumar of Sri Aurobindo Society. The walk was a contemplative activity allowing participants to connect with nature, the land, and their inner silence. Introduction to the 12 Qualities of the Mother's Symbol The evening resumed with a session led by Jaya, providing a beautiful entry into Introduction to the 12 qualities of the Mother’s symbol. This group activity deepened participant’s understanding of 12 qualities of mother’s symbol - Sincerity, Humility, Gratitude, Perseverance, Aspiration, Receptivity, Progress, Courage, Goodness, Generosity, Equality and Peace. Singing Bhajans After dinner, the group gathered once again, this time to learn bhajan with Arjita. The music brought joy, devotion, and togetherness to the close of the day. As the clock approached 10:00 PM, participants wound down and retired for the night, holding within the rich experiences of the day—a step deeper into harmony, within and without. Day 3 Exploring Symbols of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother A profound session was conducted on Exploring Symbols of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother – guided by Priti and Shivakumar. Participants began to understand the deeper meanings and significance of the symbols. Mother’s Four Powers After a refreshing juice break, the exploration continued with Priti, who gently guided the group further into the realm of the Mother’s Four Powers, deepening the understanding of Maheshwari, Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and Mahasaraswati, and how these aspects manifest within and around us. Individual Perfection through the lens of the 12 Qualities of the Mother .Post-lunch, Jaya led a contemplative session on Individual Perfection through the lens of the 12 Qualities of the Mother. Participants reflected on their own inner journey and aspirations, and how the cultivation of these qualities could guide their path towards harmony and transformation. Walk to Matri-Udyanam With hearts open and bodies rested, the group enjoyed some tea before embarking on a beautiful and fragrant journey in the late afternoon. Guided by Krishna of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry, and Rathi of Sri Aurobindo Society, participants explored the Significance of Flowers given by Mother and took a deeply enriching walk to Matri-Udyanam, a sacred garden space where flowers spoke silently of spiritual truths and divine qualities. The evening eased into melody and devotion with bhajan learning by Arjita, echoing the joy of shared music and collective voice. The Divine Worker Poem by Sri Aurobindo Dinner was followed by an evocative session where Gayatri of Sri Aurobindo Society introduced Sri Aurobindo’s poem ‘The Divine Worker’, allowing everyone to reflect on the spirit of karma yoga and the ideal of selfless action offered to the Divine. As night settled, participants embraced rest and silence, carrying with them the fragrance of flowers, the resonance of chants, and the aspiration for a deeper inner harmony. Day 4 Day 4 began a little differently—without the usual early morning session—allowing participants to rest and prepare for a special visit to Auroville, the universal township envisioned by the Mother. At 7:45 am, the group set off with quiet anticipation, and soon reached the Unity Pavilion, where a wholesome breakfast was shared in the peaceful surroundings of Auroville. Introduction to Auroville The day formally began with an insightful introduction to Auroville by Lakshay, an Aurovillian, setting the context of Auroville as a living experiment in human unity, built on the spiritual foundation of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother’s vision. His sharing helped participants understand the essence and aspiration behind the township. Matrimandir Gardens Walk After a short juice break, the group made their way to the Matrimandir Gardens. Led by Ramanan, an Aurovillian participant, the walk through the sacred gardens was a quiet, reflective experience, inviting each one to tune in to the symbolic significance of each space and deepen their inner connection to the soul of Auroville. A nourishing lunch awaited at the Solar Kitchen, offering both physical replenishment and a taste of Auroville’s collective spirit. Yoga Nidra Post-lunch, a calming Yoga Nidra session led by Jaya gently helped participants rest, renew and reconnect with their inner stillness. Perfect Society through the Lens of the 12 Qualities After a refreshing tea break, Jaya offered another session, this time on “Perfect Society through the Lens of the 12 Qualities”. Through rich discussions and inner reflections, participants were invited to imagine a society where the Mother's twelve soul-qualities guided collective life, relationships, and actions. As the sun began to set, the group traveled to the Beach Office of Sri Aurobindo Society, and then onward for a serene and soul-touching experience of Collective Meditation at the Ashram Samadhi. In the profound silence of the space sanctified by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, participants offered themselves inwardly in stillness and gratitude. The day concluded with a few moments of chanting, sealing the experiences of the day in a spirit of peace and collective aspiration leading to harmony. As the participants traveled back to Sharanam, hearts were full—of beauty, quiet joy, and the subtle presence of the Divine. Day 5 Resolving Polarity After the physical activity, breakfast, shramadan and mantra chanting, day opened with a deeply insightful session on "Resolving Polarity" by Jaya, where participants explored the inner conflicts that divide us and how one can harmonize opposites to arrive at a space of balance and wholeness. Connecting with the Mother’s Symbol through the Psychic Being After a juice break, the journey turned inward once again with Shivakumar and Priti’s session on “Connecting with the Mother’s Symbol through the Psychic Being.” Through  meditative reflections and guided exploration, participants were gently led to connect with the soul’s presence within, and the deeper significance of the Mother’s symbol. Towards the end of the day, participants were preparing themselves for Musical Offering-Poetry Recitation & Musical Offering with the help of Arjita and Jayanthy. Music and poetry groups practiced, and later offered a beautiful Musical and Poetry Recitation led by Arjita and Jayanthy—a confluence of voices, rhythm, and spirit. As the participants prepared for sleep, there was a quiet glow in the air… the sense of something deeply touched, awakened, and remembered. Day 6 The morning of October 2nd brought a bittersweet moment as participants were about to say their goodbyes. But before that, it was a time to reflect upon the experience of camp. After breakfast everyone reassembled for feedback sharing, facilitated by Priti. Participants spoke from their hearts, expressing how the camp had moved them, awakened new insights, and planted seeds of aspiration. The morning was filled with creativity and soulful celebration. It culminated in a quiet, luminous offering — “Flame of Aspiration” by Jayanthy & Anju. It was a collective gesture, symbolizing the Inner Fire lit during the days spent together—a Fire to carry forward. Participants parted ways, the sense of unity remained, knowing that their shared experiences had  created a lasting connection. There were no formal promises, but the unspoken wish to meet again felt genuine, knowing their hearts had already connected on a deeper level.

Date: 30-Jul-2024 Location: Sri Aurobindo Society, Chennai Branch The Integral Education initiative of Sri Aurobindo Society – SAFIER, conducted a one-day Facilitator Workshop on 30th July at the Sri Aurobindo Society Branch at Ashok Nagar, Chennai, in their new premises. There were 8 aspiring Auro Kids participant-facilitators from the Chennai and Chengalpattu branches who were joined by the Tamil Nadu State committee Chairman of Sri Aurobindo Society, Shri Sivakumar. The workshop included an experiential introduction to Integral Education with the help of an awareness game, an activity based on flowers and storytelling. All the activities were based on the chapters/articles by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother from the book, ‘Sri Aurobindo and The Mother on Education’. These also were the basic course material for the workshop. The workshop concluded with a discussion on the content of Children’s’ corners for the next two months with a lot of tips and guidance of how to be with children. A lot of resource materials which would be helpful in conducting the Children corner sessions were also introduced to the group.  The group participated very enthusiastically and were happy to gather a lot of principles, processes and tools needed for organising and enriching the Auro Kids corner which has now started in the Chennai Ashok Nagar branch. The Chengalpattu branch already has a flourishing Children's Corner at their premises.

Date: 27-Mar to 01-Apr , 2024 Location: Sri Aurobindo Centre of New Education (SACNE), Jodhpur Course Facilitators: The facilitators of the workshop were Shivakumar and Priti, from SAFIER, Sri Aurobindo Society, Puducherry. Day 1: Workshop began with meditation and introductions by Shivakumar and Priti, followed by a unique self-introduction exercise where participants shared an inner quality alongside their names. Further, Shivakumar and Priti discussed modern day educational issues, highlighting two key problems: Utilitarianism and the Industrial mindset, two diseases that treat students like factory products rather than unique individuals and overshadowing the need for holistic development. In contrast with this, they emphasised the importance of inspired teachers for nurturing inspired students. Participants reflected on qualities of their favourite teachers and watched videos illustrating inspiration's source and its role in education. Continuing with this, the teachers explored integral education through activities like watching an animation film on the co-founder of Integral Education, Sri Aurobindo. Following this, there was an enactment of the "Magic Mirror" skit to understand the body, emotions, and mind's relationship with the psychic/soul. The teachers then engaged in experiential activities to understand the roles of the physical, vital/emotional, mental, and psychic/soul aspects in various situations. The facilitators concluded with a home assignment focusing on self-reflection. Day 2: The second day of the session started with the chanting of a 'Shanti Mantra', emphasising the importance of proper pronunciation, technique, and notation. The harmonious vibrations of the chanting created a sense of activation and energy within the space. Following the mantra chanting, Priti guided the teachers on a meditative journey to explore the ‘fourth house’ – the ‘Psychic Centre’ where resides the Psychic Being, our ‘Inner Friend’. The session delved deeper into methods for connecting with one's Inner Self. Priti then presented the concept of connecting beauty with happiness. To illustrate this, she gave each participant a flower, inviting them to connect with its essence. She reinforced the Mother's philosophy of embracing beauty as a constant ideal. The session concluded with the exploration of psychic consciousness through a reading from "Sri Aurobindo and the Mother on Education." Teachers adjourned, inspired to continue their journey of self-discovery. Day 3: The workshop began with the Vedic mantra chant led by Priti, followed by an explanation of its meaning and the benefits of chanting. Shivakumar and Priti then introduced the concept of physical, vital, and mental aspects in our daily lives, emphasising the importance of the ‘Psychic Being/Inner Friend’ as the guiding and leading force. Participants were divided into groups and given a project theme "Me and My World". They explored the above theme through various activities facilitated to help them dive deeper into the topic: Physical: Exploring physical energy with yogic exercises, breathing exercises, and guided meditation on body awareness. Vital: Examining the vital nature through a story and reflection activity, learning ways of overcoming irritation/anger and changing them into opportunities for growth and appreciating beauty. Mental: A bean bag activity highlighted the importance of physical awareness, mental judgement, alertness and concentration. A group project allowed participants to assimilate their learnings of the whole session and present them creatively through skits, plays, and poems. The focus then shifted to self-reflection, with guided exercises to help teachers become more aware of their inner selves and light their ‘Flame of Aspiration’. The workshop concluded with a guided meditation, through which the teachers could get connected to their highest aspiration and find one or two action points which they would take up immediately after the workshop, in order to live a beautiful life while being connected to their Inner Core. Day 4: One-day Workshop with Senior Teachers of SACNE It was a brief, introductory and interactive session with 29 senior teachers. The major attention was on initiating the importance of Integral Education as compared to the current education system which is in the clutches of the modern-day approaches, ‘industrial mindset’ and ‘utilitarianism’, which are two diseases deadlier than corona and plague. The other important discussion highlighted the concept of ‘law of averages’ which when at work does not allow the academic curriculum to be developed with respect to individual progress or individual genius and thus creates only ‘average students’. The ultimate aim of education is not to create average students, but inspiring ones. And it is only ‘an inspired teacher who can create an inspired student’. In order to find where do Inspired people get their Inspiration from, video clippings on A. R. Rahman and the Indian mathematical genius Ramanujan were shown, where two heart touching revelations reflected on the ‘Source of Inspiration’ or the ‘Source of Genius’. Then methods were discussed on how to connect to this Source in our everyday life. Sri Aurobindo and the Mother call this source ‘the Psychic Being’ which is the spark of the Divine that is present in all of us. In a simpler tone, we can call the Psychic as our ‘Inner Friend’, the true friend, who can help us live an inspired life. The techniques of chanting mantras, the methods on connecting to one’s psychic, the awareness activity were also effective discussions & activities of the day. The sessions ended with a collective meditation with reflections on the day’s events. A 2-Hour Session with the Games Team Though the duration of the discussion with the games team was quite short, the session was meaningful. The body awareness activity by Shivakumar was insightful and practical. The rhythmic movement of hands in the opposite direction was enjoyable, interesting and challenging. Only a few teachers were able to do it. Then the discussion led to the importance of warm-up exercises before playing any games and also introducing minor games/cooperative games for primary students in order to bring out the sportsman-spirit were the tips given to the team. Priti took up ‘Code of Sportsmanship’ given by the Mother from the booklet ‘Ideal Child’. She focussed on the importance of developing the qualities such as courteousness, modesty, generosity, obedience and being fair and game towards all, on the field, in school and in life itself. The session concluded with a visit to the indoor gymnastic room and the team explaining their regular activities with students. Feedback and Expression of the management and participants: “The workshop with ShivKumarji and Priti was inspirational, motivational and goal oriented.” Meera Singh, Director, Sri Aurobindo School, Jodhpur “First of all, I would like to thank SACNE for giving me the opportunity to attend the IE workshop. The workshop was very interesting, informative, enlightening and gave us a chance of learning about many aspects of integral education. The deliberations were centred on: 1. Integral education 2. Inspired Teachers=Inspired Students. 3. Psychic education 4. Methods of connecting with the inner friend. 5. Physical, Mental and Vital I learnt better ways to meditate and the detailed discussions helped me to understand the nuances of our psychic being. The highpoint of the workshop was the immense passion and effort on the part of the facilitators, Shivakumar Bhaiya and Priti Didi! They made it an unforgettable experience!!!” Nandita Srivastava, Primary school teacher, Sri Aurobindo School, Jodhpur Day 5: The Parents Orientation on 31 March 2024 A New Education for New Humanity (एक नवीन शिक्षा – एक नवीन मानवता) It was an opportunity for the parents to know about the activities of the school and to create a bond with the management as the school is a second home for their children. Meera Didi welcomed and introduced Shivakumar & Priti, Integral Education facilitators from Puducherry and Shally Nab, consultant for phonetics from Australia. Shivakumar and Priti briefed parents on how to nurture their children with the 3 types of food: physical nurturing, love, and good thoughts, and thus provide a healthy environment to the child. SACNE is making its efforts to do this, the parents have to make similar efforts at home to bring out the best potential of the child. But in order to give wings to the children with their roots firmly nurtured, in order to create inspired children, heart-touching revelations by some famous inspired people were shown through video clips and a discussion ensued on the source of inspiration. To help the children connect to the source of Inspiration and live an inspired life is one of the primary goals of Integral Education, and also of the school. An experiential reflective activity with flowers was taken up by Priti to get in touch with this source of Inspiration which is there in each one of us too. Parents gained insights into how the school nurtures these aspects of integral education and performs a leading role for the overall well-being of a child. Day 6: Screening of the Animation film ‘Sri Aurobindo: A New Dawn’ at IIT campus, Jodhpur, on 1 April 2024 Shivakumar welcomed the audience and introduced Sri Aurobindo Society’s vision towards making of the Film which portrayed the life of Sri Aurobindo in the style of a visual poetry as that gives a deeper mode of viewing and experiencing the life of visionary, a yogi and a rishi. After the screening of the film he precisely answered questions raised by the audience which gave more clarity to the audience as regards the making of the film and its essence. He also briefed the hardships incurred in the making of the film owing to the difficulties of the pandemic time. The audience expressed their gratitude towards the dedicated work of the team. Priti shared a make-alike of ‘Bande Mataram’ a newspaper which had awakened the nation during 1906-08 with its fiery articles written by Sri Aurobindo. This make-alike journal had all the information about the film and was distributed to the audience. Seeing the enthusiasm and interest of the audience, she also requested their support for the upcoming movie based on the ‘Five Dreams of Sri Aurobindo’, which was a call Sri Aurobindo made to ‘Young and Free India’ on the eve of Independence through a radio broadcast. Meera Didi, director of SACNE expressed her gratitude towards the viewers and the organisers who provided a promising platform for the presentation.

Date: 29-Jan-2024 Location: Society House Nallore Vattam, a Circle Of Good People or Circle Of Sajjan Shakti, is an organisation/movement for the people and society at large, formed in 2001 by Shri Balasubramaian (aka) Balu Ayya. The goals of the Nallore Vattam is to create an honest and just society as envisioned by Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo, Rabindranath Tagore and poet Bharati. Building a New India is the need of the hour and 18 representatives from Nallore Vattam visited Sri Aurobindo Society to help them in deepening their approach in order to fulfil their vision. Prof. G. Palanithurai was instrumental in bringing this group for the exposure visit. Shivakumar and Priti from the Integral Education Initiative (SAFIER) of Sri Aurobindo Society had a one-day interaction with the receptive participants so that they become well-versed with the vision of Sri Aurobindo Society and its integral approach towards work. The day started with an introduction which helped know the vision and mission of Nallore Vattam more clearly through the lives of its 18 inspired representatives. Shivakumar led the representatives through the varied activities of Sri Aurobindo Society (SAS) through a presentation where the vision of SAS seeking to bring a dynamic spirituality into material life and all its activities, so that the global problems can find a true solution and India can emerge into a New and Dynamic country. This was further enunciated by stories from ancient India. The story of the Founder of Integral Yoga (‘Poorana Yogam’ in Tamil), Sri Aurobindo, was shared through a screening of the recently released animation film by SAS. After viewing the film, the representatives of Nallore Vattam were very moved and understood the depth of the life of Sri Aurobindo and felt close to his Vision and Mission of working for a New Bharat. In the afternoon, Shivakumar and Priti introduced the framework and approach of the Educational and Youth work which came under the common vision of Integral Education (Poorana Kalvi). An awareness game was played, facilitated by Priti, which helped the participants to know & connect with each other and at the same time become conscious of their own actions. This led to a discussion by Shivakumar where he raised some questions which helped the participants to go deeper within the inner layers of their personality and engage in an enquiry about their deeper personality, the Inner genius, the “Inner Nanban” or the Psychic Being as coined by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, who is always present as a guide to each and every one universally. The participants were further led by Priti into a guided meditation where they observed their Inner Weather and expressed with colours their journey of Going Within. Shivakumar concluded the day with an explanation of how leading a conscious life helps an Integral facilitator impart the same consciousness to the student. Thus the approach to Integral Education which was initially presented through experiential activities and explorations was summed up by Shivakumar to create further clarity about the vast and deep subject of ‘Integral Education’. The day concluded with Senthil Kumar making a presentation of activities of SARVAM. The next day, the participants visited and interacted with the people engaged in the village development activities of SARVAM. All the representatives of Nallore Vattam were touched by the depth and vastness of Integral Education and its approach towards uplifting oneself and through it, our country. Some of them shared that it had opened up a new world to them and they were now as if awakened to a new way of being and operating in the world. They felt that the spiritual Power residing deep within the heart of everyone and ready to guide and be our constant Friend if we chose to turn towards It, was truly inspiring & motivating. Feedback by the Participants: Prof. G. Palanithurai, Gandhigram Rural Institute – Deemed to be University:“Presentations made … were highly professional and emotional which touched everyone’s heart and soul. They [the Nallore Vattam group] enjoyed the field work through interacting with the village women who are working in the SARVAM service villages. It was an eye opener for them.” Muthukrishnan, Nallore Vattam:“Last two days, the group of coordinators of Nallore Vattam were blessed to have a vision of Integral Education, Sri Aurobindo Society’s activities, Integral Yoga, and all the dedicated activities for village development and it strengthened the belief that Almighty God will use us as a tool to build an ideal society.”

Date: Jan 14 - Feb 18, 2024 Location: Society House An Introductory workshop was held on 28th Nov where 17 participants participated joyfully to understand the significance of Kolam with reference to Integral Yoga Practice. Kolam is a traditional art form practised primarily in South India and is slowly disappearing in the urban areas. This beautiful art form which has an ephemeral nature helps in harmonising the body-heart and mind around the Psychic Centre by first refining these instruments in the light of offering the Kolam to the Divine. Thus, it is not only meditative but also helps in refining the emotions, improving the concentration and mathematical faculty of the mind and helping the body to find its alignment and build its strength. The participants learnt to draw the sacred Hridaya kolam which had a specific mathematical code to it. Interested participants joined the Foundation Course which is six-month programme consisting of 12 sessions of 3 hours each. Foundation Course in Kolam-Yoga Session 1 - Date: 14th Jan 2024 8 enthusiastic learners gathered around Grace to start the course. The quality that was taken up was Equanimity from the Mother’s Symbol. After a brief sharing on the quality, it was discussed how this becomes a necessary quality to practise Kolam, to remain steady and still in spite of challenges. The Paamba Kolam, was taken up as this is one of the most ancient forms of Kolam. Paamba is snake in Tamil and the movement of the snake with its highs and lows, the waves, the mountains and the valley movement became the highlight of the day. Becoming aware of the breath and the sensations within the body, one’s emotions and thoughts also was stressed upon. Variations of Paamba kolam were taken up and all the participants enjoyed the challenging Paamba kolam. Assignments were given and a document shared with notes on the lesson too. A video was also shared by the facilitator. Session 2 - Date: 28th Jan 2024 Receptivity was the quality that was taken up in the second session. In order to take up the Kolam practice, along with Equanimity, the quality of being Receptive to the flow of creativity, to the inspiration was very important. The Shaivite Paddi kolam was displayed graciously by Grace and participants explored this Kolam form with enthusiasm, constructing Temples with varying Gopurams, beginning with 4 concentric squares and then with the help of the magic square (9 squares), and then each participant stood in their created temple with a lot of joy. Session 3 - Date: 4th Feb 2024 Peace was the quality that was taken up along with the Vaishnavite Paddi Kolam which was the Kolam learning of the day. The Vaishnavite kolam has a dynamic expansive format with curvy lines and more motifs from nature as elements in the Kolam style. The ashtakonam being the centre as a symbol of Lakshmi and then spreading harmoniously around the centre with lotuses, birds and other flowers as its embellishment, doing the Vaishnavite kolam was a very powerful and expansive experience. Session 4 - Date: 18th Feb 2024 Aspiration was the quality that was taken up with the Brahma’s knot style of Kolam learning. The earlier three qualities were under the domain of the Maheshwari Power force of the Divine Mother, while the quality of Aspiration fell under the transition stage of entering into Mahakali’s Power force. Brahma’s knot style is called the Paddi Sun Symbol - Swastika & Suvastika. The Swastika (its form originating from the cross) sets the cosmic cycle in Motion, the bend in the arms symbolise the change and pause in the cosmic cycle and when the arms fold back inwards the Swastika is turned into a never-ending magical Knot. The participants explored and experienced the joys of creating knots and several forms emerged from this exploration, like Sita’s braid, the flight of a bird etc. The foundation course will now progress towards the second module which will be conducted in the months of April and May 2024.

Date: Jan 14 - Apr 24, 2024 Location: Society House SAFIER, the Integral Education initiative of Sri Aurobindo Society, invited Grace Gitadelila from Auroville to conduct a course in getting initiated to Kolam through the approach of Integral Yoga and integrating it with one’s self-development. All the sessions of the course were conducted in the Society House, the main office building of Sri Aurobindo Society, Puducherry, except the last session which happened in the house of the facilitator. A group of six eager learners took up the 6-month ‘Integral Basic Kolam Yoga Learning Course’ starting on 14th January 2024, to experience the deep symbolism behind the patterns of the Kolam, making it a practice for development of the body, heart and mind with the soul as the guiding element and carrying forward as Kolam Yoga practitioners and integrating the Kolam Yoga into the syllabus in schools. There were 12 sessions that were grouped into 3 modules of 4 sessions each spread over a period of 6 months. Kolam Yoga is an ancient traditional practice for the body, mind, emotions and soul. It is considered an ‘Ephemeral Art form’ that is made up of powdered grids of dots and lines. The body is actively involved in manifesting its rhythm and the pendulum-like dance movement helps in laying down the pattern in symmetry and gives a measure and balance to the form of the Kolam. The emotions get involved and refined by the joys emanating from the beauty, harmony and stories that emerge from doing the Kolam practice. The mind gets involved with the sacred geometry, the mystical codes, the concentration and alignment that is necessary for Kolam practice. The soul energy is uplifted and helps harmonise and anchor the body-heart-mind to a deeper presence, as the Kolam practice done with concentration and quietude, gives a deeper insight to the symbol that emerges and makes one closer to the story behind the Kolam. Each session had one quality from the ’Mother’s symbol’, which anchored the topic of the session and gave it a deeper significance. Here is a brief review of the 12 sessions taken: 1. The quality that was taken up was Equanimity from the Mother’s Symbol. After a brief sharing on the quality, it was discussed how this becomes a necessary quality to practise Kolam, to remain steady and still, in spite of challenges. The Paambu Kolam, was taken up, as this is one of the most ancient forms of Kolam. Paambu is snake in Tamil and the movement of the snake with its highs and lows, the curves, the mountains-and-the-valley movement became the highlight of the Kolam. Becoming aware of the breath and the sensations within one’s own body, emotions and thoughts was stressed upon. 2. Receptivity was the quality that was taken up. How to take up the Kolam practice, with equanimity along with being receptive to the flow of creativity, to the inspiration is very important. The Shaivite Padi Kolam was displayed graciously by Grace, and the participants explored this Kolam form with enthusiasm, constructing Temples with varying Gopurams, beginning with 4 concentric squares and proceeding with the help of the magic grids (made of 9 squares), and finally stood in their temple with great joy. 3. Peace was the quality that was taken up along with the Vaishnavite Padi Kolam which was the Kolam learning of the day. The Vaishnavite kolam has a dynamic expansive format with curvy lines and more motifs from nature as elements in the Kolam style. The ashta-konam being at the centre as the symbol of Lakshmi and then spreading harmoniously around the centre with lotuses, birds and other flowers as its embellishment, doing the Vaishanvite kolam was a very powerful and expansive experience. 4. Aspiration was the quality that was taken up with the Brahma’s knot style of Kolam learning. The earlier three qualities were under the domain of the Maheshwari Power force of the Divine Mother, while the quality of Aspiration fell under the transition stage of entering into Mahakali’s Power force. Brahma’s knot style is called the Paddi Sun Symbol - Swastika & Suvastika was taken up as the topic of the day. The participants explored and experienced the joys of creating knots and several forms emerged from these explorations, like Sita’s braid, the flight of a bird etc. 5. Courage was the quality that was taken up as a necessary quality to explore the Ner Pulli Kodu Kolam - Part I, which means making dots which are in straight lines and joining the dots with lines, so that mirrored images are made, which are also in perfect symmetry. Discovering symmetry in forms enables stability, balance and alignment and helps in the culturing and refinement needed in our self-growth - an education by itself! The eight star symbol was explored which forms the motif for embroideries in many folk forms in India and European countries especially the Balkan nations. In this session, fishes, butterflies and lotuses came alive! 6. Sincerity was the quality that anchored the session where the ‘Ner Pulli Kodu Kolam - Part II’ was further explored with respect to animal forms and other aspects of nature such as elephants, peacocks and flowers. The participants were grouped in pairs and made large Ner Pulli structures of 7x7 or 7x5 dots. What emerged were beautiful patterns which were good lessons in mirrored symmetrical images, along with the joy of working quietly in silence and discovering their stability through symmetry. 7. Goodness was the quality that helped us go into the next theme which revolved around ‘Water and its quality of dissolving boundaries’. The participants were facilitated to do body movements to open up and feel the movement of water and its fluidity. The ‘Idukku Pulli Kodu Kolam’ was taught with an added aspect of rotational symmetry. This was challenging but helped in getting more familiar with the relation in the movement of water and the movement of the lines in the kolam. 8. Gratitude was the quality that we landed on the day we explored the ‘Idukku Pulli Kodu Kolam’ with respect to Nature’s Forms & Shapes and the Sacred Shat-kona (the six pointed star, in the Indian symbolic imagery, stands for the union between Purusha and Prakriti, or Shiva and Shakti) or the 6 line star symbolising the 6 facets of Shanmuga. These Yantra kolams are not meant to be threshold kolams but are powerful sacred symbols used for protection and prosperity and made in sacred spaces. 9. Generosity was the quality that anchored the session which was the first session on Sikku Ner Pulli Kolam - with Weaving & Braiding patterns. Sikku kolams are kolams where the pullis (dots) are looped around and we started with the simplest which is the square of 3x3 which becomes a part of Krishna’s anklet, a very common Sikku Kolam motif. In this session we learnt the difference between a Kolam and a Rangoli design and also that Kolam is not merely a folk art but a Script, a real language, and can be elevated to the level of yoga, as the Kolam Yoga. 10. Humility was the quality that was meditated upon, mainly ‘Humility in Action’ and the Sikku Ner Pulli Kolam was further explored where Grace helped the participants to understand Kolam like a Beeja mantra where the Pullis are the silent pauses. The participants attempted making a jumbo-sized kolam on the floor and joyously danced on it, in rhythmic steps, forming a continuous rhythm. 11. Perseverance was the quality that was taken up as the anchor for the session on ‘Sikku Idukku Pulli Kolam’. In Tamil, Idukku Pulli is also called Sandhu Pulli where dots are placed alternately and most importantly they are all joined in a single continuous circuit. The participants placed a central line of 9 dots and went up to a line of 5 dots, placed alternately, and created a pattern of the heart looped 6 faced stars all entwined into a single circuit which resembled the rising Kundalini. 12. Progress is the quality that helped us make a nice summary of all our learning over the past 11 sessions. We need to keep the remembrance of always progressing ahead with all our learnings, which will help us be the guardians of this ancient script. Grace facilitated the ‘Sarasvati Yantra Kolam’ and the ‘Pu’ kolam in the ‘Sikku Idukku Pulli’ (knotty) style. The last session happened at the residence and centre of Kolam Yoga and it ended with a lot of happy participation of making the complex pattern of joining the two types of kolams, amidst a heavy downpour of rain! Our energies, efforts, joy and the rain – all mingled together in a happy communion! The Integral Basic Kolam Yoga Learning Course concluded on 23rd June 2023 with distribution of certificates and an aspiration to include the learnings of the course into one’s daily life by way of practice, exploring further the art-form as a Script and taking the mystical codes to schools (and all students of Life) so as to keep the Kolam Yoga alive.