‘UMBARATHA’
SEMINAR TO CONNECT NATURE, HUMANS & ARCHITECTURE
MUMBAI – 24 FEBRUARY 2008
‘Niramaya Jeevan Manch’ has organised a seminar titled ‘Umbaratha’ (Threshhold) to explore and connect Nature, Humans and Architecture in Mumbai on 24 February 2008. Architect Ulhas Rane who has been in the forefront in the fields of Natural History, Environment & Ecology since the last 30 years, will conduct this seminar. . He has been in professional practice since 1971 and has designed and implemented Architectural and Landscape projects all over India.
Seminar will focus on Sustainable Housing and will explore topics like Evolution of Homes, Ecosystems in India, Bio-geographically appropriate architecture, Building Technology, Human needs and appropriate use of materials in architecture, Eco-friendly architecture and landscape, Infrastructure and Environment, Economics of Architecture, Economic / Environmental / Social cost of Development, Environmental / Ecological footprint of Development etc. The effort will be to arrive at a charter for Environmentally Sustainable Housing and Development through exploration and discussion.
‘Niramaya Jeevan Manch’, a non-profit voluntary organization, has been organising workshops and seminars to help people to adopt nature friendly lifestyle. The objective of this seminar is to assist the people, architects, engineers and builders who are interested in Environment Friendly Architecture.
The seminar will be conducted from 9.00 hrs to 14.00 hrs on Sunday, 24th February 2008 at Maharashtra Nature Park, Dharavi. Seminar will be conducted in Marathi.
Registration Fee for the program is Rs. Fifty only.
Please contact at the following numbers for registration:
09869785638 (Parel), 022 – 28982813 (Borivali), 09969051470 (Mulund)
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Empathy : By Dr. Prerana Rane
Empathy is being sensitive towards people around, understanding their emotional state and responding to their need sensitively. When other person is charged with emotions, empathy is very important. Our empathetic behavior towards other person helps that person to come out of the charged emotions, and think objectively. Empathy also tests our sensitivity and flexibility towards other person’s needs.
Many times empathy is confused with sympathy, but they are different. In sympathy we enter into other person’s emotional world, and get caught into them. It is as if getting dragged into the river of other person’s emotions. Empathy on the other hand is like sitting on the bank of the river, with your feet in the river, so that you sense the water fully without getting lost into it. You are not insensitive to sit away from the flow, and you are not soaked and dragged in the flow so that you would loose your objectivity.
Mahatma Gandhi is considered as most effective leader because of his remarkable quality of understanding and relating with people around. One incident in his life will help us to understand empathy.
Mahatma Gandhi in his later life adapted to Ashram life. He was living in Sevagram Ashram. Life in Ashram was very strict and disciplined. People had to adapt to vegetarian food with no spices, less salt; tea/ coffee was not permitted.
Once, one small boy from south India came to Ashram. He was not well, and started crying and demanding for coffee and Dosa. Ashramites tried to explain to him the rules, how Gandhiji is very strict about regulations. They told him that they can not give such food without his consent, and they were scared to even ask for such permission.
Gandhiji was taking his usual round of Ashram, when he suddenly noticed that this small boy is looking very sad. He went and talked to him. The boy told him that he remembers his home, and is starving for coffee and Dosa. Gandhiji thought for a while, and then told the boy, that he does not have things required for making Dosa, but he will try for a nice toast and coffee for him. He went to his kutir, and made coffee. In those days they used to keep some coffee for the foreigners who used to visit Gandhiji sometime. He also prepared one toast and got coffee, toast for the boy.
Boy was touched by Gandhiji’s act. For Ashramites this was a different Gandhiji. They had seen Gandhiji who was very strict and disciplined. Now they saw Gandhiji’s flexibility, sensitivity in understanding other person’s needs.
Gandhiji loved people around him, and was interested in understanding them. He therefore could notice that boy was sad. He listened to the boy not just through words, but also being attentive to his body language. Boy was emotionally charged, and in such state reason does not work. Gandhiji did not get into teaching him why he should not drink coffee, because the boy was not in a state to think about such things. Gandhiji was sensitive to understand that making the boy comfortable was need of the time, and was also flexible to relax his rules for him at that time.
Empathy plays a big role when a person has gone through emotional trauma. You may recall some familiar situations like child getting poor marks in spite of hard work put in, or a spouse who has been forced to take VRS. Charged emotions of sorrow, affection or dejection, despair, discouragement are expressed in many other ways than words. These can be grasped with heart that is committed to love and care for everyone around. Cultivating empathy in daily life therefore helps our spiritual growth.
Following simple practice would help us in this effort.
When we are dealing with our children, spouse, friends, servant, colleagues, neighbors and other people around :
When we sense charged emotions, we could just indicate to him or her that you are concerned by saying few things like: “you seem to be upset over something. Whenever you feel comfortable to talk about it, I am available.” We need to be patient till the person is comfortable about sharing his or her mind.
Instead of getting into reacting, responding or advising mode; try to listen to that person sensitively, attentively with an urge to know how it is to be like him or her.
Try to listen more than words. Sensitively observe the facial expression, body language and tone accompanying words.
Consciously control your temptation to interrupt the person to give advice, or tell story from your past experience or to ask unrelated question or to change the topic.
Your genuine interest in understanding the person will be felt by that person when you respond time to time about what you have understood about his or her state, and indicating that “I am with you in your emotional journey”.
Respond to that person’s need sensitively and flexibly. Child may just want you to spend some time with you when you have lot of work piled up in kitchen.
Once the flood of emotions is over, the person may want to now think about the situation, decide about the action. Again, instead of rushing for judgments or offering your solutions; enter into a dialogue that will enable that person to decide for himself or herself. Consciously avoid advising or giving ready solutions. At the most tell the person what you would have done in similar situation. Since we love and care for the person; we want him or her to learn and grow from his or her own experience.
I have been practicing empathy consciously for the last couple of years and have found that my relationships have become more authentic and full of love. I know and understand people around me much more now. This has helped me in accepting and loving them as they are. I have started seeing beyond me, my needs and my priorities. I also started becoming increasingly aware whenever I try to run other person’s life; and control such acts.
(Published in Yoga and Total Health)
Many times empathy is confused with sympathy, but they are different. In sympathy we enter into other person’s emotional world, and get caught into them. It is as if getting dragged into the river of other person’s emotions. Empathy on the other hand is like sitting on the bank of the river, with your feet in the river, so that you sense the water fully without getting lost into it. You are not insensitive to sit away from the flow, and you are not soaked and dragged in the flow so that you would loose your objectivity.
Mahatma Gandhi is considered as most effective leader because of his remarkable quality of understanding and relating with people around. One incident in his life will help us to understand empathy.
Mahatma Gandhi in his later life adapted to Ashram life. He was living in Sevagram Ashram. Life in Ashram was very strict and disciplined. People had to adapt to vegetarian food with no spices, less salt; tea/ coffee was not permitted.
Once, one small boy from south India came to Ashram. He was not well, and started crying and demanding for coffee and Dosa. Ashramites tried to explain to him the rules, how Gandhiji is very strict about regulations. They told him that they can not give such food without his consent, and they were scared to even ask for such permission.
Gandhiji was taking his usual round of Ashram, when he suddenly noticed that this small boy is looking very sad. He went and talked to him. The boy told him that he remembers his home, and is starving for coffee and Dosa. Gandhiji thought for a while, and then told the boy, that he does not have things required for making Dosa, but he will try for a nice toast and coffee for him. He went to his kutir, and made coffee. In those days they used to keep some coffee for the foreigners who used to visit Gandhiji sometime. He also prepared one toast and got coffee, toast for the boy.
Boy was touched by Gandhiji’s act. For Ashramites this was a different Gandhiji. They had seen Gandhiji who was very strict and disciplined. Now they saw Gandhiji’s flexibility, sensitivity in understanding other person’s needs.
Gandhiji loved people around him, and was interested in understanding them. He therefore could notice that boy was sad. He listened to the boy not just through words, but also being attentive to his body language. Boy was emotionally charged, and in such state reason does not work. Gandhiji did not get into teaching him why he should not drink coffee, because the boy was not in a state to think about such things. Gandhiji was sensitive to understand that making the boy comfortable was need of the time, and was also flexible to relax his rules for him at that time.
Empathy plays a big role when a person has gone through emotional trauma. You may recall some familiar situations like child getting poor marks in spite of hard work put in, or a spouse who has been forced to take VRS. Charged emotions of sorrow, affection or dejection, despair, discouragement are expressed in many other ways than words. These can be grasped with heart that is committed to love and care for everyone around. Cultivating empathy in daily life therefore helps our spiritual growth.
Following simple practice would help us in this effort.
When we are dealing with our children, spouse, friends, servant, colleagues, neighbors and other people around :
When we sense charged emotions, we could just indicate to him or her that you are concerned by saying few things like: “you seem to be upset over something. Whenever you feel comfortable to talk about it, I am available.” We need to be patient till the person is comfortable about sharing his or her mind.
Instead of getting into reacting, responding or advising mode; try to listen to that person sensitively, attentively with an urge to know how it is to be like him or her.
Try to listen more than words. Sensitively observe the facial expression, body language and tone accompanying words.
Consciously control your temptation to interrupt the person to give advice, or tell story from your past experience or to ask unrelated question or to change the topic.
Your genuine interest in understanding the person will be felt by that person when you respond time to time about what you have understood about his or her state, and indicating that “I am with you in your emotional journey”.
Respond to that person’s need sensitively and flexibly. Child may just want you to spend some time with you when you have lot of work piled up in kitchen.
Once the flood of emotions is over, the person may want to now think about the situation, decide about the action. Again, instead of rushing for judgments or offering your solutions; enter into a dialogue that will enable that person to decide for himself or herself. Consciously avoid advising or giving ready solutions. At the most tell the person what you would have done in similar situation. Since we love and care for the person; we want him or her to learn and grow from his or her own experience.
I have been practicing empathy consciously for the last couple of years and have found that my relationships have become more authentic and full of love. I know and understand people around me much more now. This has helped me in accepting and loving them as they are. I have started seeing beyond me, my needs and my priorities. I also started becoming increasingly aware whenever I try to run other person’s life; and control such acts.
(Published in Yoga and Total Health)
Women's Day: By Prerana Rane
Mother nature wanted someone to care for progeny,
and 'she' was created..
The one who had intelligence to choose
The one who could conceive
The one who could care
The one who had strength to protect the progeny
The one who had patience till they grow
The one whose love was for ever even if they parted from her...
Amazed with her power initially, they worshipped her
Then they felt insecure, what if she.. etc..etc..
So they started putting boundaries around her..
They also tried to tell her, that she is infact inferior..
They tried to tell her that she is limited too..
They enforced it through law, customs, and what not..
They did not realize,
All this was making her still more powerful..
There were a few amongst them,
Who wanted to walk with her,
Share with her everything as one of them..
She too just wanted to be a human being..
Just like them,
exploring horizons..
They got together with her,
and a new journey began..!!
and 'she' was created..
The one who had intelligence to choose
The one who could conceive
The one who could care
The one who had strength to protect the progeny
The one who had patience till they grow
The one whose love was for ever even if they parted from her...
Amazed with her power initially, they worshipped her
Then they felt insecure, what if she.. etc..etc..
So they started putting boundaries around her..
They also tried to tell her, that she is infact inferior..
They tried to tell her that she is limited too..
They enforced it through law, customs, and what not..
They did not realize,
All this was making her still more powerful..
There were a few amongst them,
Who wanted to walk with her,
Share with her everything as one of them..
She too just wanted to be a human being..
Just like them,
exploring horizons..
They got together with her,
and a new journey began..!!
Friday, May 11, 2007
SLOW DANCE (Anonymous author – Possibly written by a six year old girl with terminal cancer in a New York Hospital)
Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round ?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down.
Don’t dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won’t last.
Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask “How are you?”
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You’d better slow down
Don’t dance so fast
Time is short
The music won’t last.
Ever told your child,
We’ll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say “Hi”?
You’d better slow down.
Don’t dance so fast
Time is short
The music won’t last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift…
Thrown away.
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.
On a merry-go-round ?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down.
Don’t dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won’t last.
Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask “How are you?”
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You’d better slow down
Don’t dance so fast
Time is short
The music won’t last.
Ever told your child,
We’ll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say “Hi”?
You’d better slow down.
Don’t dance so fast
Time is short
The music won’t last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift…
Thrown away.
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
