Announcements – 29-02-2020 Varshitap Prarambh and Parna: Taking inspiration from the first Tirthankara, Bhagwan Shri Rushabhdev, aspirants undertake the auspicious Varshitap Aradhana under Pujya Gurudevshri’s loving guidance every year. This year, Varshitap Aradhana will begin on Mon, 16 Mar ‘20. Please click here for details on undertaking Varshitap Aradhana. Pujya Gurudevshri will bless tapasvis with Varshitap Parna on the auspicious day of Akathrij, Sunday, 26 Apr ‘20 at Patel Chambers. Tapasvis who are regularly following bhakti-satsang as guided by Pujya Gurudevshri; and who have begun Varshitap in the past year and wish to participate in the Varshitap Parna are requested to contact Atmarpit Mitaji (Tel: 0993055148 (M)), by Saturday, 7 Mar ’20. Latest Updates from Shrimad Rajchandra Divinetouch: In the world of academia, people view the world from their own personal telescopes. When something goes wrong or right within the human body, a scientist will credit the DNA. A sociologist will say it’s the external circumstances which determine an individual’s current state. A psychologist will point towards the subconscious mind. But there is one aspect that all of these scholars will indisputably agree upon – the importance of the period of childhood – and the nurturing environment one receives at this crucial stage in life is what truly shapes a person. Pujya Gurudevshri, our spiritual physician, the Visionary of our sparkling futures, has created an immersive and enlightening journey for children, well known across the globe as Shrimad Rajchandra Divinetouch. Conducted with utmost love and emotional intelligence, this global chain of value-education classes, undertook a range of diverse and impactful activities in the last six months: Instilling Moral Values at Schools: As most traditional schools do not have a spiritual curriculum, Shrimad Rajchandra Divinetouch finds creative ways to instil moral values through special programmes, skits, products, and other innovative means, ensuring that no heart remains untouched. Reflecting on the 150th year of Mahatma Gandhi, E Cube conducted a series of workshops on the father of our nation. Through a pictorial book and story telling – values from Gandhiji’s life were imparted to children from Lower KG to Grade 7. Schools like Cathedral Infant, Ecole Mondiale, Don Bosco International in Mumbai, Vidyanjali International in Kolkata, and 19 schools in Manchester, UK, benefitted from these workshops, spreading the message of ahimsa to over 3800 children. The Long Island, USA centre participated in a community event called Pathways to Peace, where the children steeped in great values of truth and ahimsa, through stories of Gandhiji. The Amazinga Adventures book and board game, launched last year at Paryushan Mahaparva, has been a great medium to inculcate values in children all over the world. Over 122 schools have enjoyed learning about values through these immersive storybooks! Didis also conducted interactive and special reading sessions of the book. Many have kept the book in their school libraries. At Meeplecon 2019, India’s largest and only board game convention, SRD was invited to showcase the Amazinga Adventures. Hundreds of children and elders thronged to play the game, while SRD received recognition for this unique family-friendly product. Furthermore, at the TeacherTaskForce2020 – a 2-day intense conference at Mount Litera International School, educators engage in conversations, discussions, research, and easily implementable solutions to problems faced by the teaching community. SRD was invited at this prestigious conference to talk about the programme and Amazinga Adventures. It was attended by over 50 principals and educators from reputed schools in Mumbai such as Podar International, Fazlani L’academie Globale, JBCN International, Billabong High International, HVB Global Academy, amongst others. Two Parent Retreats Held at Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram Dharampur: The month of February witnessed two heart-touching parents’ retreats at Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram, Dharampur. Over 250 children and parents of the Mumbai and Ahmedabad centres gathered at the International Headquarters of the Mission – where they experienced Sadguru Udghosh, Motivational Session “Inner Explorations” and Meditation by Atmarpits, Ashram Tours, Social Activities like distribution of footwear to the villages of South Gujarat, visits to Jivamaitridham, and more. Indeed, the parents had a taste of the peace and contentment that their children experience on a weekly basis! Touching lives through Participation in Exhibitions and Workshops: Recently, thousands of Mumbaikars have entered the spiritual realm through pop-up shops designed at exhibitions, fairs, and events across the city. Spin A Yarn, the Read aloud project: is a platform where storytellers come together to share their passion for stories. SRD was invited to share value-based stories to children through dramatisations and other teaching techniques. SRD reached countless city-dwellers through the country’s largest multicultural festival, the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2020 and the Street Festival in Malad. Through fun-filled games and life skill workshops, our volunteers reached beyond the classrooms to spread the fragrance of values. The Vadodara centre organised a Carnival with over 1500 people in attendance, including an array of activities like value-based games, entertainment and competitions! Internationally, the children of the Kuala Lumpur centre performed a musical on Sant Kabirji at the Bharat Club in the esteemed presence of the Indian High Commissioner, to an audience of hundreds. Impact on Children and Parents: Shrimad Rajchandra Divinetouch also instils the values of selfless service in children from a tender age, while providing a wonderful way to rise in love-filled celebrations. Centres including Amravati, Surat, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Vapi, Matunga, Ghatkopar, and Queens, New York collected and distributed hundreds of kgs of grains, dal, and essential items to the needy, recycled plastic bottles and donated the funds collected, raised funds through newspaper collection drives, and used the funds to make and distribute food packets. The meaning of Valentine’s Day at Shrimad Rajchandra Divinetouch is to extend one’s self to every being. On this special occasion, multiple centres including Ghatkopar, Mulund, Vashi, Nagpur, Bokaro, Kuala Lumpur, Princeton, Houston, Dubai, Muscat, London, Leicester, Manchester, Chicago, and Long Island to name a few – celebrated the month of love through personalised love cards for parents, gratitude acts for community helpers, games of compassion, distributing packets of love at hospitals, visits to senior and old age homes, animal care shelters, and bonding sessions with parents and children. Additionally, the Hughes Road centre carried out 2,020 acts of kindness extending to family, society, animals and plants – learning and displaying a deeper meaning of love. Impacting Educators and Sevaks: A sevak that keeps learning is able to grow and offer new knowledge and skills. Keeping this in mind, SRD conducted Brain Gym training workshops by Kathy Greene, an Educational Kinesiologist and Brain Gym Instructor from Phoenix, USA. She held trainings on childhood reflexes, vision circles, Move Into Reading and Double Doodle Play for the didis and for teachers of various schools conducting E Cube. British Council in Mumbai invited the teachers of Shrimad Rajchandra Divinetouch to conduct trainings for teachers at various Municipal schools including Wakola and Powai Dockyard. As Shrimad Rajchandra Divinetouch progresses, it becomes clearer that while this was a mission to give children a safe, secure, and precious haven for inner growth – that everyone including the community, the parents, their families, colleagues, friends, and of course the selfless sevaks who teach them – all beings experience His Divine, Magical touch.
