From a Teacher to a Volunteer

I wrote this yesterday...

D.S.N – Divya Samaj Ka Nirman (Creating a Divine Society). It had been a priority in my to-do list for the past 2 weeks, ever since I came back from Udaipur. YES!+ DSN ended yesterday. I’m really happy with myself. Things turned out to be way better than anticipated. And I owe it to my intention, sankalpa. Every time I take a sankalpa and work towards it, I get a new kick and zest in life to move ahead and aim high.

This DSN was the first one for me after becoming YES!+ teacher. I had always wanted to volunteer for an advance level course – either YES++ or YES!+ DSN. This time when I heard about it, I decided that very moment to volunteer for it especially since my birthday was falling in between J . After taking courses and having volunteers for my course, it was a welcoming change to be a volunteer for this course. I felt really nice to witness my students undergoing the DSN journey. My aim of becoming a YES!+ teacher was to spread the happiness and knowledge and it is actually the advance level courses which make one realize the depth.

Though I volunteered for this DSN, for me it turned out to be double DSN! Getting students to do DSN is not an easy task especially with so many environmental concerns ..parents, studies, career, health, money and what not! Dealing with them has made me more skillful. I realize somehow what is needed at the spur of the moment popped up from my mouth! And it really clicked ;)

As soon as the YES!+, which I was taking ended last Sunday, the focus sifted to DSN and for the next 4 days, I lived the life of a call center employee! Making Calls, Taking Calls and dealing with the concerns. It was maddening but fun! I want to give day wise encounter; it would be hard to narrate journey of 4 days journey in a nutshell.

DSN Reporting Day: (11^th October)

The reporting Day is a chaotic day. The better you plan, the more chaos you are bound to phase. That’s how any Art of Living course is J The entire day went in coordinating with the organizing team for registrations, getting money collected from participants, calling up prospects, arranging accommodation, dealing with last minute cancellation of participants. And in the midst of it, maintaining awareness and centredness and letting go J

The intro session made many bite their nails!..What was in store! The fear starting showing up on faces but many were ready to take on the challenge. Ultimately, the group united and claimed, “BRING IT ON!”

DSN Day 1 : (12^th October)

So that’s apparently my birthday! The midnight celebrations were unanticipated. My students, I and few others (in all around 15-16) were staying together. We reached around 11.40 pm on 11^th Oct at home and the moment I entered, there was a cake! And soon another cake followed along with a beautiful bouquet. I was happy to celebrate my birthday with my students. The best thing about a cake is when you have knife in the hand to cut it. The worst thing is when people put it on your face especially hairs! In their words, they gave me a good “FACIAL” :D

12 AM cake was cut and phone calls followed which many I could not attend and later ones kept me awake till wee hours. The birthday morning started with good 3 hours of Yoga and Meditation. I had instructed each of my students not to make a fuss about my birthday at the course and like sincere students (as they are), they made sure that the whole world knows! Time and again, they would come, wish good morning and say Happy Birthday and every time out of bunch of over 100 students, 4-5 new would be standing nearby to come and ask, “Aapka b’day hai?”..and then the drama would follow. Soon everyone knew. I wanted a quiet birthday but was left with no choice but to embrace the shor.

Last year almost the entire this day had gone in attending calls. This year I hardly took any call. Not to say that I’ve become a big or famous person but I did not wanted to miss the DSN sessions and volunteering work. So I sent a thank you message.

Day 1 of DSN for students was an easy one, in their language. They had a mindset that DSN was a super solid course, especially what Atika Di ( DSN Teacher) told them in the intro session last night. The sessions and the tasks seemed doable to them. Though, they were eye opener for all of them to realize what’s going on in their mind as well as outside world.

When I asked at night, my students told that it was good but not as tough as I had told them..breaking the barriers..challenges..There was nothing great on Day 1. No barrier was broken. I listened, deep inside I smiled and surrendered to the Master. They had no idea what was lined up in the coming 2 days and the Master knows what to give and when.

My birthday started at 12 AM and ended at 12 PM with late night calls. I was happy to receive a call of a good friend almost after 3 years. The best gift I got this birthday was to see my students doing DSN and staying together with them J One thing I realized that I’ve gone past this cake cutting now. It’s not the age factor. I feel young (and look young) but it’s too boring to cut a cake.; )

Day 3 and DAY 4 of DSN in the next post. Stay Glued on.

Keep Smiling

Swati