18 Courses, ~400 People, 1 Newspaper Article, 1 TV Spot, 2 Concerts and Many Smiles Later….

[warning:  this is a longer blog post than the ones in the past - if you feel like you only have time to read one paragraph, please skip to the end and read the highlighted paragraph]

Reflections and gratitude are what’s on the mind as we write this blogpost.  We are now back in California and we get that strange feeling that one gets after being away for a while.  It’s that feeling that nothing has changed and yet everything has changed.  It has only been a week since we’ve returned and I’m not sure we've processed all that we’ve learned yet.  In any case, we wanted to capture key learnings for our benefit (and hopefully yours) and also express deep gratitude to the many people that enabled this wonderful journey to happen for us.  Let’s start with the learning:

• Connecting with people – Starting with Justin McGurrin (see earlier blog entry), experiencing how to connect with people is one of the most valuable lessons we’ve learned in the past two months.  Human connection is the very fuel of life.  Oftentimes in our day-to-day lives or even in our social interactions with others, we tend to feel that making a connection with each and every person we meet is not so easy.  We tend to look for commonalities…like common backgrounds, geographic proximity in living, having similar families, etc. as the food that feeds connections with individuals.  Our experience in Jamaica has told us that none of that really matters.  Being able to look into the eyes of some of the arguably most ‘dangerous criminals’ and see the humanness, and the child crying out for help was incredible.  The only commonality that really matters is that we all belong to the same race – the human race.  To embrace someone who has murdered, someone who’s background couldn’t be more different and to see that really, we are all the same; this been one of the most profound lessons of our lives.  We all have the capacity within us to care for others and give love and respect beyond our judgmental minds.  This capacity is limited only by our own intentions.  If we have a pure intention to make a positive difference in the lives of others, there are no barriers or differences that can hold back from connecting.  The power of this kind of intention can change lives, move mountains, and shift continents. 

• Intention, Attention, Manifestation – The aforementioned is the title of a talk given by Sri Sri Ravi Shanker on the power of our intention and attentions in life.  In Jamaica, we saw this full force.  Dushyant Savadia, the International Director of the Carribean for Art of Living is a great example of this principle in action.  Dushyant has only been in the Caribbean for a year, but what he has been able to accomplish with a help of a few key people has been amazing.  Through events like the historical Shaggy concert at the maximum-security prison and another smaller scale event at Haile Selassie, he has been able to generate a tremendous amount of press for Art of Living.  Due to Dushyant and his team’s work, Jamaica’s Minister of Defense honored Art of Living in front of the entire parliament.  When we asked Dushyant how he is able to do all he does and manifest big things he says he first puts a strong intention towards what he wants to do, prays, and then puts his attention on it.  And sure enough…poof…it happens!  It has been a great experience watching him and realizing that it is only our own thinking that limits what we can accomplish in life.  The next time we have an outlandish idea or are faced with a task that seems unachievable, we need only to reflect on Dushyant’s example to draw the inspiration to put our intentions and attentions toward manifesting the ‘impossible’.     

• Faith – We spoke about faith in the very first blog, so we will make this point brief.  Faith gives us courage to do things we would not normally do if we left it to our intellectual minds to decide.  And very often it is these things that faith has supported us to do that make our lives so rich.  Faith is also self-perpetuating.  The more faith-based decisions/actions you take, the more your faith tends to grow.  The more our faith has grown, so have our feelings of gratitude and fearlessness.  It has been a great gift.

• Purpose – There has been no other time in our lives when we have woken up every day and never doubted our sense of purpose.  During our time in Jamaica, almost every day we woke up with the knowledge that we have the opportunity to really change a life that day…what could be a better use of our day???!!!  We feel so fortunate.  Many people go their whole lives without feeling that sense of purpose.  In fact, we have gone many years of our lives not feeling it either.  Now that we have a taste of what if feels like…we are hooked!  What we have experienced is that finding something you enjoy doing and then doing in the service of others is what gives a sense of purpose.  The joy in what you do and the component of service go hand and hand and one cannot really find purpose if either are missing.  We as human beings need to be of value to others and we need to express ourselves/our creativity to feel fulfilled.  Finding out what ‘that’, the thing that makes your heart sing (as one woman put it), is for each of us is certainly worth the pursuit. 

Lastly, this journey has taught us that we all can take this step to help others.  Even those of us with intense career paths and/or family responsibilities can spend cycles doing this.  What’s amazing is that the rewards are generous - we just need a little courage to take that first step.

Now to the gratitude:

First and foremost our deepest thanks goes to ‘the man’ – Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.   This experience teaching the knowledge he so brilliantly put together over 30 years ago helped us get a deeper understanding of his true genius.  The knowledge itself has so much power to help people of any race, age, gender, background, etc. have a better life on the one hand.  On the other hand, he has so graciously allowed simple people like us to become teachers and spread this knowledge, providing such an amazing growth opportunity.  Teaching challenges you and makes you face your own flaws while it also feeds your soul with the gratification of putting smiles on people’s faces and even healing their broken hearts.

Second, we owe much gratitude to Dushyant Savadia who decided to take a chance by letting us come over to Jamaica.  He was brave enough to entrust the reputation of Art of Living to us while we were teaching.  We hope we have benefitted him and AOL Caribbean even half as much as we have gained.

Third, we have to thank mom/mom-in-law Santha and our girls Zara and Sana.  Without their sacrifice of being cooped up at home, losing a measurable amount of freedom and comfort, we would never have been able to impact all the people we did in Jamaica.  Their service was behind the scenes while we received the personal gratitude of the people we were teaching, they had to make sacrifices without much direct reward.  They have been, without a doubt, the wind beneath our wings.

All the people in Jamaica that helped us along the way with offers for housing, transportation, and logistics assistance have been angels to us.  Most of all, their warmth and hospitality made us feel at home and welcome.  Specifically from we’d like to thank:

From Kingston

-       Manisha and Sundeep Shah who were our go to people for all questions, they helped us find an apartment and car we rented for many weeks

-       Sundeep’s parents Sudha and Deepak who were across the street from our apartment and always so helpful and great with the kids

-       Liz and Richard Oliver from whom we rented an apartment, who were so helpful in different ways everyday and who’s 2 year-old son Logan became Zara and Sana’s adopted Jamaican brother (he even called Devan ‘daddy’)

From Montego Bay

-       Tammy and Blaise Hart who were so generous is housing us and lending us their car; Tammy Hart has one of the biggest hearts of anyone we have ever met and she just exudes love, Jamaica and Art of Living are lucky to have her

-       Katherine Maye and her husband Frank who also housed and fed us for days in Montego Bay; their house became a real second home to us and their generosity of spirit and openness made us feel so close to them is such a short period of time

We also want to thank all our friends, family, and colleagues who have supported us throughout this process whether it be by sacrificing seeing our girls for two months (which was pure torture for some!) or by simply reading our blog and encouraging us along the way. 

Only a chapter of this journey has ended.  We will continue to be involved in helping improve conditions at Haile Selassie High School and provide financial assistance to educate some very high potential children in impoverished local communities.  In fact, we have decided to personally sponsor a few children for their education and are working on a proposal to help raise funds for the many projects needed at Haile Selassie.  The children of Jamaica are in great need.  Please find it in your heart to make a contribution and change a life for the better.  You can contact us by email to make any donations.  We have seen first hand how very far our dollars can go. 

With Much Thanks and Love

A Prison Inmate From Tower Street Motivates Kids at Haile Selassie High School (HSHS)

It is always nice when an idea comes to its fruition and this was the case on June 5.  From the very first week we were teaching at HSHS in the mornings, we spent the afternoons at Tower Street maximum-security prison.  It was on a drive from the school to the prison, from teaching one class and to another, while gobbling down a sandwich and keeping eyes on the road when the idea hit us – how can we bring an inmate from the prison to speak to the kids and have him create the right motivation towards non-violent behaviors. 

Little did we realize how much prep work is required to move an inmate from one place to another!   As a starting point, it requires the consent of the commissioner of prisons.  Luckily the prison commissioner has witnessed the success of our work at the prison (i.e decrease in infractions etc.) and thus supported the idea.  This led to having a team from the prison scope out the property – this is because an inmate could have enemies on the outside that might want to hurt him and the authorities are responsible for his safety.  Correctional officers are also required to be present at the school on the day of the event. 

Jah9 rocking it in front of 750 students

The idea was to have an inmate speak to the entire school about his mistakes in the hopes that it would deter the kids at HSHS from making the same mistakes.  We were hopeful the message would make an impression and give them something to think about when they are faced with doing the ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ thing.  This was our simple idea.  Of course, in the hands of Dushyant Savadia, International Director for the Art of Living in the Caribbean, a simple idea can often take on much grander proportions.  This was no exception.  The event, held at HSHS on the afternoon of June 5 included a speech by the HSHS' principal Lorenzo Ellis, performances by two up and coming local Jamaican artists Jah9 and Jesse Royal, 

a dynamic Martin Luther King-like speech by Mr Reuben (the inmate from Tower Street prison who has now completed 20+ years at the prison and is still not done)

Mr. Reuben, an inspirational speaker

Seema announcing the scholarships

, and most importantly an announcement to award 63 scholarships (5 per month for the student body and 2 per month to teachers) equivalent to one year’s tuition.  The scholarship titled Leadership in Human Values will be awarded to a student from each grade every month that not only demonstrate diligence in academics but also exemplifies human values such as kindness, honesty, and respect.   

The scholarships are a fabulous idea as it brings the community together.  It easies the burden on parents who cannot afford tuition fees but also drives the students to create change in the school and the community around them.  They not only have to show acts of non-violence but also demonstrate they are driving the notion of non-violence in school, the neighborhood and the community.  These scholarships are a great way to incent the behavioral change we teach in class every day.  

Hanging with the kids and teachers at HSHS after the program

In addition, Seema has been asked to be the Art of Living overall project lead at HSHS for the coming year – including taking responsibility for selecting students for the scholarships, helping with fundraising, and running other programs.  If we thought our work would come to an end in July, we were mistaken!

What could make teaching at a maximum-security prison seem like a cake-walk? Teaching at Haile Selassie High School.

Day 0 – Sunday Night, May 12 – Meet Justin McGurrin

Knowing that we were about to start teaching the kids at Haile Selassie High School (located in the neighborhood of Trench Town in Kingston – this is where Bob Marley wrote many of his songs and is basically the slums of Kingston) which is known for its discipline and violence issues, we called in for reinforcements.  Enter Justin McGurrin, an Art of Living teacher experienced in teaching high school kids in challenging environments.  Justin is a legend among the teachers who teach the YES! (Youth Empowerment Seminar) program and we were so lucky to be able to get him to come down to Kingston for a week to help set the stage and rhythm for the next several weeks during which we were to teach a big portion of the students at HSHS.  And thank God we did…we didn’t realize how much we really needed him until the week started.

Day 1 – Monday Morning, May 13 – A Lesson in Making Connections

It was a different world that we had just entered.  As humans, we all behave according to a set of social norms determined by our upbringing, environment, etc.  What a shock it was to observe, much less teach, within the social norms at HSHS.   They were so foreign to our own school experiences, which entailed actually remaining quiet and listening to the teacher.  These kids would often use name-calling and hitting to deal with conflict – even in class.  One native Jamaican friends described the culture of the children as one of ‘‘arrested development” – the kids are sweet, full of smiles and enthusiasm with a sense of innocence on one hand, but they are also very physical in their expression of emotion, whether it by reacting violently to everyday situations or in their level of sexual activity at a young age.  They operated in a very adult world, dealing with adult situations that most other children rarely deal with, yet their mental maturity didn’t seem to match their level of life experience.  It’s like they were children trying desperately to have a childhood though their circumstances were determined to rob them of that childhood.  Monday began a lesson in learning how to break up fights before they escalated – a good skill to have, I suppose.  Attention spans lasted not much longer than a 30-second TV commercial in many cases.  Some kids were texting, listening to music or otherwise playing on cell phones throughout the class while others just leaned forward and went to sleep.  According to the teachers, this behavior was typical.  After the end of the first 2-hour session, all three of us got into the car (Justin, Devan, and I) and were about to head out to grab a quick bite before heading to teach at the men’s prison, feeling doubtful that we made any impact on the kids at all.  Then Justin shared a secret and a valuable lesson – he said he would always go to a school a week in advance of teaching and just hang out and around so the kids could meet and see him.  He also made the effort to learn each and every kid's name in the class.  Doing these things would create a connection and bond between him and them that would allow him to get through to kids that others couldn’t reach.  He said just remember, with kids “they don’t care what you know until they know you care”.   So we turned the car around and went back to the school to just ‘hang out’ and interact with the kids.  Not only was it fun, but we could also tell it was making an impact.  This is a lesson we will carry with us for the rest of our lives.  Making a personal connection makes all the difference in the world.  Thanks Justin.

Day 2 – Tuesday Morning, May 14 – A Discussion in Devil Worship

One thing I forgot to mention is that Jamaica is a Christian country – a VERY Christian country.  Mainly, this means that many people are very kind and respectful.  But, it also means that there are some people that are a bit more extreme in their views.  We experienced this first hand at HSHS.  Apparently, there were two teachers from the faculty (whom we taught in the adult class the week before) that claimed that what we were teaching was demonic, devil-worship, etc.  Why did they say this?  It seems that it boiled down to just a few yoga stretches.  During the class, we usually teach something called Sun-Salutations, which is nothing more than a series of 12 yoga poses that provides a whole body workout.  Based on the fact that it is called ‘Sun-Salutations’ and that there is a position that is often called ‘Cobra’, the teachers interpreted the teaching as worshipping the snake (i.e., the devil).  We further discovered that they had been speaking to many of the students and filling their heads with the same fears.  We began Tuesday morning’s class with an open and direct discussion about this topic, with the support of the principal, Lorenzo Ellis.  We began by clarifying as much we could.  We then asked the kids to speak openly about any concerns they had and addressed those too.  The main message from both the principal and us was – experience things for yourself and judge for yourself.  It was so interesting to us how easily unfounded fears can be instilled into the mind of a young person.  What we felt most badly about was that the kids who really were troubled about the whole thing were really frightened to the point of thinking that doing a simple yoga stretch could invite evil spirits into their lives.  Fear is a funny thing.  It is, in many cases, a complete figment of our imaginations, yet it can stop us from living our lives.  A small dose is healthy to make sure you don’t cross the street when cars come, but in excess, it is crippling.  Here is a quote from Plato that says it all:

“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.”

Day 3 – Wednesday Morning, May 15 – We Get More Clued In

We continue to face challenges, but today we start to get more insights into why.  As mentioned on day 1, the behavioral norms among the kids were foreign to us.  Now we begin to get some clues as to why.  Many of the kids are asking us to buy them a juice or lunch.  At first it seems that they are just trying to take advantage of us.  But after speaking to Ms. Jackie Bryan (guidance counselor and saint, by our standards) we find out that many of the kids don’t have food to eat during the day.  Some of the kids have government assistance for meals, but the program only covers 3 days of the week!  So, they essentially have to go hungry on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  How can these kids study when their stomachs are empty??!!! Our hearts almost broke when we heard this.  From then on, we arranged with Jackie to feed any kid from any of our classes that needed it, but made sure it remained anonymous.  We started to realize how much of a challenge these kids face in all aspects of their lives.  Jackie enlightened us further with some other stories of real students’ situations.  She spoke of a girl who was a top student at the school when she first came as a counselor to HSHS.  This student told Jackie that she had to study under her bed with a flashlight at night because a light on at night in her room would attract gunfire and she was afraid that she would get shot.  Jackie told the story of another girl who was living with her older boyfriend (27 years old…this is, unfortunately, not uncommon as parents can’t afford to take care of their children and girls find other ways of survival by living with an older man/boyfriend who takes interest in them – these men play both father-figure and lover to these girls).  The boyfriend was helping this student pay for her exams and study, etc.   One day this boyfriend was walking on the wrong street and was shot and killed (gang territory divides often govern the neighborhoods in these areas).  This young girl lost her benefactor/father-figure/lover in a split second.  He was the only family she knew.  She told Jackie that she would still take her exams and do her best for him.  We also found out that many of the kids in our class are reading at only a first grade level though they are in ninth.  Hearing all this, we felt both helpless and inspired to do more at the same time.  On the one hand, we felt the need to work harder to get through to these kids and provide tools and knowledge that could help them be happy no matter what their situation.  On the other hand, we felt grossly underequipped to help them truly make a life change given the complex issues they faced.  And yet, they were just children having to deal with a host of problems that many of us privileged adults have never even come across.  Knowing all this, their ‘misbehavior’ took on a completely different light and the compassion in us grew leaps and bounds. 

Day 4 – Thursday Morning, May 16 – A Frightening Insight Hits

We are trying the idea of breaking the bigger group of about 50 kids into smaller groups in order to reach out to them on a more personal level.  The goal was to see if we could foster more intimacy and trust between them and us and get them more focused at the same time.  We are having mixed levels of success.  However, the first time we try this and we demonstrate that we know the their names, many of them are really impressed.  What a difference it made just to know their names!  Thanks again Justin!  We are achieving incremental improvements with this ‘circle time’ method.  It dawned on me that the job of teaching these kids is not for the faint of heart.  It takes a true warrior to keep coming back everyday full of energy to give after having been deflated the day before.  In fact, we only half-joked that we looked forward to teaching at the maximum-security prison in the afternoons, which we found to be relaxing after the trying mornings at the high school!   I had a frightening realization when we were at the prison that afternoon.  In the morning, at the high school, we were teaching these children who were the victims – victims of neglect, abuse, violence, economic disadvantage, etc.  And in the afternoon, we were teaching the culprits – the people who committed the violence and abuse. I could see how the inmates were all once children just like the ones at HSHS and it was so clear to me that many of these children were on a path to achieve the same fate as the people at Tower Street prison.  This is the reality of the vicious cycle in society unless someone intervenes.  I realized that sometimes it’s critical to look beyond a person’s circumstances and even their behavior to find the good in them.  It’s not always visible to the naked eye, it takes an open heart to see it…but it is definitely there.  The experiences at the prisons reinforced this important lesson.  Sri Sri RaviShankar (the founder of Art of Living) created the Prison program we are now teaching because he believes:

“Inside every culprit, there is a victim crying for help. That person is also a victim of ignorance, small-mindedness and lack of awareness. It’s the stress, lack of broad vision about life, lack of understanding, and bad communication that leads to violence in society.”

I have now experienced this truth first hand.  My only hope was that, in some small way, maybe we were helping to break that vicious cycle for some of these kids.

Day 5 – Friday, May 17 –  Celebration

On the drive to school we reviewed, as we always did, the teaching plan for the day.  We discuss what’s working/not working and any new ideas or strategies we have to engage the kids.  Justin reminds us that regardless of whether knowledge actually penetrates into the kids’ heads, what matters most is our presence.  If we are embodying what we are teaching – calmness, centeredness, wisdom, and human values – we are planting the seeds in them that can flourish at any time.  It was the last day of class with this batch of kids.  As the days have gone by, we can see that some of the kids really feel close to us.  We have been successful in creating some bonds and that is gratifying to know.  At the end of the class, we celebrate with some dance music, and a handful of the kids stay back just to hang out and be with us (see the video)…today we feel we might have done at least something right.