Youth Meditation Experiment in Georgetown

The Story of a Youth Meditation Experiment in Georgetown offered for Highschool Students in Halton

Youth Meditation Poster V4-5

On November 20, 2013, Halton sahaja yoga meditation group was invited by Gary Allan Highschool from Georgetown to offer a meditation seminar for a group of students between 16 and 18 years old (20 of them). This invitation  had been honored by our team from Youth Meditation program – Oakville: Yon and Nathan (grade 12 students), Ana Bianca and Sahaj (university students) as well other young (at heart!) sahaja yogis-meditators-volunteer instructors, such as Sam, Kathleen, Peter and Ioana. Of course, the program was offered for free as always, with the selfless spirit of ‘pay it forward’ within the communities we live in, and beyond. We start the article with the ‘Appreciation letter’ emailed to us from school. Further below we provide our own feedback. Enjoy!

Feedback from Gary Allan High School

Chakra workshop at Niagara College-Spring Fling 2013 with Sahaja Yoga meditation
Chakra workshop at Niagara College-Spring Fling 2013 with Sahaja Yoga meditation Georgetown 

 

(Sam, 21) – Youth Program, Oakville

Our trip to Georgetown school was exciting for me, not just because of the aspect of sharing sahaja yoga meditation to the teenagers there, but also because I’ve had little to no experience in schools, having been home-schooled myself (that day was the first time I’d ever even sat in a desk!) and for that same reason I felt a bit nervous, unsure what to expect from the students there.
I was a bit uncomfortable at first, but the students were quiet and respectful during the meditation, and when it was time for myself, Yon and Nathan to talk, I no longer felt nervous and enjoyed sharing my experience with sahaja yoga meditation and our youth program in Oakville.  Some of the students even seemed quite interested and were asking us questions. I found Yon, Nathan and myself balanced each other very well in what we spoke about, with them discussing how Sahaja Yoga meditation has helped them and school, and myself talking about how it’s changed me on an emotional level; I felt this allowed us to connect well with the students and they began to open up a little more, which was wonderful.
All in all it was a great experience and it was wonderful to see the interest that it generated in the students. I’d do it again any day!
 

(Ana Bianca, 19) – Youth Program, Oakville / Western University student

I had a great experience as a Sahaja Yoga Volunteer at Gary Allan High School.
It was really nice seeing that the kids were very interested and joined into the meditation the whole time. There were quite a few questions at the end, and they proved to be very wise questions showing how much they were trying to apply to themselves the meditation techniques and knowledge they were just introduced to and were very interested in knowing even more. Some were quiet the whole time, but you could see that they were attentive.

As I came from university and went back to high-school for this event what really impressed me was how this meditation brought such a positively transforming energy to the environment; at the very beginning of our seminar, a few kids were complaining they had to join it, while towards the end, the same kids were the most engaged in a constructive dialogue with our team! All I can say is that I felt very proud by the Youth program team and I wish that this program was available when I was still in highschool. I am looking forward to hear more good news about the Sahaja Yoga Youth program and wish that many more sessions such as this one will be brought into schools in Ontario.
 

(Kathleen) – Teacher and volunteer with Youth Program-Oakville

My Georgetown experience was a “sweet” one. It was a chilly morning but the sun was gorgeous and i remember the Sahaj team meeting up at the parking lot all excited. It was so sweet we gathered around sharing “sweet” bread and juice as we prepared for the event. Personally I expected that giving self realization to high school students would be challenging, I imagined how loud they can be and restless, typical teenagers.  They turned out to be calm, respectful and cooperative. They asked questions, one was how to stay in balance that clearly was a sign that they had the desire to better themselves, the desire for spiritual evolution. I could say that of everything that had happened that day, clearly Shri Mataji in Her spiritual presence always takes care of us.  She arranges everything, takes care of the team making it easier for us, takes care of the students, the teachers were wonderful, Her blessings were felt even in the perfect weather for going on this “mission”.  Indeed Shri Mataji is our beloved Teacher and Mother  that we fondly remember this month – when she passed away.

 (Sahaj, 26) – Youth Program, Oakville /Niagara College student

  The nourishment of Giving,

In general terms, giving what you have may result into the depletion of the resources but the realization within yourself of ‘something’ which when shared prospers. This prosperity is pure nourishment for the soul which indeed is our true immortal identity. Such was the experience in Georgetown. We went there to give the peace of mind – the self realization but when returned, we enlarged within with much more stronger connectivity to the collective consciousness. It is a great privilege to be the channel of the primordial and I am very thank full for that.

This Post Has 7 Comments

  1. Sam

    Such a great experience! I really hope we can go back again someday soon and help them go a bit deeper. I’m really happy to see some of them are still practising the meditation to help themselves! It’s amazing to know we made such an impact on some of them.

  2. paula

    Enlightened youths passing on the key to happiness, peace and joy to their fellow youth…what greater gift is there, than to share this pure knowledge, that comes from experiencing “thoughtless awareness” and giving teens the tools to cope with peer pressure, studies, family struggles? The new enlightened youths are amazed at the power they have inside, that only needs to be awakened and for us to be aware of it’s subtle proof, like a cool breeze on the hands…and then with the power they tap in to their inner strength through the real “yoga” or “union”. Just amazing, great job, I hope that more schools and Gary Allen school climb on board so that more students, and teachers, can realize the potential to change our world, our perception and empower the youths that are the future, to change this world for the better. So inspired by this transformational movement, look at the comments! I wish that I had inspiring and caring mentors to come to my school when I was searching for ways to deal with all the pressures of being a teen. I am so grateful that I have finally found a complete tool box to deal with life, people, and am improving my personality and my surroundings locally and globally I hope, through the collective consciousness discovered by Dr. Carl Gustav Jung, every day with more and more seekers realizing this is it! Once they find Sahaja Yoga, it becomes very clear…that others are seeking just such peace and happiness. And the more of us that are connected to it, the more we evolve above consumerism and divisiveness and find out what a joy life can be. Thank you youth and youths at heart team, you are moving mountains! Wonderful feedback from the students, that is proof that it works!

  3. Ann Kristine Pearson

    How wonderful! This is such an important step to take, to bring the calm and peace and transformational meaningfulness of meditation to our youth!

  4. Constantine

    Amazing!

  5. Mohinder Sidana

    It is great to hear that meditation bring lots of benefits to students regarding stress level, energy and focus on studies
    This is a step towards peace in the world

  6. Magda

    So inspiring. What a great privilege to experience this meditation.

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