the hidden me - workshop on writing and oneself
DESCRIPTION
A 'peeling the inner layers' workshop with an emphasis on writing...TRANSCRIPT
The Hidden Me - A Workshop on Exploring Writing and Oneself
Twenty-two people from all over India - Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Ujjain, Chennai, Coimbatore,
Bangalore (and of course, Pondicherry!) came forward to attend The Hidden Me Workshop, held from 29th
November to 1st December 2013 at Pondicherry. The entire programme brought with it a plethora of unique
experiences, a journey through “The Road Not Taken”, a space to explore, a medium to connect, a sway of
thoughts and an ocean of words!
Day 1
We began with a few moments of silence. The participants were enthusiastic to welcome the man of ever-
flowing wisdom and a great sense of humour – Vijay bhai! He engaged the participants in the very first
exercise that made them plunge into their hidden selves – complete in no more than ten words “I am
_____”.
The responses led to some thought-provoking
question from him and the participants found
themselves enjoying his maze of mysteries
instantly! Soon after was the tea break, but as
per Harvinder's instructions, the participants
were not allowed to exchange facts about their
lives just yet .Their designation, their
backgrounds, the price of their pretty clothes –
these natural questions were to be left aside for
the time being. They were instead asked to
connect at a deeper level, a level beyond the
usual rendezvous!
After a refreshing drink of a rather unique mixture of lemon & ginger - just what one would crave for on a
sleepy rainy day - everyone was asked to spontaneously write down answers to some questions pertaining
to their life and inner self (now that is something which definitely requires a timer!), which needn’t be
shared (Thank God!).
Soon after, the participants had to draw or paint something
that symbolizes them, and then pick up one representation
other than their own. They were asked to interpret the
drawing they picked, and try to assess what kind of a
person the artist of that drawing must be. The drawing bit
brought out tremendous creativity, even among those who
hadn't drawn a single line in life before And when it was
time to share interpretations, we got to hear some lovely
words, proving how perceptions of two individuals are so
different from each other!One participant chose a drawing
of the face of a woman, saying she was drawn to it because
it signified Shakti to her. She believed the owner of this work is someone who is truly proud of her
womanhood, and is a good daughter, a good wife and a good mother. The owner, a volunteer in her early
twenties, however, simply thanked the lady for her interpretation which wasn't exactly what she had in
mind when she drew it!
Post lunch, our participants watched a video on nature and its bounties, and had to immediately write what
they soaked in from the awe-inspiring visuals. This was followed by an inspiring talk on ‘Who am I?’ by Alok
da, kindling a thinking spark in everyone’s minds.
During the tea break, carefully-folded, sparkly-but-small invitations to the evening mehfil were handed out
to everybody. To honour the traditional and artistic setting that included candles, incense, diyas, flowers,
and music, everyone was asked to dress in white and sport flowers on them. The parcel that contained
interesting questions like “What makes you most uncomfortable, or any incident in your life that you would
like to forget, but can’t?” aroused an air of curiosity to unfold and uncover the mischievous tasks that might
be hidden in those chits! The man behind the lens, Bharat, drew a blank chit which meant anyone could ask
him a question of their choice and people just couldn’t resist aiming the darts at him! It was a delight to see
him answering them patiently.
Day 2
An aura of a fresh day brimming with excitement brought in surprises. It was a day of finding the hidden me
in outings!
Believe it or not, the workshop did begin in the van, with the participants noting down what sights, sounds
and smell caught their attention along the way. The notorious group of ‘amazing singers’ (mostly the
volunteer-organisers!) succumbed to the good weather on a cloudy Saturday and entertained the people up
front with foot-tapping Bollywood numbers!
As we reached the vicinity of the lake, people began to take snapshots of the serene eye-capturing view of
the over bridge, the lonely island far up, the coffee shops up close and what not! An activity was planned at
this spot too; people got busy writing about the lake and its flushing backwaters. The participants lost
themselves to another world as they were led through the exercise and busied writing their impressions in
their notebooks. As the coast was clear, some of the organizer-brats did indeed sneak out to find out what
was in the menu at the nearby Amma’s stall! And to our delight, it was ‘mangai’ (sour mangoes) topped
with a peculiar looking chili powder, probably to beat the chill outside. By the time we stepped back from
our little retreat, everyone was already boarding the two passenger boats; the little chips packets we hid
inside our bags caught the attention of people
who immediately rushed to get their fill before
gliding off.
The journey continued at varied levels, and
everyone mounted the boat ready for a lake
‘darshan’. We reached a lonely island spotted with
humungous trees. Storks in pink and white
perched all around, and black crows dotted the
grassland. Just as we were ready to go back, one
of the boats refused to start up. The stalling of the
engine lent hope to those of us who wanted to
wander the island, but in a few moments the boat revved its way back to the shore.
Next stop was the organic farming site, Matrikunj. We were greeted at the entrance by the wagging tails,
slurping tongues and flapping ears of Johnny Gaddhar and his equally friendly canine sentries! All of us were
offered two refreshing drinks, of the Aparajitha flower, and Kombucha. The latter evoked an interesting
response from everyone, especially Harvinder, who couldn’t stop laughing! Baburam bhaiya welcomed the
‘explorers’ and meticulously briefed them about the exquisite plantations and the ayurvedic effects of
certain herbal trees there. The particpants noticed that below each plant, an inverted earthen pot was
marked with the plant’s scientific name. Every participant was asked to bring back with them a leaf from any
plant that they truly liked, for an introspective activity later.
We then landed at ‘Sharanam’ and assembled for a lunch of fresh hot
Chapaatis, Achaar, Sabzi and Veg Biryani (yumm…) at a typical ‘homely’
ambience, with mats spread across the ground. A sharing session was
then initiated to talk about the experiences felt at the lake and the farm.
Next was the “blindfolded” walk, wherein you and your partner were to
walk hand-in-hand (Oops! that was against the rules!) and feel the shrubs
around, the ground beneath and the obstacles ahead and later you walk
back, switching roles (payback time!). The exercise had a very powerful
impact on the participants, and many saw with closed eyes, what they
never did with open ones.
Then after some herbal tea, as dusk fell, we had to go back with some
‘homework’ to do. Long live the teacher’s instincts in our facilitator!
Day 3
Our last day began with ‘Talk the Walk’. Here the participants were divided into groups and each group was
asked to take a fifteen minute walk in absolute silence observing every single detail, be it subtle or specific
or colossal.
When the groups returned they wrote their experience and shared them, some very interesting stories
surfaced. How people walked along the same road and observed some similar and some very different
things. Some of the unexpected anecdotes that emerged from the brief walk could have spiced a Bollywood
script!
After a very stimulating juice break (the same mix of Lemon – Ginger, hmm.. probably signifying the ‘Life’s
Good’ or LG effect), participants were blindfolded, as their next activity was to absorb a piece of music for a
while, extract the energy from it and to immediately put it down freely on paper, and soon, its outcome was
reflected in the interesting responses from the listeners.
For the afternoon session, people were asked to wear something ‘different’ which is not a part of their usual
attire. Some of us were out of backup and so chose to wear our garments inside out (the punk shaggy
style!) but the rest decided to get into a major shopping spree! No fear when Sunday market is here! Post
’the last lunch’ together, it was time to trigger the sensory agents! Participants were taken through a
journey of listening (to rhythmic as well as ‘cacophonic’ instruments), smell, and touch games. After
concentrating on each object for a minute, they were to observe the impact the stimulus of the sound or
smell or texture had on them. And such startling explanations and analogies! The sound of pigeons chirping
emanating from a jingling of bangles, the sound of heavy footsteps associated with a mere pencil scribbling,
the sweet tunes of a flute playing at a distance, which they expressed, had taken them to a mountain top.
Somebody mentioned that the smell coming out of a small bottle actually resembled a familiar odour of the
anaesthetics ward in hospitals! Another participant indicated that the touch of a velvet cloth reminded her
of the clothed seats in an Indian railway boogie.
The remaining hours before tea were dedicated to a
different exploration. Gosh, here come the blindfolds
again, (however, with a mildly different purpose)! The
blindfolded participants were asked to dance freely to the
changing music being played at the background. It was a
pretty Herculean task for youngsters to dance that way (as
we would often prefer to look around and get groovy!) but
it clearly showed how threads of music could do the barrel
roll and tighten (or loosen) the ‘heavy duty’ nuts and bolts
fixed onto you! They would then be asked to ‘freeze’ and
observe the physical sensation along with the emotional and mental space.
On ‘awakening’ the taste buds to a tempting spicy ‘Dhabeli’ and biscuits with tea, it was time to share and
narrate the thrilling journey each of us had taken over the past 3 days and now the participants were asked
to share the ‘facts’ their work, their place, their roles... Pleasant and memorable moments, captured on
camera (Thanks to our media expert Bharat!) were showcased in a slideshow of snapshots. It made
everyone feel that it is just not about time to bid goodbye, but with a hope deep inside to stay in touch!
- Report by Sathya Bala (with many thanks to Shubhra for her valuable inputs!)
Photo album
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151957904728673.1073741829.504968672&type=1&l=d
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Video
PARTICIPANTS’ FEEDBACK
“On the whole, the most lasting thing will be meeting everyone, with their stories and
their thoughts and interpretations, and the fact that we could share everything
TOGETHER. I felt a kind of bond with all… The workshop was wonderful - albeit short but
then these things can be as long as one wants.”
- Bina Bhagat, Mumbai
“One of the things that I would like to take back from these three days, or pursue
deeper in the days to come, would definitely be the Mind and the end of it! Living, in
the moment, steeped in experiences; the impact of projections and the power of
being totally in the moment! ... The trip to the lake – (brought out) memories as
alive and as placid as the water of the lake. I ventured, gave myself permission,
yielded to the call of the soul and the call of the waters - to just be there and watch
those little islands and the birds perched on the tufts of grass.”
- Nalini S, Coimbatore
“I was honestly worried that I might have to work very hard during the workshop. But
I love the fact that from the first moment itself, the workshop was fun. The topic is
serious but one does not need to take everything seriously. That was the beauty of the
workshop - enabling us find ourselves or simply planting the seed in such a simple way
with love, careful planning, wholehearted efforts and loads of good humor… In the
days to come, I would love to and need to attend myself to be more connected to,
more aware of my surroundings in a very simple way. I need to continue absorbing
from every experience and be in the moment.”
- Shalini Amin Sheth, Mumbai
“This is the first time I ever attended a workshop. My experience of the workshop was
great – very interesting. Discovered a lot of things hidden deep inside me…
Met some very beautiful people from different walks of life, and it was great to connect
with them in these last three days.”
- Sadhana Mehan, Chandigarh
“The workshop, no doubt, was abundant food for thought. I am going to carry every
moment of it!! ... Perceptual sensitivity is something that I would like to take back
from these three days, which will help me live qualitatively more aware of myself and
the surroundings.”
- Dr. Sukhada Chimote, Mumbai
“Amazing.. awesome.. I don’t have words to express… totally speechless… when I was
coming, that time there were lots of spiritual questions running in my mind but now
I’m thoughtless.”
- Darshana Richariya, Ujjain , M.P.
- “Every session had an impact on me. Maybe because I came with an open mind like a jolly child or due to Her Grace...
- The video made me wonder at the majestic power of the mountains and glaciers.
- The second river (back waters) made me realize the unstoppable.
- The music made me touch the heights and depths of my own self.
- The blind walk made me feel the concrete presence of the Divine Mother…
- Something that I would like to pursue in the days to come is to “let go” of everything and to start a new life again. I would like to continue to listen to the nature and music and express it in writing at least once a week… May I suggest that we probably have advanced courses instead and have a course for 10 or 20 days?”
- Akhila, Pondicherry
"I have made some friends, both from participants and volunteers. I have felt the energy and inspiration
among people I met there. I am eagerly waiting for the list of email ids so I can connect with them over the
long term, and we support each other in every which way. I will definitely continue to
pursue writing.
The three things I am taking from the workshop are:
1. Inspiration and love from some people I met there.
2. A forum to connect and share knowledge, experiences and writing.
3. I am going to start spending time on the Society’s website and get to learn what all
happens there."
Nachiket Kulkarni, Chennai
“The minute I entered the room and caught the view of the sea I fell flat for Pondy…
The trust game was very touching and it affected me the most, though I have done it
before – this time it was more significant … In future, I would like to go on those
awareness walks by myself, thinking and uniting (with those) I have been out of
touch with.”
- Surekha Nair, Coimbatore
“I came to Pondy just to breathe the scent of the Mother in its air, in its gardens
where she has sown seeds of beautiful flowers – the seeds of Enlightenment
through education, she chose some lovely people to help others explore and
awaken… It has given a new spark to my interest in writing. In future, I will start
doing that frequently... The sessions where we were blindfolded or asked to close
our eyes affected me the most, as they really opened our eyes to the ‘Hidden Me’.
- Arvind Mehan, Chandigarh
“It was a journey together and alone; an exciting, interesting journey. Starting from
the speech we had at the beginning till the final reflections we had, it inspired me
and embraced me to the core… The visit to the lake impressed me the most. It
brought up some very deep feelings and made me write a beautiful script.”
- Sandhya Ganapathy, Bangalore
“I came, as it was the will of the Divine that I be here; as I have something to
learn from this workshop. I leave with a very light feeling of having been a part of
something, but also detached from it… I shall certainly be wanting to come again
as I know I will only go back richer in awareness of myself… I enjoyed watching
the first video – as I found it very powerful – The grandeur of the mountains and
the power – made me feel small – but my soul felt the connection to the majesty
– It seemed to be an analogy for life itself.”
- Prema Anand Rao, Coimbatore
“I don’t know when and how one connected to Pondicherry… it’s difficult, almost
impossible to explain in words. Who knows how far one will go in this journey, but
a beginning had to be made… I take back how you can be with everyone and yet be
with oneself.”
-
- Madhurima Dixit, Delhi
“The workshop was meticulously planned and not a second was wasted by the
entire team. Each day was eagerly awaited wanting to know more, learn more
and explore more… The ‘mehfil’ brought us all closer to each other, we
connected as people, our challenges, trials, tribulations and triumphs once again
entrenched our faith in the fact that the human spirit is indomitable.”
- Savita Khanna, Delhi
“Rife with expectations I arrived a couple of days earlier. I met my friends, finished
shopping and readied myself for lots of writing and intense brainstorming session,
meeting new and budding writers. I was greeted by a medley of folk from all walks of
life but writers... I would definitely like to integrate conscious walks and conscious
sounds into my daily life. Both these exercises overwhelmed my senses and I will also
teach them to my family members. I might also introduce them to my students.”
- Kamalini Natesan, Bangalore
“This time here has been a discovery of a few layers of not only in me but in others
as well. The workshop was a much needed push – in the direction of self-evaluation
– A jolt from sleep walking through life. I have been inspired to make changes, in
myself, my contribution to the world around me and life as I see it.”
- Aishwarya Rao, Coimbatore
“De freezing started in a non-traditional manner, things were great. As it was an inside
out exercise, unfolding took place gradually, like flowers, which to bloom and to give
fragrance take time.”
- Ranjit Bhattacharjee, Kolkata
“The workshop was an insightful experience. I landed one day before the workshop and
was quite anxious as to what will happen? How will it go? ... Luckily, my doubts were
put to rest next morning when I reached the workshop and our first instruction was not
to share our positions, designations etc. I felt free. Free of the burden and tag I was
carrying of behaving and living up to expectations. I could be me. I felt like a child,
curious and humble… I loved when were blindfolded and had to absorb music and
dance to it. Initially I was dancing with my body – and then suddenly - my emotions –
my heart started speaking to me.”
- Chetna Dua, Delhi
“I have learnt from my experiences of attending workshops here, the learning that
happens has a lot to do in the non-directed areas. I learnt the power of a true
facilitator… Thank you Harvinder! I was amazed to see the ease with which you are
able to step back and allow things to evolve, with minimal direct support from you.
As a teacher it’s a great learning for me, how you make each person feel
acknowledged and truly appreciated for what they are. Your comments and
appreciations are true, honest and delightful. Pondy is homecoming to me. To come
and experience the abundance of Grace and Presence… Through the workshop I also realize how the daily
‘mundane’ activities hold the key to enchanting and enriching experiences.”
- Chitra Rajendran, Coimbatore
Through this workshop I tried to understand the hidden aspects of myself. I don’t
know if I have found the answer to Vijay bhai’s initial question “Who am I?” but
definitely, some tensions dispersed and I felt good. There seemed to be a sense of
belonging. I learnt a lot by being so close to Nature… I want to thank everyone
from the depths of my heart.
- Geeta Saharia, Jhansi, U.P.