click here for a visual report on april-may’07 events (138 kb)

Shrine
 

Sri Aurobindo’s shrine at The Gnostic Centre is open from 8am to 8pm every day. You are welcome. It is a place for silent meditation.

Alchemy: an integral health centre

On 30th April, Alchemy (a unit of The Gnostic Centre) came into being… offering two programs presently – one for adults and the other for children. The Yoga & Exercise Studio is now operational. The other facilities of the Health Centre – Gym, Massage room, Steam bath, will be operational soon. Based on the integral approach of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Alchemy will offer health related workshops as well and invite resource persons to share their knowledge in this field derived from the traditional wisdom as well as new researches.

Memberships to the Gym, to Yoga classes, to Children’s fitness classes, and to the Health Centre are invited. Please contact Asha Jha at The Gnostic Centre for details.

Events: April to May 2007

Details

Dates/Time

Programs at Alchemy

Children’s Physical Fitness Classes : for 5-8 year olds

Fee: Rs.2000 per month

Artistic Yoga

 for 18 year olds & above
Fee: Rs.3000 per month

Facilitated by Asha Jha

These are excellent sessions that train children in simple fitness exercises, yogasanas, basic gymnastics, rhythmic movements. As with all work of the Centre, these classes too are not limited to the physical, even though focusing on it. The activities are such that they also facilitate development of certain qualities in oneself – courage, initiative, perseverance, team spirit.

Resource Facilitator: Usha Chengappa

Trained by Bharat Thakur, Usha has been teaching Artistic Yoga over the last seven years. These one hour sessions are a time for yogasanas along with music – combining fun and effort, stillness and movement. Note: Morning sessions will begin soon. Please contact The Gnostic Centre for information and registrations.

Days: Mon, Wed, Fri; Timings: 5pm to 6pm

Days: Tue, Thu, Sat; Timings: 7am to 8am

International Centre for Integral Studies: Online Courses

ICIS, the higher education unit of The Gnostic Centre is starting postgraduate level online courses this year. Preparatory work for the following courses is under way:

• Paradigms of Psychological Knowledge: A Historical and Cross-Cultural Perspective, by Dr. Suneet Varma

• Introduction to Indian Culture: an Approach through Sri Aurobindo, by Dr. Kavita A. Sharma

The Gnostic Centre as an Eco-Community

This May, the Gnostic Centre took its first steps towards becoming an Eco-community… with the expert and kindly guidance of Chamanlal ji (an energy and solar scientist, based in Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry since 1960s), and practical and creative inputs of Sanjay Prakash (the architect for the Gnostic Centre buildings and a long-term associate). More on this will follow in subsequent issues. Presently the primary focus areas are waste recycling and water conservation.

Events: April to May 2007

Details

Dates/Time

Workshops

Parents’ Orientations
workshops for L’avenir parents

Teacher as a Catalyst of Change
a workshop for teachers of The Heritage School (Gurgaon)

The B.El.Ed. Experience
a presentation during a Seminar for Educationists

Exploring Creativity
a workshop for 5 to 8 year olds

Facilitators: Anuradha and Aditi
These introductory workshops were held for the older and younger batches. The main emphasis was on deepening the process of parenting through introspective, reflective and experiential activities, along with sharing and discussions in the larger group. The first workshop (for parents of the older batch) focused on How to Know and Understand oneself. The second (for parents of the younger batch) focused on one’s Role as a Parent and coming in touch with the Inner Story of one’s child.

Facilitator: Anuradha

A teacher-education session for over a 100 teachers, this 90 minute interaction drew a warm response from the teachers and the principal. The session focused on the present state of society and the role of the individual as a catalyst of change despite odds. ‘A New Education for a New India’, a multimedia presentation by The Gnostic Centre, formed a part of this session and generated new ideas, reflections and questioning in the viewers.

Presenter: Anuradha
This presentation was made to a group of educationists, educational planners, principals, teachers and teacher-students – as part of a one-day seminar on ‘Self-development: Need and Importance in Teacher-Education’, organised by Dr. Prabhjot Kulkarni (Principal, Maharshi Valmiki College of Education) and Prof. Sunil Kumar (Indus Quality Foundation), at Ramakrishna Mission Centre, Delhi. Here too the multimedia presentation, ‘A New Education for a New India’ evoked a tremendous response, touching the hearts of all present. The presentation primarily focused on the deeper meaning of self-development, in the context of education – the change beginning with the teacher herself – through a growth of consciousness rather than mere modification of behaviour.

Facilitator: Sunaina Singh

A workshop full of interesting and creative activities that challenged as well as engaged the children, and helped them enhance their power of imagination and creativity. The variety of activities children were exposed to was remarkable: paper craft, design and jewellery, glass painting, clay modelling, plaster of Paris work, different types of drawing and painting, Madhubani and Warli painting, coil pottery, western fold dance, physical activities, nature walks, and shlokas.

15th & 22nd April

28th April

8th May

12th & 13th May

Outreach
The Gnostic Centre Info & Literature stall
at The Heritage School, Gurgaon

The Gnostic Centre put up a literature and info stall at the Heritage school on the days of the school’s Parent-Teacher meetings.

5th & 10th May

Study Circle

Savitri

(a book by Sri Aurobindo)

Facilitated by Ameeta Mehra

Saturdays, 9-10am

For information on any of the above, contact The Gnostic Centre – tel: (011) 28063060 / 70 / 80, 9810052545 ; e-mail: gnostic@gnosticcentre.com .