Date: 18th July 2008
Venue: Brahma Kumaris Meditation Centre, Israel
Duration: A one day program with lunch
Audience: A public event
Age group: 20-27
Testimonials: Feedback: 80 % graded their enjoyment at 10/10, 20% at 9/10. "The silence distances us from the pressure and speed of the world today, and it's possible to understand there's an option to stop everything, relax and think". "The meditation brings better inner understanding". "It was fascinating and enriching". “I personally had understanding and recognition of the virtues of courage, power, truth, determination, calmness.
Timetable of the Event
Welcome and Introductions ... of Brahma Kumaris, International Youth Forum Events and the background to the “You First" project.
Ice breaker Each one was asked to choose a virtue card and then share their name, what attracted them to come to the workshop, and relate shortly to the virtue received.
Part 1 Brief talk for inspiration! As young people, we a taking our first steps for independence, our future. The guiding questions for this workshop relate to the awareness of the past-present-future. Our future is shaped by the present, and our present is influenced by the past. We chose to give today the space to examine and learn from the past – what ‘good’ we want to carry with us and what to leave behind. Before we can begin to speak about change, we must first accept who we are now, and what has happened in the past for each of us …
Three questions are written on the flip chart :
Where am I at? Why am I here? What's my next step?
What comes up for you when looking at these questions?
This process we're going to journey through may bring up all sorts of questions and the aim is not necessarily to find or give answers, but rather to observe what feelings do the questions bring up in me? Fear, stress, confusion, determination, enthusiasm?
To examine ourselves and get in touch with ourselves on a deeper level needs a first step of seeing and accepting ourselves as we are – and from this point to decide how do we want to move forward.
1. Creating a Life Line. From the perspective of a detached observer of ourselves, we can look at events in our lives up to now and examine where we are today, what experiences and habits we've accumulated and the impact they had on us.
Instruction: Draw a line that ‘looks like your life so far’, ups and downs, and notice the thoughts & feelings that come up as you relate to each event that has made an impression on you. Look at the life line you've drawn, and check: what can I learn about myself from what I went through. Notice your thinking patterns, behaviours, reactions, etc.
2. Share Insights & Experiences.
3. Actor & Play Concept. We understand that what influences our experience of life, the reality, is our own attitude, the way we look at the movie of our lives. We can see ourselves as the 'actor', who has a part to play in different 'scenes'. Now the question is, who has the power, the actor or the scene? The power of the actor is in his reaction/response, and in what he brings into the situation.
My power is not in changing the situation, or others, but in my own personal response – which will, in turn, of course , influence the other factors. For example, when someone fails a test, that is a fact, but the question is "what do I do from here”? As an actor how do I act considering the facts? This is my choice, as well as responsibility.
4. Virtues. What are our reaction options? I can react positively or negatively.
Negative: desperation, anger, hopelessness, etc. Positive: forgiveness, hope, determination, courage etc.
We all prefer making a positive response but what allows us to choose the positive response?
The negative comes from resisting the facts, the 'scene'; the positive comes from acceptance, and perhaps even the faith that some goodness lies in whatever is happening.
Have you noticed that in the face of negative situations, the good things about ourselves are often revealed – for example, an inner strength that we didn't know we had.
These things are not visible in the external factors of the situations; they come from within us. They are called good qualities, or virtues. All of these virtues, and the potential to use them, are inside every one of us.
The awareness of myself as the detached observer, or the actor, helps. When we remember we are separate from the scene, the movie of life, our ability to choose comes back to us – how to respond, act, think and even feel more positively. Otherwise, we're trapped within the movie, helpless, as if every step and emotion is dictated to us and we have no free will.
Part 2
Look at your life line and choose 2-3 meaningful points.
Notice:
* What is the scene (situation)?
* What is the acting quality (reaction)?
* How does the actor feel (me)?
* Write it down.
* Now, identify which virtues you used at those points. It’s probable that even if you acted badly, there are hidden virtues there, for example, I felt bad because I was acting against what I know is right or I felt bed because I didn’t feel I could express my how I really felt. Now identify that truth, the good intention, the motivation.
Feedback:
How was it identifying virtues in the life line?
How can I be in that space more? How, as an actor, can I stay in that positive place more?
By choosing the positive view, we strengthen our ability to choose positively. What we have been doing so far is using observation, reflection. We can say that reflection is another word for meditation. This is the main tool we use here, in our ‘school for the self’ - reflection, focusing inwards, away from all that surrounds us – to give ourselves time to be with ourselves. The actor who for a moment is not inside the play.
Recognizing the power of silence as a means to connect with the goodness inside and strengthening it. Up to now, we have used questions for reflection, to identify positive responses using virtues. So the next step is to take one virtue and experience it, and the feeling it brings. When we g inwards, when we choose where direct our attention and focus then it becomes apparent why reflection is so important.
Guided meditation
I relax my body. I go into silence and peace. I guide myself to focus on one virtue that is dominant in me, and I experience it. I do this by finding a treasure of sparkling colourful jewels... of virtues… one jewel is especially attracting to me, I feel very comfortable in its company, it is very natural for me… I go deep into the experience of this virtue/quality.
How does everyone feel now? Can you describe it in one word?
Connecting the Past, Present and the Future.
We have explored where we came from and where we are now. That we are hero actors of the movie of our lives and that this is the fun of life – playing my part, according to my truth, expressing my goodness, dancing the dance of virtues.
We understand that the present builds the future, so can we see where we go from here? We can use guided meditations to explore this.
Standing on a mountain, observing the view/scenery of my life… from above I can see all I went through in the past… myself at present… and I look beyond towards my future… I ask myself what is my feeling about my next step? Which virtues do I especially wish to remember and express? What do I have to offer to those around me and the world?
Write down your experience of the meditation. What you felt, any questions, any insights, experiences.
Creating a Personal Symbol.
We have a variety of papers & coloured pens arranged on a table. In silence, use these to create something that symbolizes your uniqueness, your aim, or what you feel is your next chapter. Something that will remind you of what you have experienced and learned today, and will be an inspiration for the future. Each one of us can present what we’ve done, and talk the others through it.
Plenary
We can reviewing the day's journey with a few bullet points to remember:
* the importance of practicing positivity
* stopping and becoming the detached observer and choosing our thoughts
* minutes of silence during the day
* meditation
* recognising our virtues
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