Relections for the week - Sunday 18th August 2024

- From The Guru Nanak Docuseries-  

1. What did you learn from the episode today?
2. How aware are we about our own religion and cultures?
3. Does true devotion lie in bathing in "holy rivers" or is it something deeper?
4. Why do you think the chapter is named "Adhikaar"?
5. What is religion and its true meaning?
6. What makes one "pure"?

More food for thought, notes shared by Akshar Bhasin from JMPS:

1. Questioning the futility of religious rituals and practices which are often performed blindly and without looking into the depth and intent behind them.

2. ⁠Aiming at the purification and cleansing of the inner soul and being rather than simply bathing the physical self in the Ganges and considering one pure.

3. Questioning the society’s olden practice of keeping a women confined and labelling her as impure during mensurational cycle.

4. ⁠Pondering about how a  man is often bestowed with the title of ‘pandit’ (wise one) just because of his ability to recite holy texts and mantras without actually realising depth and intent behind them and acting according to the righteous way of life.

5. ⁠Understanding and embracing the truth of religion and it’s teachings rather than blindly worshiping deities and praising their teachings. 

6. ⁠Understanding how enlightenment can be attained not by cremating someone at a holy site like Varanasi  but by following the correct path and embracing wisdom.

7. ⁠Can one, instead of embracing a religion professed by others, find his own path and way in life ?

- From The Hidden Life Of Trees – 
1. What is your takeaway from today's session?
2. Why is there a battle for every light of sunshine in the forest?

3. How do forest species adapt in their need for sun and resouces to grow from the environment?

Check out the GSI Journal and listen to the latest podsact from Sunbeam School Timeless Tales. You will find the podcos on the right column and are most welcome to visit the Good Schools India Journal webiste: https://www.gsi.in/.

These are some suggestions you can choose from. Looking forward to seeing your wonderful and thoughtful reflections! 

      

You can email your reflections at -      

mk@learningforward.org.in

Reflections from Sunbeam Lahartara

Sunbeam School and Hostel Lahartara in Varanasi share #JoyOfLearning in their maiden newsletter!

Beaver Dams - Arfa Khan

Illustration- Arfa Khan 

Beavers have incisors as strong and sharp as a chisel. They gnaw the bark of a tree (most of it) while the wind helps in taking down the rest. They use the bark and stones as the base of the dam and then pile up mud and sticks to finish it off. These dams play a vital role in cooling the forest down.

Arfa Khan

Grade 9

Ahlcon Public School

The Book Highlight - Ayush Kashyap

The book Hidden Life of Trees highlights its intricate relationships and communication networks within forests, reminding us of the importance of fostering a deeper connection with the natural world. It encourages us to appreciate and respect the complexity of ecosystems.

Ayush Kashyap
Sunbeam School, Varuna

The Marvellous Tree - Pallavi Kumari

https://www.toppr.com/, used by Pallavi Kumari for representation only. 

The Marvellous Tree

                            In the heart of the forest, tall and free, A tree stands proud, a marvel to see.

Its branches reach for the sky so high, A symphony of leaves, against the blue sky.

Beneath its shade, a haven of peace, Where woodland creatures find release.

Roots dig deep in the earth below, A silent dance, a life to bestow.

Through seasons changing, a timeless friend, Witness to stories, beginning to end.

Leaves whisper tales in the rustling breeze, Nature's secrets, shared with the trees.

In the embrace of the forest's might, The tree stands strong, a guardian of light.

A silent witness to the passing time, A testament to nature's sublime.

Pallavi Kumari

Grade- VIII

Sunbeam Hostel Lahartara 

The Tree - Sakshi Singh

 

In the forest deep, A tree stands tall. Dancing free is a sight to see. With every breeze they seem to play, birds find a place safe from storms and the world's alarms.

 

"O kind soul, please spare me. Even I am part of nature's life. I breathe for the earth and dance with the sky. From the wood that builds your shelter to the papers you write, I serve in countless ways, from morning until night."

 

Let's cherish and protect them; they are vital to every living being. The blessings they bring, for together, we find harmony in this living thing.

 

Sakshi Singh
Gyanshree School
Image Courtesy- https://pin.it/5qQ3OIp

A visit home - Aati Pema Tseagon

Picture Courtesy: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/AauyxzXZpvdywUpwLlxqKvXBDcUltP2AVoiEG2mXDCRrU0Fqif6MyM8/

A wind blew past my face, giving me shivers down my spine.

After nearly escaping death, I was still haunted by a daunting sensation which held my stomach tight. Since I wasn't bound, I could swim freely. So I dove right back into the waters. Moving my hands over the rough cement floors, I occasionally opened my eyes to find my cousin. 

He was with me when I returned for my bottle, and since I found myself here. I could not make myself think that he was there as I had almost drowned in my escape. But, since no one resurfaced with me, only the worst could have happened if he was down here. 

After five dives, I felt exhausted. Without any rest, my limbs complained of their state. I had now covered the whole tank floor and found nothing except the rubbles. With my search completed, I emerged out of the waters. 

I saw it was still early, and as I climbed out of the tank, I was again back in the world I knew the forest. But my anxiety had not gone. And now that I was out, another adrenaline dose rushed through my body. I ran as fast as I could, traversing the path as quickly as possible with my tired legs. But after a while, I had to rest. My legs fell beneath my body as I leaned against a trunk, my body shook, and I had to sit down. 

For the first time, I saw my state - my whole body covered with bruises and gashed with cuts. My wrists were bleeding from the slight tears, but I was immune to all the pain by then. As I again got up, something felt wrong, not with my body but as if I was being watched. 

I scanned over my shoulders; seeing no one there, I continued running until I reached the road. I came up with a weird sense of relief as I got out of the forest. The trees were quiet, with no noise from the birds or the languors. It made an eerie silence broken only by the sound of my footsteps and the few cars which came by. I stopped on a bike for a lift to Charles Valley. 

From there, I got off to walk the rest of the way. I hoped to see my cousin at home and my parents asleep, but as soon as I came in front of my house, my mother came rushing down, calling my name. I told myself I was in for a good smack right then and there. But something weird happened. 

My mother hugged me, and as I looked around, confused, I saw my cousin coming out, which made me feel a lot better. I wanted to ask what happened, but before I could, my mother asked me where have I gone? I told her about the whole exploration but left out what happened afterwards as I did not want to bring it up. 

My cousin had been looking at me. He said he had not gone with me till the tank. As I suddenly disappeared from beside him. This left me with more questions than before, but I felt that it was somehow related to the eerie feeling I had gotten before. 

I never told anyone what happened to me and what I felt, but since then, I haven't gone into the forest for explorations, and until now, no one knew of this place. I continued my life as it was before, I still feel an urge to explore what had happened then since it's still a mystery for me, and maybe it's better to be left it that way.

Aati Pema Tseagon

Pestalozzi Children's Village, India.

The 'My Good School' Forest

 "And Into the forest,

I go to lose my mind and find my soul"

~ John Muir

My Good School is all about reading. The joy of reading, writing, learning, speaking and simply the pleasure of relishing the good moments in life. And what is better than our very forest, where we can merely roam in the lush green gardens, rediscover ourselves and enjoy the beauty?
With this feeling, let us hear how one of our students feels about this luxuriant forest. 

"I remember one of my conversations with students of schools in Burg where they were telling me how different their school is by having a swimming pool, a garden to walk, an air-conditioned auditorium hall, and trips and camps outside school which make them stand out in their category.

I felt gloomy at the time because my school (The Fabindia School) had no point which would fit into this category of schools. And I couldn't get into the conversation. Later on, I came back and sat under my glorious Wisdom Tree.

I realize that we are not part of this category or any category because we are exclusive and unique in our ways. And I know everyone feels the same about their school, but I have several reasons to prove my statement.

If your school has a swimming pool, We have a whole natural pond.
You may have a garden to walk, but we have a Jungle to talk with.
You need to find a place to set up your camp while we can easily create one in our jungle.
Your school might use bleach for your pool, but we are a green school.

We don't harm the environment. We wish to nurture flora and fauna. We create our electricity and conduct rainwater harvesting. And that too from the time when schools had not defined what sustainable development was. We have been doing this for long enough, and the best part is that our vision and mission are not only on paper. It is in everyone's heart, and we carry it all along. 

I am so grateful to our founders and patrons for choosing this land in Bali, Rajasthan, as the launching pad. Thank you for believing that we could give back to our community." 

- Kunal Rajpurohit

(Visit our website here: https://schooleducation.com)

Its beauty and extravagance are beyond comparison. And we do hope that you will come to our forest one day. We are sure you will feel enriched and refreshed after having a short walk in our forest.

To Reach Your Goals - Aria Gupta

Why is patience an immutable value?

Everybody says that you need to make goals to achieve and you should contribute at least an hour of your 24-hour life to accomplish these goals, But how?

Imagine your brain to be a dense jungle. When you want to make a goal and start working towards it, it's like walking through the wilderness; it takes energy to convince yourself to do it. Since our brain hates wasting energy, it comes up with a trick. Every time you cross a path in the jungle, you make it easier to travel. Soon it becomes a highway which is much easier to cross. To make these highways, we need to use a wise planner and an impulsive toddler. An intelligent planner helps you to understand what we have to do to reach that goal; it helps us break down the goal into easier, manageable tasks. 

The impulsive toddler will help you slowly turn those manageable tasks into habits you do without thinking. All you need is a little bit of patience. If you do have that, you will certainly reach your goals without thinking about giving up. 

Thank you for reading this. It will surely help you at some point.

Aria Gupta
V-A
Gyanshree school

Shinrin Yoku - Rishona Chopra

Shinrin Yoku is the Japanese art of forest bathing. To simply be in the forest, to take its many gifts and allow it to suffuse us with its healing properties, is - Shinrin Yoku.

This reminds us of our timeless connections to the natural world and the vital importance of rediscovering those ties through touch, smell and mindful presence in the here and now. 

Being with nature awakens a new self in us.  

Nothing in nature is perfect; the trees are not shaped up, and the flowers wither, but either way, nature is beautiful just the way it is. Spirit is finely interconnected. When it rains, the flowers blossoms; when the wind comes, the trees sway to the wind's beat, and when it's a storm, the trees are sad and break down. These little lessons that we learn from nature help us a lot.

Let aside the lessons, being with nature, in a forest, hearing the birds chirping gives such a wonderful feeling.

This is also why most spiritual leaders like Buddha sit under a tree because it helps calm their minds.

Rishona Chopra 
Grade VI 
Gyanshree School

Avni: Inside the Hunt For India’s Deadliest Man-Eater - Rishona Chopra

On November 2, 2018, tigress 'Avni' or T1, as she was known officially, believed to have been responsible for the deaths of 13 people in Maharashtra in two years, was shot dead in the Yavatmal district of the state.

Like we humans think of killing animals and banning them from the world the same way animals want to kill us because humans and animals can both live in harmony, but fear causes us to create trouble. Just imagine yourself as a tiger who people want to hunt down and hurt; won't you want to hurt those who hurt you? Sometimes, when I look at a tiger's eye, I feel the sadness, fear and pain in her eyes. 

After all, the cause of animals hurting us are only humans. We cut trees and make buildings in the forest, harming the animals. Imagine people charging in your home and ruining your place. You now have nowhere to live.

We blame animals for hurting us, but actually, we hurt them primarily because of fear.

Rishona Chopra
Grade VI
Gyanshree School