PICNIC TO THE LAKES AND THE HILLS

Another Sumedha Sadhana and another picnic to the lakes! Tradition continues...

The picnic is usually held the day after group therapy concludes and before the spiritual retreat that concludes the Sumedha Sadhana experience.

So on Monday, 24th November, all the participants along with the Salesian staff went on a picnic.

Our first stop usually is what is known as the "Pilot Baba Temple/Ashram," about six km away from and very well visible from Sumedha Centre at a place called Gethia. There is also a school there besides meditation halls.

The place has a large number of statues of gods and godesses as well as of men and women in various yogic and meditative pose, including a rare statue of a female Budha or Budhini.

We then stop at what is known to us as the "Bell Temple, at Ghora Khal, a favourite of newly married couples. There are thousands (some pujari told us nearly a crore!) of brass bells tied there by devotees. We get a a wonderful view of Bhimtal from there.

Next stop: Naukuchiatal- "Nine-Cornered Lake" - a favourite spot for photographs. Participants love climbing the trees overhanging the water.

On our return from Naukuchiatal we stop at Bhimtal and then move on to Sattal (Seven lakes) where we have our lunch.

Following lunch there are lots of leisure time activities to engage in, such as boat ride in the lake, walk up to the Christian Ashram, pony ride and dressing up in exotic dresses to get photographed, shopping and so on.

We get back late in the evening. The following day is rest, to get ready for  the Spiritual Retreat that begins the next day.

HEALING AND TRANSFORMATION THROUGH GROUP THERAPY

Weeks 6 and 7 of Sumedha Sadhana were devoted to Group Therapy. There were three 90- minutes sessions each day for nine days.

In Group therapy participants had the opportunity for further healing and transformation, building on the experiences of the previous five weeks.

In the atmosphere of freedom, caring and trust that the group provided, participants were helped to face their emotional brokenness and their fears, their dysfunctional defences and their unhelpful patterns of living and relating, and to move toward greater healing and wholeness by adopting and practising healthier attitudes and behaviours.

Dr. Jose Parappully SDB, Dr. Johny Padinjar and Sr. Maria Goretti Kanakarathinam FMM facilitated the group process.

Participants found the therapeutic processes followed very helpful. Some comments:

“Group therapy helped me to walk bravely into the unknown and discover my dysfunctional behaviour and realise my own strength too.”

“Group therapy helped me to reflect and find out the dark areas of my life. It helped me especially to understand and deal more effectively with my feelings.”

“It has brought me out of shame and has given me respect, dignity. I no longer feel I am a victim, but a survivor”

“It was useful to understand my life and how to improve it. It gave me clear insight as to what I have to do to live life joyfully.”

The day following the conclusion of the Group Therapy, the participants had a day to relax together as they went on picnic to three of the major lake areas around Nainital – Naukuchiatal, Bhimtal and Sattal.