The ability to look at life with composure is the first step towards becoming a yogi. This capability called Samatva enables one to treat both happiness and sorrow with equanimity. As part of Nipun ’18 camp, a session on this skill was conducted by eminent scholar V. Shankar Kumaran. Prof. Sankar is a passionate research scholar who cherishes his Gurukulam education experience which has empowered him to apply the vast knowledge of Upanishads into day-to-day life situations.
The participants found the interaction to be a joyous, fun-filled experience and they found the storytelling skills of Prof. Sankar to be amazing and spontaneous.
For many participants like Arpit Agarwal, sessions like this are a boon to those who are looking to apply the theoretical knowledge of ancient scriptures in real life. Shakthi Subramanian also felt the same way and remarked that if somebody wanted to implement the Gita principles in their life, the session was helpful in connecting the dots from theory to practice. To be level-headed in life is very important, observed Gayathri Sarmishta, who said that you should learn to treat every situation with self-control. ‘’Shankar-ji taught us how to take negativity in positivity and both positivity in negativity.’’, said Arun Kumar S. The session helped him to realize how fragile is human joy and seek real happiness which is an everlasting experience. The concept of being alive at the moment came as a revolutionary revelation and the participants realized that it is where true happiness lies.
The way Prof. Sankar conducted the session through activities won the hearts and minds of the participants and many found the experience to be helpful in doing an introspection. It was a refreshing experience for the audience which employed a beautiful & systematic approach towards spirituality through activities, observed Subhilash PS. Getting a deep insight about the way our brain works around success and failure was a great revelation for many, as realized by Abhishek Ahuja. By inventing stories about success and failure to tell ourselves, we’re facing away from reality and fooling ourselves, he remarked. The session has taught him to be honest and find true happiness in mindful actions. Shankar Ji’s expressive way of presentation became an instant hit with youngsters, said Aswin Kumar and expressed his keenness to attend more of his workshops.
Many participants had issues like overcoming fear and standing up to challenges but the session made them realize their true potential and rise like true warriors. “The message that Arjuna ultimately gained from Gita was ‘get up and fight’ and this was the message I got from Samatva workshop too.”, said Praveen Raja. The session was truly enlightening and I realized that it is the uncertainty which makes life beautiful, he observed. When the session was over, all of the participants were excited about the soul-stirring experience they had and everyone was keen to attend more workshops of Shankar Kumaran.
