Back from MBL retreat, sitting here, feeling immensely grateful. Also realizing how the community is growing, not only in size but also in kindness and subtlety. Noting down the key pointers I remember and aspire to do:
Action items thought of:
- Lovely food all along the retreat, all meals. All retreats till now, I somehow ate very little, but this one I ate like this was the last meal I can have. Everytime I used to think I'll eat less but don't know why I ended up eating so much.
- Pinal ben, Vijayam di - so much love and care radiating
- Rahul, Kinnari, Ashima, Swara, Hari uncle and Neeti - Some flood gate of joy opened seeing them
- Lovely discussion with Hari uncle. Hope in country's growth increased immensely
- Introduction circle - Made me think what internal shifts have happened. External there are many, but what internally? Still not sure
- Relationships are all the same and we need to find opportunites to serve. It doesn't matter whether they are blood relationships or the ones we make. Basic rule remains the same. "If relationship is not good, then we have not served enough." eg. Nipun would wake up at 5:30, so that he can serve to Guri by 6 PM.
- If we serve 360 days in our personal lives like we do for 5 days in retreat, then there is no way relationships won't be good. They will only send us to the retreat.
- If somebody is feeling not comfortable then make them serve each other and break bars. eg. Jayesh bhai broke barriers between retreat participants and anganwadi teachers with welcoming, prayers and shawls.
- 5 rules of volunteerism -
- Keep volunteer engagement completely fluid. eg. Trisha from teenager to herself a mother of 2
- Provide opportunities to engage in multiple ways
- If we know concretely what MBL is and does, then we are gone. :D
- Observance of everything in minute detail by Jayesh bhai
- There is a lot of unsettleness within me. I need to sort it out
- Neeti - Take my son's blood, I'll feed him. I could fully imagine the scene. Gratitude to Neeti.
- I should observe more, pause and look around. I also need to become a bit more disciplined
- Bhumika serving with her entire being.
- Songs sung by Trupti, Kinnari, Garba with Ankita bhabhi.
- Kurta received from Ankita bhabhi.
- Reva washing Meghna's feet
Action items thought of:
- Connect with 1 participant once over the next month - (whoever I am digitally connected with)
- Meditate - 1 hour every day
- Pause and observe 360 degrees as many times as possible
- Reduce Facebook to only once a day
- At least 1 kindspring post every alternate day
- Write daily journal + gratitude note
