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Report on Sunlit Path Programme in Chatsworth

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The Sunlit Path Programme held at the Sivananda Sunlit Path Centre on Friday, 20 May was very successful as may be seen from the fact that 111 learners out of 119 learners signed the pledge form to try to stay away from drugs and other social ills. (93.2%) We are grateful to the principals of the following six secondary schools for allowing their learners to participate in the programme: Crossmoor, Glenover, Newhaven, Queensburgh Girls' High, Risecliff and Witteklip. Learners who signed the pledge form will automatically become members of the Sunlit Club. They will be awarded a certificate for their courageous stand against the scourges of Society and will also receive our quarterly magazine, "Sunlit Path", free of charge.

In order to encourage greater learner participation, the organisers introduced role-playing during the breakaway session, based on the readings in the programme. We are pleased to report that in the main, many learners were excited to enact their responses to the scenario outlined. In this way, we will be able to get to know more about their problems and adjust our programmes accordingly. As this is a new initiative, with experience we will be able to elicit greater learner participation.

It is clear from their responses that they were receptive to the messages contained in the programme. We quote a few thoughts below:

• Our minds are the greatest thing God has given us. We must use it properly.
• If you hurt someone at some point in time, you will also feel the pain–you will be hurt.
• The company and the places you visit are important. It will change you. In a prayer place the atmosphere is peaceful and calm. In a club the place is wild, violent and loud.
• By constantly call God, He will become close to you.
• We pick up bad habit by watching scenes on TV.

Regarding role-playing, one of our facilitators reported as follows: "The learners at my table were very intelligent and courageous. They immediately took up the challenge to role-play the first scenario where the parents refused permission for their daughter to visit the club with her friend. The reasons given were perfectly right. This is in line with what Pujya Swamiji says in "Bringing up Spiritual Darlings". There must be an alternative. They covered almost all the points from the earlier readings about bad vibrations, bad company and influences and peer pressure. They were very convincing. It proves that they digested all that was being said in the readings."

One of the groups that enjoyed the role-playing summed up their experience as follows: We have come to the conclusion that we should say NO to drugs. We are the future and we need to be good leaders. It would not be possible if we are doing the wrong things.

We express our heartfelt thanks to learners for their willingness to imbibe the messages of the Sunlit Path Programme and to learn how to eradicate their bad habits. We thank educators for accompanying them and assisting during the discussion time. Our thanks go also to the devotees from Chatsworth who prepared refreshments and meals for this workshop. And, finally, we will be failing in our duty if we do not thank the Department of Education for allowing learners to attend the workshop during school hours.

We are pleased to report that since 2013 we have invited 50 schools to our workshops, coming from the following regions: Reservoir Hills, Chatsworth, Phoenix, Stanger, Verulam, Pietermaritzburg, Isipingo and Greytown. Almost 3500 learners have are now members of the Sunlit Club. Plans are afoot to invite schools to undertake excursions to the home of Sunlit Club, the Sivananda Sunlit Path Centre in Arena Park, Chatsworth. It is hoped that such excursions would enable learners to identify with the Centre and become actively involved in all its activities. It is our fervent hope that such learners will use the material and experience to organize similar workshops in their respective schools so that these virtues are inculcated on an ongoing basis in an effort to rid schools of the scourge of drug addiction and other social ills.

Last modified on Wednesday, 25 May 2016 07:28
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