WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION?

From a little child to an adult, there is a story running in each one’s head. Our fears, our joys, our relationships, our perspectives, are all born from these stories. The experiences we have had in life and the environment in which we grow, create these stories.

A little child refuses to eat, to mingle with others, to share, to go to school, and there is a reason for it in that little head. Though we may not agree with it, the child is convinced about it.

There are also children who are happy, easy going, friendly, active, who happily go to school, have fun in the company of friends, who are easy to handle. 

As a student, what is your definition of a teacher? How do you see your school? What is your relationship with your classmates? How important are studies to you? How attached are you to your parents?

Is it alright to keep the company of those who make you indulge in vices? How do you see the opposite gender? Do you think it is important to have priorities in life? Do you value integrity? Is it fine with you to violate the school culture?

Everything will depend on the definitions you hold.

Even amongst adults there are people who complain all the time, who find it difficult to adjust, who can seldom be happy, who have mood swings, who bully others, in short, they are people who lack emotional balance and maturity.

On the contrary, there also those who are happy, loving, adaptable, friendly, sincere, dependable, and emotionally balanced and mature.

I see a lot of struggle in the world to get the definitions right.

When you experience peace and harmony in your daily life, when you are not disturbed by the immaturity of the world, when you hold the key to your happiness, when there is a flow in your life, then you know that you have got your definitions right. 

Buddham saranam gachhami

Dhamam saranam gachhami

Sangam saranam gachhami

I am blessed with all the three in my life. A spiritual anchor, the wisdom of the Path and I am surrounded by the right-minded fraternity. I think this is the greatest blessing in my life.

From an insecure, love-starved child with heartaches and complexes, to a confident individual, with a heart filled with love and strong self-image, I have travelled very far in life. With a spiritual anchor, life can transform 360 degrees.

You need His grace to be blessed with a Source of Faith. I am sure the universe took mercy on me as it found a child walking with an unsteady gait, directionless, searching for Love. It brought into my life loving and caring people.

It helped me change my definitions in life. There is no more void or emptiness. Life is so fulfilling as it is filled with love, happiness, peace, harmony, and everything life positive.

This is a manifestation of spiritual evolution, that gives you all these experiences. To be able to tell, “Life is beautiful” or to feel on top of the world, one needs a spiritual anchor.

Life drastically changes when your definitions change. In fact, when you become free from definitions, you gravitate towards a gravity free zone where nothing pulls you down. It is a beautiful space to be in.

Change your definitions, and thus, change your life!

”Do not accept anyone’s definition of life. 

DEFINE IT YOURSELF”…   -mahātria

#Thoughtfulthursdays #nsn #nsnschool #mentoring #parenting 
 

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM…

 

Achieving Mind Over Body

(Education is not about marks and grades alone. It is about making a mark in life)

I usually receive wishes on “Teachers ’Day” from some of the alumni. But this year I received a few detailed messages along with the wishes. All of them had written about the impact of the school on their life and how they had an edge over others, and how grateful they were to the school for bringing about a transformation in their life.

They transcended some of their habits, and the qualities they imbibed, have taken them many notches higher than they could have imagined.

One such quality is, punctuality. An alumna of NSN, who is a lawyer by profession, says, she learnt in school that 9.01 am is not 9.00 am. It sounded simple when she first heard it, but it has left a profound impact on her, and continues to guide her in life.

“The power of the man is in the power of his mind

The power of his mind is in the power of his subconscious mind

The power of his subconscious mind is in the power of his subconscious beliefs

The power of his subconscious beliefs is built by making and honoring commitments.” – mahatria

The mind plays a powerful role in our life. The compounding effect of all small habits either leads to our success or failure in life. Coming to school on time is not about clock management. What comes along with this practice is a whole lot of other benefits. It is about achieving mind over body.

Even waking up early in the morning is an ordeal for many. A waking up time is set in the phone, and when it rings, the snooze button is pressed. If we live life out of pain and pleasure, there will be no discipline in our life. Only when the mind is in control of our actions, will we execute the right choices.

Stressing on punctuality is basically to create a powerful mind. In order to be punctual, we will start prioritizing and organizing our daily routine. In the process, we will become very organized and disciplined.

We also have a “Willpower Drive” practice in the school. Every month students are asked to align themselves to a routine, which, if practiced every day, can become a habit.

What we become in the process of achieving a goal is always far greater than the end goal.

Developing a powerful mind helps in making the right choices in life. Adolescence is a phase when the influence of friends is very high. Children tend to get carried away, especially those whose self-image is dented. They will indulge in everything that their friends do.

When the mind is disciplined, falling a prey to anything that is destructive can be avoided.

In NSN, students are given a certificate every month for punctuality and regularity. This motivation will help them to develop the right habits, by developing a powerful mind. And, it will go a long way in fostering the right attitude in life.

We are what we are because of

What has gone into our mind

What we will become will depend on

What continues to go into our mind.

“Thought” is another name for “fate.” -mahatria

#Thoughtfulthursdays #nsn #nsnschool #mentoring #parenting 

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM…

Nurturing Students for the Nation

(The education we provide in NSN goes far beyond the textbook, beyond academics and beyond the classroom) 

How many of us value the freedom that we have gained from the British rule, after more than three hundred years of great struggle by our ancestors?  We were born into free India and so, we do not know what it is to be stifled, or curtailed of one’s freedom to express, or to be dominated by a race.

To inculcate the feeling of patriotism in students, in NSN, we end the class by wishing students, “Jai Hind!” Independence Day is celebrated with pomp and splendor. Students deliver electrifying speeches, competitions are conducted, assembly presentations are made on freedom struggle, guest lectures are given about the unsung heroes of the freedom movement, to create a feeling of belongingness to the country.

The school also has the NCC, Air Wing and the Army. JRC, Scouts & Guides, and Cubs & Bulbuls Movement are part of the Co-curricular activity. Love for the country is imbibed in students through this Movement.

Swachh Bharat campaign is conducted every week. Students and teachers of one of the four houses, clean the school campus, on Fridays.  This helps to create a sense of ownership in students and also trains them to keep their surroundings clean. The cleanliness of a nation begins with our immediate surroundings.

The Eco-friendly certificate is given to every class that is kept litter free throughout the month.

Responsible citizenship is about making responsible choices. Not to do anything that is easy and convenient, or anything that is pleasurable, but to do what is right.

“Where there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in character

Where there is beauty in the character, there is harmony in the home.

Where there is harmony in the home, there is order in the nation.

Where there is order in the nation, there is peace in the world.” -Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.

Bringing up our children with the right value system and discipline is our contribution to the nation. Teaching them to be law-abiding citizens is responsible parenting.

There are many who are contributing to the nation-scientists, engineers, lawyers, policemen, and most importantly, teachers. Every professional goes through the hands of a teacher, even a teacher.

We may call teaching as the mother of all professions. Hence, the responsibility of moulding students into great citizens is shared by teachers, with the parents.

A teacher’s contribution to the nation is the highest. A teacher is here to serve. If a teacher can be a mom in school, she will do everything in the interest of the child and groom them to be an asset to the nation.

Like a mother, she will not wait for appreciation, and if her love for her students is as intense as a mother’s love, she will never need a reminder for what she needs to do. She will be the most inspiring teacher. To teach is to touch lives.

It is not necessary to be in the country’s defence to serve the nation. By being role model parents and teachers, influencing the young minds through the life that we live, we can contribute in a big way to the nation.

Each one of us should know that “True display of patriotism is living a life your country will be proud of”  - mahatria

#Thoughtfulthursdays #nsn #nsnschool #mentoring #parenting  

LOOK AROUND…LOOK BEYOND

 

(Education is not all about what we receive within the four walls of our classroom, or what we read from the textbook, or what is imparted to us as part of academics. Something beyond that is required to live a life of peace and harmony. So, a curriculum has been devised to address the needs of students, to achieve wholesome development)

In a nuclear family set-up, children’s needs and wants are taken care of. Especially, with many families having only one child, a lot of attention is given to the child and sharing is not an integral part of their growing up years. The joy of giving has to be ingrained from childhood.

Some of them don’t know that there are many people in the world who are deprived of the basic needs in life. We need to sensitize them to the plight of others. Else, there is a threat of creating a selfish society.

“Learning, Earning & Returning should be concurrent and not different phases in life.” -mahatria

Even a s a student, there are so many contributions we can make. Our students planted 1111 saplings under the Go Green Project, in Chitlapakkam and Chromepet, in the year 2012, and today they have grown into trees. It is a legacy we leave behind.

Every year we celebrate the anniversary of infinitheism on 11^th November. We take our students to at least fifteen schools where they give motivational talk to the students on “The Turbulent Adolescent Years”and “How to Get Their Teenage Right.” We have been doing this for the past thirteen years. The impact is more when students share with students.

“Happy to Help” is a group in the school. These students usher in the kindergarten students, and also help the teachers for a while in the morning to ensure that the toddlers settle down for the day.

There are different ways in which students are taught to contribute to society. They stage street plays to create awareness amongst the general public on “World Mental Health Day.”

Doctors were honoured on “Doctors’ Day” and they were overwhelmed by this gesture. Temple cleaning, lake cleaning, participating in walkathons to spread awareness, are all part of their social activities.

Looking beyond “Me, Mine & Myself” is inculcated in students early in life.

Students are asked to talk about the importance of giving, to their neighbours and relatives and collect funds for the underprivileged. They also talk about the number of social contributions the school has made over the years.

Students have been making social contributions for almost three decades. The parents of these students have to be thanked for their support. The money thus raised is used to build washrooms, classrooms, set up labs, libraries etc in government schools, and for many other noble Cause.

The kindergarten students take gifts for the less privileged children on Eid-al-Fitr. They also donate their used toys, which are in good condition, to the down-trodden, through NGOs. NSNites experience the joy of giving, throughout their school days, year on year. This will make them good Samaritans in future. So many of our alumni have started an NGO or a Trust to reach out to society.

The seeds we sow today become the trees of tomorrow. Success is not measured by the salary you earn or the position you occupy. Are you living a holistic life?

Are you using your potential and are you useful to the world? Then you are living a meaningful life.

#Thoughtfulthursdays #nsn #nsnschool #mentoring #parenting