Soulbath Peace Foundation Workshop
WORLD’S AIDS DAY WORKSHOP - "Living with HIV" (For HIV+ individuals)
In collaboration with Deep Griha Society and Sahara Aalhad Centre for residential care and Rehabilitation, Pune
On the occasion of World AIDS Day, Soulbath Peace Foundation reached out to 55 individuals from Deep Griha Society and Sahara Aalhad Centre for residential care & Rehabilitation in Pune, Maharashtra. The focus of the workshop was to address the stigma attached to the endemic and build the immune system of the body tapping the power of the sub conscious mind. Medium of communication was Hindi.
(Faces are covered to protect the identity of HIV + participants)
This workshop saw participants as young as 15 years to about 70 years of HIV+ individuals including men and women. Participants were from slums and also included members from the middle class strata who were isolated after dejection from their families.
During the session SPF Volunteer lead Dr. Shantu, emphasized on the fact that PLHIV face a lot of stigma and discrimination from others. But before dealing with others, every PLHIV needs to stop discriminating against themselves from within. They need to understand that they can live with HIV with the help proper nutrition and medicines and support from friends and family. SPF Volunteer Shubha, described in detail how stress affects the human body. She shared information on ways to reduce stress and taking control of one’s life.
Below is what few of the participants felt:-
While Sheetal innocently fought the HIV+ status keeping in mind her new born child, at the end of the workshop, she acknowledges consciously stepping into an aware and hopeful zone of living life with more awareness in her 9th year of the infection status.
“My parents are no more. I got the infection from someone who is also no more and today I could get in touch with him. It was like removing a big burden from my shoulders. All this while I outwardly looked happy but inwardly there was fear and restlessness that has reduced a great deal now!”
“There was a lot of fear before the workshop but now I know I have a choice. We do not need to fight AIDS. We have to understand and win our people with love and acceptance beginning with ourselves.”
“Oh, you are also positive? HIV+ ? Is that why you are talking to us?” was the first impression from participants bringing out the stereotype that exists in society bringing out the sense of divide.
During the session SPF Volunteer lead Dr. Shantu, emphasized on the fact that PLHIV face a lot of stigma and discrimination from others. But before dealing with others, every PLHIV needs to stop discriminating against themselves from within. They need to understand that they can live with HIV with the help proper nutrition and medicines and support from friends and family. SPF Volunteer Shubha, described in detail how stress affects the human body. She shared information on ways to reduce stress and taking control of one’s life.
Below is what few of the participants felt:-
While Sheetal innocently fought the HIV+ status keeping in mind her new born child, at the end of the workshop, she acknowledges consciously stepping into an aware and hopeful zone of living life with more awareness in her 9th year of the infection status.
“My parents are no more. I got the infection from someone who is also no more and today I could get in touch with him. It was like removing a big burden from my shoulders. All this while I outwardly looked happy but inwardly there was fear and restlessness that has reduced a great deal now!”
“There was a lot of fear before the workshop but now I know I have a choice. We do not need to fight AIDS. We have to understand and win our people with love and acceptance beginning with ourselves.”
“Oh, you are also positive? HIV+ ? Is that why you are talking to us?” was the first impression from participants bringing out the stereotype that exists in society bringing out the sense of divide.
(First 2 pictures: Soul Yoga Meditation in progress. Note: Faces are covered to protect the identity of HIV + participants)
A Feedback from Mr. Avinash, Team Leader of DISHA (Integrated Service for HIV and AIDS), Pune -
Mr. Avinash has been with DISHA for 18 years said -
“Today I attended the Positive Living session and I liked this very much. First time I saw my clients become very happy while the session was going on. They were comfortable and boldly speaking. It was a participatory approach. The session was not boring but a very happy session. The meditation was very powerful and even I have never done it before. Today I am very very happy that I saw my clients faces light up. I am thinking that those who have not attended this session today have missed something worthwhile.”
Mr. Avinash has been with DISHA for 18 years said -
“Today I attended the Positive Living session and I liked this very much. First time I saw my clients become very happy while the session was going on. They were comfortable and boldly speaking. It was a participatory approach. The session was not boring but a very happy session. The meditation was very powerful and even I have never done it before. Today I am very very happy that I saw my clients faces light up. I am thinking that those who have not attended this session today have missed something worthwhile.”
Our learning :
A quote by Sri Raj Bhowmik reminds us -
"Whenever you shake hands, be aware to shake hands as a human being, not as a label."
We hugged and laughed…. all carrying the labels of being humans… recognizing that needs were the same… our minds and hearts wanted the same love and understood the same language as everyone else in the room.
A quote by Sri Raj Bhowmik reminds us -
"Whenever you shake hands, be aware to shake hands as a human being, not as a label."
We hugged and laughed…. all carrying the labels of being humans… recognizing that needs were the same… our minds and hearts wanted the same love and understood the same language as everyone else in the room.
Soulbath Peace Foundation Volunteer Testimonial:
We did a workshop with the clients of Deep Griha Society. These women were from the age group of 25 to 45. These were HIV+ women. There were a few men too. I could again reach out to these women because I spoke in their mother tongue- Marathi, with them. I was overwhelmed by their inner strength and their sheer willpower to go on in spite of their difficulties. Some of them were not as strong as the others so we made the stronger ones relate their experiences and inspire the others. The Soul Yoga Meditation was very intense for a few of the women and a family which had come there. We saw tears rolling down their faces.
We lit candles at the end of the workshop. That exercise, a simple one on the face of it but it made a world of a difference to these men and women who were there at that moment lighting candles…Each candle had a story to tell…a story yet untold and will probably remain so… But in their hearts the flames of the lit candles would glow for a long time to come…
The project co-ordinator of Deep Griha Society mentioned that they have held many “positive living” workshops for this group but never has he seen these kind of smiling faces.
And in that statement, was our greatest satisfaction!
We lit candles at the end of the workshop. That exercise, a simple one on the face of it but it made a world of a difference to these men and women who were there at that moment lighting candles…Each candle had a story to tell…a story yet untold and will probably remain so… But in their hearts the flames of the lit candles would glow for a long time to come…
The project co-ordinator of Deep Griha Society mentioned that they have held many “positive living” workshops for this group but never has he seen these kind of smiling faces.
And in that statement, was our greatest satisfaction!
(In the picture: Dr. Shantu and Dr. Neela Onawale with Sri Raj Bhowmik's book 'CORPORitual')
Deep Griha – meaning ‘Light House’ – is an independent charitable organisation working to better the lives of people in the slums of Pune. It has a range of family welfare programmes encompassing health, education and childcare projects within Pune and nearby villages.