Date: Aug 11–13, 2016
Location: Sri Aurobindo Centre for Arts and Communication, New Delhi
INSIGHT 2016 was an adventurously playful and illuminating exploration of self and surroundings with the students of Sri Aurobindo Centre for Arts and Communication (SACAC). ‘Insights’ is a structured, annual programme for all the students of SACAC, aimed towards exploring the inner self and awakening the human consciousness. It is directed to reach the essential core of a person from where ideas, creativity, drive, and vision emerge. Combined with skills, it leads to developing a complete creative professional.
The 18 hours of intensive action-packed and progress-stimulating programme enabled the fresh batch of students to break through the veil of their limitations and ascend towards the discovery of their true nature and true action as artists and professionals. This series of workshops was an orientation towards the progressive realization of their inner genius—their uniqueness. They helped this group of youth strengthen their instrumentalities and prepare for the new future they have chosen to build.
This adventure into the realms of consciousness was based on performing and visual arts integrated programmes to facilitate the yearning to develop and improve, while tapping into their innate values and qualities. The workshops acted as an enabler for shedding of inhibitions and unhealthy conditionings, and nurtured the flowering of the individual in harmony with his/her surroundings.
The process started with enquiries consulting their temperaments and mental growth, and arrived to the discernment that everything can be learned. During the workshops, various tools were used, such as concentrations, meditations, relaxations, naad kriya, inner poise, body theatre, customized theatre games, metacognition, stories, enactments, open forum, reflections and assimilations.
The workshops were conducted by Kiran (an Art-in-Education Professional, Artist and Resource Facilitator—Art & Crafts in Integral Education of ICIE) and Ravi Shanker (a Theatre-in-Education Professional, Stage and Voice Actor and now a part of ICIE as Creative Director for Theatre in Integral Education).
Reflections & Feedbacks from Participating Students:
“I have gained a lot of insight into my own standards and definitions of success, professionalism, ignorance, etc. Each of these terms have widened and now include a lot of angles and areas which require constant check and evaluation. The process of constant check and evaluation has made me a lot more aware and conscious about the simplest of things yet which form the base for a lot of relationships, completion of objectives and growth of the personal self…Couldn’t have asked for more…”—Saptak Chatterjee
“There was not one dull moment in these three days…I feel now as if I have found a new part of me that was hidden somewhere but I never knew existed…”—Kaustav Bhattacharya
“The session opened a lot of new untraveled avenues in life. It showed me a good path, good vision towards my life…Not only the inner self, it helped me identify my body science. I wish to attend these workshops all over again.”—Sandipan Deb
“It changed my perspective towards life…thank you for all the positivity that you have brought in our life… They have basically shown us that every dark place have some light and it just takes an insight to see that light…will always remember these days…”—Juhi Jain
“Gratitude to our facilitators who gave us that energy to tackle our inner demons and come out to be free to oneself, to express without fear. I learnt that through positivity and channelizing our energies and with practice all can be achieved that creates thought of impossibility.”—Proneet De Kashyap
“I always thought that I was weak and could not understand the joke but now I know that some jokers need to be ignored; the jokers that take your smile away; the people who laugh at you, look down upon you. The facilitators have shown me and made me believe that ‘yes! I am one and that, this one is enough for my survival. I was the moisture on flower petal who evaporated, but now I am that water that strengthens the root.”—Chaitanya