Questing: Guruji, how can spirituality be vested in our children and how can it be made part of our education system?

Sri Sri: The first question, yes, I thought about it. You know, We shouldn't make spirituality so serious to kids. It should come as a play, as a game, something juicy that they can rejoice and enjoy...that's why we made this small curriculum called the Art Excel (All Round Training In Excellence). And Youth Empowerment Seminar, YES, its for young adults. In this the children look at their own inhibitions, barriers, how they put on some barriers, you know. Someone wears dirty clothes; just see how you will talk to them. It becomes a barrier, an inhibition in the mind. Similarly, if some saint comes, with long hair and beard, you deal with them in different manner. And a model from cinema walks in, you are ready to hear every word. With them, you behave differently. It means, we can not leave the outer color, skin, clothes and look inside that person. We keep a barrier in our brain and we do not cross that barrier and look beyond. We train the kids in that. Then they lose barriers even between age-groups, you know. What they can share with their class-mates, colleagues, they don't share with their parents, or people of that age, you know. And they thoroughly enjoy these seminars. I want more and more teachers for these. I'm little bit hesitant to make it as a part of curriculum. Because anything you make part of the curriculum, you kill the pleasure in it. Usually children enjoy that which is extra-curricular.

Learning To Be a Young Adult

The Youth Empowerment Seminar YES! is a fun and challenging life-skills and leadership program that provides young adults with practical knowledge, and effective tools to reduce stress, manage negative emotions, and develop social, and leadership skills. The course is open to young adults between the age of 13 and 18 years.

The techniques taught in YES! help young adults deal with the increasing social , and academic pressures of adolescence. The course provides students with problem-solving strategies, and leadership training, skills on how to release stress, and manage negative emotions. Experiential processes are designed to help teens feel at ease in challenging situations, and foster the increased confidence, and inner strength needed to better handle criticism, peer pressure, and rise above life’s challenges.

Both fun and challenging, this 18-hour seminar provides teens with a comprehensive toolbox to manage their emotions, and stress as well as dynamically navigate through adolescence. The program broadens a youth's vision of the world, and provides practical knowledge and skills they need to realize their highest potential. Independent research has also shown that the processes learned on YES! reduce anger, violence, and depression, as well as improve focus, clarity of mind, and concentration.

What Do I Get?

Sri Sri Kalikkuttoom 2010

Sri sri Ravishankar Vidhya Mandir, Trivandrum, Kerala is organizing, Sri Sri Kalikkuttoom 2010, vacation class for children between 2½ years and 13 years.

Date : From 05th April 2010 to 13th May 2010

The highlights of the program are :

Inauguration: April 5th at 10.30 AM by Prof. K. Narayanan, Director, LBS Centre for Science & Technology

Children will be given training in the following topics: Yoga, Meditation | Music, Folk songs | Thabala | Computer Training | Drawing, craft | Spoken English | Personality Development | Karatte, Aerobics | Fun games | Electronic Hobby Workshop | Satsang

In addition to this, special interactive sessions will be engaged in various topics by the following subject experts:

Dr. Achuth Sankar S. Nair, Director, Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Kerala- “How not to stop asking questions”
Prof. Mahadevan, Former Principal Barton Hill Engineering College – “Basic Mathematics”
Dr. K. Neelakantan-, Cardiologist, SUT- “Health, Heart, Cholesterol”
Dr. Bela Manoj -“Food Habits”
Dr. Sakuntala S. Pillai, Former Director, LBS Centre and Professor, Mar Baselios Engineering College – “Electronics Hobby Workshop”
Dr. Komala Valli Amma , Retd.Chief Engineer Irrigation Dept. and Professor, Mar Baselios Engineering College - “Water Resources”
Smt. T. M. Sudha- Chief Town Planner - “Town Planning”
Prof. Thankammal, Professor, Mar Baselios Engineering College- “Sprirituality”
Dr. Maya , Former Principal, University College- “Communication Skills”
Mr. Madhava Chandra Kurup – “Quiz”
Prof. Viswanatha Rao, Professor, Mar Baselios Engineering College- “Integrated Circuits”
Smt. K. S. Thampatty, Headmistress – “Children’s Bhagavadgita”
"Traffic Rules"
M. K Rajesh- Sensei (Karatte and Aerobics)

We request the parents to send their children to enjoy this wonderful experience at SSRVM, Trivandrum and make their vacation a memorable one.

Fees : Rs. 1000/=. There will be conveyance facility also.

For details contact : + 91 471 22363368 / + 91 944 6510738