Wellness Activity

Laughter is said to be the best medicine, it not only decreases stress hormones but also increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving our resistance to diseases. Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals which in turn promotes an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve us from pain. Laughing is a celebration of the good, and it’s also how we deal with the bad. It is a big deal and has been shown to have many beneficial effects on human body in different ways. Due to its advantages, the club started showing funny videos to induce laughter in the class. These sessions helped in releasing the stress and fatigue among students.

Knowing each other well helps in better understanding of one another and also facilitates in securing a bond between people. With this intent, an activity was started on Whatsapp group wherein each day student teacher would share one positive attribute or thought on one chosen student for a day. The student who reigns the day on Whatsapp then gets an opportunity to choose another student for the next day and so on. This activity helped in bringing about bonding and cohesion among the students and enhanced their social skills. They have also developed a positive attitude for each other and the class has become a place filled with positivity, empathy and compassion. The students are also encouraged to do one good deed each day and display it on the chart meant for it.

These activities have helped in stimulating the goodness within each one of the student and spreading it among the others. The well being of each one of us lies in being positive and spreading that goodness and goodwill.

Meditation

In today’s world of stress and strife, everyone is looking for ways to gain a perspective into one’s life. Even though we run after materialistic world and the happiness it provides, we also need to slow down, connect with our inner self, and also the supreme power. To achieve this, there are many ways and means. One of the most effective ways is to introspect and for this Meditation is really useful. At Pillai College of Education and Research, Panvel, as part of the Wellness Club activity, we have introduced our students to Meditation using the Sahajmarg Yoga. Every Friday there is a one-hour session for our students conducted by the “Prefect”, an expert from the Ramchandra Mission, New Panvel. Here the students are asked to sit quietly and feel the inner light. At the end of each session students are asked about their experiences and the same is shared with the entire class. These sessions have helped them concentrate and reflect on the things in their life.

Yoga: “Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured”
–B K Iyengar.

Man has become a slave of time! The lives of people have become so busy that physical well being is completely ignored. The stability and calmness of mind and body is often overlooked which invariably causes stress leading to challenges and problems in life. Yoga is a 5000 year old Indian body of knowledge which helps our soul to be one with the universal spirit. Keeping in mind the multi beneficial facets of Yoga, yoga sessions were organized for the student teachers for a week (14th -19th March 2016) from 3.00 -3:30 pm. The sessions were conducted by Mrs. Bharati Iyer, an alumnus of PCER and also a member of professional yoga community. The sessions included yogic exercises, power yoga, acupuncture and laughter therapy. The best part of yoga session was her soothing voice which took the students down the lanes of a beautiful garden. The Ms Iyer taught simple steps of yoga that can be practiced without much hassle. These sessions helped rejuvenate the mind, body and soul.