The Life Drive Newsletter August 2013

the life drive

a triangle has three directions, each asking for a decision. it can exist even without this decision. life is made of thousands of such triangles. choices. interests. abilities. drivers. values. responsibilities. sor t out these triangles. direct them. know, develop and express. create a whole, one, integrated - you. exist versus create. the dif ference is the life drive.

Design: www.rahulinamdar.com

Year 1, Volume No. 6

shaileshdesh@gmail.com http://lifedriveorg.blogspot.in/

The Life Drive Newsletter August 2013

Talk on mindfulness : By Ellen Langer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZffBAefwUM&list=PLNu8fjB6zFAOCywTtZDOCoHhm4OWbwW1m

Introductory note: Mindfulness is one of the most important internal influencers of personal growth. Being truly aware of who we are, who we want to be and of how we are working on this journey every day, makes a significant positive difference. Ellen Langer is Professor of Psychology at Harvard University and has been studying the subject of mindfulness for more than three decades. She is particularly well known for her very interesting research designs that bring out significant insights with small manipulation of simple variables (E.g. - To illustrate the power of mind, she simply reversed the Snellen Eye Charts upside down i.e. starting with smaller alphabets first, and most readers were now the alphabets they could not read earlier !) In this video, she talks about the large volume of evidence that shows positive impact of mindfulness on wide range of factors (including health, relationships, achievement and others) and argues that root of most of our physiological and psychological suffering is mindlessness. She says Instead of mindlessly reacting to social and cultural cues, if we enhance our level of awareness and make subtle changes in our thinking, language and expectations it can have a significant impact on our health and vitality

------

Year 1, Volume No. 6

shaileshdesh@gmail.com http://lifedriveorg.blogspot.in/

The Life Drive Newsletter August 2013

Powerful story of creation of a true institution: : Vigyan Ashram at Pabal.

http://www.vigyanashram.com

Introductory note: Vigyan-ashram, a very innovative and impactful center for education in appropriate technology was founded by Dr. S.S. Kalbag in 1983. A PhD from University of Chicago, Dr, Kalbag had worked for many years in Hindustan Unilever R&D Center in Mumbai. But in 1982, he took an early retirement to create a place of his dreams: an Ashram like institute to promote non-formal education for rural youths, especially school drop-outs. After creating this center and taking it to great heights, Dr. Kalbag unfortunately passed away in 2003 (while he was working, in his office at the Vigyan Ashram). Today, more than a decade after his death, the center continues to take its mission forward and searches for newer avenues of impact a true testimony to Dr.Kalbags vision and values. Its in inspiring true story of one man bringing together his core themes ( such as desire to make a difference to rural youth of India, passion for science, technology and learning, belief in principles of appropriate technology and institution building) in a way that has made, and will continue to make lasting difference to thousands of lives. (Enclosed below is a write up about life of Dr. Kalbag, from the Vigyan Ashram website. Do check the website to learn about the wide range of work being done at the center. )

Dr. Kalbag : A Karmayogi, Founder Director of Vigyan Ashram

Dr.Shrinath Kalbag was born on 23rd October 1928, a Dasara day . He was the youngest sibling, amongst children of Shesgiri Naryan Kalbag, founder of Popular Pharmacy in Mumbai He had scientific bent of mind even in his school days. He conducted various experiments at home, such as preparing soap, bleaching clothes with Potassium Permanganate, Acid Hydrochloride (commercial) and Trisodium Phosphates and also
Year 1, Volume No. 6 shaileshdesh@gmail.com http://lifedriveorg.blogspot.in/

The Life Drive Newsletter August 2013

in the line of printing. During his college days he conducted classes at Parle Products for the workers to make them aware of their rights and responsibilities and literacy. He did his schooling at Robert Money and B.Sc. from Royal Institute of Science, Bombay and M.Sc.Tech. in Oils & Fats from UDCT, Mumbai in the year 1952. He proceeded to USA in 1953 to study at the University of Illinois, Chicago, for his Ph. D. in Food Technology under Prof. Kumaroe. During his 2 years residence in Chicago, he used to spend weekends at Ranches in nearby rural areas to see and study the life of rural folks, especially of the farmers there. He saw the farmers there using science and technology not only in agriculture but also in general living. This observation was the seed for his later plan of starting VIDNYAN ASHRAM at Pabal in Pune Dist. After getting his Ph. D., his professor urged him to continue and work in USA. with a Researchers post in one of the leading manufacturers of Glandular Preparation on a grand remuneration. But Shrinath insisted on returning to India at the earliest. He joined Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) at Mysore, as an Asstt. Scientific Research Officer in late 1955. He hoped to rise to higher levels by sincere hard work. He worked there until 1963. He joined Hindustan Lever Research Center, Mumbai as head of the Engineering Sciences Department and worked until 1982. During this year he decided to take voluntary retirement and start working for his dream project of establishing an Ashram type institute to promote non-formal education for rural youths, especially school drop-outs. His bosses at the research center appreciated his sincerity and offered all possible assistance in the project. He was relieved from the post but he was appointed Scientist Emeritus. After touring entire Maharashtra to select a rural town for his future project, he selected Pabal, Taluka Shirur in Pune District.. This is a rural town under Rain Shadow and always short of water supply. Dr. V.G.Kulkarni introduced him to Drs. J.P. and Chitra Naik of Indian Institute of Education (IIE). After studying the project report submitted by Dr. Kalbag they gave a green signal. In 1983 he started VIGYAN ASHRAM in collaboration with I.I.E., Pune renting a big room of a defunct oil mill at Pabal and shifted his residence from Juhu, Mumbai to a Maharwada at Pabal. This was a deliberate step to set an example for local folks to forsake distinction of higher and lower castes. After sometime, Govt. of Maharashtra donated some land for Vigyan Ashram on a barren hillock. Here a fairly big shed-like structure of brickwalls and galvanized sheet
Year 1, Volume No. 6 shaileshdesh@gmail.com http://lifedriveorg.blogspot.in/

The Life Drive Newsletter August 2013

roof was built for office and workshop combined. Another similar structure for a mess (kitchen) was put up. Smaller ones were constructed for residential purposes. Over the years ashram made a significant contribution in the field of vocational education and reforming education system. A education system based on principle of Natural System Of Learning is main innovation of Dr.Kalbag. All development at Vigyan Ashram are the fruits of that education system. Dr.Kalbag expired on 30th July 2003 while working on his computer due to cardiac arrest. In the best tradition of his selfless devotion for the cause of education his body was donated to Grant Medical College (JJ Hospital). His eyes were earlier removed as per his wish. In one of his interview Dr.Kalbag insists "We want our students to start their own enterprises in their villages and thus reduce the migration to cities. There are many, who have done that, and are running their industries successfully. But these are not my success stories, they are their own. "My success story will be when the system runs without me". Vigyan Ashram is working to prove success story of Dr.Kalbag as a tribute to him. -----------

Year 1, Volume No. 6

shaileshdesh@gmail.com http://lifedriveorg.blogspot.in/

The Life Drive Newsletter August 2013

About The Life Drive Newsletter

This newsletter is meant for someone who is interested in improving his or her work on own Journey of Personal Growth. I believe that that this Journey is about becoming the best that you can be and expressing yourself in a manner that is most meaningful to you. Each one of us has two inbuilt and perpetual drives that influence all that we do The Life Drive inspires us to create new things, seek out our true selves and engage with external world with zest and affection. At the same time, The Death Drive within us scares us, makes us harm ourselves, makes us find comfort in the lazy status quo and gets us to look at external world and other people with suspicion and violence. The Death Drive within us does anything and everything it can do to stop and derail our Journey of Personal Growth. To succeed in its objective, the Death Drive throws many traps at us, such as convincing us that the problem is not within but outside us and convincing us that the comfortable life of status quo is better than risking the challenges of self-exploration and selfexpression. How well, and whether at all we progress on this Journey is entirely dependent on whether we constantly honor our Life Drive by giving life to newer expressions of our core self and whether we succeed in defeating that enemy within ( The Death Drive) every day. Nobody and nothing outside of us can make us do this - it can happen if and only if we take complete personal responsibility of staying true to our precious and sacred Life Drive. This newsletter is meant to be a small reminder- that hopefully will make each of us take a pause and ask this question to ourselves: Did I truly honor my Life Drive today?

The Life Drive Newsletter is circulated every month. In case you wish to add someone to the circulation list, please send me his or her email address. The older editions of the newsletter (from March 2013) are available at http://lifedriveorg.blogspot.in/

Your comments and feedback on the Newsletter are most welcome. You can reach me at shaileshdesh@gmail.com

Year 1, Volume No. 6

shaileshdesh@gmail.com http://lifedriveorg.blogspot.in/