SIP Jam 2 :: Nature; within & around

29.02.2012 | 21.00 GMT | Skype | 9

:: Summary of the call

At the end of the health awareness month, SIP Jam 2 sought to enable participants to reflect on their relationship with nature, within & around.

The photos that participants submitted along with their caption on “how connected are you to the natural environment in your daily life?” are available online

Participants started by talking about their photo, the context and the reason behind which they took the photo.

The questions that were then openly discussed were

1. How does the nature around you influence you?
2. How do you influence the nature?
3. How does nature help you understand yourself?

Participants began by broadening their interpretation of nature. This included, the natural environment, something that is green and full of light, a hard wiring, something that helps to sustain. Nature was also seen to be selfish, that it has a default survival mechanism in order to preserve itself.

We also touched upon how the mind is moulded by and moulded to the surroundings. How sunny or rainy weather influences us.

It was noted that one can influence nature simply by ones presence – it was agreed that the most direct way to influence nature is through action. The balance between consumer vs producer was also brought up in this context, “How much do you influence nature (produce) vs being influenced by nature (consume). Passion also influences environment – with that we viewed the second question through the lens of leadership and in particular leadership beyond authority. That the attitude of 'adding value' and not just doing the minimum that is another example of how one can influence nature.

We explored how the surya namaskar yagna has influenced ones own understanding of their own nature. Participants gradually considered this question more deeply and were challenged by the process of introspection.

SIP Jam welcomes your thoughts and comments on these questions.

::  Prompt

SIP Jam 2 :: Nature; within & around

As well as promoting good health, the Surya Namaskar Yagya is an opportunity for us to think about and experience our connection with prakruti or nature. In our day to day, (busy) lifestyles, how conscious are we about the air we breathe, the plants we see, the heat we feel, the colour of the sky, the phase of the moon. They all have a profound impact on our lives.

February’s SIP Jam is an opportunity for each of us to share our experience with nature.

To participate in February's SIP Jam you asked you to take a photo of something from the natural environment in your normal day. On your way to/from school/work, in your local neighbourhood or elsewhere. It is the experience of it which we would like you to share. Please remember that it is important that you go out and take the photo yourself (please do not download from the internet).

As you take the photograph, capture not only the image but also yourself. Remember how feel when you take the photograph. What do you feel or hear while you take the image. There is no right or wrong photograph. If you are taking a photo of something you haven't paid attention to before, then what drew you to it now?

Once you have taken the photograph, email it to sip@hssuk.org and we will upload it onto a web album. Along with the photo please give your name, date, and time of the photo along with a caption on how connected are you to the natural environment in your daily life? (The resolution/quality of the photo doesn't matter too much.) The album will be shared with you and the other participants of this activity