EASE Workshop: Southwest Region, SSSIO-USA
On Mother’s Day Weekend, May 11-12, 2024, the Southwest Region of the SSSIO-USA hosted a vibrant community outreach workshop, Happiness Within Reach, facilitated by Dr. Ramadevi Sankaran at the Sri Sathya Sai Baba Center of SE Denver, CO. Eighteen enthusiastic participants attended the workshop which was focused on nurturing the body, mind and spirit.
It began on Friday with a moving ‘mother-child’ service initiative, Showers of Love, held in partnership with the Mile High United Way. It involved gifting three migrant mothers-to-be with backpacks filled with much-needed baby items.
Dr. Ramadevi began the EASE workshop with the inspiring words, “an attitude of gratitude is the seed for health. We have been given so much that we are giving back with gratitude through the Showers of Love initiative" as pictures of the Mother’s Day gifts flashed on the screen. She then proceeded to outline in detail the EASE program, focusing on its four core components - Eating, Attitude, Sleep, Exercise.
Participants were then served a hot healthy lunch. Eating Responsibly was on the menu. One attendee reflected, "the belief that 'I give energy to my food through praying before eating and food, in return, gives me energy' resonated deeply with my spiritual practice." She continued to list her key takeaways - prayer before eating, the critical importance of how the food is grown and prepared, the purity our thoughts and the environment while eating.
Then the workshop delved into the significance of regular uninterrupted sleep and making responsible healthy choices before sleep, such as not using technology. It stimulated a healthy discussion and provided practical solutions such as a ‘no phones-no internet’ therapy and Dr. Ramadevi’s sharing the real-life experiences of her patients.
On Sunday, the topic Exercise Regularly stressed the importance of daily exercise and that ‘health is wealth’. Attendees engaged in various yoga poses, each pose aligned with each chakra or energy center and a specific organ.
The entire weekend was not only uplifting but revitalized the participants, as each received a gift – a Transformational Toolbox to EASE into health and happiness. As one of the elders reflected, “the most meaningful question for self-inquiry, which arose from the EASE workshop was, ‘How can I apply the tools learned in this workshop to live a healthy, happy life of service daily?’ I am excited to try!”