Women's Picnics Foster Sisterhood and Well-being: Southern California
The women's wing of the Sri Sathya Sai International Organization (SSSIO) Southern California Region recently hosted a series of outdoor picnics. These gatherings offered the Sai women a much-needed respite from their busy lives, providing a space for connection, bonding, and the creation of meaningful friendships.
To encourage participation, picnics were held at local community parks in four different locations: Riverside, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Ventura counties.
Each picnic began with Sai Gayatris, followed by members sharing personal Sai experiences in a safe, supportive, and open environment. After a shared potluck meal, the women engaged in games in a relaxed and fun atmosphere. As Surekha, the leader of the women’s wing, noted, these picnics are much needed because "women are multitasking and always working." The picnics offer a valuable opportunity for the women members to feel rejuvenated mentally, physically, and spiritually alongside their Sai sisters. Recognizing women often don't set aside time to connect outside of center events, the gatherings offer a casual setting for informal chats, inspire each other through personal Sai stories, devotional singing, and physical activities like walks and badminton.
One of the attendees expressed "The Sai picnic brought me so much joy knowing that although we might sometimes feel isolated and alone, we have a Sai family that help us feel the Oneness of Sai and help us feel connected with each other through love.”
The hope is for these picnics to become an annual tradition.