Ladies Day Retreat: Greater Boston, MA
On November 19, 2022, more than 75 ladies from across the Northeast Region of SSSIO-USA observed Ladies Day by attending a Ladies Day retreat held at the Sai Unity Center in Lowell, MA.
To start off, all the ladies arrived at the Sai Unity Center dressed in different shades of pink. At 8 AM, the event was inaugurated with the lighting of a lamp to signify a moment of quiet for attendees to center themselves for the rest of the day. The lamp lighting was followed by Jyothi meditation which helped everyone tap into the divine within them and be ready to dive into the day’s program. The first panel discussion was on Self-care and touched on physical/mental health, nutrition and inner healing. It was moderated by healthcare professionals and community leaders.
After focusing on the inner wellbeing from a health perspective, the ladies took on the topic of Financial Awareness for Women. The attendees heard from two women in the financial wellness space, one in informational technology and another in banking. This session was very well-received as attendees were exposed to a wealth of very practical and vital information on budgeting, managing credit, effective strategies for saving and spending, and the importance of financial awareness in a woman’s life.
To get the heart pumping, organizers invited the ladies to dance, Dance to the Rhythm of Sai led by a local classical Bharatanatyam teacher. The room resonated with laughter as the ladies let go of their inhibitions and moved their arms and legs with gusto in ways they hadn’t before. It was a vibrant session filled with music, dance and joy.
A healthy, nutritious lunch was graciously served by the men of the community. Being given nourishment for the mind and body, during the first half of the day’s program, everyone was all geared for the latter half of the day.
The afternoon session was led by a mother-daughter duo who tackled the important topic of environmental sustainability and recycling. They educated the attendees on the importance going green at all of the Sai regional events through practicing composting, using recyclables and biodegradable products, and creating zero waste. It was quite an eye opener for most individuals who learned tangible and actionable ways to incorporate sustainability in their personal and professional lives.
Towards the end of the day, the ladies had a special session during which they viewed recordings of the elders of the community who shared sage advice they would have given to their younger selves, as well as reflected on their own life lessons. Many attendees were moved by the session.
The joyous uplifting day concluded with bhajans. All felt renewed and excited about the personal and spiritual connections they had made which had been strengthened through the course of the day. All the attendees were unanimous in their eagerness to participate in the next Ladies Day Celebration!