Shivakumar and Priti of SAFIER, the integral education initiative of Sri Aurobindo Society had a half day interaction with 30 teachers of Nursery to 10th grade level,  including the vice-principal and principal, from MSFNA (Mirambika School for New Age), Bangalore as a part of  their exposure-visit to Puducherry.

The objective of the interaction was to initiate an understanding to the approaches of Integral Education as the aspiration of the school is to offer education more and more based in the light of Integral Education.  All the participants were given the small book “On Education by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother”.

The welcome address was taken up by the chairman of Sri Aurobindo Society, Pradeep Narang-ji and the Karnataka State committee chairman of Sri Aurobindo Society, Ajit Sabnis-ji. Pradeep-ji stressed on the need of Integral Education which will help lead a life filled with higher consciousness, so that one can offer the same to the children.

Shivakumar took up an interactive dialogue with the teachers where he took up the process of education which is left out in the education process to a significant aspect, the preparation of a teacher, while planning the lesson and while being with the children. For this preparation, one has to start with oneself, thus the ‘Three Principles of Education’ as envisaged by Sri Aurobindo with reference to the first chapter from the book ‘On Education’, was taken up.

Following up on this understanding, Priti took up an experiential activity where a topic "Celebrating Makar-Sankranti/Pongal in one’s current circumstances” was given to the teachers after dividing them into 5 groups. The 

purpose of this activity was to process how the three principles of education when used consciously in our daily activities, the experience of learning and living becomes more meaningful and joyous.

The half-day interaction ended with a beautiful presentation from the five groups, which was bejeweled with dances, songs and stories.  The teachers took back a lot of learnings , enthusiasm and a new aspiration for their journey ahead as integral educators.