Growing, Deepening & Widening in Consciousness was a hybrid programme organised by NAMAH, the Journal of Integral Health, featuring dynamic sessions led by a diverse group of facilitators over two full days. Held just before the auspicious occasion of Sri Aurobindo's birthday on  August 15th, the event offered a unique opportunity to explore different realms of Consciousness. Participants were introduced to transformative practices that can be applied in daily life to support their journey of growth, deepening, and expansion of Consciousness. Below is a concise summary of each facilitator's session and the key insights that emerged during the workshop.

James Anderson: Identifying with the Mother’s Consciousness

• Three Movements of Consciousness in Integral Yoga: Deepening (inward connection with the psychic being), elevating (rising beyond the surface-mind), and expanding (identifying with the Divine’s vastness).
• Breath and The Mother’s Name: Aligning the breath with The Mother's Name facilitates these movements, invoking Her presence for continuous spiritual practice.
• Universal Consciousness: These practices aim to realise Cosmic Consciousness.

Sraddhalu Ranade: Ranges of Consciousness

• Spiritual Readiness: Humanity is primed for awakening; inner work and divine surrender are essential.
• Challenges in Education: Modern systems focus on external achievements, neglecting inner growth.
• Ancestral Influence: Past generations have laid the groundwork for our spiritual evolution.
• Overcoming Barriers: Fear, distrust, and scepticism must be addressed.
• Holistic Spirituality: Integral Yoga connects material and spiritual life, enhancing everyday spirituality.
• The Urgency of Now: There’s a unique opportunity for spiritual realisation in the present.

Gitanjali: All Life is Yoga

• Purpose and Enquiry: Self-enquiry and questioning societal norms are vital for growth.
• Stages of Growth: Psychicisation, Spiritualisation, and Supramentalisation integrate spirituality into daily life.
• Art and Literature: Uplifting art can elevate consciousness.
• Freedom and Liberation: True freedom involves transcending habitual patterns and aligning with the universal spirit.

Preeti Mahurkar: New-Earth Consciousness

• Conscious Evolution: Personal and societal transformation requires moving beyond ego and fostering unity.
• Role of Education: Integral education must cultivate intellect, emotion, and spirituality.
• Collective Awakening: A community devoted to higher truth can create divine social structures.

Lopa Mukherjee: Expanding Perspective

• Challenging Beliefs: Questioning ingrained beliefs can lead to personal transformation.
• Power of Visualisation: Visualisation fosters connection to universal vastness.
• Mental Growth: Progression through mental states (concentration to unity consciousness) aids development.
• Perception vs. Reality: Memory biases distort reality; humility is key.
• Unity Consciousness: Embracing oneness fosters empathy and dissolves boundaries.

Dr. Soumitra Basu: Supra-Cognitive Growth

• Inner Being: The inner being connects to cosmic consciousness, driving self-awareness.
• Risks of Cosmic Consciousness: Harmful forces can be encountered; awareness and protection are necessary.
• Illumined Mind: Accessing this mind reveals deeper truths and profound experiences.
• Evolving Intuition: Intuition is bridging human consciousness and higher realms, shaping future progress.
• Practical Spirituality: Exercises to rise above the mind enhance spiritual growth.

Dr. Monica Gulati: Getting Out of the Prison

• Power of Solitude: Embracing solitude fosters deeper self-awareness and a distraction-free connection with the Divine.
• Transience of Thoughts: Recognising thoughts as fleeting helps detach from negativity.
• Overcoming Barriers: Acknowledging personal limitations is key to transformation.
• Witness Consciousness: Observing thoughts without attachment promotes spiritual growth.

Dr. Arati Sharma: Small Steps to Grow Consciousness

• Self-Knowledge: Understanding oneself on all levels (physical, vital, mental) is crucial for transformation.
• Facing Inner Demons: Confronting desires and attachments is essential for spiritual progress.
• Living with Divine Awareness: Integrating the Divine into daily life transforms ordinary actions into spiritual practices.

Aditi Kaul: Living More Consciously

• Joy in Spirituality: Spiritual practice should be a source of joy, not a burden.
• Receptivity to Change: True transformation requires openness and inner readiness.
• Active Participation: Spiritual growth requires responsibility and action, not passive acceptance.
• Focus on Light: Focusing on positivity and light helps navigate challenges with clarity.

Dr. Alok Pandey: Growing Through Work

• Life as a Treasure Hunt: Life should be seen as a playful journey of self-discovery.
• Work as Worship: Engaging in all activities as offerings to the Divine enhances fulfilment and purpose.
• Strengthening Will-power: Developing will-power transforms weaknesses into strengths.
• Emotional Intelligence: Channelling emotions constructively leads to spiritual growth.

Harendra Khurana: Consciousness in Sound

• Power of Sound: Sound profoundly influences consciousness, as seen in the development of the inner ear in foetuses.
• Chanting OM: OM creates a collective vibrational experience, fostering connection and harmony.
• Emotional Healing: Sound therapy can facilitate emotional healing, as demonstrated by Chakra engagement.
• Sound Therapy: Intuitive, empathetic approaches to sound therapy enhance patient-cantered healing.
• Gratitude and Protection: The session concluded with collective gratitude through sound, reinforcing its protective qualities.

The above summary highlights the key insights, wisdom and practices shared by each facilitator during the workshop. Each facilitator effectively connected their material to the workshop's overarching theme of Growing, Deepening, and Widening in Consciousness. They also emphasised relevant links between related topics presented across different sessions. Both in-person and online participants actively engaged with the facilitators, offering their own perspectives and asking insightful questions about the subjects discussed. Overall, the workshop provided participants with valuable motivation and guidance to further enrich their ongoing spiritual practice (Sadhana).

Some of the Feedback

From Live participants

“I am sharing what I’ve learnt and realized from this lifetime experience. I will try to open up myself more and more to the Mother, a deeper surrender will come from within by living an intense inner life and to live that  inner life, I will try to liberate my solitude gladly so that I can establish more intimacy and a deeper connection with the Mother gradually. I will pray to Her so that She guides me in my adventure of the soul, because now I know for sure that only She can help me manifest my true self through that deep clearing / purification and help me grow, deeper and wider my consciousness.”

“It was really the Mother's Grace. It was really a great learning experience for me. I could know realise the different aspects of consciousness from the many brilliant speakers, with so many practical insights.”

“It's good experience and learning as well. Got answers to many of my questions. Offline workshop is definitely better. The concepts that were not clear earlier are now clearer.” 
“It has been a pleasant experience and all the sessions I attended have added to my journey.”

“I think almost each session has benefited me, shraddhali ji, evoked the dim fire, intensified it. James helped in coming the Mother, Monica Gulati truly shook us to get rid of our clutches and come out of the prison.”

From Online Participants

“Good learning experience listening to experts.”

“All the sessions provided many learning tips for my Spiritual journey.”
“The sessions provided me in being objective in the state of self-consciousness: this has been my first experience of coming into contact with reality/real objects.”

“The sessions provided me to come closer to the possibility of change. It’s finding a chance and if I do not use it, I may lose it altogether. It is the same principle as that which
applies to one life. It is to remember/be conscious of it as it has reiterated by the esteemed speakers in relation to one life & time.”

“It was wonderful to hear so many speakers and be enlightened by their sharing of their knowledge.”

“I was on Zoom so all was perfect.”