by Rasshmi Shankar, Washington D.C.
We have now completed one year of the Wellness Mentorship Program launched by Shri Vivek, the resident guide of Chinmaya Niagara and a team of Chinmaya Setu Karis in North America. The program connected approximately 150 seekers from 75 cities over the last 12 months. Seekers have shared that the program has allowed them to form trusted relationships with like minded folks from all over North America, with mentees learning and gaining from the wisdom of seekers who have walked the same path a few years before.
Mentees have shared, “My mentor has been open, understanding and offers me a space to share freely. It feels like having an older sibling or an objective view to help me through what I’m going through.” Mentors share that they find the relationships with younger seekers enriching as they are able to share experiences from their own lives to support the journey their mentees are on.
“My mentor has been open, understanding and offers me a space to share freely. It feels like having an older sibling or an objective view to help me through what I’m going through.”
Throughout the year, the seekers came together for monthly workshops on topics ranging from loneliness led by Madhav Khurana to climate change led by Prakash Bhave. The workshops have created space for Chinmaya Setu Karis to share their expertise on specific topics that seekers shared wanting to learn more about and then have a guided discussion following. The discussions have been so lively and dynamic, that conversations have lasted well into the night. These topics, along with weekly reflection exercises, prompt discussions between mentors and mentees. After continuing this year-long relationship, seekers share how supported they have felt by each other during an unprecedented few months.
We look forward to continuing these rich relationships into the new year!
