The Janki Foundation held an event for the community members on Saturday 1^st June 2024 at Global Cooperation House in London.  The event was attended by twenty-four participants who worked in or had connections to various health professions from psychiatry, dementia, social work, dental, carers and contacts who support of the foundation.

 

The event was focused more on building spirit and the theme of the event was “Using Virtues to Sustain Life”.

 

Sarah Eagger the Chair of the Janki Foundation opened the session with a guided meditation.  Masana De Souza, a member of the Janki Foundation steering group then facilitated the introductions of the attendees where each one shared their connection to healthcare.

 

Margaret Barron who facilitated the morning sessions works as an Empowered Living Consultant and has a particular interest in transformative thinking.  The sessions consisted of creative interactive group activities, individual and group reflections to “Explore the qualities inherent in actions”.

 

The group were first asked to think of 3 activities that they enjoyed doing and explore the feelings that were experienced whilst involved in each of the 3 chosen activities.  The group then briefly shared what was pertinent to them followed by a more in-depth exploration as an example of one person’s activity of ‘Singing’.  This activity was noted as the centre of a flower shape on a flip chart and the feelings that came out behind this activity were displayed on petal shapes of the flower.  The feelings/virtues generated were joyful, positivity, community, happy, community, humorous, satisfaction, content, healing, fulfilled, energetic, rewarding, unity, playful and ecstatic. On using this example, each person then created their own flower noting down feelings/virtues they experienced whilst performing their activity and how they have then been sustained and supported in their life with these feelings/virtues.

 

This was then followed by a session for individuals to explore situations or people that they have found to be challenging and to think of 3 qualities that they may think may help them cultivate a positive change and growth in the situation or relationship.

 

A member of the community then led the group through a movement exercise which everyone enjoyed.

 

The session then continued with Margaret giving each person 6 petal shaped cards which had virtues noted on them which were then exchanged randomly in the group.

 

The group was then led to explore further how various virtues could be used for areas of personal growth and further help make situations and relationships less challenging.

 

Three chosen virtues where then noted down on petals to create a beautiful flower of virtues to sustain our life as shown in the picture below.

 

Kala Mistry a member of the JF Steering group, then facilitated a feedback session and conducted a closing meditation.  The event ended with the group enjoying lunch together.