Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter MARCH 2012

Value of Silence and Inner Peace

Who ever thought that in a world filled with noise and an overdose of colour, that five Oscar Awards would go to a The Artista Silent Movie and shot in Black and White? Sacred silence speaks loud amidst the daily noise. Pope Benedict XVI, during the Sunday Angelus from the Vatican on January 22, 2012 asked everyone to quiet down. In his annual communications message, Pope Benedict XVI extolled the sounds of silence. He said a little bit of quiet makes people better listeners and better communicators by giving them more time to think about what they are hearing and saying. In October 2011, the seventy four year old, Anna Hazare went on a 'maun vrat' - vow of silence! He needed to listen to the silence of his heart to be heard better. SILENCE is not talking less; its listening more. In Tuesdays with Morrie, we read how Mitch explains a lecture class with Professor Morrie: "He enters the classroom, sits down, doesn't say anything. He looks at us, we look at him. At first, there are a few giggles, but Morrie only shrugs, and eventually a deep silence falls and we begin noticing the smallest sounds, the radiator humming in the corner of the room, the nasal breathing of one of the students. Some of us are agitated. When is he going to say something? We squirm, check our watches. A few students look out the window, trying to be above it all. This goes on for a good fifteen minutes, before Morrie breaks in with a whisper. 'What's happening here?' he asks. And slowly a discussion begins -- as Morrie has wanted all along -- about the effect of silence on human relations. Why are we embarrassed by silence? What comfort do we find in all the noise?" Our most difficult struggles, our deepest desires, our inner peace are all ignored in the Noise that surrounds us. We ignore a whole part of us when we surround ourselves with Noise. In Silence, we face our true and profound self better. Silence unifies the scattered pieces of our lives, it conserves our energy and it helps us to transcend to a higher level of living and awareness. Silence adds sparkle to our lives. SILENCE is often a medium to maintain discipline. This is Passive Silence Our students are never trained to appreciate moments of silence. The school must be an ACTIVE SILENCE ZONE. There is Value in Silence, Inner Peace and God Experience. We are so afraid of silence, so fearful of the opportunity to be with ourselves. Students are never given an opportunity for Reflection as a medium for personal growth, to penetrate into their inner world and find meaning to their life. King Solomon tells us, "'Closing one's lips makes a person wise" (Proverbs 10:19). It is also true that Genuine Spiritual Heights can only be attained through reflection and introspection which only comes by dint of the medium of silence. SILENCE is not only good for the body, it is also a nourishing element for the mind, heart and soul. Along the Yatra of our everyday life, SILENCE is a great Value that we need to embrace. It adds Sparkle to our life and it makes us get in touch with our deepest selves, our God and our World. Treasure Silence !!! Fr. Glenford Lowe SDB

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter MARCH 2012

Diamond Value SPARKLE: Value of Silence, Inner Peace and God Experience
This months Diamond Value SPARKLE focuses on three very important values that we need to cultivate and embrace. SILENCE: Is not so much the absence of an exterior sound, but the cultivation of an interior stillness INNER PEACE: A state of being in constant harmony and tranquility with yourself mentally and spiritually. GOD EXPERIENCE: In silence, one discovers the presence of a Personal God in our life and that we can Experience this Love of God in a tangible and unique way. Mother Theresa would say, It is in silence, that one discovers God. God is not a knowledge to be learnt, but an experience to be cherished. OBJECTIVE of the Diamond Value To seek Silence as Cultivate moments a path to discover of self and God Active Silence Reflective and Deep. Ability to spend time in Silence School Environment Role of the Value Educator Rationale for Promoting the Value Noise defragments, while Silence unifies

To find Peace within and without

Creating schools/ classrooms as Non-Violent Zones

Calm and Serene. Become a Channel of Peace

Silence nurtures Inner Peace and leads to harmony

To be aware of Gods Presence in ones life and World

Interfaith Prayer services and moments for Recollections and Retreats

Spiritual Guru and Silence is the an instrument to mother of reflection bring others to an and God experience of the Experience Divine

To help the students to understand better the Diamond Value SPARKLE, please go through the Lesson Plan along with the video clips that has been sent to you as an attachment. Thank you

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter MARCH 2012

SPARKLE: Self Evaluation

Value Statements and Behaviour 1. In my life, I believe in the old adage Silence is Golden . 2. Everyday, I begin the day with a few moments of personal silence and meditation. I end my day with the same. 3. I understand the Value of silence and try to avoid creating or adding to noise pollution 4. I am afraid of Silence and I constantly hide behind loud music. I do not believe in personal silence. 5. I am at Peace with myself inspite of all the stress and cares of the world/school/ home. I feel a calm within me. 6. .I am constantly hurting inside me and I take solace in running to other distractions rather than face my inner self. 7. I feel uneasy when I am asked to stay still and to concentrate on my inner journey of life. 8. I make efforts to help people observe silence and reduce the noise pollution especially when I travel by bikes or cars 9. I am able to stay still for a least half an hour each day to reflect or mediate on sacred scripture. 10. I believe that it is in Silence, that one discovers the presence of God. 11. I believe in the need for a personal retreat each year to grow spiritually and to mature in my faith journey with God. 12. I believe that the world would be a better place if we gave silence its due value Be a Diamond Valued StudentCultivate Values of SPARKLE: Silence, Inner Peace & God Experience Always Frequently Sometimes Occasionally Never

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter MARCH 2012

The Story of the Woodcutter

A woodcutter lived in poverty. Often he had no food, no oil for his lamp. One day he met a wise man in the woods. The woodcutter treated the wise man with respect, and the wise man responded, telling the cutter two words, "Go farther." The woodcutter pondered the words, "Go farther." He was unable to comprehend them and after several days he turned his mind to his regular worries and his hunger pangs. But one day, during his backbreaking toil on the edge of the forest, he remembered the words, "Go farther" again. He dared to venture deep into the forest. And, he found a grove of precious sandalwood trees! He gained enough wealth to buy a small house, to buy barrels of oil for his lamp, and he knew he would never be hungry again. He was happy. Months later he awoke in the night. He said to himself, "The wise man said nothing of sandalwood trees, did
he? All he said was, Go farther." So, the woodcutter rose and went into the woods, past the scrub trees, past the sandalwood grove which meant so much to him. Then, amidst some boulders he found outcroppings of silver! Now rich beyond his dreams, he became an important man in the city. He bought a large house some would call it a mansion and he married well. Enjoying himself, he forgot the words, "Go farther."

The Woodcutter Goes Farther

months later, he awoke in the night. Once again he pondered, "The wise man said nothing of sandalwood, or of silver, either. All he told me was, Go farther." The woodcutter rose and went deep into the forest, past the scrub wood, past the sandalwood, past his silver mine. He approached an unknown stream. Glancing down, he found gold. Gold! Rich, powerful, and considered wise, the woodcutter again forgot the words, "Go farther." Years passed. But, again one night, the woodcutter sat up in bed. He said to himself, "The wise man said nothing of gold, either. He simply told me to, Go farther. What did he really mean?" The woodcutter ventured past the scrub wood, the sandalwood grove, his secret silver mine, past his gold stream, and discovered diamonds! This story goes on forever. But the main question is, "Who is the woodcutter?" And will you, "Go farther?"

Several

Only

in Silence, does one make the journey Farther the deepest and the longest journey is the journey within ones self, and therein does one discover the beautiful treasures of God and Self. Inner Peace is the greatest treasure that you can possess. For if you have found it, you own the world. Silence takes you there!

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter MARCH 2012

AVEC has prepared a beautiful Prayer Service for the World Water day March 22, 2012. To download
the prayer service go to avecmumbaidbys.blogspot.com under the label Prayer Service

AVEC wishes all the SSC students Gods Blessings all through the Exams...

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter MARCH 2012

Congrats: Drawing Competition

NAME JUNIORS Nikhail Nazareth Brendan DSouza Keegan Barboza Subiksha R INTERS K.S. Sandesh Yashraj H. Pardeshi Shivram R. Baikerikar Vaishnavi Rangankar SENIORS Rutuja S. Khanirlkar Akanksha Bhende Shraddha More Meghana Chavan St. Charles High School, Vakola Canossa High School, Mahim Holy Family High School, Chembur Holy Family High School, Chembur IX A IXE IX B IX A First Second Third Third Don Bosco Senior Secondary, Nerul St. Marys High School (SSC), Mazagaon St. Xaviers Boys Academy, Churchgate Canossa High School, Mahim VIIB VIII C VIII2 VIIF First Second Third Third SCHOOL St. Stanislaus High School, Bandra St. John the Evangelist, Marol St. Stanislaus High School, Bandra Don Bosco Senior Secondary, Nerul CLASS V B VB VB VIB POSITION First First Second Third

AVEC wishes to congratulate all the schools and the students who took part in all our Diamond Values: Defining Lives Competitions for the scholastic year 2011-12. Eleven Schools will be awarded a special Diamond Value Trophy in appreciation for their active participation in these competitions. These schools will be personally visited soon. We look forward to your participation in the New scholastic year ahead

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter MARCH 2012

Feb 6, 2012: St. Elias High SchoolBandra ,STD VIII

Feb 13, 2012: Padua High SchoolMankhurd, STD IX

Feb 21, 2012: Fatima High SchoolBadlapur, STD IX

Feb 27, 2012: St. Aloysius High SchoolBandra, STD IX

SCHOOLS VISITED/ ANIMATED BY AVEC During the Month of February 2012: February 6, 2012 February 8, 2012 February 13, 2012 February 14, 2012 February 15, 2012 February 21, 2012 February 27, 2012 St. Elias High School Bandra, Std VIIIValue Orientation Program (171 Students) St. Anthonys Girls High School / St. Ignatius High SchoolJacobs Circle : Visits Padua High SchoolMankhurd, Std IXValue Orientation Program (143 Students) St. Judes High School, Kalyan (East)Visit Carmel ConventKalomboli, Navi MumbaiVisit / Don Bosco Higher Secondary - Nerul Fatima High SchoolBadlapur: Std IXValue Orientation Program (250 Students) St. Aloysius High SchoolBandra, STD IX Value Orientation Program (130 students)

AVEC E-Letter Values for the Yatra is an initiative to provide Animation Resources for Teachers involved in Value Education in the ABE schools/ Jr. Colleges . Values for the Yatra is published every month and is for private circulation. Your valuable suggestions are most welcome to assist us in making Values for the Yatra a useful tool of animation and bonding among the Management, teachers and students of the ABE schools in Mumbai. CONTACT: Fr. Glenford Lowe, SDB / Michelle DSouza / Rochwyn Fernandes / Margaret Dubey / Sr. Vera Almeida AVECDon Bosco Youth Services, Matunga 400019 , MUMBAI Ph: 24154477 e-mail: avecmatunga@gmail.com blog: avecmumbaidbys.blogspot.com