Seminar On Emotional Well-Being

“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.”–          Aristotle

The Bhawanipur Education Society College organised a seminar on 17th May 2023, for the “Emotional Well-being” of their students. The main aim was to cater to the youth populace of the college by providing them with the right tools and guidance which would eventually help them navigate the complexities of life and deal with feelings such as anxiety, stress, and depression. The 2-hour-long session took place in the Society Hall of the college, from 11 A.M to 1 P.M.

The event began with the Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Dilip Shah addressing the crowd as he talked about how suicide rates among youth are skyrocketing as their emotional baggage turns heavy each day. He advised the students to enrich themselves with the advice given to them and requested the panel of speakers to engage the audience in a session of meditation at the end. After his speech, he felicitated the speakers. The three speakers were from 3 esteemed institutions spreading positivity and nurturing guidance with their presence. The first speaker Sri Acaryaratna Das, the Chairman of ISKON, informed the students about a piece of recent news regarding the suicide committed by 4 students of IIM CHENNAI. He pointed out that the main cause behind it was Depression and that 280 million people are suffering from depression worldwide. He claimed that as we reach great feats of technological marvel and remain busy, we lose touch with ourselves and a higher self that is God. He shared five tools that can help us beat depression: – Knowledge,  Guidance, a Favourable environment, a Disciplined lifestyle, and Meditation/prayer. He advised the students that they should not stay ignorant of their feelings and that they should never give up no matter what the situation is.

The second speaker for the day was Sister Chandra from the Brahmakumari Foundation. She made the students realise their mistakes in how they view the world, by engaging them in a series of exercises. In the first exercise, she asked everyone present to stand up and close their eyes, and think of 10 positive values that are present in their personality, all within a second. Most could not do so, and she pointed out why this was not good. In the second exercise, she asked everyone to follow the previous instructions but only this time they were asked to think of 10 negative values. Everyone was quick to point out more than 3 negative things in their personalities. Through these exercises, she demonstrated how we perceive the world as negative because we ourselves are thinking negatively. To correct this habit of ours, she asked all present to introduce themselves to 3 people sitting beside them by only saying one positive aspect of their personality. Her last exercise consisted of the participants closing their eyes and focusing on the light inside their foreheads. It centered everyone and filled them with pure, positive energy.

The third and final speaker at the event was Mr. Adwitio Sengupta from the Art of Living Foundation. He talked about the problems and challenges that arise in the relationships that a student has, be they platonic or romantic. He focused on the common mistakes usually made by two people in a relationship and suggested corrective measures that can be taken. He provided the audience with some “secret tips” that they can use to better their relationships.

The event concluded with the Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Dilip Shah thanking the speakers for their time and the knowledge they imparted and asked the students for feedback on the session. The students had all positive feedback to present as they took in the valuable lessons that were shared with them.

Reporter- Aniket Dasgupta.