Author: anandadevapriya
Reimagining the Subtle Expression of Gender in the Neohumanist Journey Towards Human Wholeness
In the last century, there have been enormous strides in elevating the position of women in societies around the globe towards greater and greater equality and participation in society. With this, the narratives that shaped our understanding of traditional gender roles have also been undergoing metamorphosis. Stereotypical gender expectations that had given a certain stability to social roles are now often perceived as limiting and unattractive, especially to the younger generations who crave greater self-expression and freedom in shaping their identities. At the same time, the global crises facing humanity require a new paradigm of coordinated cooperation to replace relationships of domination and subjugation that have characterized our historical patterns of relating between human groups, genders, and nature. A new, fresh conceptualization of gender narratives and identities is needed in order to more deeply explore the potential that the Neohumanist concept of coordinated cooperation carries.
Interview about AMURTEL Family’s Distance Adoption Program
Thank you to Maria Iordache, who invited me for an interview about AMURTEL Family’s Distance Adoption Program this December!
It appeared on TVR2 on the program “E Vremea Ta” (It’s your Time), over the course of two days. In part one, the piece on AMURTEL is right from the beginning, and in the second part, it appears at about minute 6.
Collaboration with the Alunis Art Center near to Panatau
This article “A specialist in communication opens an art center in Buzau County” was written by Marie Andries, with photos from Eli Drui, our friends from the Libertate newspaper, one of the main national newspapers and it includes a section about AMURTEL Family (see about half way down).
I invited Marie, one of the journalists I have become friends with to come and make a piece about the Alunis Art Center” which is a newly opened arts center very close to us, run by Iulia Sirbu. AMURTEL has entered into a partnership project with the Alunis Arts Center to make a pottery school for disadvantaged children in the surrounding villages, including the children from AMURTEL Family and Fountain of Hope. I find it quite bold and inspiring that Iulia opened such a creative and progressive project in such a forgotten tiny rural village. Already, during this summer she has organized several concerts, films, fairs and artistic events that really are stimulating the cultural life of the area in an unprecedented way.
The journalists came to the children’s home first, and then we went together to the arts center, where a special workshop on traditional mask making, was followed by a performance of traditional dancing. The performers were 3 hours late and took some time to get organized once they arrived…but this gave a lot of time to just spend time chatting with the journalists and getting to know them more, which was really nice. The children meanwhile enjoyed a picnic and then making masks.
I found out that Maria was working in the team with Tolontan – one of the star journalists of Romania who appears in the film “Collective” that one a lot of Academy awards and Oscars this year. That is a really chilling documentary about corruption in the Romanian healthcare system, but quite well done. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend it!
Talk show with Mugur Mihaescu on Metropol TV
I was honored to be invited to a talk show with Mugur Mihaescu on Metropol TV that features ordinary people doing things that can offer inspiration to others. A big surprise at the end, was that the children from AMURTEL Family have visited his house a few times and that he was one of the people that took them to the seaside for the very first time a few years ago. In fact, he found out I was the guest through our private sponsor group when I shared the news about it with them. Such a small world, and such a heartwarming connection.
My children at AMURTEL Family
Find out more about my children from the AMURTEL Family children’s home. If you would like to become involved in supporting them you can find out more information here.
Simple and sweet kiirtan with children
This is a very sweet, simple and soothing melody that I love to play with children. Here I am singing with the little girls at AMURTEL Family in Romania. Kiirtan creates such a loving connection when singing with children. I think of the meaning of the mantra “Baba Nam Kevalam”, as I look at each one of them, that each is a beautiful, unique expression of the Divine.
AMURTEL Family’s renovation project on TV – Kanal D!
The AMURTEL Family children’s home in Panatau is in desperate need of repainting and renovation, after years of wear and tear. I was so happy that Kanal D came to the home to make a piece about our story, and I hope it helps to attract the support that is needed to keep the children warm, safe and happy for years to come! You can watch the video from the Kanal D archives here.
You can also contribute and make the campaign a success – already it is more than 50% funded! Here is the crowdfunding site link.
Kiirtan
A simple kiirtan tune that I recorded for the students of my meditation classes at Morningstar. I hope that it helps to uplift your meditation with bliss before sitting to concentrate internally.
Three stories included in “Stories to Light the Night”
Three of the stories I wrote for our AMURT “Pathways to Education” project with Syrian refugee children in Lebanon were published in Susan Perrow’s latest collection of therapeutic stories “Stories to Light the Night”.
It is really such an important collection. Trauma, loss and grief are a part of being human, and as much as we want to protect children, many also endure these experiences. Whether the loss of a beloved pet, or grandparent, or the trauma of war or natural disaster, children need empathic support. The healing and transformational power of metaphor and story cannot be underestimated.