RISE

A picture is worth a thousand words.

The picture above was taken at a RISE program conducted in Atlanta last year. The Refugee Integration and Self-Empowerment (RISE) program has been conducted by the International Association for Human Values, a sister organization of the Art of Living Foundation, for the Bhutanese refugee population living in the United States. On this program, participants get an opportunity to experience the effectiveness of yoga and meditation in relieving stress, anxiety, and negative emotions.

For many members of this refugee community, moving to the United States has been a stressful experience. Many feared that they would lose touch with their ancient culture and traditions. They wondered if they would be able to reconnect with other members of the community. They were apprehensive about raising their children in a new country. Some families were separated since some members moved to the United States as others waited in Nepal for the paperwork to be completed. There are many stories, some painful and some heartwarming. They will make an appearance in this blog.

For now, I would like to share two pictures. The celebrated Indian poet and writer Vikram Seth has a beautiful poem titled 'All Who Sleep Tonight', and this picture reminds me of the poem. This picture was taken as the participants of RISE were relaxing after the Sudarshan Kriya.

All you who sleep tonight
Far from the ones you love,
No hand to left or right
And emptiness above -
Know that you aren't alone
The whole world shares your tears,
Some for two nights or one,
And some for all their years.

As part of the New Year celebration, a few Art of Living volunteers drove groups of Bhutanese to the Hindu Temple of Atlanta (Riverdale, GA) for a mini-celebration. Here, you can see them lining up to get a glimpse of the deity in the temple.