Rupam Jain
KOLKATA, April 16
Students wading through sheaves of class notes before the exams and teachers weighed down by piled up answer scripts that need to be checked within the deadline will now be given lessons in stress management so that they don’t go to pieces under pressure.
Jeevan Vigyan Academy, a voluntary organisation, has been giving teachers and students lessons in exercise and meditation to hep them keep tension and fatigue at bay and better concentrate on their work.
The academy has already visited 30 schools in the city, including Birla High School, Hartley School, National High School for Girls, National High School for Boys, Ballygunge Siksha Sadan, Julien Day School, MP Birla School and Don Bosco School Liluah. At the National Gems School it conducted a 15-day workshop for students.
Mr PC Nahar, secretary of the academy, said: “Teachers and students need always to keep their minds alert. But very often their minds wander because of stress and lack of concentration. To help cope with the stress, we teach them some exercises like Asana (meditation postures), Mahaprana dhwani, Kayotsarg (relaxation), perception of long breath, perception of gyan kendra, determination or oath.”
Taking exercises has other rewards too. Students unhappy about their height can try Tadasana which will help them to be taller, get rid of lethargy, constipation and nervousness.
Girls will be happy to know that Konasana will help them get rid of pimples and acquire a glowing skin, keep the waist slim, strengthen the lungs and remove pain in hands. A teacher at Don Bosco School, Liluah said: “The exercises we learnt are really beneficial. Students now perform some of the exercises at the morning assembly. It helps both teachers and students to collect themselves and concentrate on study.”
The Jeevan Vigyan Academy was set up in the city in 2005 but initially it did not have the approval of the state government. “Now the state government has recognised us and we have been asked to organise some workshops at government-aided schools as well,” said Mr Nayar. A group of 10 trainers, all housewives, visit different schools voluntarily.
The academy does not charge anything for its services and runs on donations.