Event Date: 29th April 2025
After a long time, we finally held a 
session from our KalyanaMitra staff series. Although we had planned these sessions a while ago and had been meaning to conduct them, we got caught up with system-level work. The ‘Life Journey’ topic was a great way to reconnect and restart the series with the staff.
The session began with a warm welcome. We created a small centerpiece for the session with the title ‘Life Journey.’ We made a paper river, added stones around it, and shaped the paper to look like flowing waves. I really enjoy making centerpieces—it’s almost a must for me—because they help keep us grounded and connected to the circle throughout the session. We had arranged four big tables together and taped long, connected sheets of chart paper across them. This setup sparked curiosity among the participants—some even joked, ”Are we going to have lunch here?” .
Keeping that curiosity alive, we introduced the session and set the context with a short story about two rivers. Then, we took a Simple Human Knot activity to create a lively atmosphere before moving into the main exercise: drawing the ‘river of life’.
Interestingly, they solved the activity in just two minutes—with the help of one NGO member, who probably knew the solution already. 
This caught me by surprise because I had expected the activity to last at least five minutes and add some playful energy to the session. For a moment, I felt a bit thrown off, but when I looked at my teammate, he simply said, ”No worries.” That’s when I realized the importance of having two or three backup activities ready. We then continued the session by appreciating the participants and moving forward with our journey.
Once everyone was seated, Karan began explaining the ‘life river’ activity they were about to do. Each person was asked to draw their own life river, and Karan guided them by posing reflective questions, like when they experienced turbulence in life, moments of calm, times they felt like they had reached a big lake, or when something felt like a dam blocking their flow. Using sketch pens, markers, paint and colors, everyone began drawing. Some of the staff shared that it had been years since they last picked up a paintbrush or sat down to draw—so it turned out to be a fun and refreshing experience for them.
The session was designed to allow a space of reflection for the participants through metaphorical questions related to a river. The intention was to slowly take them into deeper spaces within themselves and for them to explore their past and future without shying away from the discomfort that it brings. Having an art activity and doing it in a group helped the process in meaningful ways. 
The staff were deeply engaged in the activities, but there was also a lot of laughter with each question. This was the advantage of doing it in a group and creating a safe and fun space for the deeper reflection to happen. For example, when Karan asked, ”When did your river split into two streams?” one of the female staff joked, ”Everyone here had arranged marriages—no love stories or breakups—so our rivers are flowing in one straight stream”’ Another question was about moments when the river repeated the same pattern, and one staff member laughed and said, ”I had one son after another!” These light-hearted moments made the session feel joyful, as the river of life flowed with both meaning and fun.
After exploring many questions about the flow of our life rivers, we moved into a more reflective space. Karan asked a series of introspective questions, and the group responded with deep and honest reflections. Following are some of the responses…
“Drawing the river of life wasn’t easy—it made us realize how caught up we often are in the outer world. Each question took time to process, as our minds slowly brought back those experiences. But through this process, we reconnected with ourselves.”
“While creating my river, I realized I had given support to people who may not have even wanted it. Through this, my life river has learned to find calm and flow more peacefully.
“This activity gave me the rare chance to pause, look inward, and gain a broader perspective on my life.”
“It helped me reflect on my past, understand my present, and think about what I want in the future. One question asked us to identify people who have supported us on our journey. I felt immense gratitude for many, especially my babysitter, who played a crucial role in my life. Because of her, I was able to continue working after becoming a mother.”
“The activity also brought back memories of my childhood—a precious time in my life. Though I’ve faced disappointment in my professional journey, I still feel grateful to have this job. It reminded me of the importance of planning for retirement with the savings I have. One of my new intentions is to do something for nature—pollution is rising, and I want to contribute by planting trees.”
“I feel blessed to see my hard work take me this far. I’m happy to see my river widening, and I trust that one day, it will reach the ocean.”
“Reflecting on my journey, I can now clearly see my achievements. It still surprises me that I even got this job, but despite the challenges, my river has flowed smoothly at every stage.”
“After retiring peacefully, I want to fully enjoy my son’s wedding. There are also many things I’ve always wanted to do—this session reminded me of them and helped me realize it’s time to start prioritizing them.”
“As our rivers flowed, we nurtured so many people, animals, and trees along the way. It’s truly an honor to have grown in this way.”
After so many rich and reflective insights, we came to the closing of our session. I shared with everyone that “each person’s river is truly special. You’ve all experienced so many ups and downs. Starting from the mountain, the initial speed of the descent might have brought butterflies in your stomach. At times, your streams were cut by big rocks, which may have hurt. But along the way, your rivers gave life—offering water to people, animals, and trees. There is so much gratitude in your journey—for the people you’ve met and the experiences that shaped you.
You can now see the widening flow of your growth, and at the same time, you are preparing to surrender gracefully into the vast ocean. I deeply appreciate your courage.”
To close, I shared a story: Once, a learned monk came to his students holding a single leaf and asked, “Does this one leaf represent the entire forest?” The students replied, “No.” The monk then said, “The forest is vast—you must seek the knowledge to understand it.” The message was that “while we carry our visible identities everywhere, there is a vast ocean within us that we rarely pause to explore. 
This session was meant to create that pause—to look within—and we are so grateful that you took the time to do that. We truly appreciate your presence and your effort.”
At the end, we all sang together a song from the movie Mr. India:
“Zindagi ki yahi reet hai, haar ke baad hi jeet hai.” (“This is the rhythm of life—victory comes only after defeat.”). Everyone sang with open hearts, calm waters within, and beautiful waves of emotion flowing through.
