NOTES FROM ZULEIKHA

—Training session with Shaheen, head Trainer. She is amazing, and besides all the the TAKE A MINUTE® exercises she knows that I have taught her, she very successfully uses the wonderful sound and movement fun exercises for the kindergarten children.

—Home visit with Facilitator Parveen, from the Social Work department and medical and community worker. We visited the home of a woman who had previously come to the sessions. She had requested Parveen to see me, about a frozen shoulder. I reminded her that I am not a doctor or a physical therapist. Her two college age children were there, and translated for me. I was able to share with her a few practices that gave her some ease. She is seeing a physical therapist, and our movement practices went well with what she is already doing. Something I notice often in every dimension of this work is  the way people enjoy themselves, have a laugh, and that it itself opens the heart-door to relief.

—Women’s Self Help Groups (SHG) are lead by Facilitator Kariman. Today we saw 2 different groups of women. They try to come ‘on time’ yet there are so many responsibilities that they come as they can. Kariman led the groups, and she is really doing very well. I added on afterwards. These women loved it. Some had been before, some do their own exercises, and some were there for the first time. Like the session at the Ladies Park, the women seem to come when they can, so I ended up re-leading the exercises about three times! I would finish, and then a new group would arrive just as we were finishing. They were so disappointed that we were finishing, that I was compelled to restart!

—Trans Yamuna area, Seelampur. I called Asha on the way, and Beauty Culture teacher  and TSP Facilitator Meenakshi came out of class to meet me on the road and accompany me  to the class. This is an area where not many if any foreigners come. Since I am there under the auspices and partnership with the Hope Project, it works best if someone from the area accompanies me to and from the car. It was the first time that I was there without Asha, our Consultant and Director of the Hope /TSP programs. Me and my pidgeon-Hindi had to suffice. It does give the students a good laugh, and they actually do understand me most of the time! I saw a combined class of the Cutting and Tailoring students with the Beauty Culture students. A lot of the exercises I am using in the TSP/Hope Train the Trainer Program are created for use in small spaces. There were about 30 students/young women sitting, standing, and moving very close together. For the first part, Meenakshi led the students. She did such a beautiful presentation with them. The feedback is that the videos I made really helped everyone. I can see the difference in all of their sessions. Then Gulshan, the first trained Facilitator of the Trans Yamuna area, led a few exercises. I showed one of the hand Energy Gems, and added a second part. Everyone loved it, and it brought some kind of closure for them in the exercise,  so I will put it in the new exercise video I will make for all the Hope Facilitators.