- Vidyadhar Joshi

Background 

At Satkama High School, meditation on supposition of Divine Light is a 15 minute daily practice for students of VII to X class. In addition to this, Pujya Babuji Maharaj’s recitation of shloka is gently played in the background during the meditation period in all classes. Students from I to VI class are asked to maintain only silence in the 15 minute period. This 15 minute meditation period follows the morning assembly prayer for all classes. 

            This is a short report on the feedback from 46 students from VII to X class only. The students were asked to write periodically in their notes on how they feel after meditation. The feedback was sought in form of a written questionnaire from students of class VII to X at the end of the school year. Response was solicited primarily for the following questions

1.    How are you doing meditation?

2.    How do you feel during meditation?

3.    How do you feel after meditation?

4.    Do you feel meditation is helping you in any other things?  

Each report was analyzed to identify major feelings and changes reported. Each occurrence of a feeling in the report is counted as an instance. For e.g. if a student reports calmness and happiness, it is treated as an instance of calmness and happiness each. Since most students have reported more than one feeling, the total instances against feelings and behavioural changes will be more than the total number of students whose reports have been considered.

Observations 

Given below is the compilation of the response of the students to the feedback questionnaire. 

Q1) How are you doing meditation? 

            In response to this, 32 students have explicitly mentioned that they think of Divine Light in the heart and try to be attentive to that. 7 have expressed that they try to maintain silence as they listen to the recitation of the Master. Remaining children were not very clear in their expression. 

Q 2) How do you feel during meditation? 

            In response to this question, there are 7 instances of students reporting colors. There are 12 instances of students reporting thoughts passing by out of which 5 have reported that it is disturbing. Most other students have reported calmness, peace, silence and happiness as the major feelings experienced during meditation. Almost all students have reported 15 minute as an appropriate time for meditation. In a couple of cases they have reported that the period is short.  

Q3) How do you feel after meditation? 

            In response to this question, Calmness, Peace, Freshness and Happiness are the feelings reported by the majority. Students have reported more than one feeling like calmness and happiness or peace and happiness etc. All the reported feelings expressed by the students were captured.  

 Q4) Do you feel meditation is helping you in any other things? 

            In response to this question, the response is varied and is based on the subjective judgment of the student. 

Majority of the students felt that meditation is helping in their studies and concentration. Some have reported better memory. Other effects reported are removal of anxiety and tension, better self control & discipline, peacefulness, patience, improved confidence and praying at bed time.