13 Feb 2012, Naples, Italy

A course of Youth IAM® was held at the school Ipsar Rossini, near Naples.
“It was 3pm and students were ready well in advance in the room set for meditation. They all had their mats, pillows and blankets; their faces looked intrigued, but also puzzled by their expectations. In the room the silence was full of questions, but none of the students had the courage to break it.

After some introductory remarks, the students performed the first part of the technique, involving some relaxation exercises. Students performed this part with great care and were focused on listening to their own body.

After exercise, came the moment for perfect relaxation, in the shavasana position: lying on the ground, students were completely relaxed, and none of them showed signs of wanting to get up.The instructor of the meditation technique and I had originally thought that, after the physical exercises and the relaxation, students could have some break. However, we had not considered what students had felt while doing the practice, and what they would like to do; to our great surprise, students told us that they did not want to stop for a break. They wanted to carry on, and it was as if they were unwilling to break the spell that they could feel developing within. The students’ curiosity was turned into relaxation, and we could see that their eyes were bright, shining with a sense of delight, calm and ease.

At the end of the course, after the technique was performed and tested in its entirety, an atmosphere of deep calm and peace was perceived everywhere in the room.Sharing this experience has made me reflect deeply about how we can provide a benchmark for students to rely on. Also, I felt that establishing a regular appointment could provide long-term support for students, and help them along their personal life journey. So I resolved to structure more adequately the project in my school for next year”

Here’s how some students commented on the course:

Nica said: “Meditation is a work of the mind to warm the heart. Previously I had never gone back home after school in so calm a state of mind”.

Francesca, on the other hand, used another image to describe an experience she defined as fantastic: “In a soul completely free from thoughts and emotions even the tiger finds no room for its fierce claws.” After a visualisation exercise, Francesca said: “I wish I could never be out of this state and of this meditation, it’s so beautiful”.

Igor, never grew tired of asking questions to the instructor, asked the teacher: “When are we doing it again?”

Personally, I realised that today also young people lead hectic lives, full of activities. They should also be allowed to sometimes put a halt to all this, and listen to silence and peace. The most beautiful thing for me was to see their faces, so amazed and surprised to find that place of peacefulness within them.
I was very pleased to see how the “Rossini” school has hosted and organised the course. By offering students this opportunity, the school has thus promoted some knowledge that is unusual compared to the straightforward knowledge pursued in curricular subjects; and yet, this knowledge is just as important for students’ growth”.
– Chinmayi