Arvind Singh is a doctor of Ayurvedic medicine in Mumbai, India. In his treatments he seeks to apply modern science to ancient wisdom and has given several T.V. interviews on common health problems. He volunteers as a Peace Education Program facilitator and has conducted workshops in venues ranging from shipyards to corporations to medical universities.
It is important to me to be happy and content with whatever work I do. That is the reason I have chosen the medical profession as a career. It gives me a great sense of satisfaction to work for society, especially when I see the smile on a patient’s face as they get relief from their ailment. This time, it was an exciting experience for me to see the smile of one of my colleagues, when I facilitated a Peace Education Program (PEP) recently.
This PEP course was unique for me because it was organized for my own colleagues, including teaching faculty members of Dr. D.Y. Patil University in the College of Ayurveda, Mumbai. The Vice-Dean and Medical Superintendent, Dr.D.M.Padavi, was very keen to start the PEP workshop and took personal interest in inviting all the faculty members and the heads of Internal Medicine, Gynecology, Surgery and ENT, along with research scholars and interns. A total of 32 members enrolled.
Each class began with a video of Prem Rawat talking about different aspects of inner peace and fulfillment. The most enjoyable part for me was the reflection session afterward, when the participants poured out their wisdom, correlating themes of the videos with examples from their own lives. The atmosphere was cozy because they were able to connect and interact freely.
One of my friends, the medical officer in the hospital, often looked disturbed by his busy routine and sat in the last row. One day he came to me and asked, “Arvind, how are you able to cope with your daily work? I find some hope while attending this program. Could you help me as well?”
I just suggested he relax and keep attending the sessions and assured him that he would gain more clarity as the course progressed.
The faculty members told me, “Peace has become the talk of the college, and now we have started discussing the topic in our staff room.”
Toward the end of the workshop, we realized that Prem’s message was appreciated very much by all. One of the doctors said, “I was already aware of these themes, but now I feel and understand their true meaning. PEP has given me a deeper understanding of my life as a whole.”
My medical officer friend came to me on the second-to-last day and said, “Arvind, I have been quite distressed at work, and when I went home, I used to quarrel with my wife. But now I am very positive. It would make me happy if you could come and introduce the message to my wife.” The smile on his face made me happy, too, and he invited me to a tea party.
The following Sunday, I visited his home, and both of them were glad to see me. They started telling me their personal stories. Listening to them, I felt that the missing part of the puzzle was peace in their lives. When I introduced the subject to my friend’s wife, she was delighted and said, “What Prem Rawat is saying is right. If we find peace, then everything will fall into place.”
This PEP was special to me because it had brought a new understanding in my own life—that the prescription for happy living is the pill for peace.
Photos: Rohan Ghate
