पद-यात्रा 2017

Even after all this time 

The Sun never says to the Earth, 

"You owe me." 

Look what happens with a love like that, 

It lights the whole sky.” 

~ Hafiz ~

We are grateful to each one of you for being who you are, manifesting values that are important to you through your life and serving with love in various forms. Together we are writing a different narrative for our world, one with hope, empathy, trust and compassion. With the intent to strengthen our community and deepen understanding of our world, inner & outer, we are seeking to go on a journey this April. A Walking Pilgrimage (पद-यात्रा) into the mountains. 

​​The idea of doing a Walking Pilgrimage emerged in ONUS cohort in 2015 and it turned out to be one of the most powerful experiences of the one-year program. This year like last year, we are planning to do it with our larger family, you all. In our journeys of leadership, we are called to negotiate between many choices (of what we love and what we have to do; of structure & flow etc.); through the padh-yatra we are creating a space to understand these choices more deeply by learning from nature. Four major aspects of the journey are as follows:

• WALK: Jayesh Bhai, our mentor says WALK means, W: Witness, A: Accept, L: Learn and K: Know Thyself. With special significance in our traditions, I guess walking is the most natural way of journeying; Of being present to the journey, to what is. 
• Oneness: Aren't we all one? Think by any logic, physically, biologically, metaphysically etc. But the question is how do we experience it continuously?; given the walls of separation that we have created around us of ideology, competition, species, religion and so on. Through the पद-यात्रा, we together try and blur the boundaries of separation and experience oneness with other living and non-living beings. And can we challenge ourselves to imagine a life of extremism of love like the Sun or the Earth? आ चल के तुझे मैं लेके चलूँ इक ऐसे गगन के तले. 
• Learning from Nature: We shall hold a question that is stopping us from moving forward and seek to learn from nature. Although, we will all be in a collective journey, each one of us will have a different experience, we shall see what our vision accepts and we shall learn what we are ready to learn. So, what is the question you are willing to ask? 
• Joy: This is guaranteed We wish to unwind, relax, enjoy and have fun in the company of nature and each other. 

The dates for the 3-Day Walking Pilgrimage (पद-यात्रा) are 14-16 April 2017. Other details will be put out soon!

Date: 13th April Night (Departure from Delhi) - 17th April Morning (Arrival to Delhi)

Travel: By bus (to-and-fro Delhi)

Here are some reflections from last two year's Padh-Yatra: पद-यात्रा Reflections.