93+ Associates of TCS sat in golden silence for 30 minutes on international Yoga day (21 June). To me, it is one of the most memorable day of my 12+ years in TCS. As we often speak, we don't know the ripples of even a single individual sitting in silence for even a minute, for sure I don't know where the ripple of this collective silence was planted. However, I have good fortune of having known few incredible individuals who with their consistency planted seeds of this experience.


It was a co-creation of many individuals who brought flowers, decorated the space pouring in fragrance of their sweat, created
a beautiful rangoli keeping charkha in center, many individuals even got their mats to offer for unknown individuals, our Meghnaji offered the speaking bowl we use at Awakin Ahmedabad while Pratyush shared insights about setting the intentions in the beginning and more than anything else individuals who showed up and offered their silence co-creating this gala experience.


Every Thursday, few TCSers sits in silence for 7-10 minutes followed by a cirlce of sharing. Its been more than two years of Thursday circles inspired after an all TCS moved by love retreat hosted at Maitri Space (ESI). Ashish Pathak (right in pic below) effortlessly sends a gentle reminded to our group every Thursday morning and ensures to be at silence and reflection circle. Only once, a single person sat in silence, else its a group. On this particular Thursday, a gala event was planned at office premises, hence many were busy. I had a choice to skip, yet holding an empty chair for all who couldn't make I sat and at the same time Amit Maheshwari (right in pic below) was holding silence in Delhi, where he was volunteering at international convention of SPIC Macay. Later he shared that, following regular practice, he held space with few individuals and amongst them was a girl from a village in Kerala. She was in tears sharing that an outbreak of Nippa Virus is devastating her known and she is worried. Amit consoled her and both sat in silence praying for all and on that day he requested our regular group to offer prayers on behalf of the girl from Kerala. I received the message later, felt moved about the conspiration of sitting alone and praying for the unknown.

When I reflect back, I feel grateful to all the visible and invisible forces that plants seeds of compassion and prayers.