SNM Admin Account, Author at Sree Narayana Mission (Singapore)

Special thanks to Jamal Mohamed College Alumni Association – Singapore Chapter for the generous donation!

Mohiadeen Abdul Kader, the President of the Association, said that they have pledged to support and coordinate their efforts with social welfare and community development organisations to establish harmony and enhance socio-cultural development in the community.

He praised SNM for our quick responses and added that our CEO, Mr S. Devendran had patiently guided them through the donation process. Professionals in the social service sector touch the lives of the less fortunate among us, and Mr Kader hopes that other organisations would also step up and help ensure that no Singaporean is left behind.

Message of Resilience

Mr Pradeep started his career with Sree Narayana Mission (Singapore) in 2007. In 2009, he returned home to get married. After his marriage, he asked SNM for the opportunity to rejoin the organization; they agreed as his work performance had been excellent.

He is currently a healthcare supervisor and a duty officer who oversees a multi-national healthcare team.

When COVID-19 landed on our shores, he realised that this situation would be tough for the staff who can’t be with their families. Many of his healthcare staff try to be on the phone as much as possible with their families in their free time. Many of them faced the grim prospect of having to choose either their work or their family, but in the end, all of them stayed on as they must support their own families who are far away. This was also in part due to Mr Pradeep’s counsel, informing them that staying safe in Singapore was the best thing they could do for their family.

Mr Pradeep says that he tries his best to reassure and look out for them and does his best to keep morale up. He works closely with Mr Sajeev, Head of Meranti Home who shares his vision.

Both Mr Pradeep and Mr Sajeev co-operate very frequently, even when Mr Sajeev is working from home, and both aren’t afraid to work hand in hand with the healthcare teams. They do their best to allay the worries that staff have.

Mr Pradeep said that staff are impressed that the organization sticks to their values, and in this time of pandemic, it is where these values truly shine. Staff are well looked after, and SNM helps them to send items back to their home country by absorbing that transportation cost to allow staff to have peace of mind, following Guru’s teachings of compassion.

“Morale is high,” he says with a laugh. “We want to raise Meranti home to be the best home in Singapore. Our motto is: We do good, and karma will work out for us.”

Message of Love.

Mr Imesh has been with SNM since 2015. Back in 2017, he received a call informing him that his mother had been in a serious accident and admitted to an emergency ward. He consulted SNM management, who immediately allowed him to go back to Sri Lanka to be by her side, but he was only able to stay there for a month. He shared that he was lucky to be able to do so, as others like his brother, who was working with another organization in Singapore, were not able to go back.

In 2019, Mr Imesh and Ms Subasini had both planned to get married back in Sri Lanka, their home country. Preparations for their big day took longer than expected, and sadly, COVID-19 struck before they could get married, which threw all their plans into disarray.

Ms Subasini said that the mood back then was one of constant heightened tension. The staff in SNM lived in constant fear that they would receive a phone call from home to say something had happened to their families, and the strain that this worry generated wore them down. Knowing that they could not return home in the eventuality of such an event played havoc on their mental health.

“It is in times like this that being there for your family counts for so much” Mr Imesh said, “Sending money home for medical fees is one thing, but that is nothing compared to being able to be there for them.”

This was also of especial importance for Ms Subasini, as she is the youngest child in her family, and grew up in a tightly knit family.

SNMs staff were not allowed to leave the Nursing Home premises due to Phase 2 Restriction orders. His plans and preparations kept being delayed by the pandemic, all the way up to his planned wedding date.

This was when SNMs Sri Lankan staff stepped up together to help Mr Imesh and Ms Subasini. They helped with the preparations for the ceremony and celebration at Sree Narayana Mission Nursing Home and went to great lengths to assist the couple with their needs. It was deeply touching to the couple, and they wanted to share these words: “Thank you SNM for being like a real family, everyone here is like our brothers and sisters.”

This show of solidarity among people is heart-warming to the couple, who, despite having anxiety about this once in a lifetime event, found out that the people around them would unconditionally love, care, and support them when they needed it most. The nobility of the human spirit shines brightest when adversity strikes. Another point of worry for the newly married couple, was that they had invested a large amount in securing a staycation honeymoon before the pandemic. SNM management did their best to allow the couple time to enjoy their staycation honeymoon once Phase 2 restrictions were lifted so they would not have to forfeit their investment.

Mr Imesh and Ms Subasini would like to thank Mr S Devendran, HODs, and HR, who have given their time and advice to accommodate the couple with all their varied needs and for receiving concessions that were aimed to ease their transition to married life. They would also like to thank all their friends in SNM for all the work they put in for their wedding, and for not letting them feel alone despite the pandemic hitting them hard as well. The couple is confident that they can face the challenges of tomorrow, with the support of today.

The Heart and Mind of Daya (Compassion)

Our core values as espoused by Sree Narayana Guru are: Daya (Compassion), Satyam (Trust), Dharma (Righteousness) and Shanti (Peace). Let’s explore what Daya or Compassion means to us. How does ‘Daya’ translate into beliefs, daily actions and behaviours? What has our own personal experience of ‘Daya’ been like as a receiver or giver? How did giving and receiving ‘Daya’ make us feel? In his teachings, Guru emphasized the knowledge of self as essential to his notion of oneness. He claimed that consciousness of the self in relation to others was vital in our understanding of compassion.

Self-examination is essentially a key component in helping us feel empathy for another. If we have never received loving kindness, it would be difficult for us to treat others with loving kindness – not because we do not want to be kind but because we do not know how to be kind. Just as an empty glass will have nothing to offer, one who has been deprived of kindness will struggle to reach out and give.

The way of mindfulness, or the way of awareness, makes it clear that we need to first focus on the self. Self-care and self-examination are important attributes in our understanding of compassion. As opposed to a mindless way of living and doing, we need to bring our full attention to what we are and what we are doing. Modern living, in more ways than one, emphasizes a single minded pursuit for material success, and this pursuit places us in a state where we are inured to everything else, especially the positive virtues of being. It is a state where we have little awareness of the impact of our words and actions on others and on ourselves.

The residents experience the richness and vibrancy of the temple with all their senses through colours, rituals, smells and sounds. Some get to maintain the practices they may have followed when more able-bodied. There are opportunities to interact with other worshippers facilitating a profound social cohesion.

The participating youth volunteers also benefit. They gain insights from the life lessons of elders, realise the richness of the local culture, understand the values of respect and compassion, and learn about eldercare.

Mindfulness is achieved by leaving behind baggage from the past, and emphasizes by focusing on the present, the future will sort itself out. So, how do we bring the fullness of our attention to whatever we are to partake in? We need to bring not only our ‘minds’ but our ‘hearts’ into what we do.

Japanese artist and calligrapher, Kazuaki Tanahashi, describes the Japanese character of mindfulness as consisting of two interactive figures – the ‘Heart’ and the ‘Mind’.

To strike a balance between the ‘Heart’ and the ‘Mind’ is not easy.

Too much of the Heart, and all too often we become lost in sympathy or the sufferings of another. Too much of the Mind, and we are reduced to being cool observers, uninvolved and distant. To be effectively compassionate, we need to strike a balance. We need to cultivate a ‘Quiet Mind’ and an ‘Open Heart’.

What are the qualities of the Quiet Mind? It is Spaciousness and Clarity. It is essentially the source of our capacity for discerning wisdom.

What are the qualities of an Open Heart? It is tenderness, warmth and flow.

How do we attain a quiet mind and an open heart?

We need to be calm to connect with our inner selves and to be fully aware of our divinity. Use your breath as an anchor to help as a focus for your attention, bringing you back when your mind wanders. By bringing awareness to our breathing, we remind ourselves that we are here, and remain fully awake to what is going on in the present moment.

“To use your breathing to nurture mindfulness, simply tune in to the feeling of your breath entering and leaving your body. That’s all. Just feel the breath. Breathe and know that you’re breathing. Do not do it as deep or forced breathing, or going all out in trying to feel something special, or wondering whether you’re doing it right. It’s just the awareness of the breath moving in and the breath moving out.” – Kabat-Zinn

Doing this allows you to attain a meditative silence that will provide clarity that comes from a ‘quiet mind’ and ‘open heart’. Together these attributes allow us to tap deeper into human consciousness and provide clarity of thought. Perhaps compassion in the purest sense is the delicate balancing between a quiet mind and an open heart.

A Socio-Spiritual Community Partnership

Ravi Subramanian

Any community outreach initiative that improves the emotional wellbeing of elderly residents is laudable. And, if it fosters social consciousness and inclusivity, especially amongst the youth, it must be encouraged. And, if it is simple and sustainable, it becomes priceless. It must be supported.

ThOne such initiative is the monthly temple visit, a collaborative effort between Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple (SSVT) at Ceylon Road and Sree Narayana Mission (SNM)./p>

These are socio-spiritual visits to the temple, wherein wheel-chair bound elderly residents from SNM are hosted by volunteers from SSVT. The residents, numbering around ten to twelve, perform a circumambulation of the temple, followed by prayers and blessings. Later, the residents enjoy a simple temple cooked vegetarian meal in the company of volunteers.

These visits have impacted the residents positively. A brief study that analysed the mood, sleep patterns and the distress levels of the participating residents were encouraging. The feedback from the surveys reflects it. Here’s a sample:

Staff – Whenever they go to the temple, they feel happy emotionally and spiritually. They are excited
to go back. They will ask us when their next visit will be. They really want to go and pray every month.

The program’s success and consistency come from its simplicity. There is little financial investment. Families and professionals find it convenient to participate, as it is held once a month on a Sunday for about 2 hours.

Naturally, this collaborative work was recognises

SSVT won a Special Merit Award for the “Most Creative Community Partnerships” at the Asian Elderly Care Awards, 2019, organised by Managing Elderly Care, Asia’s Premier Learning Conference and Expo for professionals, managers and organisations to Get and Serve Elderly Clients. This coveted award will be presented in March 2020.

In conclusion, a community collaboration of this kind helps to build an inclusive society. It is worth replicating. In this partnership, SNM benefited immensely. SSVT was the reason for its success.

Bonding through Cultural Activities

Sabu

He had spent ten years in Singapore, from 1979 to 1989, without his family but they are now making up for lost time by pursuing their mutual passion together every weekend. Their love for music and dance seems to be the glue that keeps Sabu and his family together.

Already acquainted with Sree Narayana Guru’s philosophy in his homeland, Kerala, Sabu had no hesitation in joining the Sree Narayana Mission’s activities in Singapore when he arrived in 1979. “One of the Guru’s teachings is that we should strengthen through organisation, including cultural activities. Our members love these cultural gatherings – the annual Chathayam celebration is like a festival for members and bonding between the members strengthens during Chathayam, all of them gather then,” he asserts. This is so fulfilling that Sabu says he will continue his work, “Until I die”.

Sabu’s wife, Sheeja, confirms his sentiments, “I am very happy to come to the Mission, I feel good and there is a very good feeling here. We like to do these activities for the members. And doing this together improves the family bonding”.

Sabu has been the Chairman of Sree Narayana Mission’s Cultural Sub-Committee since 2001, unfailingly and diligently holding activities for Chathayam and other important occasions on the Mission’s calendar. Sheeja has been joining him since emigrating to Singapore and their daughter, Priyanka, made her debut on the Mission’s stage in childhood. “I was exposed to all this from young. When my parents were singing, I’d go up on stage and dance – I was three years old then. I started formal dance classes at the Mission when I was eight. This involvement in the Mission has been a part of my life since young.”

She realises that the cultural activities help to further the Mission’s objectives to nurture the self, the community and a communal spirit. “It has shaped me as a person. I knew about my culture earlier than other children. Dance is my passion and through dance I’ve learnt many values – determination, endurance, patience, how to be confident. My father organising all this has taught me much; he spends a lot of time on this and that shows his dedication – I admire that. He does it even though he doesn’t get paid for it. That’s a selfless thing to do. As a family, it helped us spend more time with each other, so we’ve grown as a family. Through this, we also spread our culture; it unites the Malayalees, and with more Malays and Chinese coming for Chathayam, more people know who the Malayalees are,” Priyanka reasons.

The 16 year-old sees herself eventually stepping into her parents’ shoes, “Hopefully, I’ll be like my father and help out. I’m in the Youth Wing and when I’m older, I hope to contribute more to the Mission. I also learnt the Guru’s values – to treat all races as one – and I definitely connect to the Guru in a spiritual way. This involvement helps me to be with my family and their presence means a lot to me. I’m lucky that my family is closely involved in this and would want more families to come together because we are all so busy otherwise. It will help the Mission and themselves – in unity there is strength – when families come together”.

Committed to the ideals of Sree Narayana Guru

R Raveendran

At age 91, few people would have the stamina for any project that requires committed effort and dedication over a sustained period. But Raveendran is of a different ilk from most people. He regularly drives 25 kilometres between his home in West Coast and the Sree Narayana Mission in Yishun to sit through meetings that last from 7 pm to 11 pm.

This octogenarian is an active member of the Sree Narayana Mission and was a member of its Building Fund Committee until 2018. For him, this is just another lap in his lifelong journey of serving Narayana Guru’s vision to uplift communities through education, empowerment and service. “I believe in the Guru’s principles and wanted to do welfare service,” he reasoned.

He had come to Singapore in 1950 from Kerala, India, already steeped in the Guru’s teachings. Thus, he was willing to do his bit in his new home country and propagate the Guru’s drive for community improvement, even though it is a world away from where the Guru had preached. Despite the fact that work and family commitments both weighed on him, Raveendran joined the Sree Narayana Mission in Singapore and took on heavy responsibilities, such as being Secretary of its Executive Committee for a few tenures.

In the early days, he had unstintingly knocked on doors for donations in aid of the Mission’s activities, gratefully accepting whatever little the people could spare then. Over the years, his duties have evolved as the Mission transformed into a larger, more recognised and established organisation. He continues to support as many of the Mission’s initiatives as he can, stepping forward when he deems it necessary, to uphold the Mission’s values and further its aims and objectives.

Raveendran had celebrated his 90th birthday in 2017, but his advancing age is not slowing him down in any way, nor has it dampened his spirit to serve. “The Mission’s members always tell me not to drive so far to our meetings and they always offer to drive me home late at night after a meeting, but I still continue with what I’m doing. I am still able to do all this because of Guru’s grace. Because of the Guru’s teachings, I always want to be doing service for the people. I feel happy to serve. I believe the Guru has a lot of power, and if you sincerely work for the Mission, you will prosper. But you must work sincerely. So I am still fit because of the grace of Guru and I will continue to do this until I die.”

Update: Mr R Raveeendran passed away peacefully on 3/3/2021.