A Degree Free Life

I proudly say that I have no degree and as of now plan to live so.
A frequent question I am asked is, "If you have no degree then how will you get a job and how will you stand on your own feet?"

I don't want to boast but I want to share this to tell you that their is a possibility of life without a degree.

You may feel " starting something on your own is possible without a degree but getting a job is not"

At the age of 19 yrs I have been offered jobs. I have been offered a job to do train the trainers for school teachers, to facilitate people much older in age. People have asked me collaborate with them. I have worked as a artist designing diary covers. I have given advice to people designing workshop for kids.
People consider me worthy because they see my passion to work. They see my responsibility and maturity. My experience in life makes me who I am today. 

In my personal opinion I don't understand the life where for the first 20 years of a life, I am to only work towards creating a "future". Studying and working so that I can earn money some day. But the train doesn't stop when I start earning. I am to then work toward earning money for my child's future.
Well what about today. My question is why should I waste my life on creating a future when I can live a life where I can create a present. .

Also personally at the age of 15 I had felt it was is too early for me  to decide what I want to do for the rest of my life. I needed time to explore and discover. To try, fail and learn, to experience multiple things and gain perspectives before I start thinking which field I want to go deep or what work I want to do to earn my bread and butter. I personally felt instead of wasting time in studying for my 10th exam I would rather do, learn and experience.

Of course you may say that these jobs aren't very high paying.
To me standing on my own feet not only means financially independence but also discovering my own identity for myself and to be able to discover my own values and believes. Giving time to exploring and gaining perspectives have helped me in the journey to form my own understanding and values. 

I have been able to discover that lots of money or luxury is not what I want from life. I want to lead a simple and sustainable life which means I don't need too much money and also I have been able to experience that there are things beyond money.

Environment sustainability and a simple lifestyle are very strong values for me. Recently in a job recruitment process for a facilitator at an organization,  I felt the job I was being offered was going against my value system and I was able to freely express that.

All this clarity doesn't mean I don't have doubts at times, I do feel scared about what will happen or worry how will I earn for myself in the future but these doubts don't come because I don't have a degree, they come because being financially independence is an unknown territory and it will require me to go beyond who I am today.  Even people with degree get doubts or feel anxious for their future but the difference is that even though with doubts I am dependent on myself not on a system which tells the world who I am through a piece of paper. I am confident in my capability to learn, to do whatever I need to lead my life.

You may ask what I am doing now, well my journey of exploration and learning has not ended yet and that is what I am doing, enjoying life, doing projects, trying out things, following my passion, travelling and letting life be my guide and teacher. Mainly exploring my interest of environmental sustainability and alternative education ( working with children and youth ).

I dream of a society where people are earning their bread and butter from work that makes them feel alive. They are not getting jobs because of their piece of paper but because of their passion to work. People are not living life to earn but rather to live. I am extremely grateful to be able to lead this kind of life.

Open learning for rural children

Aarohi O-campus is a rich campus with lots of resources and facilities, creating lots of possibilities and opportunities for learning. In the wish to make these resources available for the neighboring people we are beginning some outreach programs.

I decided to get involved in the outreach program. I enjoy working with children and youth, never really worked with rural children. I am not doing this in the perspective of social service but rather as a contribution to the people who have warmly welcomed us to co – exist in their village. In my perspective I don’t look as this outreach program as a medium to create change in children’s lives but rather to create space for them to come, enjoy and add some value in their life journeys. Simple things like the resources to play sports or do art is a precious thing for these children and if I can create a space for them to benefit from these amenities then why not!

This month we began the interesting process to plan, advertise and implement the outreach program. It was nice to see the enthusiastic response of the headmasters we met at different government schools and parents in the village. Interestingly the main need of the parents is to teach English to the children, it is sad to see the high status that our society gives to English though nothing wrong with learning the language.

Its exciting and challenging. One major challenge I face is the language, I do not know any local language but it might also work as a plus point for me and kids to exchange the learning of languages.

The journey began today with four children coming to campus and playing with puzzles and blocks. I was expecting more children to turn up, so I did feel a little dissapointed. Hope to slowly slowly move ahead and reach out to our neighbors and make them apart of the campus and learning journey.

x

Simple Alternatives to chemical personal care products

Simple Alternatives to chemical personal care products.

Toothpaste

Use Datoon ( tree twig)  - Neem, Meswak, jamun, Babul, Mango,

Use natural toothpowders

Use salt water

Make paste of guava leaves and brush

Soap : It’s a myth that we need to use soap everyday.

Bajra flour with sesame seeds oil or coconut oil

Multani mitti

Grandmother's recipe - malai and gram flour

Cream : If you use a soap that doesn't remove your natural oil, you don't quite need a lotion.

Oil - Doing a oil massage before bathing and then having a warm water bath without soap and rubbing yourself gently. Or massage yourself before sleep

Malai : scrubbing malai and little milk and then letting it dry and rubbing it off before bathing.

Alovera gel is amazing for your skin

Using fresh Alovera gel on your skin is the best

Cream recipe: Mix 50 per cent aloe vera gel with 25t per cent glycerine and 25 per cent coconut oil and use as a moisturising cream for skin. If you use natural aloe gel, then it can also be used as a hair pack. Wash off with some natural shampoo after an hour. You can make a regular use cream with packaged gel also. Use it at night, because glycerine makes it sticky -- not very suitable for daytime outdoors. For day time, apply liberally and wash off after some time, then wear plain aloe gel. - Credits of recipe - APARNA PALLAVI

Shampoo: For shampoo, one can use many combinations to wash hair.

Combine an ingredient that removes oil and an ingredient that enriches it.

Oil removing: Shikakai, Reetha and Multani Mitti

Enriching: Amla, Hibiscus leaves and flower, Aloe Vera, Henna, curry leaves, rice water, curd, lemon juice

Simple way is get the herbs fresh and grind in you mixie and add reetha liquid or shikakai powder.

Anti dandruff and lice : Neem, Aloevera, Vinegar, Onion juice, Sitaphal seeds, fenugreek seeds powder

Most common combination: Amla, reetha and shikakai

• https://sulfatefreeshampoos.org/ayurvedic-shampoo/ -
• http://www.lorebay.com/multani-mitti/multani-mitti-for-hair-loss-growth-pack-straightening-dandruff
• http://www.hairbuddha.net/

Lip balm : Ghee, malai or oil

Beeswax

Or any organic or natural lip balm.

Hair oil: Use pure oil - Summers coconut. In winters til, amla, almond. Even if you buy parachute oil, don't buy the ones scented. At home boil curry leaves in coconut oil, strain and store

Make up: Simple solution do not use:).

Kajal can be made at home. In a diya burn coconut oil. Above the diya place a steel plate. Let the flame be just above but not touching. Scrap off the black from the dish, mix little ghee or coconut oil to solidify.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_cZQ4YCr6g - homemade kajal

Perfume: Use essential oils, rose water. Boil dried flowers in distilled water or coconut/almond oil.

• https://happyholistichealth.com/2014/07/01/chemical-free-natural-perfume-alternatives/

Laundry : Aritha

Washing machine:In a muslin white cloth put 4-6 reetha seeds and put in machine along with clothes.

Hand wash: Soak clothes in warm water and 8 to 10 aritha seeds. Soak for at least 2hrs

Or make a reetha liquid and soak clothes. Note: Do not soak white and light clothes in reetha. Soak clothes in warm water and later use 1:1 water and reetha liquid to wash.

One can also purchase desi clothes washing bars from the local market.

To remove stains: soak clothes in 1/3 cup of lemon juice and 2/3 cup of water.

To make aritha liquid, Either pressure cook reetha seeds in water for 1 whistle or soak the seeds in boiling water over night and crush seeds and filter.

Washing vessels: Reetha liquid, shikakai powder, Ash, red mud, lemon, tamarind, dried orange peel powder

Washing bathrooms and homes: Reetha liquid, shikakai powder,

Bio enzymes - Replace all cleaners and washing powders:

• https://wellnessmama.com/7553/soap-nuts-laundry-care/ - Laundry
• https://ccccchange.wordpress.com/tag/benefits-of-reetha/ - Reetha
• http://wellnessunlimited.in/posts/earth-care-fruit-peel-bio-enzyme/ - Bio cleaners

• https://india.curejoy.com/content/best-fruits-for-glowing-skin-eat-apply-repeat-04-2017/  - frutis and skin
• https://india.curejoy.com/content/beauty/ -
• http://www.femina.in/beauty/skin/8-routine-changes-to-improve-your-skin-35890.html - habits and skin
• http://naturalbeautytips.co/ - Natural beauty tips

LOG KYA KEHENGE

"LOG KYA SOCHENGE OR LOG KYA KEHENGE" (What will people think or will they say )

I have been on a long journey of un - conditioning myself and breaking thorough the chains I have tied around myself. One interesting journey has been to let go of the thought and fear of "log kya kahenge" ( being judged for who I am and they way I do things). This thought also brings in an anxiety to make mistakes in front of people. The dread to be embarrassed in front of them and the thought of not being accepted for who I am or the choices I make.

Recently I was travelling on a metro train, standing in the crowded train, listening to music. I got this feeling that I was being watched, I looked around and a couple of people were staring at me. Immediately my mind started racing, is it my hair, or is there something on my dress, is it the backpack I am carrying. Then I noticed that none of the people around me had earphones on and I got this crazy idea that earphones aren't allowed in the metro and that is why people are staring. It took me a good 5 minutes to knock some sense into my irrational thoughts. I even googled it to be sure that I am not making up thoughts.
I have a folded right ear, something that I am so comfortable and normalized with that I forget it could be different for people around me. I really don't know why the people on the metro where staring at me, could be my ear or could be something else but it made me realize that I am still yet to completely break this condition of worrying what people will think of me, of being comfortable of being who I am in public.

I personally judge others, whether known or unknown and so I personally believe I have no right in expecting others not to judge me, gossip about me or dislike me. I also believe in being who I am and not putting on masks for other people, be it the way I dress, my likes/dislikes or anything. All this sounds amazing in beliefs but when it comes to implementation in my daily life, I still struggle at times, I still fall back to thought of worrying what people would think of me.

I believe by taking the step to break these condition, to be who I am, to stop worrying what people will think I am taking a step towards change, a step towards my life having more acceptance for myself and others

World Environment Day

I consider myself an Earth Activist and I hold deep value in sustainability.

Not the kind of activist who goes out on the streets protesting for climate change but the kind that takes steps in her own life to bring change and spread awareness of how as an individual in our everyday lives we can contribute to a better world for ourselves.

I remember participating in drawing contests on environment day, the school bulletin would be filled with beautiful posters saying save trees, save water or save mother earth. I would be so happy to see my poster among the many and proud that I am not contributing to damaging the earth.
Apart from closing the tap when I was brushing, my 8 year old brain just couldn't understand how was I suppose to save the planet and I would tell myself, "you never cut a tree so that means you are saving the planet".

But was I really contributing to a better world?

Of course I had never cut a tree and maybe most of the population on earth would never have to cut a tree with their own hands but that doesn't mean we all are aren't contributing to the injustice to the planet and it's people. The fact that my everyday actions, the food I eat, the clothes I wear, the house I live in and things I use are impacting the world, is something that no one was able to tell me.

To me save Mother Earth actually means "dude save your ass". Save the planet so human kind can continue to live on earth for many years. Stop looking at nature as a resource, a way to make money so that your grandchildren can also cherish this beautiful earth.

For every time I use shampoo from a plastic bottle, I am adding to the landfills, polluting our water, putting chemicals on my body and the nice lady who made this shampoo is not going be able to even afford to buy her own shampoo bottle.

And these underline stories apply for everything I use pens, clothes, electronics, toothbrush, etc.  It is just that I never bothered knowing the story behind the "save the planet"and now that I do, I am wishing to spread the story far and wide.

Ironically on the 5th of June which is world environment day I am flying in a Airplane. The most unsustainable mode of transport. I will not lie to you, I slip sometimes and do actions that I know are harming the planet and its people. There are challenges that come with wanting to live a simple and sustainable life in a world of fast growing technology and development.

To me, World environment day is a reminder of the horrors human kind has caused in the world and how I can bring change by being a conscious consumer and citizen of the Earth.