Theme of the year 2014 – Character Traits

“Be a man of character!” is an often quoted line by wise men. But, what is character? When people say that so and so is a person of character, do they really know what they mean? Is character defined by just a single moral attribute, like, being truthful, or combination of several ones? Are people born with  character? If not, can it be earned? If yes, how? Is there an institute to earn a degree in character? Or is it subtler than all that? These are just a sample of questions that frequent growing inquisitive minds.
Major Hindu scriptures, like the Gita, the Ramayana, and the Mahabharat, have expounded on the role and importance of the individual human characteristics like truthfulness, fortitude, and self-control in details. In one of the Sanskrit shlokas, ten traits have been defined as the characteristics of dharma (righteous living). In the Eight Limbs of Yoga (in Ashtanga Yoga), the first two limbs cover ten characteristics that form the core foundation and essential steps of Yoga.
This year we will learn and focus on one trait per month. We have covered this theme before, but instead of making it just an academic exercise, this year, focus will be on making those traits integral part of our life. Each month kids – and parents – will try to
–          imbibe the learnt trait;
–          critically evaluate (i.e., self-evaluation) identifying where and why we succeeded/failed;
–          resolve to improvise.
Regards,
Harsh Mendiratta