Page 24 - The Indian EYE 070122

NORTH AMERICAN Newsline JULY 01, 2022 | The Indian Eye 24

AIA hosts Second Session on

AWARENESS and EMPATHY

OUR BUREAU to be accepted as one is now. Uma
Swaminathan asked whether there is
New York, NY
a difference between the way a male
n Thursday June 16th, ex- observes and responds from the way
actly a month after the first a female does the same things. Cu-
Osession, the Association of riously, interesting as this question
Indians in America (AIA) hosted was the question wasn’t discussed in
its second conference on Aware- much detail, which it deserved. Shi-
ness and Empathy at 8 PM. National vaji Sengupta is still thinking about
President Gobind Munjal welcomed this question and would like to get
all the attendees including some of back to Ms. Swaminathan on this.
AIA’s past presidents and trustees. To bring out some of these is-
Mr. Munjal introduced the sues, Shivaji Sengupta gave a sum-
speaker Dr. Shivaji Sengupta and marized situation of a father and
the moderator Asmita Bhatia, trust- daughter who were engaged in a
ee of AIA. controversial situation, putting the
As in the first session, Shivaji parent and offspring on culturally
Sengupta led the discussion. Mod- opposite sides. Sengupta described
erator Asmita Bhatia helped start how the father engaged his daughter
the discussion by making the param- into roleplaying by taking the oppo-
eters of the present session clear. site viewpoint and arguing in favor of
Although awareness and empathy it. The daughter became the father;
can be successfully used in many sit- the father became the daughter. In
uations, private, corporate and po- doing so, Sengupta, said they had an
litical, she said, our discussion was almost first-hand feeling about what
going to be limited to two areas: per- it is like to be in the other position.
sonal relationships between family Empathy developed in each, the
and friends, and about relationships daughter, and the father. In the end,
in the workplace. the parents asked the daughter to
At Mr. Gobind Munjal’s sugges- ject of your choice with controlled tening? Asked Nilima Madan. Hear- decide, now that she had considered
tion, Sengupta began by restating attention and focus. It is possible to ing is general, while listening is more both the father’s and the daughter’s
the definitions of Awareness and raise this to a skill level by constantly specific. Listening is targeted hear- points of view. The parents assured
Empathy. Awareness is our ability practice, selecting out a figure from ing. Dr. Bharti Palkhiwala spoke the daughter that whatever she de-
to be conscious of our environment, the ground where the observation is about the importance of eye-con- cided, the parent would accept. Fi-
particularly, the people, but it also taking place, controlling your power tact, and periodic responses that nally, the outcome was favorable.
includes our being conscious of our of attending and focusing sharply on told the speaker that the listener was Many participants appreciated the
own selves, especially in terms of our the object. Similarly, responding has genuinely interested in him/her. She narrative as a prime example of de-
feelings. He explained Empathy as subskills also which, with practice, called it building an alliance with the veloping empathy.
being able to intuitively understand turns into a skill. These subskills listener. Asmita Bhatia spoke of the The members all agreed that this
how another person is feeling as he are acquiescence in responding and importance of calmness as one is second session on Awareness and
or she is engaging you over an issue satisfaction in response. If we are talking to a hostile person. Sengupta Empathy was full of lively, intelligent
important to both. interested in and involved with the elaborated that this calm withdrawal and intellectual discussion and was
Next, Shivaji Sengupta said object of our attention, we transit is not a final withdrawal. The engag- a huge success. There was even talk
that Awareness and Empathy are from acquiescence to satisfaction in ers need to remember their purpose of continuing this trend and most of
both states of being: you are aware response. of the discussion and whether differ- the attendees requested the manage-
of someone or something; you are Dr. Sengupta’s ideas led to a ences in values (male/female; par- ment to have a third session for more
in a state of empathizing with an- lively discussion among the mem- ent/child, supervisor/supervisee) are discussions of this type both via Zoom
other person. He explained that bers. They took up one another’s preemptory (unnegotiable) or ame- and in person, as these issues are real
while everyone has awareness and points and elaborated on them. liorative (can be discussed further at and need more insight into this. Mr.
empathy these two can be devel- Gunjan Rastogi asked what does least in terms of methods of achiev- Munjal responded that they will send
oped into skills. How? By constantly one do when one of the parties in ing a goal). Mr Gursharan Kalra the recording to everybody who were
practicing the subskills that culmi- discussion turns hostile and offen- pointed out whether with a change in not able to attend the session due
nate into Awareness and Empathy. sive? Withdrawing temporarily, was one’s status (in life or in society) one to prior commitments and would
These skills are Observing, Listen- the answer, keeping open all the can be in a difficult position in terms very actively think about it, if most
ing, responding with involvement channels of communication and let- of others’ expectation. Sengupta re- of those people also would want it.
and feelings (Asmita Bhatia added ting the hostile person be aware that plied yes, and in such cases, it is best The program was concluded at
these two conditions). Skillful ob- the channels are open. What is the to be authentic, accept that one’s 9:30 PM by vote of thanks from the
servation makes you select the ob- difference between hearing and lis- status in life has changed, but plead National Secretary Gunjan Rastogi.

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