Awakin Chhattisgarh
ServiceSpace
--Roshni Shah
2 minute read
Dec 25, 2019

 

Something I have been exploring while I am in India is how to process "compassion fatigue". As a healthcare provider, how do we learn to nourish our own health when the need to care for so many others is expanding. Yes, there are habits we can hone and "self care" tools that we can market, but the true shift has to come from the culture of providing care itself.

I spent a few weeks at Jan Swasthya Sahyog (JSS), a hospital committed to serving the rural and tribal communities in the heart of Ganyari in Chhattisgarh. The doctors here are working around the clock, balancing learning while serving, as the demand never decreases. This isn't a story about that work (but there are many) but more about those who make this work possible.

In my time there, I grew so close to these incredible people who made me feel like I was more then part of the team, but I was family. The doctors and nurses are not only treating patients, but they are also creating new systems, juggling studies, and working with such limited resources that the pressure is always on. How can you say no when you are looking into the eyes of someone who is so unwell? How do you find time to nurture yourself when so much work remains to provide for not only your patients, but your work family. The looming obligations aren't overwhelming, they are just as expected. Compassion isn't a practice, it is just an inherent skill. I get it. But I also quickly recognized some similar feelings of depletion amongst the staff. While the work was so important and inspiring, the long hours and on-going demands seemed to take its own toll. How can we serve from the soul if it hasn't been fed? So while I don't know the right answer, I was curious to see what would unfold if some of the staff was given a chance to experience the magic of Awakin circles. I was so excited to offer a space for introspection and connection for a few hours and see what would transpire, so with some help, we organized an Awakin sit for the team.

For almost all of them, this was the first introduction to meditation. ​​​​​​As always, the energy of the space shifted. The story was read in Hindi and English with Naman and I anchoring the space. As the ah-ha's and reflections were shared, the depth of these relationships grew. I learned about the inner-thoughts and wonders of some brilliant folks. Conversations diverged into new realms beyond patient delivery. Laughs were shared over a loving meal and for a small moment, the demands of work and responsibilities to others were given a pause and the even tougher work to be silent and go within was captured in he circle of sharing.





 

Posted by Roshni Shah on Dec 25, 2019