In this issue:

• Message from MPA
• Participant sharings from Winter Gathering
• Meet our Teachers and Staff
• MPA Spotlight
• MPA Prospectus
• Walking mediation with Phulkari Women of Amritsar (WOA)

Message From MPA

Sat Nam SDEI Board,

From everyone at Miri Piri Academy, we extend our warmest blessings to you for the new year 2023!

Our year has just begun but has already been filled with inspiration.  We just wrapped up our first Winter Gathering here on campus and are in the middle of our Alumni Gathering. Anytime we gather is a wonderful occasion, but when we meditate as a Sangat (community) on the ancestral land of great yogis & Gurus, it’s a true blessing for us all.

For women of any age who did not have the opportunity to attend either event, we’d like to invite you to join us for the Women’s Camp next month, at MPA, from February 15 – 24. Early bird pricing ends today (January 1!) so please reach out if you have any questions – we’d love to connect with you.

Alongside planning and hosting our events, we have also been busy with day school registrations. Registrations opened in November and since then we have been busy answering questions and inquiries from the Amritsar community.

With classes beginning in April, the MPA team has stepped into high gear to prepare for the students’ arrival. Part of this preparation includes onboarding our teachers, some of whom you were introduced to in our last newsletter, with more featured below.

Our teachers are arriving on campus later this month from around the world, bringing with them a vast array of subject expertise and life experiences. We look forward to working with them to incorporate into their lessons an academically challenging curriculum taught in creative ways.

Blessings,
Japjeet Kaur Khalsa, Head of School

Events

Participant sharings from Winter Gathering (December 17 – 23, 2022)

Bhupinder Kaur, India

“I can’t express how profound it was to be at Miri Piri Academy for the Winter Gathering. I’ve made countless unforgettable memories. This place holds a very special place in my heart. I have learnt so much here and mostly, experiences from here have shaped me into the person I am today. Thank you for the incredible experience and I pray that our paths cross again.”

Bahadurjeet Singh, Española, USA

“My time in Amritsar and particularly my stay at Miri Piri Academy (MPA) have been remarkable for the development of my self awareness and of the connection we as people share with each other. Just walking around the MPA campus I come across many reminders of the many forms of God in pictures depicting the Gurus, people who serve selflessly, and in the natural beauty of the campus.

“Meditating, performing Sikh and Kundalini Yoga practices with the sangat in the land of the Gurus is empowering and facilitates growth and awareness that haven’t been possible for me while practicing on my own in a more isolated setting at home. The combination of the spiritual context, history and sangat in Amritsar have provided fertile ground for my spiritual development.”

Updates

Meet our teachers and staff!

It’s our pleasure to introduce the MPA teachers and staff who will support our students this year. We began sharing teacher bios last month, if you missed it you can view them here.

Manisha Bakshi

From: Amritsar, India
Subject: English

Ms. Manisha has a Bachelor’s degree in Education and a Masters in Sociology and English from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. She taught English at MPA for 11 years and is excited to return. During these 11 years, she taught English as a Second Language (IGCSE) with Cambridge and WIDA from Bangkok.

“It’s exhilarating to rejoin the MPA team, and I feel that I am back where I feel the deepest sense of belonging and peace. The rigor and joy of being a teacher at MPA is inimitable. My mission and vision is to ensure all lessons are student-centered and differentiated so that all students get the support they need. Being a teacher, it gives me immense satisfaction to see my students growing and learning.” – Ms. Manisha Bakshi

Gurvinder Singh

From: Kent, England
Subject: History and Social Sciences

Mr. Gurvinder is an academic scholar from England who belongs to the Nihang tradition. He hopes to share teachings that can provide practical foundations for students to harness academia and Sikhi in unison.

“I am eager to contribute to this active conversation and help in providing a future that sees our graduates as embodied repositories of spirituality that have the practical tools to take on the responsibilities of life, whilst simultaneously wanting to participate in changing this world – in light of Gurū Nānak’s teachings.” – Mr. Gurvinder Singh

Amanpreet Jolly

From: Bangalore, India
Subject: English

Ms. Amanpreet’s education and past professional experiences comes from the garden city of Bangalore in South India. She has worked in international curriculums before, teaching students from around the world.

“When we speak of the holistic development of a child, we often forget the spiritual development. This is exactly what motivates me to be a part of MPA as it not only focuses on academic and physical aspects but also on spiritual and mental well being giving me a chance to connect to a wholesome environment.” – Ms. Amanpreet Jolly

 

Tiaga Prithi Kaur

From: Germany
Subject: Grade 5

Ms. Taiga has a Master’s degree in Theology and Education and has been teaching in secondary schools in Germany. She is also a Kundalini Yoga teacher as taught by Yogi Bhajan, and loves following the teachings of the Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, embodied through the Khalsa Panth.

“I love to work in a team with my students and colleagues to achieve goals together by keeping the spirits high. I love the power of Sangat and the beauty of Seva. There is no better place for me to serve, bringing the two areas where I love to teach, learn and grow together than at Miri Piri Academy – the school that many inspired brothers and sisters of the Panth have found to be a school for the future Khalsa.” – Ms. Tiaga Prithi Kaur

MPA Spotlight

Check out what the MPA community is up to around the world.

MPA Prospectus 

This document  is an opportunity for us to explain to students, parents, and the community what our day school is about. 

The prospectus helps us showcase our well-rounded curriculum that supports the growth of our students academically, physically and spiritually.  It helps explain how we focus on meditation and self-reflection, hard work and sharing with others, and more. 

View the prospectus here.

Walking mediation with Phulkari Women of Amritsar (WOA)

Last month the Phulkari WOA joined Japjeet Kaur, our Head of School, at the MPA campus for a walking meditation.  We were delighted and humbled to host every one of our guests, and for the opportunity to integrate exercise and meditation with them.

“We had a lovely experience at Miri Piri. We are so thankful to Kiran and Japjeet. They made it so convenient and it was such a  beautifully created program. We did a walking meditation and Kundalini Yoga, which was something very different from the regular. We are taking so much along and would love to practice this on a daily basis as well. We took a walk around the campus – it was such a beautiful campus, I feel like coming again and again – and I feel that I have a lot, a lot to take along with  me!” – Sandhya Sikka