In almost all of the 18 years that I have been alive, I have absolutely loved the outdoors. From a very young age I built a very deep bond and connection with nature, from the mini-garden on my terrace where I have spent various mornings and nights, to animals and birds in the forest. From the beautiful mountain views to swimming in lakes and rivers. So when my mentors from Sparkling Mindz Global School, Sreeja Iyer and Minesh Happy tell me that I can participate in a nature sport where I can fly, every inch of my body awakens and tries to grab the opportunity.
Considering that I am a 12th grader looking to excel at my studies and go to college, it took a very different kind of motivation for me to trust that this opportunity was worth it. But after 15 years at Sparkling Mindz, where I’ve grown up believing that children are learners, problem-solvers, and changemakers no matter their age, I saw it differently. Both the home and school environments have taught me the beauty of learning in every and all possibilities. Making this decision has changed my life, and here is how.
5 of my peers (Adwaith Sai SR, Archita Anish, Karthikeya Ravoor, Madhvik Dushyanth and Nikhil Varma), 1 of my mentors (Minesh Happy) and I (Mihika P Jain) set our course to Kamshet, India for our APPI P1 course with Temple Pilots.
When we arrived at the Temple Pilots house, the first thing that struck me was warmth.Warmth, not just from the weather, but from the people. Before we could even settle in, an instructor asked if we thought we were pilots. I didn’t know it then, but that question would stay with me long after the trip ended. But that was just the beginning, because over the course of the next 4 days in the Zen Den I experienced open, vulnerable, thought-provoking, divergent and emergent conversations that transformed me and made me feel as though I was already a part of the community of inspired individuals.
We started our journey with the belief that it should first be done, and then learnt. Experience makes theory come alive. So after on-site sessions we would have de-briefing sessions(reflections of our experience on site), theory sessions(Understanding more about the physics, our mindset and the equipment), video sessions(Understanding the dos and don’ts), simulator sessions(Creating a muscle memory of actions), and self practice sessions. Our days went as followed:
- Acclimatization to the paraglider
- Slope Runs and Loads of Fun
- And finally, Mini-Flights and Solo delights
Discovering Myself in the Sky
At each stage, I discovered more about myself, my team, paragliding and life. Starting off with bringing awareness to my body and not overanalysing or overthinking. It was all about staying present, letting my body feel before my mind could interfere. This was one of the things that helped me think of the glider as an extension of myself and listen to instructions at every turn. The moment I stopped fighting the glider and started feeling the wind guide me, something shifted for me. It wasn’t control, it was connection.
Another very key experience that truly changed me was how time and time again I prove to myself that I can, but I induce fear and apprehensions because it makes me feel safer from setting myself up to fail. My instructors were very perceptive and chose methods that were just right, talking to me, giving me opportunities, and sending the right motivation in my direction. I am so very grateful for the visible and invisible support in helping me deal with my apprehensions. The Temple Pilots team and my mentor gave me more than an experience, they gave me the space to face fear with courage and curiosity.
Furthermore, I would say that a very important learning for me was the importance of following instructions. We went through the stages of maneuvering the paraglider on the ground, running and hopping with the glider, taking short/ mini flights, then slightly higher solo flights. The common thread of what helped me through each and every stage was to listen to the instructions of my instructor. Each of the instructors were genuine, supportive, open, understanding, full of wisdom and extremely funny. They brought a lot of joy to the learning journey. I could get as far as I have reached because of their timely, empathetic, as well as appropriate instructions and feedback.
In the final stages of doing my solo flights, I had this one moment where I had just taken off safely and just coming down in the sky with the wind on my face, the view in my eyes, the glider around and over me and my instructor in my ear, I suddenly thought I could conquer the world. In that moment, there was no fear of heights or anything else. I felt free.
It’s not easy and it’s not for everyone. It requires ownership and accountability of one’s own actions because in all ways your life is in your hands. It requires reflection and empathy because you are bound to make mistakes and to learn you need to look back and see things for what they are and see you for who you are. Most importantly, it requires you to have the intent to be free and enjoy, to let yourself learn from scratch. All the struggles, ownership and empathetic self-reflection is part of what makes the journey worthwhile.
One of the most grounding parts of our days was the food. Wholesome, home-cooked, and full of care. It kept us nourished and thriving in the routine of waking up before 6 and sleeping after 10. Around those tables, we shared laughter, exhaustion, and love.
This experience and journey has been truly transformative for me at a physical, emotional, personal, and social level. I want to express my gratitude to the entire Temple Pilots team for creating and helping hold this space and culture, to Sparkling Mindz and my mentors for presenting the opportunity to me and guiding me through the transformative process, and to the peers that I came with me because they helped build this space and experience to what it is just by being themselves. I am most definitely going to stay connected and keep coming back. I can’t wait to keep learning from the skies, the earth, and everything in between.
