Brighter Minds, a Hyderabad-based initiative led by Heartfulness, brought their brain gym and meditation sessions to the remote char islands in Gaibandha
by Iffat Ara Sharmeen,
7 September, 2025
The Heartfulness Institute, a much like-minded NGO as Friendship, has conducted Heartfulness Meditation (Heart-based) sessions and Brighterminds programs in Dhaka and remote char islands in Gaibandha.
Scientific researches support that meditation promoted calming and positive effects that benefit the overall wellness of human beings. Amidst today’s urban cacophony, attempting to find this kind of Zen can become tedious and time-consuming. Friendship Human Resources and Organisational Development Department recognises that sentiment and believes that employees deserve some constructive time off from work.
For the past two years, Friendship has organised 53 meditation sessions for staff with that purpose. The meditation sessions were conducted by Stanislas Lajugie, a civil servant from the Foreign Affairs Ministry of France and meditation expert from Heartfulness Institute, a global non-profit organisation that specialises in meditative practices.
Stan has not only conducted meditation sessions in Dhaka but also in Gaibandha recently with select Gaibandha zone staff members and Friendship Secondary School students. It was this particular visit and the positive experience of students that inspired him to explore more options, like bringing the concept of heart and mind wellness to areas stricken with looming climate threats and constant crises.
Through Stan’s proactive support, Brighter Minds reached out to Friendship and provided their brain gym and meditation exercises to the Friendship Secondary School students in Gaibandha. These sessions included activities such as brain exercises, intuition activities, entrainment exercises, and relaxation techniques.
Each session was around two to three hours. This unique experience proved to be highly beneficial for the students and other participants in the sessions, who greatly appreciated the initiative. These sessions would not have been possible without the guidance and collaborative effort of the Friendship Education team.
“These exercises have helped enhance my imagination powers a lot. Through it, I can visualise myself in different settings, or I can feel myself standing in those places. I can close my eyes and tell what object I felt, its colour, its shape. Yet, it still feels like I am unable to do it properly. Then I got help from my teacher. The brain exercises really helped my intellectual development. I want us to have more of these in the future.” – Md. Belal Hossain, Roll no. 01, Class VIII, Friendship Secondary School, Char Jatrapur.
“The things I liked in the sessions were the different types of hand exercises, using and identifying colours with my eyes closed, dancing, etc. I noticed that these meditation sessions have had profound effects on me. For example, it has increased my focus on studies, confidence, courage, honesty, patience, etc.” – Most. Bristy Khatun, Roll no. 01, Class VIII, Friendship Secondary School, Nawshala.
The Brighter Minds tools and techniques are backed by neuroscience and take advantage of neuroplasticity, i.e. the capacity to develop further cognitive abilities and adapt to new learning avenues. This aspect of the brain is most active during childhood. Exercising different parts of the brain, like the body, can unlock that neuroplastic potential in a conducive environment.
