Shalev is the seven year old daughter of the founders of Sadhana Forest, a sustainable community who’s driving mission is to reforest 70 acres of severely eroded, arid land on the outskirts of Auroville. 

We hosted the workshop at the “Children’s Land” of Sadhana Forest, a plot of land allocated specifically for children to cultivate, play and explore as they like. They practice “un-schooling” and the kids always have the choice to do as they please. Our workshop was offered to them as an option. 

All of the kids chose to participate except Shalev, who hovered around, playing by herself. She stayed on the outskirts of the hut we were working in and watered some plants, swung on the tire swing, all while keeping a keen eye on what was going on. When we pulled out the heart panels and paint, she was in. She entered the hut, sat down and got really into it, flinging paint all over the paper and herself. She said it was “rain."