DFF REJUVENATION CAMP - 6.8.2025 TO 9.8.2025
DFF organized a Rejuvenation Camp for the members of Diabetes Free Forever from 6th August to 9th August 2025. It was a 4 days camp with a schedule commencing from 6.00am to 10.30pm.
The camp organized activities 50% inhouse in Deham Nature Cure Resort at Paud Road, Mulshi, Pune and 50% outdoors viz., on the 1st day to Hadshi Temple, 2nd Day to Palashe Waterfall and on the 3rd day to Lohagad Fort. There were 25 participants in this group.
DAY 1
All the participants arrived by 10.30am and they were provided with accommodation and a breakfast.
Thereafter the classroom session started with introduction by Dr. Bhagyesh Kulkarni, Blessings and a session on Physical Wellness.
The Physical wellness included (1) going down to the parapet area, take a round to the Reflexology circle and to return back to class room within 1 minute. This indicated the level of physical fitness of each participant.
(2) Stand on one leg for 1 minute.
(3) To body balance (a) stand on one with the other leg bent backwards for a 1 minute (b) keep your hand on your chest and stand on one leg with the other leg bent for 1 minute (c) close your eyes and keeping the hands on your chest and stand on one leg with other leg bent as long as possible. The third one was quite difficult, making it possible to stand only for a few seconds.
Next session as on what is a modern day luxury? It is not a car or a mobile or a TV and many of such gadgets because these luxuries of the past have become necessities now. The real luxury today is growing your own food, eating home cooked food, eating satvic food, doing physical exercises and spending time with family.
Next session was on Meditation. This meditation involved closing your eyes and imagining that you are on your death bed and nearing your last breath. What will be your thoughts at such a time? Steve Jobs words in his address to the Stanford University, a video was displayed.
In his 2005 Stanford Commencement speech, Steve Jobs said two sentences which reverberates on how prepared we are in life and what is the value of health in life as compared to wealth.
“If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” and “If you lose your heath, you lose everything in life”.
Dr. Bhagyesh Kulkarni gave a reference to the following books to be read by all participants for a healthy living:
- Ikigai
- Atomic Habits
- Happy Money
I have read the book on Ikigai and propose to read the remaining two along with other books.
Electron Stealers Vs. Electron Donors
Dr. Bhagyesh Kulkarni discussed the importance of electron stealers and electron donors in our life. Electron stealers are those which zap our energy whereas electron donors add to our energy. For example, tea is a stealer because it creates acidity and spoils our health, Carrot is a donor because it gives us energy, morning walk is a donor because it gives us physical health, organic food is a donor because it helps to improve our health, stress is a stealer because it disturbs our hormones and so on. We were asked to prepare a list of stealers and donors in our life.
I could identify a few donors in my life like exercise, meditation, salads, regulated diet, stress reduction, forgiveness, spiritual life, attending Prayers in church every day morning, Updating my website, quiz for the participants every day, preparing a daily shopping list, clean the house, clean my surroundings, going out for lunch or dinner with family or friends, host a dinner for friends, sending a thank you message to my dear ones, travel with a group to an offbeat destination, indulging in cricket online, listening to music, writing a letter or mail to self and to others, learning something new, planning future together with family, planning and preparing my calendar for 90 days to 1 year. Dr. Bhagyesh Kulkarni had a list of 52 electron donors. We also have many but we never list them. Do it now.
In the afternoon, post lunch we set out to visit Hadshi Temple at Vadgaon Budruk, Mulshi. This temple is run by Satya Sai Trust. This temple has idols of Krishna and both Sai Babas viz., Shri Satya Sai and Sai Baba of Shirdi.
After visiting the temple, we did a meditation inside the temple in one of the rooms. Thereafter we did boat ride on paddling boats in the lake next to the temple. It was a wonderful experience. After the boating, we had bhel prepared in one of restaurants in the temple campus. Thereafter we walked a kilometre before boarding the bus back to Deham Resort.
On reaching the resort, we had hunza tea and then a Mindful Guided Meditation session was taken by Dr. Bhagyesh Kulkarni where we were required to count backwards from 100.
There are different types of meditations viz., guided, Solo, Omkar chanting, Forgiveness, Mindful meditation. You need select which one is suitable for you.
Next session was on 5 secrets of life.
- 1. Purpose of Life.
- 2. Kindness with good intentions
- 3. Forgiveness
- 4. Connections – Relationship
- 5. Expressing Gratitude
Next a video on REWIRE was shown and also a clip of the movie "Dil Chahata Hai” to emphasise on forgiveness.
Next a clip of the movie LAKSHYA was also shown to highlight to power of expressing gratitude at the right time.
DAY 2
The day started with morning rituals followed by hunza tea. The first session was on Physical Wellness – Diagnostic Milestones by Dr. Prajakta Nikam. This was followed by a session on Deviation Protocol by Dr. Bhagyashree Sevekari.
Post lunch we set out on an outdoor activity of visiting Palashe Waterfall on Tamhini Ghat Road. It is not a very high waterfall but has sufficient water pressure. The entire team enjoyed the water for almost an hour getting fully wet. We also had sumptuous onion pakoras before setting off back to Deham.
The evening session was laughter filled with Laughter therapy by Shri Makrand Tillu. The 1.1/2 hours session was filled with laughter and also exercise combined with laughter.
Thereafter a Healing Guided Meditation was held where 2 persons were formed into a group. While one person was seated the other stood behind him. Dr. Bhagyesh Kulkarni led the Meditation where the person standing took the role of a healer, place a hand on the head of the person sitting and said “You are healed”.
DAY 3
The day started with the morning rituals starting from 6.00am followed by Hunza Tea and Zumba Dance by Dr. Neha Sawant.
At 11.00am we started for an outdoor activity of climbing the Lohagad Fort near Lonavala. It has almost 350 steps to go to the top and we did it in one go. On top of the Fort we took a photograph of the entire group and then walked around to see the scenery below. We also visited a cave and did a Guided Meditation by Sneh Desai near the water tank on top of the fort.
On getting down from the Fort, we had a delicious meal in a restaurant below consisting of brinjal barta, pitla, dal, chapati and rice followed by sweet.
We started back from Lohagad around 4.30 pm and reached Deham at 5.30p.m.
After a little rest, the evening session was conducted by Smt.Gayatri Kulkarni on Spiritual Wellness. The session included a balloon experiment, dance by two individuals first observing one another, then copying the same and finally each dancing on his own. This was to get us out of our comfort zone.
Smt.Gayatri Kulkarni performed a beautiful solo dance at the request of the participants.
This was followed by a Mindful Meditation of counting backwards from 100.
At dinner time, a special experiment was conducted by Dr. Bhagyesh Kulkarni. The experiment was there will be two individuals as a group. One will be blindfolded while the other will lead that person without any physical assistance from the conference hall to the dining hall and get a dinner plate for the blindfolded person and help him to eat half his meal without removing the blindfold. Once half the meal is consumed, the role will be reversed. The second person will be blindfolded and the first person will provide him a dinner plate, help him to finish his meal and escort him from the dining hall to reception area. This was an unique experience which taught us many things in a practical way.
This was followed by a meditation and music therapy with a diya by Smt. Gayatri Kulkarni.
Finally a game was played called “The Most Nonsense Person”. It was a very interesting game organised by Dr. Bhagyesh Kulkarni and the winner was given an award the next day.
DAY 4
This day also started with morning rituals and nature connect.
After freshening up and hunza tea, the session started with Dynamic Meditation of finding the Purpose of Life. This was conducted by Dr. Bhagyesh Kulkarni. A very powerful meditation indeed.
This was followed by next session on Ideal Routine for Health Recovery by Dr. Shital Kumbhar. This session conveyed 15 secrets to healthy life. Dr. Shital answered a number of queries from the participants.
This was followed by lunch. Post lunch a review and final Celebration was held. The camp ended at 5.30pm on this day. Thereafter the participants moved out to their respective destinations.
Takeaways of this Camp :
- 1. How to come out of your comfort Zone
- 2. How to reduce your stress levels
- 3. How to improve physical, emotional, spiritual fitness
- 4. How important it is to laugh
- 5. The lessons of helping a blindfolded person
- 6. Group Synergy.
The final home work given by Dr. Bhagyesh Kulkarni to each of the participants was to prepare a Goal chart on My Mission 2026 to cover Physical Fitness, Intellectual Fitness, Emotional Fitness, Financial Wellbeing and Relationship. I have prepared my Goal Chart for 2026 and posted it in the Group for benefit of other participants.
This camp was possible because of the initiative and efforts of Dr. Bhagyesh Kulkarni and his entire DFF team. Thanks to them for making excellent arrangements both internally and externally and making this camp a grand success.
All those who missed this camp, missed a golden opportunity to revisit pathway to a healthy life.