Developing social emotional skills: The power of raja yoga meditation

Imagine a workplace where staff lack social-emotional skills such as conflict resolution, collaboration, and emotional intelligence. The consequences are strained relationships, lower morale, decreased productivity, and workplace tensions. Beyond the workplace, people face similar challenges in their lives. The International Labour Organisation's Global Framework for Core Skills for Work and Life recognizes the importance of these skills. Yet, their absence is too common due to ingrained behaviours, limited self-awareness, or ineffective training opportunities.

Yoga and meditation, ancient practices known for their numerous benefits, are not just about individual well-being. They play a crucial role in fostering emotional well-being, reducing stress, and promoting a balanced approach to life. Their benefits extend beyond the individual. These practices also enhance empathy, collaboration, and a shared sense of purpose, contributing to collective well-being. Raja yoga meditation (or king of yogas) is a form of meditation that focuses on controlling the mind and thoughts through concentration, mindfulness, and self-inquiry to achieve self-realization and inner peace. Recognizing their importance, the United Nations proclaimed 21 June as the International Day of Yoga and 21 December as the World Meditation Day.

This Master Class, organized in partnership with the World Bank, UNESCO and Brahma Kumaris, offers a practical exploration of how people can harness yoga and meditation to develop essential social-emotional skills, ultimately enhancing happiness and growth. It aligns with UNESCO and the World Bank priorities as also expressed in the Joint Better TVET report and ILO’s Mental Health and Well-Being Action Plan.

Objectives

Explore how yoga and meditation help in:

• resolving conflicts and stress
• fostering emotional intelligence, empathy, collaboration, decision-making in high-stress situations and navigating difficult conversations
• Understanding simple yoga techniques to develop social-emotional skills for personal and professional growth and improve organizational effectiveness.

Recording

Agenda

Coordinator and moderator of the skills bridge masterclass series

Ashwani Aggarwal ([email protected]) Workgroup Leader (Skills and Lifelong Learning Policy, Systems and Digitalization), ILO Switzerland