Discussion Questions§
When Lochan’s best friend Joey commits suicide, the tragedy brings intense stress and emotional pain for those who knew him. Lochan’s father teaches him a simple method of breath control (pranayama in Sanskrit) which helps him keep his emotions under control as he faces his friend’s father, his teachers and classmates. Breath control is a key practice of Hinduism and yoga, used in situations like this to control wild emotions and also in meditation to quiet the mind.§
- Why do you think Joey committed suicide?
- Have you ever known anyone who committed suicide? What caused them to make such a drastic decision?
- Were his/her family and friends to blame?
- In the story, Lochan is told not to blame himself, but what do you think?
- In the Hindu view, what happens to someone who commits suicide?
- Have you ever practiced pranayama as described in the story? Try it for five minutes, take your pulse before and after, and discuss the effect it had. Try it again later when you find yourself excited or upset about something.
- How can you tell when you’ve done enough pranayama? Five minutes? Half an hour?
- Why should breathing and the emotions have a connection? How does the breathing change with certain emotions, such as anger?
- Have counselors ever been brought in at your school to help students with a traumatic situation? How well did it work? Would you find such counseling useful?
- What does it mean to be “a watcher?”