A Sabbatical of Self Discovery: Four Months Unplugged

Maya Menon
Sabbatical Dates: 1st December 2024 - 31st March 2025

The Bittersweet Beginning
On December 1, 2024, my sabbatical began—a Sunday, fittingly quiet for such a seismic shift. After founding and leading an organization for 22 years, stepping away felt like leaving family. The first week was disorienting: What will I do? What happens to my work?

But soon, I settled into a slower rhythm—binge-watching British crime dramas, tackling long-neglected chores, and indulging in weekday lunches with my husband, Jaidev—a luxury after 25 years of nonstop work.

Themes of the Sabbatical
The four months unfolded in waves of contrasting emotions:

• Self-Care & Rejuvenation – Ayurvedic retreats, yoga, and swimming.
• Loss & Sadness – Losing four dear ones in two months.
• Joy & Fun – Rediscovering music, travel, and family time.
• Inspiration – Bob Dylan, Educators, and the resilience of Vietnam.

Here’s how it all unfolded.
Highlights from the Journey

Weeks 1-3: Slowing Down & Healing
Week 1: Cleaning, catching up with a friend after 40 years, and marvelling at Notre Dame’s restoration. A recurring thought: Is this the end of an era?

Weeks 2-3: A transformative stay at Ayurvedagram—two weeks of massages, pranayama, and silent reflection. The hardest part? Leaving the cocoon of the centre.

Weeks 4-8: Music, Loss, and Reconnection
Christmas joy with family, followed by a somber New Year marked by loss—a neighbor’s brother, a refugee my daughter worked with, and a beloved colleague. Rediscovering Bob Dylan became an obsession. His Nobel speech, documentaries, and timeless lyrics ("With God on My Side") reignited my love for creativity.

Reviving my guitar after decades—tracking down a hidden repair shop in Bangalore, where a craftsman fixed my 45-year-old instrument for just ₹2,000.

Weeks 9-14: Writing, Grief, and Travel Prep
Started "Tales of Teachers," interviewing educators like Geetha Narayanan, Elisabeth Gauba’s successors and Arun Kapur. 

Navigated grief through podcasts (Anderson Cooper’s All There Is) and small joys—like celebrating our 37th anniversary with lunch (a first!).

Prepped for Cambodia & Vietnam, balancing excitement of impending travel with my sciatica and arthritis flare-ups.

Weeks 15-16: Southeast Asia—Beauty and Chaos
Cambodia: The haunting Killing Fields, sunrise at Angkor Wat, and a terrifying moment when Jaidev fell down temple steps, dislocating his elbow.

Vietnam: From Ho Chi Minh’s buzz to Hoi An’s lantern-lit charm and Hanoi’s Train Street. A highlight: Eating at the Obama-Bourdain-famous Bun Cha spot for under ₹700!

Week 17: Homecoming & Reality
Returned to Bangalore to find out that Jaidev needed elbow surgery. Re-entered work on April 2, 2025—refreshed but wistful for "the joy of empty days."

Lessons Learned

• Slow living is a gift. Unstructured time recharges creativity.
• Loss and joy coexist. Grief taught me resilience; travel and music brought lightness.
• Work can wait. My team thrived in my absence—trust is key.
• Inspiration is everywhere. From Dylan’s lyrics to Vietnam’s revival, curiosity fuels purpose.

As Robert Frost wrote in his poem, Into My Own:
"They would not find me changed from him they knew—Only more sure of all I thought was true."

This sabbatical didn’t just pause my life—it clarified it.

---