Every year, the Chinmaya Mission Chicago Center CHYKs bring together a group of young adults to discuss the most important thing in life: understanding our true nature. The CHYK camps serve as a safe space to explore our inner musings & to lift each other up through clarified knowledge and collective courage. To do this, we turn to the timeless scriptures & extract what they mean today and how they can be applied in daily life. This year, the retreat explored the topic of the ‘Universal Guru Within’ by studying the Guru Stotram under Vivekji from Niagara Falls & Manisha Panchakam under Dhirenji from Chicago.
Vivekji and Dhirenji guided us on not only the meaning of the texts as written but also offered tactile takeaway points that can be practiced such as “listen more” and “schedule contemplation.” Their underlying message was that while we need a guru to point us in the right direction, we must also look within ourselves to follow that path. The lectures were followed by discussions, Q&A and personal reflections. The weekend was interspersed with meditation, yoga, frisbee, storytelling, and most importantly, great food. Retreats like this offer a supportive environment to be honest with ourselves, realize what truly matters in life and inspire us to spread that happiness wherever we go. We hope that you will join us in Chicago next year to press pause, become a little more conscious and aware, and resume life again with a renewed meaning.
