Date : 18 Jan 2022

‘In Line With The Higher Power’, the online global Chinmaya Yuva Kendra camp in December 2021, could not have been a more eye-opening weekend. In just two days, Swami Swaroopananda (Global Head, Chinmaya Mission) taught over 100 attendees from around the world how to achieve dynamism. Through regular reprogramming and rewiring of our equipment, we can continually progress in life and come in line with the Higher Power.

I particularly loved the analogy whereby we were compared to a computer. When buying a computer, most of us go by the looks and feel of the device. Yes, they have a purpose too, but rarely do we take its primary function into consideration. No matter how brilliant the hardware and craftsmanship of the hardware, if the software for this hardware does not exist, what use does the computer have at all? When we peel the layers of the device, we see it going from its outermost casing to its innermost software. Our brain is our software. The electricity, which provides the computer with power, is synonymous to the ever-existing Consciousness within us. How we reprogramme our equipment is our sadhana (spiritual practice). I thought this concept was so beautiful; simple yet so profound. The tools to act lie within us, and we must take it upon ourselves to build a strong exterior so that we can achieve greatness in all our goals, and tune ourselves to be more in line with the Higher Power.

The wonderful presence of Swami Anukoolananda and Swamini Supriyananda made camp all the more exciting and spectacular with their carefully crafted exercises and activities that kept us aligned and focused throughout. Not to mention they were super fun!

All in all, the camp was an astounding end to the year and even though I was attending through Zoom in my own house – it felt no different than earlier in-person camps because of the radiating energy of all the global participants in one setting. I just cannot wait for the 2022 instalment!

Shreya Nair
Chinmaya Yuva Kendra, Singapore