108th Chinmaya Jayanti celebrations took place in Chinmayaranayam, Ellayapalli from 8 May to 31 May 2024, with a Paduka Procession, Guru Paduka Puja, Bike Rally, a play about Swami Chinmayananda called “The Disenchanted Journalist” and a Bala Vihar camp, where children were given training in Vedic chanting – Medha Sooktam, Bhagavad Gita, and an exposure to Ramayana alongwith Yoga, Games, Art and Bhajans.

The 108th Jayanti celebrations of Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda was observed throughout the year by performing Paduka Puja in 1151 houses across the city of Bengaluru with devotion, dedication and sincerity in the true Yajna spirit.

The year-long celebrations concluded from 8 May 2024 to 11 May 2024, with a series of programmes in the evenings between 6.00 pm and 8.00 pm in Sripaadakshetra, J P Nagar, with Bhajans by Bala Vihar children and talks on Shri Adi Shankara, Swami Sivananda, Swami Tapovan Maharaj and Swami Chinmayananda on different days by different Swamins of Karnataka.

The grand finale of the 108th Jayanti celebrations of Pujya Gurudev was observed in Sripaadakshetra, J P Nagar, Bengaluru, on Sunday 12 May 2024 in the divine presence of Jagadguru Sri Shivaratri Deshikendra Maha Swamiji of Veerasimhasana Mutt, Suttur, Jagadguru Sri Jayendra Puri Maha Swamiji, Peetadhipathi of Sri Kailash Ashram Maha Samsthana, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Swami Brahmananda and all Swamins of Chinmaya Mission Karnataka.

The programme commenced in the morning at 9.45 am with bhajans by Chinmaya Bala Vihar children and Devi Group members followed by Paduka Puja to the chanting of Chinmaya Stotram and Guru Paduka Stotram. There was Anugraha Bhashana by the Jagadgurus who paid glowing tributes to the contribution of Pujya Gurudev in spreading the message of our Scriptures and the rich cultural heritage of Sanatana Dharma.

Shri Arunachalam, senior Chinmaya Mission member, summed up the proceedings highlighting the vision of Pujya Gurudev followed by concluding Aashirvachanam by Swami Brahmananda. The programme was enthusiastically attended by over 1500 devotees from several parts of the city.

A 108th Chinmaya Jayanti celebration was organized at Bundelkhand College under the auspices of Chinmaya Mission, Jhansi. On this occasion, 108 devotees performed Paduka Puja of revered Swami Chinmayananda, under the guidance of Brahmachari Raghavendra Chaitanya.

All the seekers were also provided a kit of puja material along with a picture of revered Swami Chinmayananda and Padukas.

The guests of honour of the event were Shri Arindam Ghosh of Times of
India, Smt Savita Menon, Headmistress of RNS World School (formerly a teacher at CIRS Coimbatore), and Shri SK Roy, Principal of Bundelkhand College.

Patrons Shri Sudhir Arora, Dr Ashok Saxena, Dr Pramod Gulati and
Mukesh Gupta spoke of the glory of Swami Chinmayananda. Brahmachari
Raghavendra Chaitanya passionately sang the glory of Gurudev
through Chinmaya Mahima Stotram composed by Swami Tejonayananda.

The programme concluded with the Chinmaya Arati. 200 seekers participated in this programme.

In celebration of Earth Day 2024, Chinmaya Mission Niagara launched the Efforts for AWE (Air-Water-Earth) initiative to engage seekers in their individual and collective responsibilities to Prthvi Devi. The initiative, which ran from 1 April to 16 May, employed a three-pronged approach to encourage seekers to give their effort, resources and time to support air, water and earth, respectively.

Collectively, seekers were asked to plant 1,008 native plants to purify the air, donate US$54,000 to support water organizations One Drop and Water for People, and spend 1,008 hours collecting litter in service of the earth.

The programme brought seekers of all ages together to give back to Mother Earth, with many teaming up to organize local clean-up drives and planting events which drew in the wider community outside of Chinmaya Mission. During the course of the initiative, seekers proactively shared learnings and photos from these activities to inspire others to participate.

In total, the Efforts for AWE campaign generated 1,895 additional plants, over US$54,000 toward support of clean and safe access to water and 636 hours of
litter removal.

The initiative served to remind seekers of their duty to give back to
Mother Earth who Herself gives selflessly and to encourage them to continue
incorporating sustainable practices into their daily lives.

by Yaishna Santchurn

The Chinmaya Niagara Seeker-To-Facilitator programme arose out of a pressing need to have more individuals who are both firmly established as spiritual seekers in Sanatana Dharma and equipped with the necessary training to serve as facilitators to open and enhance the spiritual journeys of others in their communities.

Thus, from June 2023 to May 2024, an inaugural 14-seeker cohort of the Seeker-to-Facilitator programme engaged in rigorous weekly training. The seekers, all highly dedicated and insightful individuals from across the United States, play vital roles in their respective communities, whether as Chinmaya Mission Bala Vihar teachers, weekly course teachers, study group facilitators or Centre organizers.

The cohort was trained by Shri Vivek Gupta, who expertly guided the seekers to better understand and reflect on vital concepts for facilitation, such as:

The purpose of a spiritual facilitator.
Deepening personal sadhana.
The right attitude towards facilitation and seva.
The importance of relationships in spiritual facilitation.
Frameworks to properly incorporate scriptural teachings into facilitation.
Designing engaging facilitation sessions.
Ideating and implementing high-level seva initiatives.

These teachings from Shri Vivekji were supplemented by intensive workshops by professional educators on topics such as:

Confidence in public speaking.
Developing a robust toolkit of facilitation techniques.
The art of asking and answering questions as a facilitator.
Constructing safe and inclusive learning environments.
Designing dynamic activities for youth.

The 14 graduates are Ananya Chakravarti, Annapoorna Murthy, Jignasa Patel, Juie Deo, Lavanya Rao, Neha Mehta, Pankaj Kotwani, Prema Palaniappan, Rachana Sureka, Rupa Ranganath, Srikanth Vasudevan, Varsha Shah, Vasavi Tankala, and Vignesh Sadras.

The Seeker-To-Facilitator programme had an immense impact on the cohort. The graduates aspire to live by a code of ethics to follow and further the Science of Oneness with instrumentship (nimitta-bhāva), surrender (bhakti) and acceptance (sthāne). They practiced to connect with all in thoughts, words and action with authenticity (ārjava), inclusivity (suhṛd) and dedication (yajña) at retreats, camps, and weekly classes with their students. They all have attended at least one 50-hour Silence Retreat.

The programme culminated with the seekers working together to develop and execute several new initiatives for Chinmaya Niagara, such as the upcoming Essential Love (Gita Saara) book and the Enhanced Seva Training programme that begins on June 30, 2024. In this Enhanced Seva Training, Shri Vivek Gupta along with other trained spiritual guides and educators, will train seekers to effectively facilitate spiritual education for second and third generation youth, deepening self development of all in the process.

By Anvita Mishra, Annapoorna Murthy, Juie Deo, Vidya Ganti, Vignesh Saradas and Vinay Mallikaarjun

The 4th Self Unfoldment Programme (SUP) at Chinmaya Mission South Africa reached a fulfilling culmination on 10 April. This specially curated course gives an opportunity to seekers at all points in their spiritual journey to come together under the guidance of an accessible teacher, within a sacred space, for a considerable time period – for students to rise to the right frame of mind, know the life-changing lessons of the ancient scriptures and experience spiritual ecstasy devoid of compromise.

From 10 March to 10 April 2024, 15 students from South Africa and India resided at the Chinmaya Mission Durban Ashram, Headquarters of CM SA, and received a nourishing spiritual experience under Swami Abhedananda (Spiritual In-Charge, Chinmaya Mission South Africa).

Students learned authentic Vedic chanting and basic Sanskrit, taught by Brahmacharins. Swami Abhedananda covered the Prashnopanishad, Chapter 7 of the Bhagavad Gita, and portions of the Ramcharitmanas in full depth, enlightening students on the practical lessons, universal truths, and the path toward Moksha, as encrypted in the shastras.

The comforts and divine routine of the Ashram along with the blessed darshan of the magnificent Lord Shiva at the Chinmaya Shivam Temple, have left an indelible mark in the hearts of all students. An experience as this one is truly rare to have anywhere in the world!

Here is a garland of Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda’s 108 Glorious Names sung by 108 Chinmaya Mission Swamins, Brahmacharins and Vedanta Teachers from around the world, in the form of a beautiful video, created by the CMWRC team.

https://youtu.be/zOdm1hyImsA

The Chinmaya International Residential School campus provided a warm and welcoming atmosphere for the 34th All India Chinmaya Yuva Kendra (AICHYK) Conference, with over 125 participants including 33 Swamins and Brahmacharins, as well as enthusiastic youth from 61 Centres across Bharat. The attendees were eager to connect, exchange ideas and immerse themselves in Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda’s teachings, inspired to bring positive change at their Centres.

Swami Swaroopananda, the Global Head of Chinmaya Mission and Chairman of AICHYK, was welcomed for the inauguration with the traditional Purna Kumbha followed by the hoisting of the Dhvaja – flag bearing the CHYK emblem. In his address, he reflected on his own journey, highlighting the enduring principle of ‘once a Chyk, always a Chyk’ that defines the spirit of CHYK. He fondly recalled the profound words of Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda, who emphasised the infinite potential within each individual, stating, “If infinite is your nature, then infinite is your potential. Therefore, there are no heights that you cannot scale.”

This Conference held special significance as it coincided with the 108th Chinmaya Jayanti. Additionally, the upcoming years mark significant milestones, with 2025 commemorating the 50th year of CHYK and 2026 celebrating the 75th year of the Chinmaya Movement.

Some of the important sessions were as follows:

Presentations on major programs/activities in 2023-2024 – CHYK Centres of Chennai, Kadapa, Brahmapur, Goa, Mumbai, Noida, CORD Sidhbari and others, shared insights on the impact of CHYK projects and activities conducted in the last year.

Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda’s Talk – Youth Alone Can: an eye opener for all on the clarity with which He envisioned CHYK for the youth of Bharat. His words left a great impact and participants could be seen discussing and mulling over the thoughts even after the session.

Presentations and discussions on ‘CHYK Vision & Mission’ and ‘Envisioning Chyk for the next 20 years: Challenges and Opportunities’ were facilitated by Swami Turiyananda, Brahmachari Anand Chaitanya, Brahmachari Sudheer Chaitanya, Brahmachari Vighnesh Chaitanya and Brahmachari Ved Chaitanya.

Youth Empowerment Program (YEP-14) – Swami Anukoolananda spoke about the visionary program that began in 2003 and with thirteen successful batches of around 450+ empowered YuvaVeers continues to support grass-root activities and projects across Bharat. He emphasised the impact of the program and how it is imperative that Chinmaya Mission centres support YEP-14 by sending potential participants, hosting YuvaVeers during their training and funding the course.

CHYK 50 years – RRR-7 – This is the nation building project to be implemented in the 50th year of CHYK across Bharat. YuvaVeer Radha Narayan spoke on the visionary initiative by Swami Mitrananda of compiling history books – that were published as a set of three, titled Radiant, Resilient, Resurgent Bharat for classes 6, 7 and 8.

Swami Anukoolananda elaborated on the set of competitions and their structure that is being planned for implementation in 2025, sharing insights into possible numbers to be reached and teams to be built. Based on the inputs given, all participants sat in their respective State groups and discussed the possible preparatory guidelines and plan of execution.

CHYK Personal Transformation Programs – Swami Anukoolananda presented insights that should be implemented by all CHYK Centres. Topics covered included Daily Sadhana for Transformation, 52 Challenges for 52 weeks, Sadhana Camps for Youth, and so on.

Drug Demand Reduction program – awareness and actionables for outreach among youth and school groups. Swami Anukoolananda conducted this presentation for the Conference participants.

Outreach initiatives were emphasised in a special session covering – CHYK Alumni meet, CHYK Transformation Circle. Social Media Outreach and Collaboration were presented by Brahmachari Sanatan Chaitanya with the team from Chinmaya Vishwa Vidyapeeth and Chinmaya Vidyalayas Jamshedpur, Bokaro and Kannur

State groups brainstormed on the planning of targets, sevak building, outreach initiatives to be implemented in each Centre and State for 2024-25.

Each day began with a Sadhana session emphasising the importance of being consistent in our sadhana. Japa sadhana of Rama Nama, chanting the Guru Stotra and Chinmaya Ashtottara Shata Namavali and Dhyana were the three sadhanas that were focussed on, led by Swami Sughoshananda, Swami Atmavidananda, Swami Vijayananda, Brahmacharini Anupama Chaitanya and Brahmachari Narayana Chaitanya. Evening sessions with Arati and Bhajans invoked devotion in all.

Besides these, everyone was enthralled with lucid Satsang sessions on ‘Mantras for Success Geeta Speaks’ by Brahmacharini Maitreyi Chaitanya, Brahmacharini Anupama Chaitanya and Brahmacharini Usha Chaitanya, and ‘Gurudev Mahima’ by Swami Vijayananda, Brahmachari Vighnesh Chaitanya and Brahmachari Ved Chaitanya.

A highlight was a special Q&A session with Swami Swaroopananda where participants freely asked their doubts about life situations and received clarity on each. A night walk challenge added spice to the entire Conference, helping each participant face their own fears and overcome them.

The Conference provided a platform for attendees to engage in meaningful discussions, workshops, and activities, empowering them to embody Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda’s teachings and make a positive impact in society. The Conference concluded ceremoniously with offering of gratitude unto the Guruparampara, taking the Chinmaya Pledge and lowering of the CHYK-dhvaja. Participants left with renewed zeal and determination to uphold the values of the Chinmaya Yuva Kendra and continue their journey of self-discovery and service at the highest altar.

Admissions are now open for Chinmaya Nursery, Worli, Mumbai – a ‘Preschool with a difference’. Chinmaya Nursery follows an innovative curriculum, integrating contemporary pedagogy with the wisdom and values of our traditional Indian knowledge systems and culture in modern day classrooms. It focuses on a holistic education philosophy of all dimensions of a child’s personality and implements it through a structured teaching-learning programme known as the Chinmaya Vision Programme (CVP). The CVP is a set of principles and guidelines that concretise the vision of education outlined by Swami Chinmayananda, who believed “Children are the very cream of our generation, and they are the rulers and makers of tomorrow. Upon them depends the future of our nation, and the safety of our culture and tradition.”