Let the Games Begin! 140 teenagers gathered at CIRS in December for the third annual Global Teen Camp. Having no idea what to expect, they arrived with great anticipation. As Swami Swaroopanandaji started talks on the Vibishan Geeta, they sat spell bound, learning about courage, patience, fortitude, sweetness of speech and more. And as they learnt, so they experienced. To build courage, they ate fire, to test their patience they built towers out of rocks, to build devotion, they practised likitha japa.
But the excitement didn’t end there. Swami Anukoolananda and Swamini Supriyananda brought the teachings to life as the teenagers spent an evening camping out, cooking their own food and playing capture the flag, re-living a tiny fraction of what it would have felt like to go into battle. The impact on the teenagers was immense as the importance of teamwork, leadership and dealing with emotions dawned on them.
As one teenager said “Swamiji answered all my questions without me asking them. Everyone always tells us to be honest, to be strong, to be patient but nobody ever tells us how. Swamiji taught us how.”
The teenagers arrived as 140 individuals. They grew, transformed and left as an inspired family ready to face their challenges. Most importantly they learnt how to laugh, love, and live with courage, patience, honesty and devotion while playing the game of life! Let the games continue….
