Amongst the Redwood trees at the Krishnalaya Ashram in California, USA, hundreds of miles north of San Francisco, 70 youth, 12 volunteers, 5 Brahmacharins, and Swami Swaroopananda (Global Head, Chinmaya Mission) gathered for the 2024 national Chinmaya Yuva Kendra retreat.

A hush fell over the Shruti Mandir as Swami Swaroopananda entered for the opening ceremony on 19 September morning. The energy in the room tangibly shifted as he took his seat and introduced the camp theme, the Art of Mindshift. The attendees clung eagerly to his every word.

Through intricate and humorous stories and analogies, campers learned that their minds are the cause of their successes and failures. The mind is both their bondage and their liberation. As is the mind, so is the world. Keeping the mind positive doesn’t require a drastic change, but rather a series of small shifts. For every experience in life, if one can learn from it, and master the art of right contact with it, then one can transform from a victim of circumstance to a master of destiny.

In the tranquility of dawn, Brahmacharini Shubhani Chaitanya guided attendees through invigorating yoga, a silent contemplative nature walk and meditation by the “Eel Ganga” river. Through spirited workshops, Brahmachari Hari Chaitanya taught everyone how to identify the origin, nature and result of fostering an “Us” mindset instead of an “I” mindset. Amongst the Redwood giants, Brahmacharini Sanjana guided everyone through identifying the Gurus around them during the Lookout Trail Hike at Richardson Grove forest. Brahmachari Darshan Chaitanya’s energetic, informal satsangs provided a global perspective on CHYK. Brahmachari Soham Chaitanya elevated  everyone’s minds through a divine Gayatri Homam puja, concluding aptly with the pink and orange hues of the rising sun.

In the evenings, the retreat attendees connected with the rich cultural heritage of Bharat through an energetic night of garba and dandiya. Campers also witnessed firsthand the preservation of this culture by fellow members of Chinmaya Yuva Kendra during the remarkable Cultural Program, packed with talented campers singing, dancing and playing their instruments. Words can only attempt to, but can’t fully capture, the essence of Pujya Swami Chinmayananda’s legacy that reverberated through every moment of this experience. The attendees are eternally grateful to the teachers, organizers, and volunteers whose dedication is the reason that camps like the National CHYK retreat exist, and they aspire to similarly carry the vision forward for generations to come.