The poster simply said “Goloka Welcomes you ‘INTO THE WILD’ with Sadhana Panchakam”.
This was the first time that the Chinmaya Mission Phoenix–Goloka was attempting an offsite camp and no one was very sure what to expect. Intrigued, a few families signed up. With a lot of coaxing and cajoling the final count was 25 families.
The trip started from Phoenix up to the beautiful red rocks of Sedona to the tall pines of Payson. Ten vans met at Deer Valley Park on Saturday Morning, and set out for Sedona. Sedona is well known for its vortexes- swirling centers of subtle energy emanating from the Earth. This was an opportunity we could not miss. We hiked to the heights of the airport and cathedral vortexes, and down to the calm serenity of the Boynton canyon vortex. At the end, we felt physically exhausted, but spiritually satisfied. Yet our journey had just started. As we headed out, red rocks gave way to the beautiful pines of our Payson camp site.
The evening started with a short welcome and the first of the discourses on Sadhana Panchakam. Vivekji dissected each verse in the book to simple layman terms. The four discourses were interspersed with wit and humor without ever missing the core message. At the end of each part of the verse there was a personal tip for us to follow.
After a sumptuous dinner prepared by volunteers, the group was split into 2 – one for stargazing and the other for fireside antakshari.
The next morning started with a 1 hour meditation followed by breakfast and then the second of the 4 discourses. During the discourses for the adults, the elementary and middle schoolers had classes and fun activities including “Make my Ganesha”. After lunch, the athletically inclined played soccer with Vivekji, volley ball or went on a short walk. The little kids played cricket and the rest were active cheer leaders. After a hike to a nearby waterfall, the group was ready for the third discourse.
The last day of the camp was the holy day of Ganesh Chathurthi which was celebrated after the morning session. After lunch we all headed back home with some great memories; rejuvenated and revitalized.
It was a joy and blessing to learn from someone as erudite as Vivekji. At the outset he set the tone for the camp by asking us to follow 4 C’s – no Complaining, no Criticizing, no Crying and be Content. He guided us through the meditations and the discourses and actively participated in all activities. He also made the trip memorable for the younger kids by dedicating some time for them on each day.
All of us left the camp looking forward eagerly to the next opportunity to participate in a camp like this.
