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| Pujya Swami Brahmanandaji leading the way! |
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| Witnessing Paduka Pooja |
Shruthi & Vidya Didi who have been familiarising the children with abdomen breathing for 3 days, now introduced “Kapalbhati” and “Anulom vilom” Pranayama.
“Kapalbhati” is the forceful exhalation from the stomach where the inhalation happens passively.
The warmth of the body can be well balanced to regulate heat and cold within by continuously breathing-in through one nostril & breathing-out through the other. This is called “Anulom vilom” Pranayama.
At every session / event in the camp, discipline has been inculcated effortlessly for the children.
Workshop: Empty flute in Krishna's hands
Workshop of the day was on 'Be an Empty flute in Krishna’s hands' by Shalini Didi.She reflected the inner feelings of an empty flute’s transformation to produce melodious music in the hands of Lord Krishna.
Children were provided with one flute per team & a music note to play on the flute. They also used paper balls to block holes of the flute, whie experimenting with the kind of music produced when certain random holes get blocked.
Why Krishna can make melodious music in a flute while others cannot?
The lesson is that one who is focused & involved like Krishna can produce spell bound music while the disoriented and wavering minds cannot. Hence, Live in the present always, says the Lord! Also, one whose mind is free from likes and dislikes, which are like clogs in the holes of the flute, is able to play divine melodious music on the flue, just like Krishna with His ever-pure mind!!
Shalini Didi also emphasized that to enjoy life, The Krishna Way!, one should start living the Krishna Way, 'always with an infectious smile on face', 'be with an open mind' & 'win over likes & dislikes - with relevant examples.
Based on the inputs given, children were asked to prepare a chart with three things: “Open Mind”, “Likes & Dislikes” and “Learnings”. They depicted their understanding with colour and creativity at its best.
Can democracy be taught at this age too? Yes, children were the judges for their workshop deliverables.
Special talk from Shri.Arunachalam, who was a balavihar child himself and a Chinmaya Yuva Kendra member (CHYK) addressed the children on the “Life of Pujya Gurudev” by comparing the key take aways from the movies 'Life of Pi' and 'Sachin'. He also encouraged the children to talk about Gurudev from their learnings through the movie ‘On a Quest’.
Shri. Arunachalam added that Gurudev had a vision on how the nation needs to be built from the grassroots level.
He emphasized that the study does not stop with Balavihar and life should move on with more learnings from ‘CHYK’ and ‘Study group’. The key point here is that if one loses the continuity, then one will lose the path to the destination and hence, after Balavihar, one must continue with Yuva Kendra.
To take care of mind & intellect, we need knowledge, to gain knowledge we have Gurudev, guiding all os us through the Acharyas and Sevaks. Hence go with an open mind to listen & learn the scriptural knowledge taught by Gurudev in the most simplified form & further explained by Acharyas and sevaks.
Swami Ramatmanandaji took the children to the world of the Lord through his bhajan - Narada Prahlada, which had josh filled with devotion!!!
We witnessed paduka pooja for this special occasion of Gurudev Jayanti by chanting Shri Chinmaya Ashtottarashata Namavali.
Swamiji's Lecture: "Who decides the destiny?"
Swami Aparajitanandaji's lecture was on the 'Laws of the Universe' with examples that kindled the childrenin the spiritual direction! The laws are
- As your thoughts, so will be the state of your mind
- Purer the mind, greater the control over your mind
- As your thoughts, so will be your personality
- As your thoughts, so will be the world perceived by you
- As your thoughts, so will be the world formed around you
- As you sow, so shall you reap
Refer Swamiji's lecture on "Who decides your destiny?" for more details.
The heavens opened today!
Yes, Varuna Bhagawan showered his blessings to cool Mother Earth in this hot summer.
What else does one need when you have home made mango jellies all the way from Bangalore (made with love by Mrs. Arunachalam) and crispy Kadalai Pori while witnessing the summer rain surprise!
An hour of free playtime in wet lawn with drizzling still-on was thrilling.
All were back to Lord Omkareshwara for 6:30pm Aarati and chanting time started with ‘Dasavatara Stotram’, learning ‘Balamukundashtakam’ and ‘Deenabandhu Ashtakam’, followed by Bhajans - ‘Shankara Bhola Bhala’, ‘Om namo nama Om’ and ‘Ananta roopa ananta nama’.
Birthday of people born during holidays routinely gets overlooked amid the holiday chaos, friends are out of town, greetings are belated and children born during the months of April and May in India are no exception. They never get to celebrate in Schools / Colleges!
So was for Sahitha, until now. But her 12th birthday on Gurudev Jayanti coincidently in Balavihar Summer Camp at Chokkahalli would be a memorable one for her entire lifetime where all the children and volunteers whole heartedly sang Janma dinam idam in Omkareshwara Temple. A blessed birthday indeed!
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| Sahitha's Birthday @ Chokkahalli Camp |
7:00 to 8:00pm was again practice time for the valedictory day.
Aroma of authentic Vangi Bath surrounded Annapoorneshwari Hall and filled all the little tummies along with Rasam and Curd Rice.
On seeing the inquisitiveness of children, our camp acharya opened up an interactive session for kids daily from 9:00pm to 10:00pm to answer their spiritual queries!!
Yet another day passed by with hearts content....
Photo Gallery:
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| Children & Volunteers with Swamiji |
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| Volunteers |
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