Chennai ( Tamil Nadu ): The Youth Wing of Brahma Kumaris, Tamil Nadu, organized a Youth Retreat under the banner [email protected] at Happy Village Retreat Centre in Chennai.
The inauguration of this program was chaired by specially invited Dr. Yogesh Mohan, CEO, Savitha Medical College, Sriperambadur, and Mr. S. Murugaraj, Assistant commandant, CISF, Rajiv Gandhi Ninaivagam, Sriperumbadur.
BK Kavitha welcomed everyone to the retreat on behalf of the Youth Wing of Tamil Nadu. BK Beena gave blessings to the youth and Dr. BK Muthumani gave her inspiration to the youth.
BK Sivaramakrishnan coordinated the inaugural session and shared a brief introduction of the organization and Youth Wing activities. BK Ranjani explained the aim and objective of the program. Some 220 youth participated in the retreat.
Before the inauguration, there was a floral tribute ceremony to the Late General Bipin Rawat and thirteen soldiers, in which both guests on the dais and participants also extended their homage through meditation to the departed souls.
After the inauguration, an activity on “Let Go” was organized with balloons in which the participants were given guidance to let go of their stress, painful memories, etc., and start a fresh year of blessings and good wishes.
Early Morning Meditation from 4.00 am to 4.45 am was organized for the participants with a lighted candle to help them experience the early hours of nectar. On the 2nd Day, Early morning “Happy Walking” was organized in which participants were taken on a walk in nature.
‘Self-Discovery’ session was an eye-opener about the true self. The participants visualized and practiced soul consciousness.
“Make Your Mind Your Best Friend” broke down the myths about the mind and gave tips for winning over the mind.
The session “Mind Spa” was an innovative activity where the participants had an opportunity to refresh with “DeTox Sheets.”
The mind Consultants helped the participants to Mind-Therapy rooms where the ‘Mind therapists’ guided them through a Self-Reflection questionnaire on respective values and guided commentary. They were then sent to ‘Mind-Dieticians’ who prescribed a few spiritual practices that can be included in their daily routine in order to empower themselves for healthy and happy living.
They were given a true understanding of the Karma and Supreme Soul in the session “Karma & Awareness of the Supreme Soul.” They were asked to converse with God through a Letter to God. Then Through “Raja Yoga – The Missing Link” they experienced reconnecting the missing link and experienced the bliss of the nearness of the Supreme Father.
An interview with BK Beena was very lively, and highlighted the secrets of spiritual leadership. In an activity “Grid of Gratitude,” participants were guided to express their gratitude by stepping into 5 grids – Family, Neighbours and office colleagues, Nature, Appreciating the self for Specialities, and finally God. This activity made them feel light. “Play for Peace” was an entertainment session for the youth where they played various games on ‘Values’ which ended with a Christmas celebration and a simple dance with Santa Claus and a minute of silence.
“Take a “U” Turn with Eight Powers” gave a clear idea of the spiritual powers and the values needed for overcoming the Present Challenges in life and going ahead successfully in life. They also Visualised and wrote a success story which made the activity experiential. They were also given Value affirmation cards for guidance by BK Jayalakshmi and BK Uma. “Call of time” gave them a comprehensive understanding of the journey of the soul. The different sessions organized were very effective and thoughtfully planned. The Subject matter was rendered through simple talks, interactive questions, video clippings and activities. The participants evinced a keen interest in the different activities and they involved themselves with zeal and enthusiasm.
“Digital detox & work-life balance” helped youth to get out of digital addictions and attain work-life serenity. “Soulfie Spot”– A green space, was chosen and the participants were encouraged to take photographs with ‘slogan frames’ in order to make their stay memorable. The Tunnel of Blessings was an interesting session where the participants passed through a human tunnel which gave them a chance for receiving the blessings and thank the others. The pure feelings of good wishes that prevailed in the atmosphere touched everyone’s hearts. After each session, the participants were asked to note down in the takeaway charts given to them, their views about the session and what they had imbibed from the session. Just-a-minute Meditation (JAM) enabled the participants to take an inward journey as often as possible. They were given a chart to assess themselves as to how many times they were meditating. After a brief Feedback Session, the Valedictory session extended the blessings of the senior sisters to the participants and the whole program came to a close with Godly gifts. The whole program was well organized and coordinated by the BK Youth Team of Tamil Nadu.
