CHICAGO: Bharat Sevashram Sangha, (BSS) in Chicago kept its years long tradition of cultivating the youth to be well grounded and become better citizens by conducting a Youth Summer Camp.
The camp from July 28 to August 1 had personal supervision and guidance from Swami Purnatmanandaji Maharaja.
The theme of the camp was Bhagavad Gita and why Sri Rama is called Maryada Purushottam. Swamiji started the camp by teaching kids about A B C (Avoid Bad Company). He taught kids to lead disciplined life and respect elders and parents.
Everyday kids started their day with prayer, chanting Gayatri Mantra and Saraswati Strotam and bhajans followed by Pranayam and meditation. The camp taught kids to learn to distinguish between positive thoughts, negative and wasteful thoughts, because thoughts create our destiny.
Kids were explained the meaning of selfless service.
Kids were taught about non-violence related to life forms and how different number of sense organs of the life form endures pain when it is killed. Since plants have fewer number of senses than four legged animals, so killing an animal for food and cutting an eggplant in a garden do not involve the same degree of pain. According to Chandogya Upanishad, the mind is made up of food.
The finer components of the food forms the body and finest or the subtlest component of the food forms our minds. “You are what you eat.” Kids were told about the great expanse of time through which the course of spiritual evolution runs is called Kalpa and one Kalpa is divided into four yugas. Teachers explained to kids the meaning of Sanskara.
Every afternoon campers made good craft and Oragami. The camp ended with Shanti Yagna which included Matri Devo Bhava, Pitri Devo Bhava. All “devi-devtas” were worshiped and kids got blessings from elders to lead their life with peace and happiness
S. Sucheta
