Learn, Serve, Grow - Become a Veer Yuva

I am from Trinidad and Tobago, in the West Indies. In the quaint village of Siruvani, in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, I met Ram from Ghana and 23 other youngsters from various states of India, on 21 July 2024. We had come together for the 14th Youth Empowerment Programme (YEP) conducted by the All-India Chinmaya Yuva Kendra.The programme is a one year residential, value-based leadership programme where youngsters are given the opportunity to transform into mentally strong, culturally rooted, dynamic citizens. Three months are dedicated to learning various skills like public speaking, overcoming fears, teaching classes, basic spirituality and practical techniques to enhance the quality of one’s own life. Over the next nine months, participants are assigned to a Chinmaya Mission centre where they continue to learn and share their learnings with youngsters in that city, assisting in the development of other fellow youth and the nation at large.All of us were highly motivated as we had made it through a rigorous selection process - all the graduates underwent a three-stage application process where they truly had to reflect if they were cut out for this programme and the programme was fit for them. This included two online interviews and an extensive questionnaire to be filled. Even from this process, those who were not sure of their calling in life, began to think and to seek clarity on their own nature and truest calling in life. The 14th batch of this programme was held at Chinmaya Gardens Ashram, Coimbatore, under the guidance of the course facilitator, Swami Anukoolananda..A day at YEPA day in the life of YEP is one that is dynamic and extremely active. Starting at 5:30 am and sometimes ending at 10 pm, there are various activities including classes on Vedanta, personal development, Indian culture, Sanskrit and much more. Learning to play frisbee and trying various games that challenge our mind more than our body sometimes also finds its way into our daily routine. Through all of this, each of us were divided into different seva groups and uniquely bonded, growing from being a group of strangers to a family. We all got to perform every seva and learnt various skills which ensured we emerged as multi-faceted Yuva Veers..Charaiveti, CharaivetiTravel is a major and exciting part of the programme. From Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh to Kerala, we got the opportunity to experience the various facets of Bharat and feel the love of the various Mission centers that we visited. The excitement of rushing to catch our 5 am train, having our study groups in the train, and enduring a 36-hour long train journey, are experiences that have shaped us. We also saw and experienced various modes of transport from trains to human-packed buses! Along the journey, being able to witness the great sceneries gave us plenty to appreciate Mother Nature as well. Even travelling by foot to Mahabalipuram and then trekking up the Raigad Fort is unforgettable. At every step, we were lovingly and steadily encouraged by Swamiji and other batchmates. Seeing the view from the top and observing the mind-blowing architecture I have realised is the best way to learn about the majesty of ancient Bharat..LearningBharat has always been dedicated to the path of knowledge. As we become fit beacons of Swami Chinmayananda’s vision, we too must follow in the path of knowledge. The texts covered practical and vast topics like Vedanta, bhakti, patriotism, Gurudev’s works and culture amongst others. All learnings were taken from a realistic standpoint as to how we can begin to practice these teachings. At no time did the learning become restricted to the four walls of a classroom, instead all environments became our classroom. The goshala, annakshetra, adventure park, streets of Mumbai, you name it - lessons and teachings came from every corner.Understanding controversial topics in our itihasas, engaging in debates and even learning how to properly deliver a talk were very important points in our learning curve. Even those who were terrified of holding a microphone were able to give a five-minute talk on Hanuman Chalisa or narrate a story from the scriptures. It has empowered us with the requisite soft skills to express and communicate what we had learnt..AdventuresApart from learning that we are not the body, we also learnt that we have to use the body to reach the goal. From our morning activities of jogging or yoga to intense hiking, this programme brought us face-t0-face with our weaknesses and strengths. All the way through, getting encouragement from other team members, we ensured that nobody was left behind nor was anyone restricted.Sharing in each other's joys and success was something that happened effortlessly. Building a water raft and using it was an experience which saw us tying ropes tight enough to save our lives. Switching to mind strengthening activities, getting the strength to push the body with minimum sleep, overcoming fears of insects by holding them, eating fire and realising it is not threatening filled us all with excitement. Wall climbing, dynamic obstacle courses, late night walk, treasure hunts, cooking nights and many other activities helped us push our limits..Empower yourself, to empower othersAfter three months of learning, growing, and basking in Gurudev’s guidance and love all around us, we have now been deployed where we have a whole new field to blossom in. Leaving the warm and safe comfort of our new family and home, we are now entrusted with the task of spreading the vision and further empowering others with what we have been benefited with.As we begin our service period, we keep in our hearts and minds, the love for our country, Gurudev and our higher purpose in life. Committed to striving for a better world, a better tomorrow, a better Bharat, transforming our nation through transforming the citizens is our goal. As Gurudev said, in individual transformation alone lies world redemption. Armed with a vision, equipped with skills and knowledge, with hope in our eyes, and love in our heart, we now offer our service and ourselves at the altar of Bharat.

Learn, Serve, Grow - Become a Veer Yuva

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