Every child is born with a talent, that needs to be identified and honed in a conducive environment. The Self Transformation Youth Camp held at the Ashram from 7-11th Nov 2019, was specially designed for the Gen Z children (aged between 10yr – 15yr). The primary focus of this much-awaited camp was to ‘catch ’em young’ and sensitize them to the core values of gratitude, kindness, forgiveness, and humility.

Led by Ma Shamata, Sadhvi Vrinda, Sushree Nishtha, and Ambika Om, the children participated in targeted activities ranging from book reading sessions, role play, meditation and self-reflection. They learned the essence of self-discipline and responsibility towards self and society. Parents joined in the morning book reading and evening sessions.

One highlight was the session on gratitude which had Bonding and Bridging exercises between parents and children. Both parties were encouraged to express their gratitude towards each other. Moreover, parents were urged to talk about how their children inspire them. The learnings from these exercises seemed to rekindle their bond. A Gratitude Journal was distributed so they could record and imbibe this virtue deep within their hearts.

One of the notable moments was an afternoon when the Black Lotus app was introduced. Inspired by the ‘random act of kindness’ (Rak) feature, the older children set a good precedent by sharing their personal kindness stories. The awareness of being kind resulted in better group energy, forming of new friendships and the subtle discovery of the essence of kindness and compassion

“It was truly an experience of self-discovery for me,” wrote a 12-year-old, while sharing her feedback. The oldest teenager talked about how they all had witnessed ‘kindness attracting kindness’ in real life

The young ones returned home with confidence in the self, awareness of their inherent potential, and practical tools and techniques that foster peace of mind, clarity and focus plus life skills to manage stress and emotions.

As Swamiji mentions in his book, The Children of Tomorrow, “… right guidance at the right time can make any child recognize their true potential”.

Picture Gallery

November 7th, 2019