Deepavalli, Diwali… was celebrated with the usual customary festive air and religious ceremonies on the evening of Saturday 25th October at Chinmaya Sannidhi. While our BalaVihar children painted their ‘diyas’ (lamps), the adults huddled within the Sannidhi were offering Pooja & prayers to the goddess of wealth, Mahalakshmi Devi. Bhajans followed the Pooja/prayers with active participation of those assembled. An invigorating spiritual quiz followed by ‘prasad’ and sparklers & Party Popers rounded off a wonderful evening.

On the Sunday 21st of September 2008, the children were eagarly awaiting their certificates so that they can move up.

Since 2005, Castle Hill Balavihar/JC/Chyks/Young Adults have been conducting Graduation Ceremony during Navarati period for students who have been moving on to the higher classes. This is done so that the children feel some pride and honour that they have learnt the required knowledge from their existing class and that they are ready to move on to learning Higher and Greater knowledge.

Amrita Bindu Upanishad Ladies retreat with Br Gopal Chaitanya at Chinmaya Sannidhi (26-27th September 2008) packs a punch. How were we to begin parrying its nuance? Friday evening consisted of participant activities and a reflective questionnaire, this being Br Gopal-ji's way
of getting us to suspend self-consciousness and shed our ego-protection.

On 21st September 2008, Bala Vihar, Junior Yuva Kendra and CHYKs performed Matru & Pitru Pada Pooja as part of the Navaratri Festivities to their Parents at the Chinmaya Sannidhi.

It is indeed a rare occurrence this day and age to find children washing and worshiping their parents’ feet. Our Shastra vehemently calls each of us to use the people and situations around us as the altar of our worship. The Upanishads exhort, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, Acharya Devo Bhava, Atithi Devo Bhava (revere your mother, father, preceptor and guest as God).

On the 3rd of October – 5th October, 2008 at the Bundilla Campsite in Winston Hills, the Chinmaya Mission Australia (Sydney) volunteers with Br Gopal Chaitanya ran a children’s camp. The Chinmaya Mission Camps are what many children look forward to in the entire year. They are fun, entertaining, amusing and very enjoyable. It is a very great experience not only for the children who get to meet others but also for the volunteers. This year the camp was on Lord Muruga, we had all the classes on Lord Muruga with Br Gopalji.» Read more

...It was time for the CHYK Mini camp "Dynamic Living" to start. I had not been to one before. But I was looking forward to it....as Gopalji progressed through the classes, I was finding that Ramayana and Hanuman stories were not just stories but had a whole new dimension of wisdom in it. Gopalji used many examples and practical demonstrations to show us that the only way one can become successful in life is to drop the strong hold of one’s own past and worries of future and excitement in the present.... How?

It was 7.45AM when we arrived at Chinmaya Sannidhi (Ashram) on 8th July, 2008. It was filled with families swarming in and out registering their children for the Holiday Program running for three days (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday). This is just what parents were looking forward to. For the parents three memorable days without the kids, and for kids… meeting up with old friends and a gateway to the Spiritual world.

On Friday 4th July evening after work I came home, had a bath, packed my bag and, grabbed my bedding and started off to the Sannidhi. This was my first experience of a spiritual camp with no idea of what to expect. From my childhood reading of story books, spiritual camp was a total rough-out situation with bare minimum facility. The thought was itching me to give up the plan and enjoy the weekend sleep-in. But the thirst for knowledge and expectations that the knowledge would turn the way I would look at my day to day living gave me strength to go for it.» Read more

CHINMAYA ANNUAL CRICKET MATCH 2007

On Sunday 7th January, Chinmaya Mission Family and Friends had their second annual cricket match. The players were requested to come to the ground at 9AM but the cricket enthuisiasts as per the tradition they come from, all assembled and started warm up sessions at 8AM itself. By the time the game started we had 30 players and we had spectators.

Some took it so seriously that came in their whites.

Our Br. Gopalji went through the rules of the game and the conditions of play at Chinmaya Annual Cricket Match 2007.

By the Grace of God and the blessings and support of the Chinmaya Family, Amrita Ramjas has returned from the 2007 Special Olympics World Games with one gold medal and three silver medals for her performances in gymnastics. Amrita competed in Level One of the Women’s Artistic Gymnastic competition, which included routines on the beam, uneven bars, vault and floor. She was awarded three silver medals for her performances on individual apparatus and the overall GOLD medal in her level.