Is religion relevant to young people like you and me? Does spirituality hold any answers for problems in the modern age?

Swami Chinmayananda's answer was a definite yes! He said that it is far more relevant for us to understand the goal of life and how to live it when we are young rather than when we are old and life has largely passed us by. Vedanta, which is at the core of the Hindu religion, is a science. It is subject to hypotheses (e.g. on the goal of life), experiments (e.g. the best way of reaching this - the paths of karma or bhakti etc.) and testing (enquiry and debate). This is the same logical way in which physical, biological or social sciences stand ground. Whilst the latter are sciences of the outer world, Vedanta is the science of the internal world. It gives us the tools to live life with equipoise and confidence. Using them when young helps awaken and channel our inherent energy.

This is the goal of CHYK, or Chinmaya Yuva Kendra - the youth wing of the Mission. It is inspired by the trail blazed by Swami Chinmayananda and followed by tens of thousands of youth from all over the world. Our aim as CHYKs is to help each other to develop a clarity of vision: to change our point of view, and create an atmosphere that allows to grow as a family, yet equally and more profoundly, as individuals too. And along the way, the path is a whole lot of fun.

Study classes lie at the very core of CHYK, just as they form the backbone of Chinmaya Mission across the world. Through discussion with like-minded people, class gives us the sustenance we require to keep enquiring and growing. As one CHYK has described it,

"CHYK Class is mentally stimulating and one comes out of class feeling awake: as if another sense has been opened …"

These are truly indescribable friendship-forming experiences of bonding and learning. The format includes discussion sessions, classes and outdoors activities, all based around understanding ancient mystical truths and fusing them with the fast-paced modern lifestyle that most of us lead.

They say it is the Lord's grace to be able to come across a teacher's path. At CHYK camp, Swami Chidatmananda comes to us, and with his every word, it seems as if he is speaking directly to each one of us, answering all our questions and giving us the tools to bring inspiration into our lives. Such is the greatness of our Swamis that in all the nine years of camps, we do not know of anyone who did not regard CHYK Camp as an enriching experience and for many attendees it has literally been life changing. ??Topics have included "Flight 2 Freedom", "Born to Succeed" and "Destination: Victory" - 2006's camp "Arise, Awake" was held in Paris over the Ester Weekend and was a truly unforgettable experience!

They organise monthly Swaranjali (bhajan) sessions at our centre. They have formed CHYK Soul, a musical youth group which focuses on inspirational music, aiming to reflect the fusion of our western upbringing and eastern heritage.

They also co-ordinate many other CHYK events, organise camps and retreats, have responsibilities in developing and maintaining the centre, and help on a number of other Mission projects such as the UK Mission's quarterly newsletter, Chinmayam.

We hope to see you at our regular activities!