Swami Swaroopananda’s visit to London in September 2016

Swami Swaroopananda was in London between 21 September and 2 October, and the Chinmaya Mission UK family was eagerly looking forward to ten uplifting days with Swamiji. Swamiji’s first discourse was to over 1000 new attendees from the Lohana Community in London. The talk, titled: “The Bhagavad Geeta: Secrets for a Happy Life”, was about discovering how to experience everlasting joy and success in our personal and professional lives, through timeless wisdom from the Geeta. Swamiji's powerful, practical and contemporary style filled the hall with an energised buzz, leaving all inspired and eager to apply the gems they had heard to their own lives. Keeping with the theme of the Geeta, we moved to a corporate setting where Swamiji spoke to a packed crowd of over 200 city workers on the topic of “Mindful, Purposeful and Happy Living”. Here too Swamiji explained essential ideas from the Geeta and answered a host of questions from the audience. The talks ended with a short guided meditation session led by Swamiji. Our next stop on this elevating trip was a CHYK camp titled: “Flight to Freedom: KPIs from the Geeta”. Swamiji is very popular amongst the CHYKs, and as anticipated the three day camp with 70 youth was a transformational experience for all. Swamiji explained to us that simply by following the KPIs from the Geeta i.e. Krishna’s Powerful Instructions, we will be able to reach heights unimaginable to us at the moment. Swamiji’s explanation of the 18 potent instructions left us all wanting to crack our shells, spread our wings and soar very, very high. Swamiji’s main yagna in London was a series of four talks titled: “Meditation on the Gayatri Mantra”. Over the first three days Swamiji explained how through chanting the Gayatri Mantra and living the ideals that the Gayatri Mantra highlights to us through the sun, i.e. being positive, inspired and full of love, we obtain a single-pointed and purified mind which is ready to understand the ultimate meaning nestled in the mantra. On the fourth day Swamiji gave us the knowledge which would lead us to being knowers of truth i.e direct revelation - it was mind-blowing and extremely profound! At the conclusion of the talks we had a special mass chanting session of the Gayatri Mantra for world peace and harmony led by Swamiji himself. The vibrations felt in the room with over 800 people chanting was phenomenal! We also had an additional 100 devotees who joined us via live stream. Swamiji ended his trip with a weekend retreat in the beautiful countryside setting of Chinmaya Vidya Nagari, Chinmaya Mission UK’s retreat centre in Oxfordshire. The text done was Jnanasara- a brilliant original composition by Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayananda which in 18 verses summarises the complete essence of Vedanta. All of us in London have been left with an immense burst of inspiration because of Swamiji. Listening to the knowledge from someone who is so deeply rooted in it and living it every moment, definitely provides an entirely different dimension to learning. It really inspires you to stop not till you reach your goal.