twenty-three -- CHYKtastic

On Sunday, I returned from about a week in the Chicago area. No, it wasn't some trip with my friends, full of shopping and art museums, but rather a Chinmaya Yuvakendra (CHYK) retreat at Chinmaya Mission, Badri Campus. It's for 18-30 year olds. Six days of meditation, yoga, and spiritual discourses with Bramachari Prabodhji Chaintanya of San Jose and Acharya Vivekji of Niagara Falls. I realize that the titles sound super confusing when you look at them and evoke a very powerful image, but their power lies in their understanding of the Vedas (the main Hindu religious texts) and their ability to take that knowledge and break it down to us.

Prabodhji, Swami Sharananandaji, Vivekji

I don't remember if I've written this in a blog post or in my journal, but the balance and centeredness I saw in Bali reignited my desire to explore spirituality, to explore Hinduism. Returning home, I went to the graduation at our temple, and really enjoyed listening to Vivekji speak (thereafter, I attended his next few discourses). See, Vivekji is a pretty young guy and knows how to make things relateable 100%. It was he who mentioned the CHYK camp, and the rest, I guess, is history. Prabodhji, our other guru, was equally amazing. He has a formidable voice, adorable quirks, and a very easy smile. I learned so much from our twice-a-day classes and out-of-class discussions with them. Swami Sharananandaji, Badri's resident acharya, however, was the best example of selflessness, humor, and devotion.

Moreover, the knowledge given to me came not just from the acharyas (teachers), but also from my peers. About 40 to 50 recent high school graduates, college students, and grad students. Everyone for the most part wanted to be there and wanted to share that knowledge. It was awesome, learning both in and out of lectures and having a good time. We shared music, danced, chilled...everything.

It was a good reminder of what I've learned and of the things I need to continue remembering.

1. Happiness/Spirit/God/Essence IS everything.
2. Knowledge removes ignorance.
3. The qualities of a spiritual student.

Those were a few main points, out of the many we learned... Our discussion group even did a proof on joy as human nature. Maybe I'll post that up here sometime... Anyway, I thought I'd give an update, you know? Now I'm trying to keep up my mediation, the little yoga I know, walking, and reading books... Yeah. :) Even looking into the Dharmasevak two-week course in Cali, which is more intenstive Vedanta study.

twenty - reflection I

Now that I am back in the United States, it's both easier and harder to look back at my experience in Indonesia. Easier because I'm not in the moment and it's retrospect; harder because I have a tendency to gloss over the "downs" of the trip. Bali was an island I enjoyed a lot and as a consequence I feel like I over-glorify my experience there. To help me work through what I have learned, I'll be attempting to write a reflection at least every other day. There are other reasons too, and I guess I'll go into that shortly.

There's small things that take getting used to, now that I'm back -- not having to use my right hand all the time, not having to worry about facing the bottom of my foot at someone, not greeting everyone on the street with a "selamat pagi," the cooler temperature, living with my family versus living with a group of students... It's different. I'm not unhappy to be back, per se -- I do love my cereal, milk, water pressure, and my mum's home cooking -- but... I do miss Indonesia. Maybe it is because I didn't really have to face my "real world" responsibilities like... well... anything.

Still, I noticed a certain balance and friendliness there that you don't usually see in America often ('cause most people are perpetually stressed). I remember being really struck when Gusde was telling us about the importance of the mountain and ocean -- the connection of water evaporating, raining on the mountain, and streaming back down. A circle, really. And then, coming home, right in time for some talks at the temple? Awesome. I'll be going to Vivekji's talks at the temple for the next few days. There's so many things I don't know, especially about my religion and fledgling spirituality... that I hope the inspiration (inspiration to be just happy and content where you are, to live a simpler life not cluttered by just stuff), I found in myself in Bali kind of sticks as I continue my traditional summer regimen of walking, reflecting, and eating healthier.

I guess that's the first change I'm noticing in myself: the desire to be a "better person." Not better, but a more self-aware person.

Also, I gave in and dropped my South Asian literary humor class and replaced it with Indonesian... and also added the 1-credit Javanese gamelan class. Geeky, I know. But I don't want to forget my experience!