CHINMAYA MISSION TWIN CITIES

Swami Tejomayanandaji visited the Twin Cities in 2002 for Gyana Yagna. With his blessings, the Twin Cities Center was officially formed in May 2002. However, interested individuals and families had been carrying out activities for 4-5 years prior to 2002.

The activites of the center fully depend upon volunteer work by its members. Currently the Center is engaged in conducting the following activites.

BAL VIHAR

Classes are conducted for school age children for 2 hours every week during the school year. The classes are divided into:

	Assembly : Classes begin with a common assembly in which children learn and recite various hymns selected from Hindu spiritual literature.
	Cultural Classes: After the assembly, children go to age- appropriate classes and learn more about Hindu culture, values and festivals. The classes follow a set curriculum for each grade. For the younger kids, these classes include stories, art projects, games, yoga, etc. The older kids will be involved in community-based projects which would also meet their social work requirement for school.
	Language Classes: After the cultural class, students regroup to learn a language of their choice. Currently, the languages taught are Hindi, Marathi, Tamil and Telegu.

 

ADULT STUDY GROUP

The study group meets while the Bal Vihar classes are in session. In a 90 minute session, participants study and discuss various Vedanta literature as well as ways of practising the ideas and knowledge learned. The group and the Moderator pick appropriate text from the Chinmaya Mission Study Group Guidelines. The texts studied in the past have been "Manual of Self Unfoldment" and chapters from the "Bhagwad Geeta".

SUMMER CAMP

In summer, the Center conducts a camp on a selected theme. Visiting Swamis, Brahmacharis and Brahmacharinis from other mission centers conduct the camp with the help from volunteers. In these camps, children learn from experienced Acharayas and develop friendship with other like-minded children.Eventually, the Center would like to conduct Youth Camps for older children as well.

LECTURES / GYANA YAGNA

Gyana Yagnas are organized regularly by Chinmaya Mission Centers. Gyana Yagna is one of the forums through which the Mission disseminates the knowledge of Vedanta. A "Gyana Yagna" is a series of public discourses on a particular (scriptural) topic given by a Swami or Brahmachari of the Chinmaya Mission.

"Gyana Yagna" means 'knowledge-sacrifice', a 'sacrifice' where one's ignorance is burnt in the fire of knowledge.

 

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