Inspired by Sant Bhagwant Sahebji, Yogi Youth Camp 2022 (YYC 2022) began on Sunday, July 17, 2022 in Allentown, PA with over 150 campers in attendance. The camp took place from July 17-23, 2022 in the divine presence of the Anoopam Mission USA sadhus as well as two senior sadhus from Anoopam Mission INDIA, Sadhu Pujya Dilipdasji and Sadhu Pujya Gautamdasji. Among the campers in attendance, there was a nice mix of old and new campers from 5 to 30 years old in age. Campers were split into four groups based on their age: Ghanshyam (5-11), Nilkanth (12-15), Sahajanand (16-22), and Paramanand (23+). Their daily schedules were packed with a variety of events, including sabha sessions, team-building activities, engaging presentations, and evening programs. This year, Sant Bhagwant Sahebji Himself gave the theme for the whole week: Shri Akshar Purushottam Upasana. As per His guidance, and assistance from Sadguru Sant Pujya Manojdasji, Bhavishaben wrote a booklet which explains our Upasana and other related topics like our Gunatit lineage and Brahmaswarup Yogiji Maharaj’s principles.

On the first day, campers arrived from all corners of North America and completed the check-in & registration process. In the late afternoon, campers, santo and gruhasto gathered in the mandir hall for the opening ceremony. Campers participated in an orientation session which provided an introduction to the camp, in addition to a set of basic rules to follow for the week. Senior youth hosted a session called Anoopam 101, in which they provided an introduction to Hinduism, the Swaminarayan Sampraday and Anoopam Mission.

The schedule each day started off with morning puja, in which campers learned the proper way to do pooja, including meditative breathing techniques, the meaning of various rituals, the significance of mala, and more. After breakfast, the campers gathered for team games and activities designed to bring the campers closer together and allow them to get to know one another. These icebreakers allowed campers to step out of their comfort zones and make new friends. In the DIY activities, campers engaged in “do-it-yourself” design challenges in which they created personalized souvenirs which showed off their creative abilities and artistry. In the afternoon, all age groups had the opportunity to take advantage of learning spiritual knowledge from Santo. The schedule was organized in a way such that all age groups could hear from all Santo. In these sessions, campers learned about the five pillars of Akshar Purushottam Upasana. In addition, everyday after sabha the attendees would split into discussion groups to hold a dialogue on the sabha that had just occurred. This allowed the coordinators to reaffirm the campers’ understanding and address any questions due to misinterpretation or language barriers. Later in the afternoon, campers also gathered for sabhas organized by the youth leaders. In these sessions, through a variety of different styles of content delivery, the leaders shared presentations on our Gunatit lineage and Yogiji Maharaj’s principles. For several months prior to YYC 2022, the leaders put together different types of presentations like virtual exhibitions, PowerPoints, interactive games, and activities to help explain these topics.

Before dinnertime, there were different sports tournaments each day, including basketball, volleyball, soccer, and kickball. In addition to sports, specific sessions were held for other types physical health, like stretching exercises, traditional Indian games, and Zumba. Every evening the campers participated in group bhajans and arti for half an hour. Similarly, every night after dinner the youth participated in different programs. On several nights, campers were split into teams and had to send different participants onto stage for short games. One night was the bhajan & Swamini Vato competition, in which youth from mandals across the country sang their favorite bhajans in solo performances and recited Swamini Vato from memory. On the final day of camp, July 23, campers came together for the awards ceremony and closing ceremony, in which winning teams and individuals from competitions throughout the week were awarded for their accomplishments, camp leaders performed different skits, and Sadhu Pujya Dilipdasji showered his blessings and expressed his rajipo on the youth.