The Connection of Community, Culture, and Spirituality in Building Confidence and Strength
GOD Houston conducted two retreats this summer for youth girls and boys with the purpose of enabling stronger connections with each other, with our Dharma and with our satsang. These retreats, held over a weekend at a serene locale in a Houston suburb, rejuvenated connection and community among the participants. It also provided an ambience for discussions on larger life perspectives, gratitude, and an opportunity to appreciate the value of satsang and have questions answered through sessions with
disciples of Sri Swamiji – Sri Ramanujamji, Sri Poornimaji and Sri Gadadharanji. The retreats were attended by youth around the Houston area as well as a few who came from out of town.
We share here reports of each of the two events written respectively by a young participant who attended the retreat.
Yuva Girls Retreat, July 11-13, 2025
– Sanjana Anand, Seattle WA
I often marvel at how lucky we are to be in Satsang; to find community and unity with those who share our values and beliefs, relish the beauty of our Sanatana Dharma, and to work towards one greater purpose: to serve our Guru Maharaj and celebrate our Premika Varadan and Madhuri Sakhi. I, like many of you, feel most deeply connected to this community when I am in India, with other satsangis, or ultimately, with Guruji. These moments are my most cherished memories, and they give me the strength to walk through life with confidence and contentment.
However, those born and brought up overseas, like me, are faced with an interesting problem. As we grow up and leave home, moving away to college and starting our professional jobs, we may find ourselves isolated from our satsang community. As we explore the world, we not only discover the countless beauties the world offers, but also the countless differences and diversities among people.
Some disparities between what I know and what I discover are vital to the success of mankind. For example, if I am working in a team, I would hope that each person brings a unique perspective and skillset to the table, thus increasing the power and capabilities of our team through varied experiences and insights. Journeying into the world and appreciating differences is vital to living a happy life, embracing each other like we are all family (Vasudaiva Kutumbakam).
However, as I’ve grown, I’ve also noticed that many disparities are difficult to grapple with. In this Kali Yuga, practices and habits that are undoubtedly harmful to our physical, mental, and spiritual growth prevail. They are normalized, especially among youth, and are at the center of social connection. These disparities directly oppose my core values, which stem from Sanatana Dharma. While I make my best effort to live the lifestyle prescribed by our dharma, I am constantly surrounded by those who do not. I
know our satsang youth and I know we are steadfast in our dedication. We do not waver, and we stay true to our values, if only by the grace of our Guru Maharaj. The foundation is a childhood filled with Gopa Kuteeram, regular satsangs, and the blessings of Guru Maharaj and Bhagavan. This keeps us on our feet, walking in the right direction.
I am incredibly grateful for the communities I’ve built on my own. They are understanding and respect my choices, going so far as to celebrate my culture beside me. They embrace
me for who I am, but at times, I wish that I didn’t have to explain everything. Satsang gives us the reason “why,” reminding us that we made the right choices. We choose as we do because we understand right from wrong, good from evil, and that the ultimate purpose of life is to be of service to our Guru Maharaj and attain the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan.
The more we chant, sing, dance, listen to kathas, and pray, we are further affirmed in our trust in Guruji and Bhagavan. Being in satsang gives us great strength and confidence in our decisions to adhere to righteousness.
Another aspect of life as youth is the race towards success. Ask any one of us, and we will be doing a million things at once. Whether it’s the race towards college admissions, extracurriculars, jobs, or college degrees, there is a lot on our plates. This balancing act often has us swept away from what matters, even basic needs like sleeping a full eight hours a night (I am certainly guilty of pulling an all-nighter or two before a deadline).
It is in times like these that I so desperately wish to ground myself again, to remember and recenter to Sanatana Dharma, and to be surrounded by satsang. This was the benefit of the Yuva retreat.
The Girls’ Yuva Retreat, led by wonderful adults and young adults who were ‘camp counselors,’ was a life-changing experience for those who had the fortune of participating.
The retreat intended to address three main categories: Exploring our values and beliefs, leading a healthy lifestyle, and forming life-long connections.
No question was silly, no doubt was insignificant, and no concept was too basic to review. Every single attendee was given the space and opportunity to pose questions, address concerns, and be heard. We were blessed to be joined online by Sri Ramuji and Sri Poornimaji in Q&A sessions, where they patiently addressed our individually-addressed questions. So often, learning and listening ease the resentment or frustration within us. When these teens ask important questions addressing issues that are on their minds, they receive in-depth and empathetic answers. I’ve noticed a visible shift in these younger participants when their questions are answered. They leave the retreat, a weight lifted off their shoulders, and their trust in Bhagavan stronger than ever. Through simple trivia, we together learned about our culture and Sanatana Dharma. Through counselor-led activities, we discovered what our values are, recentering ourselves to prioritize what matters to us each.
We woke up early in the morning and started the morning with yoga, mindful Mahamantra meditation, and visualization. Once again, the counselors led each activity at a comfortable pace, catering to each unique individual’s pace and ability. We learned the important connection between our mind, body, and breath, and the significance of intentional thought and prayer. My favorite activity was to visualize Vittala, dancing to the songs of Nivrutti Deva, Gnana Deva, Sopana Deva, and Mukta Bai, and also focusing our minds while breathing in, chanting, and breathing out, chanting once more. In the
afternoons, we played sports, many of us enjoying pickleball and badminton. We also learned to cook delicious protein-rich meals together, in a fabulous cooking competition (I’m incredibly proud of my team).
Every night, we wrote in a gratitude journal, recalling all that went well in our day to go to sleep with a smile on our faces. We laughed together, won games together, cheered for each other, enjoyed the beautiful campgrounds (sometimes bonding over the heat and humidity), and talked for hours on end. In this small group of girls, each person incredibly unique, we found a mini satsang. We found community. We found it in our hearts to be vulnerable and share stories close to our hearts. Our counselors led the way, leading by example and inspiring us to share the experiences with Guruji that made us who we are today. At the end of the camp, we hugged each other farewell, exchanging phone numbers and promising to stay in touch.
This experience gave us the gift of understanding, guidance, and ultimately, community. I cherish my time with our satsang Yuva girls, mentors, and counselors, and will carry the lessons I learned here for many years to come.
Yuva Boys Retreat, July 18-20, 2025
– Rudransh Rajaram, Dallas TX
When 11 teenage boys embark on a weekend-long retreat with little familiarity among them, only two possible outcomes come to mind – absolute chaos or long stretches of awkward silence. However, at our Yuva Boys Retreat in Fulshear, Texas (a Houston suburb), things turned out differently. From the start, everyone bonded almost immediately, and as the weekend progressed with more activities, that bond only
seemed to strengthen. By the end of the retreat, it was hard to believe that some of us had only met for the first time, two days earlier.
When reflecting on the retreat, several key themes emerged consistently throughout our activities: teamwork, communication, and a deeper understanding of our purpose. In today’s education system, individualism is almost always promoted over collectivism; however, as we progress in life, learning how to work and communicate within a team becomes an essential skill. Many of the retreat’s activities, such as Group Trivia, Treasure Hunt, Iron Chef, and the Human Knot, challenged us to develop those very skills. For example, in our Iron Chef activity, the goal was to make multiple dishes for lunch without speaking to one another. This truly taught us how to communicate effectively and efficiently to achieve a shared goal – an invaluable skill in all areas of life.
The Human Knot activity was also a game-changer as we were forced to work together and understand each other’s situations to ultimately loosen ourselves from our own human knot. Initially, it was a struggle, as we were constantly trying to talk over one another to figure out a quick solution, but we soon realized that we had to work together and communicate our ideas clearly to find the right process. Soon after this realization, we were able to find our way out of the knot. Activities like these not only deepened our bonds with one another but also instilled practical skills that we can carry in all aspects of life.
In addition to teamwork and communication, the retreat also provided an immense opportunity for us to introspect and build habits that can positively impact our lives. One such activity was Values Smash, where we had to narrow down what mattered most to us. This helped bring a deep sense of clarity as we were challenged to simplify our multi-faceted lives to the most basic level. During this activity, many of us realized that the most meaningful parts of our lives are often rooted in a bigger idea, and that bigger idea is what truly matters to us. Along with such activities, having discussions/Q&A sessions with Gadadharanji, Ramanujamji and the counselors on the importance of community, value/structure of prayers, and Dharma in today’s world was eye-opening as it provided simple and practical ways of enhancing ourselves mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Starting each day with silent walks and meditation, and ending with gratitude journaling, brought a deep sense of peace and positivity; these were some more simple and practical habits that we learned to help us to gain clarity and appreciate what we often overlook.
With how fast-paced the world moves today, we often try to run just as fast; however, it is essential to occasionally slow down, reflect, and analyze where we can grow – and that is precisely what this retreat provided. The retreat had the perfect amount of controlled chaos through which we learned a tremendous amount while also building lifelong friendships with one another.
