G.O.D. North America’s Yuva Gopa Kuteeram program, which is conducted weekly online for high school & college students, is unveiling a new, unique curriculum and structure this year. The program aims to provide tools for teenagers and young adults to equip themselves to face life and its challenges ‘intelligently’, strengthen their roots in Sanatana Dharma, and learn to live life joyfully in the path of Bhagavata Dharma while relishing all its flavors.
The program will have a core as well as an elective component. The core component includes sessions that are common to all students, in four areas – Mahamantra Meditation, Intelligent Living, Canvas of Sanatana Dharma, and Aesthetics.
Mahamantra Meditation – aims to help youngsters learn to spend some quiet time with themselves in peace, try to calm the mind and bring it eventually to one-pointed focus, and reap the immense benefits of chanting the Mahamantra at the same time.
Intelligent Living – Based on Non-Violent Communication concepts, the Intelligent Living program focuses on Happiness, Emotional Intelligence, Mental Strength, and Enhancing Relationships as its four pillars. This is especially important for present-day youth who have great challenges to navigate in these areas.
Canvas of Sanatana Dharma – The roots of our Sanatana Dharma are wide and grand, and the wisdom it imparts to the world is unparalleled. The intent of this program is to unlock the ancient wisdom of our glorious dharma and allow the youth to experience the awe of it all. Science in our Dharma, the simplified Upanishads, the Philosophies, the applicability for current day makes this a core foundational element of the program.
Aesthetics – Take a moment to ‘Stop and admire/enjoy/relish’ everything around us. This in itself can fill our lives with gratitude and happiness. Appreciating the nuances of art, and poetry, music and dance, the intricacies of math, and nature is so primordial to human purpose and that’s why Aesthetics is a core element of the program.
Apart from this, the elective component of the program enables youth to pursue more deeply their specific interests within our culture. Youth are encouraged to choose at least 3 elective components from a list that includes – Performing Arts (Indian classical dance, music, theater), Visual Arts (traditional Indian arts and crafts), Sanskrit, Hari Katha, Sampradaya Bhajans, Yuva Bhagavatam, and a unique session called ‘STEM & Why?’. Students who are already pursuing a classical Indian art form, Sanskrit, etc. outside of Gopa Kuteeram can also take credit for that as one of the electives.
This structure and content have been designed with significant input from Sri Ramanujamji and other experts who also have a rapport with youth. We welcome high school and college-age youth to come be a part of this program and enrich their lives.
Register here: https://godivinity.org/event-registration/?ee=188
Click here to go back to the July 2022 newsletter page:
https://godivinity.org/newsletters/nama-dwaar-newsletter-july-2022/
