The US National Young Adults Leadership Retreat held in Chicago, IL, from October 6-8th 2023 was focused on the theme "Embracing Leadership as a Spiritual Discipline". More than 100 Young Adults (YAs) with various leadership and organizational roles, along with some Regional and Center Young Adult Advisors, coming from various corners of the country attended the retreat and were warmly welcomed and accommodated by gracious devotees across the greater Chicago area.
A significant highlight of the retreat was the conscious effort made by the YAs to prioritize sustainability throughout the retreat. They embraced eco-friendly practices by using reusable dishes, water bottles, and cloth napkins. Additionally, the utilization of badges from previous regional or national retreats showcased a commitment to reducing waste and promoting a more environmentally conscious gathering.
A fantastic transport crew and smart pairing up of out-of-city attendees through a system called "SAIber Buddies," a clever play on Uber buddies, ensured everyone got to and from the venue, the Sai Spiritual Community Center, smoothly and efficiently.
The venue in which the conference was held had Swami's interview room, a library stocked with Swami's literature, and so much more, creating an environment steeped in spiritual significance and knowledge.
The food team at the retreat went above and beyond, curating meals that aligned with a conscious and compassionate approach. They made a significant effort to offer vegan options or entirely vegan meals, ranging from flavorful burrito bowls to delectable falafels.
Meet and Greet:
The retreat kicked off on Friday, Oct 6, 2023, evening, with a vibrant meet and greet session, allowing attendees to mingle, share experiences, and establish connections. Many participants took the opportunity to relax and explore downtown Chicago earlier in the day and were greeted by a beautiful rainbow; almost symbolizing the color and vibrancy of what was to unfold over the next couple of days.
The actual conference commenced on Saturday, October 7th; with soulful bhajans, coordinated seamlessly to set a beautiful and serene tone for the entire event. The melodies reverberated throughout the venue, setting the stage for a spiritually uplifting experience right from the start. This musical offering created an atmosphere of tranquility and unity among the participants, laying the foundation for a deeply immersive and meaningful retreat.
Throughout the conference, diverse topics, as detailed below, relevant to YA leaders were covered; offering valuable insights and tools to navigate leadership as an integral part of their spiritual journey. The infusion of Swami's divine love and the collective enthusiasm of more than a hundred YAs created a dynamic and enriching experience, leaving a lasting impact on all who attended.
Workshops:
The interactive portion of the retreat began with a workshop titled: “Lead Your Ship with the Spirit of Worship” which unraveled the theme of the retreat.
During this session, two teams were formed and tasked to break a big piece of ice to get to the bottom of it. The task was very thrilling as everyone had to repeat “ice” while the team broke the ice, with each individual on the team taking turns. Interestingly, at the end of the game, one team was able to break into the bottom of the ice and found “SAI’s” image there. While reflecting on this session, everyone was amazed to learn that “ice” when spelled repeatedly, turns into “Sai”, and the team that recognized this while performing the task at hand was also the team that was victorious at the end.
This task emphasizes the importance of repeating God's name while completing the (difficult) task at hand. This exercise was a great example of Swami’s emphasis, “Mann mei Ram, Hath mei Kaam” (In heart should be God, and in hands should be the task). The workshop team also emphasized the compound effects of habits why one should embrace this leadership journey and how attitude plays an important role in determining the outcome of that experience, forging a profound connection between leadership and spirituality.
Escape Room Challenge: Decoding the Mahavakya
Next, the YAs engaged in an innovative ‘escape room’ challenge, decoding a puzzle inspired by the Mahavakya book. The escape room was intellectually stimulating and got everyone engaged in an almost impossible activity to crack! The clues were well thought out, encouraging all participants to focus on key aspects of spiritual leadership and work together to understand and absorb Swami’s teachings on leadership to solve challenging riddles. This team-focused activity emphasized leading through spirituality, highlighting the interplay between collaboration, problem-solving, and spiritual growth.
Guest Speaker: Dr. Geetha Govindarajan
Dr. Geetha Govindarajan shared her leadership journey which included the transformative potential and power of a single dedicated YA and the kind of movement it can inspire. She recounted her own experience as a YA eager to serve in a soup kitchen. Initially, she was the sole volunteer, but her commitment did not go unnoticed. Soon after, other YAs joined her efforts, inspired by her dedication.
This anecdote beautifully exemplifies the fact that initiating change or leading a cause does not require a large group at the onset. Dr G’s story emphasizes that being the lone advocate for a cause should not discourage anyone; even if you are the sole contributor, your actions can resonate and inspire others to join. The assurance that support will come – as symbolized by Swami sending more YAs to volunteer – is a testament to the ripple effect of individual dedication. Her talk was also infused with so many wonderful messages that left an indelible impression on the minds of YAs.
Panel Discussion: Riding the Waves of Resilience as a Leader
Next up was a dynamic role-play and panel discussion that depicted common challenges faced by YA leaders in the form of a game. During this session, the journey of a YA leader was compared with an ocean surfer through an interactive presentation; waves represented a challenge for each of the panelists to answer. Distinguished leaders from various parts of the nation provided diverse and dynamic answers based on their roles (Envirocare lead, SSE coordinator, women’s coordinator, regional YA representative, etc.) They provided invaluable guidance on the diverse challenges encountered in leadership roles, emphasizing qualities such as patience, resilience, integrity, trust, confidence, and innovative thinking. While each YA leader has their spiritual journey with its bursts of inspiration or challenging times, each journey is unique and learning on and learning from their community is key to overcoming many of these challenges.
The final workshops for the day were held in parallel for three different groups with relevant topics addressing their specific needs. The three groups were: 1) YA coordinators 2) YAs serving in center or regional roles other than as a YA coordinator 3) YA Advisors advising YA programs.
YA Coordinators Workshop: Navigating Leadership with SAI
The workshop guided YA coordinators through self-discovery and the cultivation of leadership skills using scenario-based activities. Participants delved into the teachings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, utilizing Swami’s teachings as a God Positioning System (GPS) to navigate through leadership challenges some of the major takeaways from this journey were: Swami is your first companion in this journey and as Swami often said “Only youth can inspire youth” so lean on your fellow young adult leaders at all levels - center, regional and national to grow in this role. Open, honest, clear and respectful communication is key to preventing both burnout and lack of enthusiasm among YAs.
Advisors Workshop: Building Trust in Leadership
An insightful workshop called “ABC’s for advisors’ focused on exploring the A- “About us” as an advisor-which allowed an advisor to understand his/her role as an empowered, connector and guide (ECG) to YAs. The B- looked into how they could assist in “building the YA program” at their respective level and C- explored how they can ensure “continuity” of the YA program in terms of activities, engagement and vision.
Building (in) Trust to Nurture Interest
This workshop for YA officers, serving in roles other than a YA coordinator, focused on building trust to nurture interest in center members through the four essentials- "Love, Cooperate, Help and Serve" as mentioned by our beloved Lord. The attendees explored a very relatable and nuanced topic: the fine art of maintaining balance without compromising the process, people and perfection.
Ice Cream Circle Reflective Session: Embracing the Leadership Journey
The first day of the leadership retreat was brought to a close through an intimate and informal sharing session. This session explored the diverse facets of the leadership journey, acknowledging moments of creativity, excitement, burnout, frustration and bursts of inspiration. Participants were empowered to find joy and purpose in their continuous journey as leaders and sharing with leaders who could not attend the retreat in person, via virtual means, was also appreciated by the participants.
Guest Speaker: Brother Alex Grana
Brother Alex Grana delivered an enlightening talk, which began with a visualization of how this opportunity to serve in His mission is a once-in-a-billion-year opportunity that we have acquired after so many births. This visualization drove home the gravity of this incredible opportunity to serve in Swami’s mission and to be the descendants of this Avatar who are tasked with carrying out His message. Brother Alex shared a simple but beautiful anecdote of how this leadership opportunity was akin to us putting in the effort to switch on the fan - a switch that makes one realize His ever-present bountiful grace (the fan in the anecdote) can bring so much joy and bliss (cooling breeze) to the seeker or devotee. Brother Alex also shared learnings from his journey and experiences as a leader. His insights resonated with participants, providing valuable perspectives on leadership and its deeply intertwined connection to spirituality.
Lean on, Lead on An Introspective Session
The next session was a rapid-fire express panel (randomly chosen YA leaders) which provided a unique platform for dynamic YA leaders to share their best practices and insights in a concise 45-minute session, wherein different questions were posed to each of the panelists, and they were given 3-4 minutes to respond. It was an invaluable opportunity to tap into the wealth of experiences within our extensive community of YA leaders. This forum allowed the participants to glean valuable insights, draw inspiration, and cultivate the motivation needed to propel their leadership journeys forward. The collective wisdom and diverse perspectives shared during this session were instrumental in equipping us with the tools to navigate challenges and advance with confidence.
The leadership retreat was brought to an end through a reflective exercise on how serving as an officer in SSSIO was a privilege and each participant left with a personal affirmation that every participant resolved to follow through and live up to. This was shared with a fellow Sai leader who sat right next to each individual and periodic check-ins on their affirmation with their accountability partner are to be carried out as an ongoing exercise.
Cherry on the Retreat
The cherry on top of the retreat, quite literally; is baking cookies for a service project. Amidst the occasional mishap (a batch too crumbly, another too sticky), the group persevered. After several trials and many taste tests, they emerged victorious. Platters of everything-free chocolate chip cookies, perfectly imperfect in their varied shapes and sizes, stood ready for the service project.
YA Media Team