Balavihar Classes

Leadership & Seva Activities

Chinmaya Bāla Vihār lays the foundation for holistic development of our future global citizens. Through the well-designed and age-appropriate Bāla Vihār curriculum, our children learn values and heritage and are equipped to continue our spiritual legacy. They also become inspired to explore and enhance their innate abilities through extra-curricular activities.

Children learn the values of:

  • selfless giving and hard work through service efforts,
  • communication skills via Assembly and cultural presentations, and
  • teamwork and collaboration in camp activities
  • servant leadership skills by coordinating community outreach activities.

Sevā

Vision: To perform selfless service with dedication, and devoid of any thought for reward or personal benefit.

Why should we do Sevā?

Service to humanity is service rendered to our Lord. Sevā is not merely an act of charity. It is service to God in His universal form. Thus, sevā is our devotion made visible. To help our fellow man is our duty and privilege.

Every Sunday morning, we gather together with our children and vow to "…. live honestly the noble life of sacrifice and service…" It is our duty to honour this pledge by putting it into action. It is a great opportunity for us to teach by example to be grateful to all that we have been blessed with and to instill the value of service from a young age.

Sevā Bhāva

We must strive to strengthen our sevā bhāva by constantly reminding ourselves that we are the instruments of the Lord while performing our duties, and offer the fruits of our service at His lotus feet. We at Chinmaya Arcanā are privileged to have the opportunity to serve our community. We welcome all to join us in this noble endeavor wherein we give so little, and yet receive so much more in the form of indescribable joy, satisfaction and fulfillment.

Sevā Activities

  • Cook for residents at Ronald McDonald House
  • Red Cross Blood Drive
  • Chinmaya Organization for Rural Development (CORD)

    • Serve in CORD centers in India
    • Raise money through Walk-A-Thon/Read-A-Thon

  • Care Packages
  • Volunteer at food pantries
  • Volunteer for Adopt-a-highway
  • Volunteer at events and camps
  • 'Go Green' campaign

If you are interested in participating in our community sevā activities, or would like to learn more, please send an e-mail to menta.bindu@gmail.com

Our Sevaks/Sevikas

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Reflection:

              "Our children are our wealth - thus considered the great acharyas of Hindu culture from time immemorial, and rightly so.  In the formative period of childhood, a child has the most malleable state of mind, readily available for moulding and casting into the right personality.  To mould the behaviour of an individual is to mould the character of a community.  This is what education strives to achieve.  I believe that we can give a purposeful direction to a personality even in the days of early childhood.  Later on, no doubt, we must hammer out for the child new extensions and open up new dimensions for its play in society through literary, scientific and social studies.  Whatever the child is to be later on - a political leader, an economist, philosopher, scientific scholar or a glorious artist - his contributions to the society will directly depend on his character and personality."                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              ~ Swami Chinmayananda