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Hari Om.
In the early 1980s, in a small church in Orlando, Brahmacharini Pavitra Chaitanya spoke on personality unfoldment. She said one’s personality should unfold like the blossoming of a bud into flower, spreading the fragrance of service, love, and peace. Her talk inspired many interested devotees and they asked her where they could learn more on this and related subjects. Pavitraji smilingly replied, “Go to the Master, Swami Chinmayananda, and attend his jnana yajnas.”
Through her guidance, various devotees were enthralled by Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda’s talks during a Chinmaya Mission camp. Gurudev’s talks and presence. When they approached Gurudev for advice, he personally guided them and explained to them the need for children to learn about their culture, and the need for householders to study the scriptures through study groups and jnana yajnas. He then gave them a step-by-step walk-through on how to conduct Bala Vihar classes.
Inspired by Gurudev and with his blessings, a few devotees began a Chinmaya Bala Vihar and an Adult Study Group on Shrimad Bhagavad Gita. What began with 25-30 children and 3 teachers grew over the years to 250 children. Activities and classes continued to increase and Chinmaya Mission Orlando was formalized to serve the community’s children, youth, university students, and adults.
CM Orlando has hosted numerous satsangs, jnana yajnas, and camps over the years, all conducted by various CM Acharyas, including Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayananda, Pujya Swami Purushottamananda, Pujya Swamini Sharadapriyananda, Swami Shantananda, and Brahmachari Prabodh Chaitanya, to name a few.
On July 19, 1993, CM Orlando purchased a 5-acre plot in Casselberry, Florida. The property included a small, two-bedroom house that was used for ashram activities and classes. The photos of Param Pujya Gurudev Swami Tapovanam and Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda were installed in the ashram’s main hall on the day Gurudev visited the ashram for the first time.
Gurudev blessed the ashram and named it “Tapovan.” He guided CM Orlando’s devotees on the future installation of the murti of Lord Shiva as Lord Jagadishvara, Who presides over the temple of CM Mumbai’s ashram in India. In the holy presence of Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayananda, the murti sthapana and prana pratishtha were performed at the outset of the new millennium, in a new building named Kaivalya.
The small home originally on the property will soon be replaced by a new building that offers many more classrooms, a dining area, and a library.
Today, CM Orlando offers Bala Vihar, Junior CHYK, and CHYK classes every Sunday morning. Additional classes include Sanskrit, tabla, and Bharatanatyam. In addition to these activities at Kaivalya, two local chapters, in Mount Dora and South Orlando, offer Chinmaya Bala Vihar and Study Group.
Hari Om |
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