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Vanaprastha for Seniors

“You need not go to the forests to become a Vanaprastha. You can start the life of a Vanaprastha immediately, while living in your own house.”

H. H. Swami Chinmayananda

In accordance with the four stages taught in the Vedas, when a householder enters his later years or nears retirement, it is most beneficial for him or her to withdraw from the stresses and pressures of a materialistic lifestyle, to spend more time seeking and finding inner peace.

Chinmaya Mission’s services for senior citizens are innovative, practical and unique. They help society’s elders find a harmonious balance between action and inaction, a remarkable strength in retirement, comfort and security within a like-minded community and the beauty and wisdom of spiritual evolution.

It strives to improve the quality and style of life for senior citizens through lifelong learning and selfless service. The learning aspect includes training in prevention and cure of old-age diseases through a holistic approach, tackling financial, social, psychological problems of the aging population and above all, understanding the aims of the third and fourth stages of human life and the means of achieving them.

“Graceful aging doesn’t happen in a few days, weeks, or months. It is a long process, but if followed, its rewards are great indeed…Grace comes only when we start living a beautiful, spiritual life. Otherwise, the days merely come and go. Conscious living, in remembrance of the Lord, is how we must make our lives meaningful, joyful, and a blessing to ourselves and others. This is called graceful aging.”

H. H. Swami Tejomayananda (from Art of Graceful Ageing)

Schedule

The Vanaprastha sessions are currently conducted online every second Sunday of the month.

5:00 pm – 5:15 pmGames / warm up session
5:15 pm – 5:30 pmSpiritual Talk / Story
5:30 pm – 5:45 pmPhysical health related – Yoga / stretching exercise
5:45 pm – 6:00 pmLearning Session (Mental Health/Tech/Health session)
6:00 pm – 6:15 pmInteractive sessions (or Guest Speakers) – Social Well being Participants share something of their choice;Singing; Everybody has a story; Chanting etc.
6:15 pm – 6:30 pmSnack & Socializing