On October 4, in the island nation of Mauritius, some forty under-25 seekers gathered at the Spiritual Park for a two-hour workshop that joyfully spilled into overtime. Sadasivanathaswami spoke on the nature of real spirituality, sharing the story of a fraudulent magician who, during the 1982 Innersearch pilgrimage in India, pretended to possess mystical powers—an act that aroused Gurudeva’s ire. Paramacharya then outlined Gurudeva’s practical tools for overcoming all kinds of fear. Tillainathaswami followed with mystical teachings on the nature of the mind and a guided meditation that everyone deeply enjoyed.
The real excitement came after the tea break, when the group was divided into eight “tribes” of five and asked to sit in informal circles to discuss two topics:
- The place of AI in Hindu spirituality—including Zoom pūjās, digital gurus, and online Hindu studies; and
- How can we help our elders perform their duties better?
Brave themes indeed, which the youth tackled with intelligence and enthusiasm. Each group then appointed a spokesperson to report back on their tribe’s conclusions. It was a wonderful morning—filled with friendship, lively discussion, and new bonds formed with the swamis from Kauai.
One of the participants, Arinien Mootoocurpen, shared with the traveling monks his decision to come to Kauai to become a monk. He has the full blessings of his parents, who raised him in our fellowship from birth and had long hoped this day would come. He signed his Aspirant Agreement in the home shrine of Mougam Pareatumbe and his wife Amutha, in the presence of his parents. Arinien, is presently on pilgrimage in South India with his family while the monks prepare his U.S. visa application. As you might imagine, the monastery is joyfully celebrating this happy turn of events. There are photos of him at the end of the slideshow.