July brings with it school holidays and the need to find spaces to be in and things to do with children. This year I find myself reminiscing on my own experiences at camp, especially after the discovery that my partner never attended camp of any kind.

Both my parents were secondary school teachers and markers for their subjects for CXC. This meant that they had to find spaces for my sibling and I to be during the first week or two of July. My earliest memories of camp are from around the age of 7 or 8 - art activities (I am sure there is a plaque I made for my mom from plaster of paris from those times), environmental activities (gardening and visits to farms and the zoo), storytelling and play. When we became members of the Blue Star, my mother was one of the organisers for the youth camps so naturally we attended those as much as we were able to.

What does one learn at a youth camp run by a non-profit, non-sectarian organization dedicated to the development of human potential at all levels - physical, mental, emotional, intellectual, social and spiritual? I pulled some of these themes from past certificates of participation:

• Be responsible for your thoughts and actions
• Become a winner for life
• Celebrating the creative spirit
• We are the world

Apart from hatha yoga and tai chi we were introduced, through conversations and experiences, to topics such as:

• environmental harmony
• caring for body, mind and spirit
• music, art and spirituality
• creating sacred spaces
• the rights of youth and youth development
• the Self as leader
• becoming a global citizen

As I reflect on who I am today, on how I operate and move through this world, I can see the seeds that were planted then. It emphasises, for me, the need for us to share, teach and train our youth from an early age. I think that camps such as the ones I have attended, and camps held by temples, mosques and churches, provide a foundation of morals and values that can be built on. They provide community and the ability to socialise with persons of varying ages and understanding. They provide the opportunity to expand beyond what is known.

This year I am representing the Blue Star as a yoga instructor for the Hindu Women's Organisation Promoting Healthy Minds program and I'm assisting in the planning of the Blue Star's upcoming youth camp.

In this season of my life I am embracing the title of "aunty". While I usually work with adults it is refreshing to spend time with and offer guidance to younger people.

I have also found that yoga retreats, which I have been attending since I was a teen and which I have been planning, hosting and co-hosting since 2018, are very similar to camp! They are the grown-up versions, the opportunity for adults to come together to explore, learn and discover more about themselves and the world around them. They offer community, support, guidance and a space for rest. I am hosting an afternoon retreat in August and currently planning a full weekend retreat in October. It is a joy to think about the themes, what elements I would like to share, what knowledge and wisdom I would like persons to tap into and also what overall experience people may have.

It is my hope that throughout our lifetime we will embrace opportunities for growth, for fun and for learning.

peace,

Renee Arundhati