Download R4 - Sri Sathya Sai Service Organisation UK

ALL OUR LIVES, OUR LIVES TOGETHER, ARE HIS MESSAGE
See yourself in all; love all as yourself.
A dog caught in a room whose walls are mirrors sees in all the myriad reflections, not itself,
but rivals, competitors, other dogs which must be barked at.
So, it tires itself out by jumping on this reflection and that, and when the images also jump,
it becomes mad with fury. The wise man, however, sees himself everywhere and is at peace;
he is happy that there are so many reflections of himself all around him. That is the
attitude you must learn to possess.
- From Bhagawan's Divine Discourse on 7th July 1963
FIRST UNIVERSAL PRAYER DAY
For Peace and Wellbeing in the Community & Around the World
Sri Sathya Sai Organisation, UK and Region 4
Winstanley Community College, Leicester,
Saturday, 14 May 2011 2pm – 6pm
This day of loving prayers offered in unity for peace, harmony and wellbeing in the
community and around the world, began with a warm welcome from Jenni Robson,
Spiritual Wing Co-ordinator for Region 4, UK.
Jenni Robson, Spiritual Wing Co-ordinator, Region 4 & Mel Griffin, UK Central Council Vice-Chair
Opening Address and Welcome
In her opening address Jenni Robson said “…We are so blessed in the Midlands to be part of such a diverse community of peoples, and it is with
great pleasure and an honour to have so many guests with us who are going to share their prayers and
give us all the opportunity to unite as one family with our love for God.
The World is bearing many difficulties both natural disasters and man-made catastrophes. There are so
many misunderstandings between peoples and countries, from war to a disagreement with a neighbour
and why? God created us from love and we are love, so we have a responsibility as human beings, to
restore harmony and live the brotherhood of man. All religions and faiths have their foundation stones
built on love, compassion, peace, truth, right conduct.
So today we are sending out our prayers - to absolutely everyone. By placing a group of people
together to pray, those prayers are all the more potent, which I’m sure you have all experienced. Each
prayer will follow another without introductions or talks so that our loving vibrations will gain
momentum and wing their way around the world and back again!”
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Universal Prayer by Friar Duncan Campbell
Following this, Friar Duncan Campbell OP (Order of Preachers – English Province),
Dominican monk from Holy Cross Priory in Leicester, led the way with a Universal
Prayer asking for the Lord to strengthen us with Grace and Wisdom. Friar Campbell
has been a University Chaplain at Edinburgh, Barbados and Glasgow and is presently
engaged in inter-church and inter-religious efforts.
CHRISTIANITY AND THE DOMINICAN ORDER IN LEICESTER
While Christians may have been present in Leicester in Roman
times, the oldest surviving church building dates from c880 CE (St
Nicholas Church). The Dominican order has maintained a
continuous presence in Leicester since the 13th century; Leicester’s
Catholic parishes arose from Dominican foundations.
Holy Cross Priory, Catholic Church, Leicester. The Dominican
friars reached Leicester around 1247. Today the Priory of the Holy
Cross is home to a large parish in the city centre, and serves a
Mass station at the village of Woodhouse in a 14th-century chapel.
We are responsible for the chaplaincies to two universities,
Leicester and De Montfort, with the Catholic Chaplaincy based in
an annex to the priory itself. The friars are also chaplains to the
Leicester Royal Infirmary, and also teach at seminaries and
institutes of higher learning, such as Blackfriars (Oxford).
Today Leicester has the second-lowest percentage of Christians of
any town or city in England and Wales (almost 45%) but Christians
are still the largest faith community here – 125,187 are recorded in
the 2001 Census.
Friar Duncan Campbell
The video Unity in Diversity, next on the programme, was very appropriate for the
day and every group and centre would find their resources enriched by having a copy.
After this heart felt opening, the stage was set for the seamless roll of chants and
prayers to follow, each offering making way sweetly and calmly to the next with an
at-ease precision. Programmes with this amount of diversity and performers do not
go this well without very good preparation and team-work and all should be
congratulated. However, this is simply the ground-work – the result was certainly
made in heaven.
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Buddhist Prayer by Venu Amito
Buddhism was the first of the Religions to participate in the main body of the
programme. Vemu Amito, Buddhist monk from the Leicester Buddhist Vihara, took
us into the pure, perfect and classical by chanting the Metta Sutta, the Buddhist Sutra
on Loving Kindness.
Translation Taste from the Metta Sutta
Avoiding any mean deeds blameworthy by the wise.
Thinking always thus: "May all beings be happy and safe,
May they all have tranquil minds.
Whatsoever pulsates with the breath of life the frail or strong, without exception …
Those visible, and those invisible, those living far away or nearby;
Beings who are already born and those yet unborn.
May they all be happy!
BUDDHISM AND THE THERAVEDA VIHARA IN LEICESTER
Leicester has a number of Buddhist centres and
communities, each one representing different traditions.
Theravada Vihara supports both Sri Lankan and Asian
Buddhist families as well as a small but growing British
congregation. The Amida Trust has had members locally
since 1996 and its own centre since 2001. A Zen “serene
reflection meditation” group also exists in Leicester, as
well as smaller groups of Tibetan Buddhists. A
Nagarjuna Buddhist Meditation Centre opened in the
city centre in 2009. In the 2001 Census 638 people
identified themselves as Buddhists in Leicester, though
there can be little doubt that many more people
sympathise with the Buddhist philosophy and way of
life, without formally calling themselves Buddhists.
The Leicester Buddhist Vihara is a Buddhist temple and
one of the leading centres of
Buddhism in Leicester and the UK.
www.leicesterbuddhistvihara.co.uk
Sikh Prayer by Balkar Singh
Balkar Singh from Northampton led Sikh prayers next beginning with Waheguru and
the universal Aadas prayer of surrender to the will of God. Waheguru means
Wondrous Enlightener and is the name used when referring to God.
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SIKHISM IN LEICESTER
Sikhism in Leicester
Leicester has the largest Sikh community in the East Midlands and the eighth largest Sikh community
in England. Sikhism is the fifth largest religion in the world, and half a million Sikhs live in UK. The
2001 Census records 11,796 Sikhs in Leicester, just over 4% of the city’s population. The percentage
of Sikhs among Leicester’s population has been virtually constant since 1983.
Gregorian Chants by Holy Cross Priory Church Choir
From Sikh prayer to Gregorian Chant from Holy Cross Church, wonderful chant
reminding me of the Taizé chant we used to take part in locally, bringing it all back.
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Gregorian Chant is alive and well and still enchanting singers and listeners alike, as it has done for the
last 1500 years. Singing plainchant is the best way to rescue it from the oblivion of history books and
to understand much of the music of our civilisation.
The history of Gregorian Chant begins before the birth of Christ. Chant is based upon the songs sung in
the synagogues and Middle Eastern countries. It’s fascinating to know that some of today’s chants are
based upon the actual songs which Jesus sang when he was living in Jerusalem.
Gregorian Chant was adopted by the Christian Church in about the 6th Century and it quickly became
an essential part of Christian worship. It was named after Pope Gregory the Great who unified all the
chants into one collection. This soon became an essential part of monastic worship and monks would
write new chants and take them from monastery to monastery.
from www.music-for-church-choirs.com, also go to – www.gregorianchantnetwork.org and
www.holycrossleicester.org
Baha’i Prayers by Minou Cortazzi
Then onto the holy call of Baha’i prayers and chant, always so evocative of all things
spiritual and sacred. Again reminiscent of our local connections with the Baha’is and
also of Swami’s visit to Delhi last year and to that time on that tour when He went to
the Lotus Temple.
BAHAI’S IN LEICESTER
There has been a significant Bahá’í presence in Leicester for
more than 50 years. After the Christian and Jewish
communities, Bahá’ís were the first to have their own centre in
the city, in New Walk in the late 1950s and early 60s. Bahá’ís
do their bit for social cohesion in Leicester, with activities for
children, youth and women, as well as working with other often
marginalised groups, such as asylum seekers and refugees.
They strive locally to put into action their belief that they
should “Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of
friendliness and fellowship.”
BABA AT THE BAHA’I TEMPLE IN DELHI April 2010
On Monday, March 12, 2010, it had a unique visitor,
who is verily the goal all worships offered in all
places, at all times in the name of God; The unique
visitor was Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba! As per
the reports from Delhi, Satya Sai Baba reached the
Baha’i Temple at around 11:30. He was welcomed by
the Director of the Temple along with General
Manager and other management officials. Unique
feature of this Baha’i Temple is that like any other
Baha’i Houses of Worship, the Lotus Temple is open
to all barring any religious or other distinction, as
emphasized in Baha’i texts. Baha’is believe the crucial
need facing humanity is to find a unifying vision of
the nature and purpose of life and of the future of
society.
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Gospel Singing by Miranda Roberts
From Baha’i prayer to a Gospel singing angel … Miranda Roberts, from the Seventh
Day Adventist Church, Wolverhampton had the most moving voice, deepening the
hush as she sang ‘Fields of Gold’ and spoke of singer Eva Cassidy who sang the song
and died of cancer at 33 in 1996.
This song touched all hearts with a gentle breeze calling for remembrance and that
brought us all back to our Sai time of remembrance now upon us, now that the One
who touched and transformed our hearts has left his body, which charmed and taught
us for 85 unforgettable years.
And, of course, if you looked around on the day that is exactly where we were, we sat
in a field of yellow gold. Swami was wearing golden yellow.
In ‘Garland of 108 Precious Gems’ ( Kasturi ) Divine Name 61 is
Om Sri Kanakaambara Dharine Namah.
That is, He who wears golden robes, the dress of God
Kanaka (gold) ambara (dress).
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Accordingly and appropriately that was the dress code or colour of the day for Sai
ladies serving and singing, so many lovely ladies wearing yellow.
So let us not forget Sai bhajans and chants coming one upon the other between the
offerings of our guests, like waves of Sai love, building and breaking on the shores of
moment.
HINDUISM IN LEICESTER
Large numbers of Hindus came to Leicester
from the 1950s onwards, from India, East
Africa, Southern Africa and Fiji. The 2001
Census records 41,428 Hindus in Leicester,
14% of the population, virtually unchanged
since 1983. The first Hindu temple in Leicester
was in Cromford Street, Highfields, in 1969.
There are now more than 20. Shree Sanatan
Mandir (founded 1971), in Weymouth Street, is
the biggest and is also headquarters of the
National Council of Hindu Temples, UK.
NB Many Sai devotees are Hindu in the UK.
Worldwide Sai devotees are of every faith.
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Islamic Prayers by Habib Akram
There was more to come from our guests too. How we were enchanted by the Moslem
children singing their prayers.
ISLAM IN LEICESTER
Local Muslims were using
premises in Sutherland
Street, Highfields, as a
mosque as early as 1965.
Now there are 35 mosques
in Leicester, for around
50,000 Muslims. Many
organisations based
locally serve the Muslim
community: The Islamic
Foundation (founded
1973, which has given rise
to Markfield Institute of
Higher Education) is
significant academically
(The Prince of Wales
visited its campus in 2003)
Closing Address by Shitu Chudasama
What a lovely, lovely moment and then more Gregorian chanting and on to our
National UK Chairperson, Shitu Chudasama, who said in this closing address ….
“Millions of people have been attracted to Sri Sathya Sai Baba after hearing about his great
love, which has brought comfort and peace to people of all faiths. His example as selfless
educator, healer, spiritual leader and social reformer has inspired thousands of people around
the world to develop service, spiritual and educational programmes in their communities.
On 4th July 1968, to a large gathering in Nairobi, Kenya, He said,
“I have not come to speak on behalf of any particular religion, like the Hindu religion. I have
not come on any mission of publicity for any sect or creed or cause; nor have I come to
collect followers for any doctrine. I have no plan to attract disciples or devotees into My fold
or any fold”.
“Let the different faiths exist, let them flourish; let the glory of God be sung in all languages
in a variety of tunes. That should be the ideal. Respect the differences between the faiths and
recognize them as valid so far as they do not extinguish the flame of unity.”
Furthermore He (Sai Baba) said:
I have come to light the lamp of love in your hearts, to see that it shines day by day with
added lustre. I have come to tell you of this universal, unitary faith, this spiritual
principle, this path of love, this duty of love, this obligation to love.
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Believe that all hearts are motivated by the one and only God; that all faiths glorify the
one and only God; that all names in all languages and all forms man can conceive denote
the one and only God. His adoration is best done by means of love. Cultivate that
attitude of oneness between men of all creeds and all countries. That is the message of
love I bring. That is the message I wish you to take to heart.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba reminds us of the urgent need for harmony of all religions, of seeing this
Unity amidst Diversity.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba said:
Nations are many, but Earth is one
Beings are many, but Breath is one
Stars are many, but Sky is one
Oceans are many, but Water is one
Religions are many, but God is one
Shitu Chudasama, National Chairperson, UK Central Council
with Ketan Gokani, Region 4 Chairperson and Jenni Robson
At the end the guests were presented with gifts and asked to comment on their
experience of the day.
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They said:
Minou Cortazzi on behalf of the Baha’is said -
“Today has been an uplifting experience. All faiths are coming together to pray for peace. The
sound and music was so powerful. It is wonderful to see all religious faiths together and
seeing that there are no barriers. Children saying prayers to God for peace in Universe has been
a delight.”
Bernard on behalf of the Gregorian Chanters said -
“Different faiths uniting to sing/pray for peace in unison to God – it is important to remember
that worship is music. It is refreshing to see youngsters getting involved and learning the
tradition. Tradition is important to mankind and we need to maintain it.”
Nayen Patel, Sai devotee from Wales, said “The whole day was absolutely superb. The prayers and chants created wonderful and uplifting
vibrations. I felt so energised. My spiritual batteries were certainly recharged. The most
important thing was the feeling that Baba was present there.
It was so enriching to see all faiths united together for one purpose - peace in world. The
message of prayers for all the faiths was similar - love, peace, tolerance.
I was reminded of what Baba once said - a garden looks so pleasing and beautiful to the eyes
when it is planted with different varieties of flowers. Similarly all the different faiths coming
together on the day was so delightful and uplifting. This was clearly 'Unity in Diversity' in
action. The whole event was well organised.”
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Jenni Robson said “All of the feedback given has been very positive and both devotees and guests enjoyed the
afternoon. Comments were received about the fact that so many of the centres took part, and it
was truly lovely to see so many there - long may it continue! Team work is essential and everyone
worked so hard and it paid off and was truly an honour and privilege to have everyone there. It
is now our duty to build on these new shoots of relationships. So there will be plans going
forward to keep the momentum going.”
The UK Central Council said the day a unique one in Sai Service Organisation UK
history and - "…was a wonderful way to experience and share Swami's Universal Message of
Love with the communities around us".
Closing Bhajans included –
We are One in the Spirit, We are One in the Lord
We are One in the Spirit, We are One in the Lord
And we pray that our Unity will this day be restored
And we know we are brothers by our Love, by our Love
Yes we know that we are sisters by our Love …
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