Music
Gurrumul Yunupingu
A reader has written to recommend listening to two recent releases of what he describes as remarkable Australian music.
“I have just heard a most incredible Australian CD, Cannot Buy My Soul – The Songs of Kev Carmody. The musician and songwriter, Paul Kelly, pulled together a stellar cast of the cream of the Australian music scene to host a concert playing the songs of Kev Carmody, an Aboriginal drover turned musician.
“Kev Carmody wrote his songs from the 1960s through to the 1980s. There is so much dignity and eloquence in these songs, expressing the story from the soul of the Australian Indigenous people. Sometimes music can express the inexpressible qualities of a country – such is this music.
“Also highly recommended when contemplating Australian indigenous music is Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu’s widely acclaimed album, Gurrumul. There are many good reasons to recommend his music, which is mostly sung in various Indigenous languages, with scenes drawn from the Aboriginal “Dreaming”.
“Gurrumul, blind since birth and a former member of the internationally acclaimed band Yothu Yindi, has released an album of quiet beauty. His voice has been described as having being touched by angels. If you are interested in some really great Australian music perhaps take a chance to listen to these.”
(Photograph: geelongadvertiser.com.au)
Sahaja Yoga program in Paris
People the world over are searching for solutions to bring about peace, for the most part focused on external or institutional initiatives, with the United Nations pronouncing September 21 as the International Day of Peace. While being important, few of these more “external” initiatives manage to bring about lasting peaceful transformation where it’s needed most: in the very hearts of men and women across the planet.
So, for the 2008 International Day of Peace, Sahaja Yoga France decided to propose something a little more concrete, that enables each and every one of us to contribute to world peace in a tangible way, by awakening one’s own inner peace. Parisians were invited to an evening of meditation, music and information to share Shri Mataji’s vision regarding peace and also, more importantly, the actual experience of peace within. The documentary on Shri Mataji’s life and work, “Freedom and Liberation” was projected, and an exhibition with themes such as “Zen becomes reality”, “For a culture of peace” and “Inner science” was on show. Above all, the 80 or so participants had a taste of the inner peace and wellbeing as proposed freely by Shri Mataji to all who desire it, through Sahaja Yoga meditation.
It was a wonderful evening, that will now go into road-show mode around the major French cities. So, if you’re ever travelling in France, don’t hesitate to drop in and see us at one of our 40+ meditation centres. You can find Sahaja Yoga programs in France here.
We’d love to share a moment of meditation with you.
Pragya
P.S. To read more about Shri Mataji’s vision for world peace through inner transformation, get a copy of her book, “Meta Modern Era”. Details can be found here.
Everyone is invited to come for a weekend of blissful vibrations by the sea in Wollongong, New South Wales. Some wonderful activities have been planned for the weekend.
“Freedom and Liberation”
The film, “Freedom and Liberation”, will be screened on Saturday, 11 October 2008 at St Mary’s Girls’ College, Wollongong. The entrance to the hall is in Harbour St, Wollongong (only five minutes’ walk to the beach.)
Program for the evening:
6.30 pm: Sahaja Yoga music group, “Music of Joy”
7.30 pm: “Freedom and Liberation”
9.00 pm: Realisation process and announcement about follow-up programs
9.15 pm: “Music of Joy” and tea/coffee and cakes
“Viva La Gong” Multicultural Festival
The “Viva La Gong” Multicultural Festival will be held on Sunday, 12 October 2008 at McCabe Park, corner of Burelli and Church Streets, Wollongong (near the City Mall). There will be a Meditation/Realisation Stall from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm, with “Music of Joy” performing from 10.00 am to 10.45 am.
"Freedom and Liberation" at Newcastle theatre
It was our first warm day.
We waited for the audience of “Mama Mia” to exit the theatre in Newcastle, Australia, where we were to present Shri Mataji’s film, “Freedom and Liberation”. Only four people filed out. For a moment we felt doubtful whether anyone would come to see “Freedom and Liberation” given that it was election day, a good beach day and even “Mama Mia” faired badly!
Within a few minutes a slow trickle of people began to steadily enter the theatre. This theatre was one of three in the complex and so some people came to see any old film, but opted for Shri Mataji’s.
When the lights dimmed we had sixty-five new seekers in the audience. Our kundalini shot up in a shower of joy as we saw Shri Mataji’s image on the big screen. As I had grown up around this area, this was something that I had dreamt of but never considered possible in Newcastle.
As the film came to an end the audience applauded! Again, something unimaginable. Through Shri Mataji’s grace, the sixty-five people were given their realisation. The silence was awesome. No one left. Everyone stayed and enjoyed a short meditation.
Afterwards, some members of the Sydney Sahaja Yoga music group played bhajans in the foyer. Many people stayed to listen to the music. Some filled out feedback forms with comments describing tingles up the spine and in the hands, an enlightening experience. One read “in lightning” and I couldn’t help but wonder whether this newly-realised person knew that their inner light had been turned on!
Shri Mataji’s humour was subtly at work, as the musicians had unwittingly set up next to a poster advertising a film showing a girl sitting in meditation, with thought bubbles showing a clutter of all the objects associated with the materialistic, hectic Western lifestyle. The teenage girl’s expression was one of rejection. We all had a chuckle when we realised!
As we were leaving I noticed another poster showing words to the effect: “He always knew what he had been built for. Now he knew what he was meant for.” Shri Mataji was truly letting us know that she was with us. After all, doesn’t this describe in very basic terms the revelation of truth that we all receive through Self-realisation? It was a great summary of the whole event!
Lisa Barron, on behalf of the Newcastle Sahaja Yoga collective