The “Healing Our Earth” series celebrated Guru Purnima, honoring the role of teachers and gurus in spiritual growth and knowledge transfer. The discussion touched on various topics including the potential of artificial intelligence, the concept of the ‘Guru’, and the importance of a non-judgmental attitude. The team also emphasized the need for cross-cultural collaboration, the formation of a healing group, and the transmission of traditional knowledge to younger generations.
Amrita to facilitate contact between Professor Sudhir and the American guests for his upcoming visit to the East Coast in October.
Sharon to create an email group to connect all the guests and facilitate further collaboration.
Hitendra to organize a sample performance on Soul Satsang to promote the road show concept.
Tim to share details of his upcoming tabla workshop in August with the group.
Team (Tim, Sharon, Lee, Hitendra) to develop a concept for a fusion festival/road show combining music, dance and spirituality.
Amrita to connect Rotarian Largoy with Tim for Banaras contacts.
Team to explore potential sponsorship and support from Indian High Commission, ICCR, and Nehru Centers for the road show concept.
Dr. Lakshmi Vyas to help spread information about the road show concept to Hindu forums in European countries.
Tim to continue work on developing the bonarastabla.org website as a resource for preserving tabla compositions and knowledge.
Hitendra to invite Tim, Sharon and Lee as guests on Soul Satsang to discuss their artistic journeys.
Team to research and connect with potential agents, producers and venues for organizing the road show.
Sharon to schedule a Zoom call to showcase her global fusion work incorporating Kathak.
Team to explore collaboration with Indian institutions researching traditional knowledge systems and music therapy.
Amrita to set up a group chat including Sharon, Lee, Hitendra and Dr. Lakshmi to continue planning.
Team to aim to organize the fusion festival/road show within the next 2-3 years.
Healing Our Earth” Series: Guru Purnima Celebration and Reflection
Bharat led a special episode of the “Healing Our Earth” series, celebrating Guru Purnima, a day to honor teachers. Guests discussed the role of a Guru, who selflessly guides disciples towards wisdom by imparting knowledge and values. INDIA Himanshu, a 43-year Yoga practitioner, emphasized the significance of the Guru-disciple relationship in spiritual growth and highlighted the occasion as an opportunity to express gratitude towards Gurus.
Yoga Sutras, Guru Purnima, and Teachers
The participants emphasized the importance of studying Yoga Sutras and the need for a guru to gain a deeper understanding of the texts. They shared their personal experiences of how the teachings had transformed their lives and discussed the relevance of the teachings in daily life. The discussion also touched upon the significance of Guru Purnima, a day dedicated to honoring teachers and mentors, and its cultural significance in India. The students paid tribute to their teachers through messages and performances, and the event included singing and a brief discussion on the importance of teachers in one’s life.
Complex and Abstract Discussion on AI, Robotics, and Knowledge Transfer
The meeting led by London Nil was a complex and abstract discussion, with various topics touched upon. Key themes included the potential of artificial intelligence and robotics in education and healthcare, the concept of the ‘Guru’, and the idea of knowledge transfer. The conversation also touched on the importance of non-judgmental attitude and the need for clarity. However, due to the abstract nature of the discussion, it’s challenging to provide a more detailed summary.
Gurupoanima Celebrations and Purna Yoga Program
Bharat introduced Swami Shalinraji, who shared his insights on Gurupoanima, and India Himanshu recounted his experience with Somaji. The discussion then shifted to Mauritius, where Veda shared about the grand celebrations of Guru Purnima and introduced Rudran Soni Sharma, a young reciter from India. Madame Inaya from Reunion Island also delivered a message in French about the Indian Ocean Center for Education in Human Values. The conversation ended with Bharat expressing gratitude to all participants and emphasising the importance of Gurus in spirituality and inspiration. Gopiji introduced the Purna Yoga program, a curriculum based on the Bhagavad Gita and Patanjali’s Yoga, which aims to integrate the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita with the techniques of Patanjali’s Yoga to enhance productivity and efficiency.
Guru’s Role in Spiritual Journey
The meeting discussed the concept of a Guru as a spiritual guide who helps individuals achieve enlightenment. Bharat emphasised the importance of a Guru in one’s spiritual journey, citing insights from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Dr. Rama Vine Pandey, a guest from Vienna, was introduced as a scientist and professor specialising in immunology and cancer biology. The representative from HRÖ-VIENNA spoke about Guru Puneema, a day honouring gurus and teachers, and the organisation’s aim to ensure religious freedom for Hindus in Austria.
Guru’s Role in Life and Learning
London Shri shared a story about Lord Rama’s life, emphasising the importance of following a guru’s guidance. He stressed the significance of having a guru in one’s life, particularly a spiritual one, to navigate life’s challenges and learn valuable skills. Bharat resonated with this sentiment, highlighting the need to open one’s eyes and heart to receive blessings and wisdom from a guru. The discussion also touched upon the roles of parents and teachers as essential gurus in a child’s life, with both London Shri and Bharat sharing their experiences and insights. The group also discussed the importance of mindfulness, learning from nature, and mutual motivation and learning within a community.
Guru Purnima Celebration and Reflection on Nature and Wisdom
Urmila Sharma, the daughter of the late Peter Dharma Sharma, spoke about the role of parents as gurus and the concept of ‘guru’ as a source of knowledge and inspiration. She emphasised the significance of following in one’s guru’s footsteps and reciting verses from their scriptures. The meeting celebrated Guru Purnima, and Urmila started the proceedings with a devotional song. Dr Sudhir, a former visiting professor at Lucknow and the University of Texas, Dallas, and the senior director of Don Bosco Group, Bangalore, spoke about the nature of the universe, man, and the relationship between man and nature, emphasising the importance of self-reflection and producing one’s own wisdom. Prof. Anand Agrawal, the director of Aldu Private Limited, New Delhi, was also present but did not make a speech.
Teachers, Character Formation, and Nature
The India Professor emphasised teachers’ crucial role in shaping their students’ values and called for a greater focus on character formation in education. They also discussed the financial challenges faced by teachers and suggested that writing and publishing could provide additional income. The relationship between teachers and students was highlighted, with concern expressed over the diminishing respect for teachers in a digital age. The significance of nature as a teacher was also stressed, and the need for more tremendous respect for the natural world was emphasised. Bharat introduced Professor Anand Mohan Agarwal, the Vice Chancellor of United University, and announced that Ushaji from the United States would be a guest contributor.
Teachers, Gurus, and the Impact of Technology
USA Usha, BHARAT, and the India Prof discussed the significant role of teachers and gurus in shaping individuals’ lives and instilling values. They highlighted the importance of empathy, respect, and understanding in human relationships and warned against the dangers of self-centeredness and a lack of guidance. The impact of digital technology on attention span and learning was also discussed, with the India Prof noting a reduction from 27 minutes to 8 minutes. The discussion also touched on the changing dynamics of healthcare and education, and the difference between a teacher and a guru was explored, with each speaker offering their unique perspectives.
Introducing Indian Culture and Future Plans
Tim, a veteran teacher interested in Indian culture, and Professor Sudhir, an eminent Indian faculty member, were introduced to the team. USA Sharron, a dancer deeply connected to Indian culture, shared her transformative journey studying with Guruji Sitar Devi in India, emphasising the concept of Shakti, the divine feminine. The team discussed plans for future meetings, potentially in America, and Professor Sudhir’s upcoming visit to the East Coast in October. The team welcomed Lee, a singer blending fusion and jazz, and discussed forming a healing group. Copyright concerns were raised about using a speech from Sai Baba’s book.
Organizing Fusion Festival for Tabla Music Preservation
Tim from the USA founded a non-profit organisation, bonarastablea.org, dedicated to preserving and promoting tabla music. The team discussed the importance of passing on traditional knowledge to younger generations and the need for cross-cultural collaboration. They agreed to organise a fusion festival, combining various art forms, and to establish a spiritually enhanced entertainment team to spread their message through music and dance. The team also emphasised the importance of the Guru-disciple relationship, the ‘Soul Satsang’ concept, and the transmission of knowledge. They ended the conversation with a prayer and expressed their gratitude for the contributions of various guests and members, looking forward to future collaborations.
GURU PURNIMA
Sunday 21st July 2024
2pm BST onwards
(All times are in BST(British Summer Time))
Dr Amrita Sharma
(India)
2.00 pm
Host Introduction
Dr Amrita Sharma
Himanshu Mehta
(India)
2.10 pm
Himanshu Mehta
Yoga expert from Mumbai and his students
Despite being a globetrotting businessman and an avid value stock investor, Himanshu is able to find time to keep polishing his knowledge and practice of yoga. He offers free coaching sessions of Suryanamaskar and Yoga as Karseva.
Himanshu strongly believes that Yoga has the power to bring in positive changes for the fruition of the Human race. He believes in principles of – Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The world is one family)
Himanshu has launched a book – Making of a Yogi.
This book is a compilation of his learnings, experiences, and understanding of yoga extending over 42 years. This book is micro encyclopedia, a 360 degrees bird’s eye view covering all aspects of yoga.
Swami Shailendra Saraswati
(India)
3.15 pm
Swami Shailendra Saraswati
Guru Purnima Spiritual Message
Swami Shailendra is the younger brother of Osho. He joined Osho’s Neo-Sannyas movement in 1971. He went to Rajneeshpuram, Oregon, USA in 1981 and lived with Osho till 1985. He came back to India and served in Orient Paper Mills at Amalai (MP) as Chief Medical Officer between 1986-99.
Swami again went to Osho Commune, Pune during August 1989- September 1990 during the last days of Osho leaving His body.
From January, 2005 for almost 12 years his discourses were broadcast on various subjects on Aastha Channel. His discourses are available in the form of numerable books, audio CD’s and Videos too.
Since 2019 onwards his work has taken a new vision and path in the form of Osho Fragrance whereby practise of all those techniques is being conducted especially on which Osho has spoken but was still not readily available for the masses.
Sharron Rose
(U.S.A)
5.30 pm
HOST
Sharron Rose
THANK YOU
Technical Director – Nishit Kotak
Kitchen Episode Producer – Seema Bhatia
Beauty Episode Producer – Vaishali Acharya
Health Episode Producer – Dr Rajeev Gupta
Ayurveda Episode Producer – Prof Ish Sharma
Dance Episode Producer/Anchor – Dr Honey Kalaria
Kitchen Episodes Producer/Host – Seema Bhatia
Mauritius Coordinator/Host – Saivani Samboo
U.S.A Coordinator/Host – Sharron Rose
Media Team – Kesh Morjaria
Creative Director – Sarita Menon
Host Team – Dr Amrita Sharma, Riddhi Vyas, Rtn Lal Goel and Sharron Rose
Back Up Team – Dr Lalit Sodha, Dr Sheila Dobee, Dr Milen Shah, Dr Wai Ching Lee, Mala Naicker,
Ravi & Sushma Bhanot, Riddhi Vyas, Mina Khagram, Vaishali Acharya and Shivani Vithlani.
Facilitator Team – Dr Amrita Sharma and Keith Sharp
Channel Partners – Hindu Forum of Europe, MentalHealth_Connect, Hindu Matters in Britain, , Sanskruti, Simran Ahuja Official, Diwali in London, Sarita Sabrawal Official, Gyan, Sacred Mysteries, SAHA
and many more
Special Thanks : Strategic Web Success and www.inndus.co.uk
Host Conclusion