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Sivananda Ashram To Hold Peace Festivals

A P Kamath

A week-long celebration of mystical experiences, meditation, discourses and yoga workshops at the Sivananda Ashram in Val Morin, Quebec, will also pay tribute to Swami Vishnu-devananda, the founder of the ashram.

The August 1 to 8 events are called Festival for World Peace. Several other festivals across America and Europe will also mark the 25th anniversary of the peace festivals.

About 30 years ago, while meditating, Swami Vishnu-devananda had a vision. He recalled that he 'saw' that most barriers that block or stop us from doing things are actually mental creations. Even national borders that separate nation from nation and people from each other, do not in fact exist.

"Man is free as a bird. Birds fly without passports or visas; they experience only the limitless sky," said the late swami who, during the height of the Cold War, sought unsuccessfully to fly into Communist-controlled East Berlin from West Berlin. His detractors called him a flying swami with nowhere to go; but to thousands of his disciples, he has remained a model.

His experience led him to begin what he termed his 'Peace Mission'. He felt the need to alert people that we must learn to live together -- or we will all die together.

As one enters the new millennium, the Sivananda Yoga Centres are planning a series of international events. Called 'Peace Pilgrimages', they will take place in more than six countries.

The Yoga Camp is one of the many peace pilgrimages. Many Hindu, Christian, Muslim and Buddhist leaders are expected to attend and address the camp.

The ashram will hold an 'Art of Peace' festival from September 4 to 12 to mark the 25th Anniversary Yoga and Peace Festival. It will be held at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Ranch, Woodbourne, New York.

A week of peace and understanding through participation in all aspects of yoga, sacred music and dance, and peace workshops and rituals. It will feature Interfaith rabbi Joseph Gelberman, Northwest Salish Shaman Beaver Chief, Hindu tantric priest Potti Swami, world musician Jorge Alfano, peace songwriter and troubadour Stephen Longfellow Fiske, spiritual storyteller Laura Simms; Bharata Natyam dancer Uma Ramesh and senior disciples of Swami Vishnu-devananda -- Swami Swaroopananda, Swami Kartikeyananda, Swami Saradananda and Swami Srinivasan.

Many of these people will also participate at the Quebec peace event.

For more information, check www.sivananda.org

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