The
Lotus Room @ Earth Garden
The Malta Centre
of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math at Green Festival
10-11 May 2008
by Malini Devi Dasi
Page
1 | Page
2
 There
was much going on during the festival. The venue included a kids' area,
an electronic dance area, a world-fusion music chill-out area, an artists'
area, a green organisations' area and various bars and food stalls. We
put several laminated posters up on the trees, directing people to our
area.
Our
market stall and The Lotus Room holistic area were separated by a row
of VW camper vans where a number of people gathered together jamming,
using a variety of different instruments from all around the world.
| |
|
The
Lotus Room was pleasantly peaceful - a refuge for those
seeking something different. The book table attracted plenty
of interest, and many dropped donations in exchange for our
bhakti yoga pamphlet.
|
|
We
also set up slide-shows and movies on a hired 37-inch LCD
screen using a laptop and a DVD player. The table and the
screen were tied to the tree because of the wind!
|
|
| |
|
 Several
people were intrigued by the images and books, which gave us - including
Lisa, who is also a hatha yoga teacher - plenty of opportunity to talk
about the highest perfection of yoga and about Sri Chaitanya Saraswat
Math.
Different
individuals were interested in different aspects of yoga. Most people
had the impression that yoga is just about asana and pranayama (postures
and breathing). Others knew about, or had tried, transcendental meditation
and mantra chanting.
| |
|
In
order to upkeep the claim that The Lotus Room is a comprehensive
yoga centre, we demonstrated a series of hatha yoga flows.
|
|
Jahnavi
Didi (in red), a qualified hatha yoga teacher, guided both
the practitioners and the inexperienced through the sessions.
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
The
yoga flows were very graceful, simple demonstrations of
concentration, balance and flexibility - the union of body,
mind and spirit.
|
|
The
public found this part of the programme fascinating and
a crowd gathered, while all those who joined thoroughly
enjoyed the experience.
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
Jahnavi
didi demonstrated some advanced postures to a keen student...
|
|
And
her daughter Jayanti felt inspired to do her bit too!
|
|
| |
|
 To
demonstrate the highest perfection of yoga - union in separation with
the Supreme Lord through devotional service - we began to chant.
With
so many people gathered to observe our yoga-flows, including the national
TV stations, people were more inclined to linger and even join us for
chanting during seated kirttan songs and the mahamantra.
| |
|
I
am only a beginner playing the mrdanga, and Jahnavi didi
is also just learning the kartels, but nobody seemed to
notice!
|
|
Indurekha
Didi participates as much as possible, in between baby-sitting
Jayanti in order to allow Jahnavi Didi time for planning
and carrying out programmes.
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
Lisa
selflessly gave all she could during the festival, smiling
all the while. All those who participated felt it was a
wonderful experience throughout.
|
|
Those
who joined the chanting were intrigued by the unusual devotional
songs in a strange language, but liked them.
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
The
ones that joined our circle were genuinely interested and
asked questions. They took our details and left us their
email address to receive The Lotus Room's fortnightly Yoga
Awareness newsletter.
|
|
The
yoga-flows, chanting and interaction with people continued
alternately throughout the day until the light began to
leave the sky and the atmosphere of the festival changed
accordingly.
|
|
| |
|
 After
sunset, John and David, Indurekha Didi's husband and son (who are also
Jahnavi Didi's father and brother), packed the holistic area and performed
several car journeys in order to carry away everything. Although not directly
involved in yoga or spiritual life, both of them are loving people ready
to serve to the best of their ability.
As
the party gradually began to retire, Manuel, Lisa and I continued to linger
until the number of people in the market area dwindled as a concert took
precedence within the Greek Theatre. Finally we packed up and concluded
with happy satisfaction in our hearts.
We
pray that our beloved spiritual master, Srila Govinda Maharaj, may be
pleased with these pictures and news, and that devotees world-wide may
be inspired to join in the preaching efforts in Malta for the pleasure
of Srila Gurudev.
Previous
|
Sri
Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Nabadwip