SWAMIJI’S ATTENDANCE AT THE INTERNATIONAL FORUM OF SPIRITUAL CULTURE, ERA OF UNITY, 11TH MAY 2013
On the 11th May 2013, Sri Swami Vishwananda attended the International Forum of Spiritual Culture – “Era of Unity”, held in Santa Susanna, Barcelona. The two day event was organized by Russia’s Advaita Vedanta Congress and Spain’s Om Terra Nova. The purpose of the forum was to discuss an era of unity among mankind, in which different cultures, religions and spiritual organizations would be united by their love for ethics, ideals, divine forms, sacred texts and holy teachers. Various talks, workshops, music and yoga classes were held.
Swamiji was one of several key note speakers. He shared the stage with a number of prominent Masters representing different Eastern spiritual traditions. Notable participants included Mahamandaleshwar Swami Vishnudevananda Giri (Russia), Mahamandaleshwar Swami Pilot Baba (India) and Mahamandaleshwar Yogmata Keiko Aikawa (Japan).
Swamiji was enthusiastically listened to and received by the public, including 100 Bhakti Marga devotees that travelled from Portugal and Spain. This included a 17 hour bus journey from Portugal, a wonderful show of Love, Patience and Unity. Bhakti Marga had a stand at the forum and held a number of well attended workshops run by Mahesh (Spain), Mira (Serbia) and Roshan (UK) in: Babaji’s Surya Namaskar, Mudra Course, Mantra Project, Om Healing, Simply Meditation, workshop about the Power of the Divine Name, talk on Spirituality Unity through Yoga, presentation about Sri Swami Vishwananda and Bhakti Marga and Bhajans.
Swamiji gave a satsang and also took time to meet all the bhakti Marga devotees. During the opening ceremony Swami spoke to an audience of around 300 people. This was his message:
“My greetings to Swamiji (Swami Vishnudevananda Giri) and to all the Saints and Sadhus and to all of you.
Swamiji is trying to bring a new awareness, a new understanding of unity. Unity happens through one thing. That’s love.
We see in our life different stages of love. Since we were small, since babies, we are covered with love. Love of the mother, parents, people who come to see the child, the child growing. Love transforms. There are different kinds (of love), but yet it carries on its way of growing. So time is the cause of this love. We can grow ourself into it, to play the game of life until we realize that what we are looking for is inside of ourself.
We concentrate on so many things, we focus our mind into the outside world, but in reality one has to become a better human being, getting rid of all jealousy and hatred. We see that with the mind we have judgement of good or bad. The scriptures talk about rising above the mind, rising above good and bad. Then only you will realize your divinity.
Without love there can’t be freedom, because love is freedom. Love is a choice like you all chose to be here today. So we have a choice. When the divine created this universe he created it with his will and his choice. He created all and infused his power into everything. Into the animals and insects, but in the end he created human beings and he infused himself in the choice and the choice is freedom. To choose what we want. I’m sure you are all here to bring a change to the world and this change depends entirely on each one of you. As Swamiji was saying earlier, one person can change a lot. And you see through history, all the great Masters, they were one single person, but they had an idea and a wish. So if you want to bring change to the world and if one has this eagerness and deep desire to change things, then you will have all the Divne help.
As it is said in the Srimad Bhagavatam, that Lord Naryanaya resides in each ones heart equally, and if we realize this we will just love him. We will first find him in us in our heart. If you have found him in your heart, you will easily find him in others. We cannot love the divine without loving his creation. And this unity will happen when we start to love. Remove all the judgement . Let love take over, you will be peaceful, you will have peace of mind because you won’t have time to stress yourself, but if you focus so much on the stress , then don’t think the stress will go way. It will grow bigger and bigger. So focus on the essential on what you want, so that it can become a part of this unity which you will yourself start to call and bring it to the world.
Jai Gurudev”