‘…Sweet voices carried the bhajans to soaring heights’

 Hi everyone, 

Attached is another day’s description from China – it’s hard to keep up – too much happening.

Ciao, Peter

Chengdu (9th July 2010)

Our day began with an early morning start (again) and emotional departure from Wuhan. We begin to feel how our Mother says the sadness of leaving loved ones is tempered with the joy of meeting new family at the end of the next flight.

This journey ended in Chengdu, a relaxed (but huge) city in central China, not too far from the recent earthquakes in China. On arrival we all had an instant rapport with the open hearted Chengdu collective, there were tears of joy (literally) from both sides (literally!).

Chengdu city China

Chengdu city China

Straight from the airport we headed off to another sumptuous feast, this time a little more spicy that before, as Chengdu is in the Sichuan province – famous for their spices. A little tired and fatter (a theme for the China tour) we headed off to the hotel in central CBD Chengdu where the local Szechuan yogis were holding a 3 day seminar. Most of us were in share rooms on the 4th floor where the seminar room was.

Our first free afternoon of the tour allowed us a couple of hours to get together for a music practice, 16 of us in a 2 person bedroom. The hotel and program venue were 5 minutes walk apart, as were our lunch and dinner restaurants, giving us a chance to work off some of the generous meals- and the 4 floors of stairs also helped.

“EM-O-JAY” (MOJ), as we are now referred to in each performance, joined the seminar after dinner for a puja. Children performed the Ganesha puja and local ladies decorated Shri Mataji’s feet, after which everyone offered a flower amidst the joyful music. The local yogis (80% women) sweet voices carried the bhajans to soaring heights (whenever songs from MOJ CD’s 1/2/3 are played the local yogi join in with gusto).

Just remembering the mood and beauty of the puja now brings such vibrations – even more during…. After the aarti plates of prasad (per person) were distributed by glowing faced ladies. So joyful!!!! and it inspired expressions of unbounded love in the form of dancing to the bhajans and to end the evening some wonderful Qawallis. And this was only the start … the amazing program was to come the next day ……

Peter Aerfeldt

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