Tag: global

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Chant vigil blessings

What I particularly love about the AUM Guru Chant Vigil is the way it both unites and expands our Ananda family all around the world, while sharing blessings with the world at the same time.

Devotees participated from literally around the globe — Serbia, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, and multiple locations in India and the USA.

Making things extra fun this year was the fact that a number Ananda members were visiting other communities when the time came to film the AUM Guru video.

So in one video there are Village residents chanting with the group from Ananda Chandigarh, while the Ananda Los Angeles group is supplemented by members of the Chandi Ashram house at Ananda Village who were in LA to visit Yogananda’s shrines.

Finally, I want to share my favorite comment that appeared in the Live Chat during the broadcast. A member of the Ananda Virtual Community wrote it. Basically she described the AUM Guru Chant Vigil as: “Ananda Sangha’s version of It’s a Small World after all” — and I think she’s absolutely right.

Each year when we do this, the world feels just a little bit smaller.

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It’s actually happening!

Have you ever had an idea…but it’s never been done before…and there’s not a lot of time to pull it together…and part of you wonders if it’s kind of crazy?!?

But then the time comes…and it actually happens…and people are touched and uplifted…and you feel the grace of God and Gurus pouring through…and you’re just so grateful to have played a part in something good.

So, first we chanted “Aum Guru” for 30 minutes at the end of a beautiful service in honor of Swami Kriyananda’s 73rd Discipleship Anniversary. I can’t even put into words how powerful it was for me.

And now, for the next 21 hours or so (the first 3 have already passed) you can click on the above video and hear pre-recorded chanting of “Aum Guru” by devotees from all around the world — West Coast, East Coast, Italy, India, New Zealand, and maybe more that I haven’t even heard about yet.

I’m just so thrilled that it’s really happening!

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A global “Channels”

I hadn’t seen our virtual choir recording of “Channels” since it launched during last week’s Spiritual Renewal Week concert; I loved it even more as I listened to it for the second (and third and fourth) time.

This time around we had singers from Oregon, Washington, California, Texas, Mexico, Italy, India, and New Zealand! I love our virtual choir. 💖

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Ever more global

Tomorrow’s the cut-off for participating in our next worldwide virtual choir, so the videos are really starting to pour in.

What’s particularly thrilling to me is the increased participation of devotee singers from more and more locations around the globe every time we do this.

I don’t see how this could ever become “old hat” to me. 🌏

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Choir without borders

As of tomorrow it will be exactly ONE MONTH to the start of the week-long event celebrating both Ananda’s 50th anniversary and the dedication of the new Temple of Light at Ananda Village.

Yep, it’s BIG.

Members of our Ananda spiritual family will be pouring in from all corners of the world, including North, South, and Central America; Europe; New Zealand; India; Russia; and Asia.

Of course there’s going to be lots of music, much of it sung by a global choir, filled with devotees from many of the places listed above. From an organizational perspective it’s a little overwhelming–who’s coming? will we have balanced voice parts? what will it feel like in the new temple? can we really manage with only one rehearsal for the concert?!?

There are also many places in the Ananda world with new or barely established choirs, whose singers might feel a little out of their depth singing for such a big event. But that’s why, right from the start, we decided to emphasize inclusiveness. We want as many people as possible to have the experience of being part of a big Ananda choir. We want them to feel the magic that happens when you’re singing high consciousness, uplifting music with fellow devotees!

It’s going to be awesome.

Recently I found this phrase scribbled on a slip of paper: Ananda Music Worldwide: a global choir, united in inspiration. I don’t recall whether I heard someone else say it or made it up myself, but I think it perfectly describes our vision and goal for music during the 50th anniversary…and beyond!