Here’s the way the opening event unfolded: Jyotish and Devi greeted the hundreds of devotees from all corners of the globe and shared a few words about the week and about the Temple. Then Devi led everyone into a meditation. The lights dimmed and the choir from Ananda Village silently filed up onto the dais in the dark. We stood quietly for the short meditation, then out of the silence came the sound of a harmonium softly playing our opening notes and Life Mantra began.
Some comments from choir members…
“I will never forget the feeling of powerful and palpable bliss that filled me in that final chord of Life Mantra. Wow.”
“I thought maybe it was just me but apparently not. This was one of the most uplifting performances I have ever been part of. The vibration was so high I felt like levitating. I sang the Life Mantra twice more as I was driving home, still filled with joyful energy.”
“While we were singing, at some point I distinctly felt a change in the sound of the choir. My first thought was ‘The angels just joined us!'”
Personally, I believe the angels did join us! A friend who was at home with her children on the complete other side of our 900-acre community reported that they could hear the singing from their house. My theory is that the angels were all over the Village, celebrating with us, and singing the good news that “God is life! God is joy! Life is God’s! Life is joy!”