(not necessarily in that order)
Spiritual Renewal Week is drawing to a close. One more class; a pre-recorded storytelling event with Murali; Sunday service; and we’re done!
So far I have to say that everything has been way more powerful that I expected! The classes, the music, even today’s Kriya ceremony. And what a joy to know that I’m sharing it all with my spiritual family all around the globe.
We had no idea what to expect as we started planning our first completely online (prerecorded) “concert” for the first completely online (largely prerecorded) Spiritual Renewal Week.
One suggestion had been to simply replay in its entirety last year’s amazing 50th anniversary concert, but the music team felt that would be taking the easy way out.
So it turns out there are several things that have made “putting on” this concert a major challenge:
First of all is the fact that every step of the way we would catch ourselves thinking of it like a “real” concert. Again and again (and again!) we had to remind ourselves that there would be not a single “live” element; that people wouldn’t even be “tuning in” at a particular time, but watching whenever it was convenient for them. Even in the description and the recorded intro, we kept referring to “tonight’s” program!
Which leads to the second big challenge: instead of gearing up for a big “concert night”, we needed to have everything ready before it all starts, as “attendees” will be able to access all the special supplemental events right from the beginning of the event. This, combined with the fact so many tasks we’ve never had to do before, left us scrambling at the end in order to get things done on time.
Finally, we’re so accustomed to drawing — and then building on — the energies of the whole group, in order to create something really fine and unique. But now, almost everything we do has to be done on our own, which means having to generate and draw on more energy from within ourselves.
Bottom line? I’m feeling really tired, like I’ve run a marathon or something. But I have a whole new appreciation for digital realities.
Virtual is just a different kind of real.
Last year was a completely new and different experience, what with Ananda’s 50th anniversary and dedicating the Temple of Light. In fact, we didn’t even have our usual “Spiritual Renewal Week”, though we assumed that (of course!) we’d be back to our “usual” SRW this year.
Ha!
As we gear up for Spiritual Renewal Week 2020, we’re once again having a completely new and different experience!
The analogy that occurs to me is trying to pack for a trip when everything is unknown. The weather? Unknown. Staying in the city or the country? Maybe. Going for a week or three months? Not sure. You would stand in front of your suitcase, feeling completely bemused and not knowing where to begin.
Well, that’s kind of how this feels. There will be some live music elements; but “live” no longer means what it used to mean. Now when we think of “live”, we’re pondering how many people can we have. Which depends on the size of the venue. And on what the people are doing: talking or (heaven forbid!) singing? And on how long they’ll be doing it for. And what ages are the people in the room. And so on and so forth.
I don’t even have time tonight to get going about the “pre-recorded” or “virtual choir” elements and what that involves!
But beneath the uncertainty and slight confusion is the sense that wonderful things are poised to happen…that superconscious solutions are awaiting our attunement and receptivity…that awesome creativity is about to be released.
And I have a feeling the end result will be two years in a row of experiencing a heightened energy and flow of divine grace that leaves us awestruck and immensely grateful….beyond imagination of expectancy!
So…let’s go!