BIG LUNCH WITH SANT NIRANKARI MISSION

Nav Aurora, GMB, Cllr Manjula Sood, Debbie from Asda

Late morning and early afternoon today I'm at Sant Nirankari Bhawan, for a Big Lunch event, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Queen's coronation. The Big Lunch receives sponsorship and support from Asda.

This is the first time I've visited the group's centre in Prebend Street, on the site of an old Quaker Meeting House - the second to be occupied by the Society of Friends in Leicester (built 1877, closed 1956).

 

Sant Nirankari Mission styles itself "an all-embracing spiritual movement dedicated to peace, love and human fraternity. ... The mission is a platform for spiritual awakening with the simple philosophy that God is for all humanity irrespective of age or background, age, gender, political ideology or any other differentiating factor."

On entrance, the first thing I see is an interesting exhibition showing a range of community activities: blood donor drive; Easter egg donation; Universal Oneness Community Games; Mystical Musical Events; street shows. 

 

 

The programme begins with half an hour of Bhangra dancing, that starts out as a demonstration and ends up a bit of a rammy. There's a nice photo above, taken around the halfway point. A couple of minutes later, I'm up dancing in the circle (I'd time the rammy as starting from that point). I'm not often seen dancing in public, but I'm dragged on to the floor by Cllr Manjula Sood and she's my boss, so how could I refuse? This is followed by a demonstration of Dandiya (below). No way am I getting involved in that: those women have sticks!

 

After this demonstration, I make my way to the langar and share in the vegetarian food and soft drinks. In the main hall, there's a "laughing yoga" session going on, with audio piped into the room where we're eating. It takes me a few minutes to figure out just what the bizarre noises are for - and when I do, it's a bit of a relief!

 

I'm moved to say that this is one of the most genuinely diverse, harmonious, joyous inter faith events that I've attended, in Leicester or elsewhere. The congregation here is remarkably varied. Going on visual cues alone, some are distinctly Hindu; others Muslim; others still, Sikh; a few are Christian. This could prompt a debate about the relationship between conventional markers of culture and geographical origin, spiritual belief and religious practice - but everyone's too busy getting along and being happy together for that.

 

 

 

A couple of Police Community Support Officers attending today appear to have resolved that hoary old chestnut about whether members of the emergency services should remove their shoes in a place of worship.

 

Given that this is my first visit here, I'll be back in just a few days' time. There's a talk on the Bhagavad Gita, given by Mrs Jaya Rowe this coming Wednesday (5 June, 1830).

GOING ON BEYOND 4: RAMAKRISHNA - A HINDU VIEWPOINT

 

At ChristChurch, Clarendon Park, for the fourth session in the course, "Going On Beyond: Meditation and Mysticism in the World Faiths". This nine-week course is an interfaith opportunity presented by Christians Aware, as part of its Faith Awareness programme. It is presented in association with Leicester Serene Reflection Meditation Group.

We were expecting to receive a presentation this evening on "Ramakrishna, a Hindu Viewpoint". Our speaker, who would have been travelling up from London, cancelled earlier today, so Barbara Butler has stepped into the breach and leads us through the same topic.

Ramakrishna used meditation and mysticism as means of "going on beyond" the separation of religions to realise their underlying unity. He never claimed that all religions are alike - but advocated unity in diversity, a harmony achieved through mediation and contemplation - appreciation of what we might call these days, "the gift of difference". This was the basis of his appeal for a fellowship of religions, an expression of the Hindu philosophy of Advaita  - unity - challenging the philosophical position of Dualism. He offered the Bhagavad Gita as the key text in understanding this unity.

In practical and social terms, Ramakrishna's teaching of unity expressed itself in his conviction that all people are equal - a radical position for a nineteenth century Hindu. His disciple, Swami Vivekananda, taught against idleness, asserting that "work is worship, worship is work" rather than proposing that one is more meritorious than the other, that a person should choose one over the other.

In the second half of the meeting, we form small groups and discuss what we could do to work towards Ramakrishna's goal of a fellowship of religions.

Obstacles

• Ignorance
• Clinging to convictions
• Thinking that your way is the only way
• Lack of healthy doubt
• Following a path for your on aggrandisement (egotism)
• Not taking an interest in how others see life
• Institution of religions: maintaining the institution can be put before what the religion is really about
• Association of religion with government or with power
• Dialogue of religious leaders maintains established power
• Lack of time
• Lack of confidence
• Complications
• Unity – too easy
• Conflicts – real
• Work / commitment within one’s own denomination is so absorbing that there is no time for dialogue
• It is too easy to proclaim human unity and yet not recognise the reality of conflict
• Inter-faith work can become commodified, self-sustaining career path

Ways forward

• If strong in one’s own faith, then one can cope with others
• Openness
• Open mindedness
• Agreeing to disagree, while maintaining your own integrity
• Seeking common ground
• Coming together for a common purpose, irrespective of belief
• Keeping hope alive
• Necessity of democracy, involving ordinary people
• RE in schools: education in humanity
• Gentle first steps, listening
• Food
• Create opportunities to meet
• Showing good will
• Meeting one another
• Fellowship