The Sahaja Yoga Meditation Network (SYMN) hosted its annual Festival of New Beginnings at the Burlington Lions Club on May 5, with multi-cultural dance and musical performances.
This year, the festival fell on Orthodox Easter, so beautifully decorated eggs and the tradition of knocking of eggs were part of the celebration. People in the crowd with origins from across the globe were invited to choose a naturally-dyed egg to knock against a neighbour’s to symbolize rebirth with the cracking of the egg. In just the one room, there were people from Chile, China, Ukraine, Romania, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, India, Scotland, Wales, Turkey, France, and, of course, Canada, who stepped forward to knock an egg.
Two special guests came from Montreal to perform for the audience: Ӧzlem Gibeau performed a Métis dance (she was adopted by the Métis Griffons du Kebec), and Ekaterina Lavrentyeva, Ukrainian singer and musician. Four SYMN members performed a traditional Greek dance: “They are not a team of professional dancers, but they are professionals of joy,” was their introduction.
The version of the dance the team performed dates to medieval times, featuring the dancers looking down the entire time. “It’s connected to Mother Earth,” event organizer Ioana Popa explained.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and a young Sahaja Yoga practitioner named Sargam sent video greetings for the gathering. Head of Chancery at the Consulate General of India Sanjeev Sanklani was a special guest; he helped Popa to hand out special recognition awards. The awards were given to two SYMN practitioners, three members of the Burlington Lions Club (one of whom, Lion Marie, was at the event to accept her award), and Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman, for his support of SYMN and helping the group find a regular space for their meditation sessions.
Sharman said in accepting his award, “It is an honour to be here, in a place we love, with people we love, and for an event we love.”
A group meditation session and explanation of the chakras connected to family rounded out the event.
For more information on the Sahaja Yoga Meditation Network, click here; for more information on their 100 Seeds of Joy project, which sees the group providing free meditation sessions, in person or virtually both regularly and by request, click here.
