Yogis and Sufis: SNAP’ed & Stories from Adam’s Day 2013 (VIDEO + PHOTOS)

Sufi dance at Adam's Day

Gathered below is the feedback from some of the participants on behalf of sahaja yoga (free) meditation to Adam’s Day 2013 at the invitation of the Azeemia Sufi order. It was an honour to be part of this event dedicated to unity in diversity, as well it was a challenge because one of us had been invited to be a guest speaker and come up with a theme related to the event and represent our organization .. while not promoting it.  Also as a guest speaker coming from a group that practices meditation Ioana was not supposed to actually conduct a meditation with the audience because already a meditation moment specific to Azeemia group was scheduled towards the end of the event. So, instead of preparing a speech, Ioana chose to simply be in meditation while speaking,  allowing the inner power to feel the audience and connect with every soul present on the subtlest levels – vibrational and spiritual. Thus, the verbal communication will be pure and genuine – made of words born ad hoc by Kundalini or Ruh divine energy and Spirit that binds us all as One. The excerpt video is below.

Ioana  - guest speaker representing sahaja yoga meditation (FREE MEDITATION)

(click!) VIDEO –The Address from Sahaja Yoga Meditation

 

The six sahaja yoginis sisters that came to the event were a perfect micro representation of the universally diverse sahaja yoga family: Carmen (originally Catholic from Mexico), Ioana and Daiana (Orthodox Christian from Eastern Europe at origin), Ayesha (originally Muslim from Pakistan), Helen (originally Canadian Jewish) and Ana Bianca (Canadian, student, Vishwa Nirmala Dharma Educational Society).

Ioana, Ayesha,
Ioana, Ayesha, Daiana, Helen, Carmen and Ana Bianca from sahaja yoga meditation – joining the wonderful hosts from Azeemia group

Our hosts were wonderful: attentive to their guests in all details. Needless to say that the photos speak for themselves how much we had enjoyed our time there; by the end of the event Ioana was asked to give a short interview to a TV station and we just found out that actually the entire Adam’s Day (speeches included) had been telecasted recently on TV1 Canada Rogers channel; our friends from Azeemia group will let us know if ever the event is available as a video :-). So now that everyone has ‘the facts’; let’s take the jouney through impressions, photo-album and related articles shared below. Feel-enjoy the Vibes!

Helen – sahaja yogini from Toronto (Jewish Canadian background & Raja yoga teacher)

To be part of the Sufi Festival was sheer joy for me. Meeting so many new seekers and having such interesting conversations with them was thrilling.
We were a small group of Sahaja yoginis there, and I felt so happy with how we were all received and how we not only all related to each other but how we all related to so many of the people there.
There were about six speakers from different traditions, including a Rabbi, Reverend, Multi-Faith Leader, and a gentleman (a University PhD. Professor I believe)  who talked about many of the Hindu sacred texts, as well as some speakers who talked about Sufism; some of these presenters talked from both a scholarly and spiritual perspective bringing history, tradition, dynamism and openness to the forefront of awareness.

As guests of this Adam’s day event, we also had the blessing to introduce Sahaja Yoga Meditation to the group and

Ioana’s delivery and the vibrations that filled the air was awesome; the words were gentle, natural and spontaneous.
A true spark of light and deep love is what I felt. Calm, natural, and sincere are just a few of the virtues and emotions that emanated from her. I celebrate this.

Seeing how everyone had opened their palms and how keen they appeared to participate, I felt that the vibrations that filled the room were pulsating so beautifully.

 I was very honest about what I said about what Ioana said!  I wish there was a tape-recorder so you could hear –trust me, it was awesome!!!   I was trying to be gentle with what I wrote about her because I was thinking she might be shy–so that is the reason I asked her permission if I can write that! 🙂
The experience I had at the Sufi Festival was very heart-touching. The people I met felt like family – I felt as if I have known them all my life. The sincerity, warmth and true seeking pulsated vigorously in the atmosphere. The speeches, both scholarly and spiritual, were a blessing to listen to–respectful, open, and honest sharing. I felt ‘awakened’.  I felt the presence of God’s love.
The Dervish dancing was mesmerizing. The music was mesmerizing.
And in the flow of such tenderness, was Silence. It is an experience I will truly treasure.
Thank you again for making it possible for me to have gone to the ‘event’.
SNAP Mississauga - Sahaja Yogis at Adams Day 2013 - Azeemia Sufi Healing Org

Carmen – sahaja yogini instructor from Mississauga (Catholic & Spanish background)

Dear Ioana:

I was a bit uneasy thinking it was a big challenge due to limitations imposed to us. I was really putting all my attention on you at the moment you started talking. By the time you asked them to open their hands the cool breeze was oozing the room. Mother was there. I also noticed how the people were giving you a lot of respect and how respectfully they presented Sahaja Yoga – Freemeditation, how they approached  you after your speech.

The people there were just fabulous!

the president of the Azeemia healing group Canada  and the beautiful group that felt like family to us

I shared the table with 2 wonderful women that could not have been more opposite to each other:

One of them very well educated and has been in the seaking path for a while we connected immediately she said she had listen to “Mataji’s talks and that she admires Her”. (* Shri Mataji is the founder of Sahaja yoga meditation)
The second one very humble person, beautiful being.  I gave a free meditation card to both of them.

I was amazed at the talks from different groups and how similar are their goals and beliefs to ours. Another highlight was the Derviches dance, wow, the voices of the singers and their instruments just resonated in the room raising the vibrations and making all the people present at the hall to feel as one.

I felt that the hosting Azeemia group was really welcoming us and shared their event with us and made us an important part of their presentation. To top it all up, the food was excellent. 🙂

With Nirmal (pure) Love,
Carmen

Daiana – meditator /sahaja yogini from North York (Christian Orthodox background)
Very organized, pleasant people, liked the Sufi dance meditation combined with the music. I think music and art is a great path to our unity from diversity. From a sahaj point of view, Ioana’s speech was phenomenal, great choice of words and spontaneous action. We should invite the Sufi group at our events, the Sufis might enjoy also the company of sahaja yogis, discovering their/our qualities too 🙂
Love and cool breeze,
Daiana
Ana Bianca youth free meditation program instructor (Student at Western University, London, Ontario)
The highlight for me was feeling a cool breeze in my hands when a young person had recited in Arabic from Koran. That is what we call, ‘a sahaj experience’ that transcends any man-made barriers.
Ioana –  sahaja yogini instructor from Halton/Niagara

On a personal note, the first good omen during the event was to feel like a cool wind of vibrations coming up and literally spiralling around me from the feet towards my crown chakra and beyond – as a response, after I prayed in my heart to Shri Mataji, to “be here with us”, so the Holy Ghost – Ruh – Kundalini energy to be experienced by everyone present; secondly i enjoyed so much the live Sufi music – by listening to it, I travelled back in time when I had visited Turkey as a student yogini with few other hundred sahaja yogis from Europe and we all were mesmerized by the Sufi group that sang at the invitation of Shri Mataji during an intimate but large gathering of yogis and Sufis. I remembered fondly of Shri Mataji’s motherly care to nurture and broaden us spiritually, how She was teaching us about Prophet Mohammed, Hazarat Ali and Fatima Bibi; I remembered how deeply profound was the meditation state for all of us for days together. Then, 20 years back was the first time ever I had listened to this type of music but my soul felt like “at home” then, as it felt ‘now’ at Adam’s Day. Another very sweet moment was after the speech when dear Carmen rushed to embrace me, telling that tears came to her listening to ‘those words’; that sisterly love was so palpable and the feeling was of “us, together in pure love” – no separate “I”ness was left.

Photo-Album from Adam’s Day

** all photos from this album were graciously shared with us by our friends from Azeemia group. Thank you!

Later on I was touched by the video speech of Hazrat Khawaja Shamsuddin Azeemi – the head of the Azeemia Sufi Order – in which he explained the profound meaning of the simple salute ‘Salam’ as well the case he made on the reality that should be obvious to all human beings: that we are all brothers and sisters in our Creator’s hand.

children from Adam's Day event

prophets and divine incarnations were quoted to reveal their harmonious unity in spirituality. I remember fondly of the discussions around the table with such lovely people (everyone was very famous in his/her own right) and it happened that all of them were from Pakistan but had ‘Romanian connections’: some had good Romanian friends and others had visited Romania many years back, but still remembered names of towns as well the natural beauties they enjoyed.  What were the odds for us to meet at the same table?!

The core sahaj experience is that I felt Sadaf like a sister to me, since our first conversation over the phone,

Sadaf's speech
Sadaf’s welcoming speech

as well Kamran and Emad like brothers (all three of them are leaders within the Azeemia group); as well I was deeply touched to see how people from the audience, women and men, would approach me so naturally, just to say that they were touched by ‘the speech’; and a last memorable instance was when a great scholar and guest speaker at this event had stopped on his way out to chat with me and my daughter on spirituality and on-line meditations :-).

We are definitely looking forward to reconnecting to our Sufi friends and we will definitely invite them to our special events.

Enjoy related articles/experiences  + Watch the Photo-Album from Adam’s Day further down below.

(click!)  Meaningful Dreams & The Journey of a Muslim Seeker

The Photo-Album from Adam’s Day

** all photos from this album were graciously shared with us by our friends from Azeemia group, thank you! The SNAP Mississauga South article was sent by Carmen and we shared ‘a bite’ of it within this article. From all our hearts, a big thank you to the Azeemia Spiritual and Healing centre Canada for their invite to Adam’s Day 2013.

We are Invited @ Adam’s Day by Azeemia Spiritual & Healing Centre Canada

This Post Has 17 Comments

  1. Anjali

    As a Sahaja yogini, it is such an honor to be recognized by such pure and genuine communities/organization and be invited to take part in their annual program and have an opportunity to talk about Sahaja yoga and our moto. Unless and until we (those who have the same aim in life – which is to join this fragmented world)come together, we cannot achieve world peace and take away the barriers that separate us.
    It was also our honor to receive our sufi brothers and sister at one of the classical music program we hosted in burlington recently. Our guests thoroughly enjoyed the program and felt immensely the peace and connection.
    It’s a very joy giving feeling when i realize that this is a beautiful beginning to a promising relationship. Looking forward to getting to know more and more our sufi brothers and sisters.
    Love,
    anjali

  2. Shivangi & Nehit

    When you here news of violence and unrest in all over world and even United Nations can’t control or do anything. I now understand Shri Mataji’s words : “World Peace can only be achieved through inner transformation. When peace is within it will automatically spread outside…”.
    Amongst all such chaos, it is really very joy giving to see Sufis and Sahaja Yogis coming together for such events.

    Hope to be part of many more such Sufi + Sahaja Yoga collaboration and enjoy together. Great job everyone. Keep it up.

  3. Shivangi & Nehit

    Very glad to see this ‘Unity in Diversity’ at Adaqm’s day. I’m really happy for all our brothers and sisters from Sahaja Yoga who got chance to participate in such a beautiful event. Feeling instant connection with all Sufi brothers and sisters, hope to see you all sometime soon.

  4. mircea

    what amazing proof that the Spirit could never be constrained within one form of expression or another. we are indeed ‘one love’ coming from one source. peace!

  5. isabelle

    This is so positive and real. Can’t wait to see the video!

  6. paula

    I am so moved by this spiritual connection with Sufis and this incredible opportunity to show we are One. The dancing men in the photo are just emanating vibrations, wish I was there! But I do feel so happy to share my joy in reading and learning about this wonderful event…the participants “testimonials” and blissful curiousity of the Sufis really touched my heart. Turkey is a place I dreamed about visiting after watching a documentary. Last year, I finally had a mere 13 hours there, and I was intrigued even more. Love the unity, was very excited to learn about Adam’s day, and thank you for this vibrational article. Look forward to some kind of artistic and spiritual event with an international flavour…I am sure it will happen…Salam to all.

  7. Adriana Veress (Romania)

    Dear Ioana, we thank you for the light and love you share everywhere, every time. You are a beautiful instrument of the Divine :). I read all your posts.. all are deep and touching. This event, Adam’s day, is a great opportunity to prove the “unity in diversity”.
    Love from Romania,
    Adriana

  8. DOINA MIRA

    Tremendous vibrations and beautiful unity in diversity of spirituality!!!

  9. letitia

    Multumesc pntru bucuria imensa pe care am trait-o cand am citit despre acest eveniment deosebit cu sufi,asa mi-am amintit de Istambul si de trairile in preznta lui Shri Mataji acasa la sufi.Vibratiile sunt puternice si va felicit pentru mesajul de iubire pe care il transmiteti tuturor.

  10. Kruti

    Felt tremendous joy and cool vibrations while reading the post. This is just incredible. Thanks for sharing.

  11. Antoinette Wells

    I was just thinking: this is the work to be done at the base: unity from different faiths coming together through awakening of Kundalini and vibrations awareness… then politics, diplomacy etc… everything should follow!

  12. Peter

    That was a beautiful talk from Ioana. May we never forget our oneness.

  13. vibhu jakhmola

    jai shree mata ji

  14. letitia

    Am facut bandhan,f.racoros,mult succes.

  15. chandra sekhar

    Anandita is great Sahaja yogini.
    Romanian singers!! what a voice! such devotion!

    Blessed we are to be a sahaja Yogis.
    Ma is taking the whole humanity to Heavenly Bliss.

  16. Antoinette Wells

    Years after I wrote the above comment, I revisited this whole program and am amazed about the depth and dedication of the yogis in Halton: To me you are such an example of what Sahaja Yoga is: first of all: vibrations, complete dedication to Shri Mataji, openness to other religions/cultures, true fraternity, feeling the Love and the Joy.
    I really do congratulate you Ioana also to keep this blog alive and inform all of us about your wonderful programs!

  17. NITI

    It is a really heart touching article about this Sufi Adam day which is filled with the touch of divine,I can feel the feeling ofyours joy and the heavenly beautiful experience with all those wonderful people present there in each and every word you describe in this article .Thanks for sharing dear Ioana.

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