We invite you to Enjoy the Auspicious Moment when our Young Cultivator of Joy and Volunteer with Sahaja Yoga Meditation Network received the Community Spirit Award 2025
Shivangna K received the Community Spirit Award 2025 in the office of MPP Effie T – representing the North of Burlington and Oakville communities together
Allow us to reveal also the symbolical aspects of this momentous Community Spirit Award that was offered to Shivangna on behalf of the Ontario Government and the Oakville Community, before sharing the beautiful Speech of MPP’s Effie!
Today, on Friday June 27, 2025 one of our Cultivators of Joy and Volunteer with Sahaja Yoga Meditation Network received the Community Spirit Award 2025 from Effie Triantafilopoulos – the Member of Provincial Parliament – who participated in several events offered by our team’s 100 Seeds of Joy community initiative.
As we were waiting for the official ceremony to start we realized that Canada Day is around the corner!! In fact we were surrounded by Happy Canada Day banners that set the celebratory mood.
The MPP’s office felt “sahaj” (i.e. connected!) so we had to take some photos right away!
Once we were graciously welcomed by the office team, we took the opportunity to offer roses from my garden; it felt right for our 100 Seeds of Joy team to bring a fresh sign of our profound connection to Mother Earth.
Especially, that MPP Effie’s speech offered on Friday June 20, 2025 during the Flag Raising ceremony in front of the Burlington City Hall to honour the 20 years of Sahaja Yoga Meditation in Burlington, also mentioned the connection to Mother Earth and our 100 Seeds of Joy community initiative that brings wellness through meditation and yoga with self-realization.
We encourage you to watch this very special speech – it’s full of an energy filled with truth and positivity, what we call “vibrations”.
(video-clip 1) MPP Effie’s Speech during the Flag Raising Ceremony for Sahaja Yoga Meditation Day proclaimed by the City of Burlington on June 20, 2025
(video-clip 2) MPP Effie’s Speech on June 27, 2025 offering the Community Spirit Award to Shivangna Kaistha – Halton Sahaja Yoga Meditation Network – on behalf of Oakville Community and the Government of Ontario
Therefore, our roses found their new home in the office of a Member of the Provincial Parliament
In June 2025 our Halton Sahaja Yoga Meditation Network volunteers were honored by the Communities of Burlington and Oakville (Halton region) with two certificates received from MPP Effie T. on behalf of the Government of Ontario and the Ontario Premier, for the 20 years of community work in the wellness and mental health field, as well for our exceptional volunteers such as Shivangna Kaistha. Thank You!
Let’s Continue the Journey of Connections, believe it or not there is more to share and learn about
Another connection: a cycle of seven days that passed from Friday June 20 – when we were honored by the City of Burlington with the Proclamation of Sahaja Yoga Meditation Day – to today’s Friday of June 27, 2025, when the sister-city, Oakville, honored our dynamic and full-hearted volunteer with their Community Spirit Award.
The number seven is strongly connected to Sahaja Yoga Meditation: there are 7 main chakra (subtle energy) levels in the yoga chart; the seventh is known as Sahasrara – the Crown Chakra and is symbolically associated with a white daisy flower, in honour of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi – the founder of Sahaja Yoga Meditation, who dedicated her life for all humanity.
We feel that we make Shri Mataji proud with our Love for Community and with achieving such Loving Joy and Unity in Diversity within our Halton Sahaja Yoga Meditation Network of volunteers
Shri Mataji’s English name was Daisy, and many a times she compared the Crown Chakra with this flower. Our spiritual teacher had envisioned the en-mass self-realization (when most individuals attain their self-realization) bringing peace and harmony among all human beings, as well complete harmony with Mother Earth.
Roses are heart-shaped, and today being a Friday, which is the day associated to the Heart Chakra in the Yoga system; also, these roses are closely related to our volunteering work: we bring them to our free weekly Sahaja Yoga Meditation classes that we’re offering year round in Burlington and Oakville; also to our various wellness events; so many people after finding inner peace with our workshop, they get to take a rose as a souvenir of their joyous serenity experienced among our loving team of volunteers. We share here a link to some wonderful stories of connection to this rose after meditation!
We’re sharing with you some photos from our volunteer’s preparations for the 5-day New Beginnings Marathon centered on Sahaja Yoga Meditation Day and the International Yoga Day (June 20- June 24, 2025); followed by a few photos from our lovely get-togethers with guest musicians and fellow meditators during this time.
Let’s continue sharing with you more Connections, also related to Shivangna – the Recipient of the the Community Spirit Award 2025 and our beloved Volunteer with 100 Seeds of Joy Community Initiative that is serving Halton area and beyond
The moment we were invited in the office of MPP Effie, we’ve noticed sitting on the table a glass of water with two daisies that we knew :-). These were the daisies we offered to MPP Effie and her colleague Justine, who accepted to wear daisies in their hair, as everyone else heartily did – during our Flag Raising ceremony the week before. Those two daisies were cared for and were very much joyful and alive in the office, like waiting for us to pay them a visit in their new home, a week after.
Imagine our surprise to see “today’s pink roses” joining the “white daisies” from the week before, sharing the same glass of water – the same home. Sahaja Yoga Meditation Day and 100 Seeds of Joy community initiative came together, as Burlington and Oakville, all being reunited in a glass of water in this office filled with the vibrant energy of Canada’s history.
Did you know that the Spirit is in our Heart and that it has Seven Auras through which the Spirit communicates with all the Seven Chakras? Did you know that Shiva is a name for The Spirit?
Those of you that read our blog’s articles are familiar with our desire to share knowledge from the yoga science, also experiences and stories of self-realization. We cannot avoid being observant of How this Connectiveness is omnipresent and filled with messages for you and I.
Shivangna was nominated spontaneously, after receiving MPP Effie’s newsletter in December 2024, right after our annual Festival of Inner Lights that is clearly connected to our heart and the Spirit within as its guiding light.
Shivangna’s name contains the word “Shiva” which for us Yogis is the Spirit — the eternal core of our being and the guiding light, the Star that shines within. What is also specific to Sahaja Yoga, based on the teachings of Shri Mataji — the Spirit is the universal being, therefore we should all cherish each other with joy and selflessness, because the Spirit is the same in each of us; it should make all of us truly caring for the entire Community — One Spirit.
Shivanga’s meaning in Hindi is “portion of Shiva – the Supreme Lord”, therefore the Spirit that is connected to the universal spirit. Quite fitting to receive a Spirit related award, especially on such a positive note in connection to caring for the community.
Our Sahaja Yoga Meditation Day was connected with the International Yoga Day which shared the stage with the National Indigenous Day as well with the Summer Solstice. The Earth People — the indigenous peoples from everywhere — know about the Spirit, and share our vision of loving respect with Mother Earth and all Earthlings; this year it was about One Earth – One Health and we can add: One Spirit. United as One we welcome Canada Day and the days ahead, the New Beginnings.
We hope you enjoyed taking this Journey of Connections related to the Community Spirit Award 2025; we recommend to explore the next bouquet of articles, in case you want to learn or experience more.
(click: article 1) The Psalm 23 and The Power of Shri Shiva in MIORITA – Mantra for the Heart Chakra with Shri Shiva as The Shepard and A Musician’s Personal Story
(click: article 3) Lessons and Songs from Flowers – Listen to Wisdom from Gibran, Kabir and Shri Mataji
(click: article 2) In the News: Burlington’s Beginnings with Sahaja Yoga Meditation 20 years ago!
We wish a Happy Community Spirit in Everyone! Drop a comment if you wish.
Indeed we have amongst us an extraordinary youth who is strong, talented, sweet, calm, beautiful and humble like her bamboo flute music..she is spontaneous and always ready to help. She is not afraid to take on challenges and has truly been an inspiration to me. Congratulations Shivangna, you most definitely deserve this precious award which has the name spirit in it just like your powerful name. I loved the connections made in this article ..everything comes together so perfectly and it gives me something to be cheerful about…especially after the marathon of 100 seeds of joy events, the news about Shivangna receiving this award comes like a beautifully wrapped gift in this.article. A reward to the one that has worked day and night for all the events and everything beyond. Thank you Ioana and Shivagna for everything you both selflessly do.
Congratulations, Shivangna!
Amazing event. Congratulations!!!
Fantastic speech!!! What is happening in this city is a normality of pure love. This is how it should be everywhere! Congratulations to those who manage to bring this light into people’s lives!
I am overjoyed and in awe of the 100 seeds of Joy team, I cannot express the extend of my enthusiasm for such amazing events. These volunteers, these community connectors that got their self realization and are on board, it’s so great that we can make a positive difference and transformation in our communities. Self realization is the ignition point, and then spreading awareness and growing inwardly through creative ways to share meditation is unique to this wonderful group. Every event was blessed with just the perfect weather from flag raising, to yoga in the park to festival of new beginnings at the lions club. The events were fully loaded with positive energy and great vibrations. Congrats to all the award winners and grateful for the inroads made to grow through authentic relationships in our community. Bravoooo!!! It has been bliss!
The marathon for 100seedsofjoy was full of hope, love, unity, creativity and awareness for a better community. With the help of all the volunteers, musicians, and politicians every event was extra ordinary. We enjoyed the collectivity. The news about Shivangna winning is just amazing, she truly deserves it. Thank you for sharing.
SYMN has reached the hearts of many people. The volunteers have emitted positivity and energy to the participants and have been rewarded accordingly. Kudos to the SYMN team and their well deserved award!
The marathon for 100 seeds of joy was amazing. The collectivity during the events was great! Congratulations Shivanganait is a well deserved award Thank you Ioana and Shivangana for everything that you do♥️ you are lighting up the world with pure love
Received from a Burlington Community partner
Shivangna is the most deserving of this award. She continually shows up for her community, is dedicated to bringing joy to her community and is one of the kindest, most compassionate people I know.
A huge congratulations to her
Congratulations Shivangna!
Such caring, love and kindness that eminates from you. So well deserved, you shine with positivity!
Congratulations!!
Thank you to the whole team of volunteers for all you do. Spreading the light to humankind, opening hearts and awarenss, such kindness. Thank you again and again
Congratulations Shivangna!
A fellow yogi meditator from France also shared the following via email, after reading our article:
Chère Ioana,
Grâce à tes messages, nous suivons chaque épisode de votre investissement et de vos progrès dans votre belle région du Canada, le travail que vous faites dans sa continuité est vraiment remarquable, cela nous fait rêver en France de vous voir arriver à un tel niveau de reconnaissance, ce n’est pas souvent l’occasion de le dire, mais un très très grand bravo à vous tous les yogis de la région de Halton et que cela nous inspire pour notre pays !
Christophe