Bringing an innovative theme that has a common teaching, parallel to that of Bhagawan, SSE children from the United States presented a cultural programme entitled “All Our Relations” illustrating the sacred teachings of the Native American Medicine Wheel, on 11 July, the second day of the cultural programme by the visiting second and final batch US contingent of devotees. The common thread is to see God in all, in the entire creation!
Native Americans are the aboriginals, the indigenous inhabitants of the United States. Spiritual teachings of the Medicine Wheel is used by many Native Americans to honor Mother Earth, all the directions, animal spirit guides that lead humans on their many Earth walks.
A Medicine Wheel is a physical manifestation of Spiritual energy; an outward expression of an internal dialogue. It is a wheel of protection and enables us, allows us, to gather surrounding energies into a focal point and to commune with Spirit, Self and Nature …Creation, finally to perceive the same force in everything!
The evening’s presentation, “All Our Relations” is a Native American greeting that affirms that all beings are related, the ancient Red-Indian Wisdom.
This wisdom was presented in an innovative way depicting children getting worried over their ancestral land getting polluted with grave danger of extinction threatening the animal kingdom. Grandfather brought the right antidote introducing the Medicine Wheel, assuring the children that Great Spirit is always with them insisting them to learn Medicine Wheel from a wiser elder of the tribe – Medicine Eagle.
Medicine Eagle went on revealing the great teachings of Medicine Wheel and its importance in man’s life journey. Four directions, corresponding to four stages of man’s journey, are assigned to four animals, namely, eagle for the east, deer for the south, bear for the west and the buffalo for the north. The lessons to be derived from each of these animals were presented thematically through colourful, meaningful dance sequences.
Earlier the programme started off with a traditional native American song, sung in a powerful baritone voice, by a male singer, filling and reverberating the entire hall.
“All Our Relations” began with the birth of Thunder Child into a Native American family in modern times. The child’s birth was celebrated with smudging ceremony, a cleansing process to drive away bad elements and evil forces, establishing safe passage for the new born from the world of spirits onto the physical plane.
This was followed by second scene, “The Red Road”, wherein growing children from Native American community, who were curious and eager to learn their original traditions, were taught The Red Road, a way of living in harmony and peace, treating the entire creation as one.
This was followed by the advanced and final stage of the Native American Teachings, The Medicine Wheel.
At the end of the colourful 45 minutes programme, the children made a fervent appeal to Bhagawan expressing hope that Swami would visit their country to see 'in person' the rare culture of the United States of America.
Soon Bhagawan moved down the stage for an elaborate photo session, wherein He spent quite some time interacting and amusing the children. It was a sight to see, with tender children from across the seven seas enjoying the physical proximity of the Lord, sitting quite close, still with full of discipline, enjoying the Benign Presence. One little girl made a bold yet disciplined step seeking Bhagawan’s permission for a “Padanamaskar” as some other tiny tots got opportunities to ‘chirp’ unto The Lord!
Ascending the dais Bhagawan asked the students to start bhajans as the US children started sitting in orderly fashion, boys and girls separate, as directed by Bhagawan. One could see the enchanting Divine sitting onstage receiving complete attention, especially of the children from the US, who were lucky to be seated at a close quarter in the immediate physical presence of The Lord.
After three bhajans Bhagawan asked for Mangala Arathi and upon accepting Arathi, Bhgawan moved off the dais, not before blessing the concourse with abhayahastha. As He was moving off, Bhagawan accepted a "Rose of Love and Reverence" from one of the eldest member of the Native American community, 83 year old George Walking Bear Gillette, who has been a devotee of Bhagawan for the past 35 years. He is a man of repute having miraculous experiences related to Bhagawan and, quite interestingly, is travelling out of his native country for the first time!...to see God in person! II
Earlier, in the evening, Bhagawan emerged at 1725 hrs. to the chants of Vedam. The centre-block was filled with US children in colourful Native American costumes, Going for a complete round of 10 mts. Bhagawan paused for a while, watching the children chanting Vedam in all earnestness and confidence. After a pause of seven minutes at the Primary block, Bhagawan later came onto the portico, to glide through the lower portico, coming onstage at 1745 hrs., round of Ganesha, well received with a high-pitch Vedam chanting.
A wonderful evening when a new theme was introduced from the ancient Wisdom Galore! Samastha Lokaaha Sukhino Bhavanthu ll
