World Youth Congress Action Projects

For the next 3 days (August 6th to August 8th) we all will be sent out into different areas of Turkey with our “family” groups for “Action Projects.”

We will update you on our experiences when we regather as one group.

Thanks for Reading!

World Youth Congress Day 5

Today for the 7am morning meditation we had a nice mix of people who had come before and those who came for the first time. For today we began with a guided meditation while sitting on the grass. We then got into groups of three (with one experienced meditator and two newer meditators) and shared how we can used vibrations to balance the chakras (subtle energy centers) of ourselves and others. Everyone was able to feel how the use of our inner energy can bring us into balance and thereby a deeper state of mental silence.

Today at 10AM we conducted a workshop about music and how it can help us to meditate. For the workshop there were 50-60 participants. The workshop focused on the tradition of Indian Music. Songs and ragas were used to demonstrate how we can go deeper into meditation with music and how music can clear our chakras (subtle energy centers). The workshop attendees enjoyed the music and went on asking for encore after encore. One young woman come after the workshop and said, “I cannot believe how well it worked. I was really surprised because in the past few days I have been very busy and having a lot of stressful thoughts, but now I feel so calm inside.”

Today was the last day for the booth at the exhibition. Yet still from 10am until 7:30 there were people consistently stopping by to get their self-realization. It was so lovely to see people from so many countries enjoying the experience of Sahaja Meditation. Everyone easily felt their own inner energy as it awakened and brought them into a state of peace.

In the evening at 1800 the workshop about Music and Meditation was conducted. All who attended enjoyed thoroughly.

(Photos will be posted shortly)

World Youth Congress Day 4

Today’s meditation at 7am consisted of some new people returning and some others who came for the first time. This morning we did a meditation with specific focus on using our attention to help us go deeper. The early morning silence and light provided the perfect setting for our group. One could tangibly feel how with each day the level of meditation was growing exponentially. After the meditation we all walked to the dinning hall and shared our experiences together.

This morning at 10AM we conducted a workshop about the relationship of Meditation and Education . . . (This part will be updated by the coordinators of that workshop)

In addition today we opened our booth at the exhibition at 10AM. Again a steady flow of people from all over the world came to have their experience of effortless mental silence. Each person who came to meditate seemed to have a truly powerful and deep experience. One person even sat for 45 minutes in complete silence and then said afterward, “Wow, I have never experienced anything like that before. It was as if I was completely with my self and nothing around me could bother me at all.”

Each person who attended on of our workshops or the booth was given a “seeker’s packet” consisting of introductory information about Sahaja Meditation and several techniques on how to meditate. Also in the packet is a CD with a guided meditation and some music for meditation.

(Photos will be added shortly)

World Youth Congress Day 3

Our group grew larger for the 7am meditation today. For the meditation we used the elements as a means to deepen our meditation. We first walked through the dew that was covering the grass. In this we utilized the elements of the earth and water. We then sat on the grass with the sun at our backs thus using the light and earth elements.

We were so many people present from so many different countries. As a result of our dynamic group, we all experienced a very powerful and blissful state of meditation.

Our booth at the exhibit opened at 10AM and went on until 2000. Throughout the day, many eager people came to have the experience of  Sahaja Meditation. With each person that came the atmosphere grew more joyful and peaceful. In total around 150 people came and enjoyed the experience of Sahaja Meditation.

Following dinner all members of the World Youth Congress we invited to attend a boat tour on the Bhosphorus Sea. At 2100 all attendees of the WYC were waiting outside the dorms for the busses to come. We decided to bring out our instruments and sing out a few songs. The music was much appreciated by all. People enjoyed as they clapped and danced along with us.

World Youth Congress Day 2

Today we were pleasantly surprised to find several new people had come at 7am to join for morning meditation. We found a lovely grass area on the campus and meditated together for 20-30 minutes. The atmosphere and the depth of meditation was astoundingly deep and peaceful.

Today from 10AM through 19:30 people began flooding the exhibition hall and many came to experience meditation at our booth. We were all amazed at the ease at which each person got their self-realization and experience of meditation. At times so many people would want to have the experience that we would have to sit them all down on the floor. Also depth of experiences that the attendees to our booth were having amazed us.

The first workshop of the congress took place today at from 12pm to 13:30. Approximately 80 people came to attend the workshop which took place in a sports hall. The workshop flowed nicely and was well received by all. Afterward some people stayed behind to have us help them deepen their experience of meditation.

That night at 2200 our music and dancer were invited to perform for the ‘Cultural Night.’ In the sports hall our dancer performed her first piece, then we all went forward and invited everyone to have an experience of meditation. Following that another dance piece was performed and enjoyed by all.

Due to technical difficulties we were unable to perform with our music group in the sports hall. Thus, we decided to invite everyone up near our dormitories to enjoy the music.

When we arrived at the dorms we found that very few were there (as there were other cultural events taking place in different locations at the same time). Just to clear the air and lift our spirits we decided to  sing our a few songs.

Afterward the idea came to us that we should see if the main stage was open and the mock Pakistani Wedding had come to an end. So we took all our instruments and went off to the stage.

At the stage a group of 100-150 were dancing in the post-wedding gleeful style. We made a request to the organizers of the event if we could sing a few Indian and Panjabi tunes/qawwalis. The Pakistani and Turkish organizers were open and very interested to see our performance. We quickly set up and got the show on the road.

The people in the crowd stayed and enjoyed as we sang out Ise Lie. We were pleasantly surprised as the entire Pakistani Delegation got up and danced feverishly to Jogawa.

However, the most joyful moment had to be when we broke out with the Qawwalı ‘Dam Mast Kalandar.’ Mid-song, most of the Pakistani Delegates rushed the stage and began singing and dancing their hearts out. We were all overwhelmed with joy and a sense of being together.

(Pictures will be posted soon)

World Youth Congress Day 1

After breakfast we each meet in the ‘families’ that we had been assigned to. Fortunately for us we are all in different families which allows us to get to know more people.

Following the formalities and ice-breakers, we again got to work with inviting people to our three workshops (Meditation and Healthcare, Meditation and Education, and Meditation and Music) that will take place over the next few days.

Many people have expressed that they are interested in learning more about how to meditate.

In the evening a formal ceremony took place to welcome all of the attendees to the WYC. In addition that night the Exhibition opening took place. Our first group of people came and took their realization. Until the closing around 15-20 people came to have the experience of pure, simple and true meditation at our both.

All those who tried the meditation were invited to join us for morning meditations daily at 7am outside.

(Pictures will follow soon – thanks for your patience)

The World Youth Congress Begins

On Saturday July 31st the 10 of us were brought to the WYC which is taking place at Yildz Technical University Campus in Istanbul. We quickly went through registration and then got to work.

We began introducing ourselves and handing out our ‘Meditate to Regenerate’ invitation/business cards to everyone. Then we went to set up our booth for the exhibition that is to take place from August 1st to August 5th.

We were all feeling full of excitement and joy. Over 1500+ bright and inspiring youth are here from 150+ countries! What an awesome place to be!

(Pictures will come soon)

All Night Concert In Istanbul – July 30th

Last night our music group went to the Ortakoy Market in the middle of Istanbul to play qawwalis and other cultural performances all night long.  We came early to set up a stage with about 15 musicians, including our Turkish friends.  For 6 hours, we played qawwalis, danced bollywood and classical Indian dances non-stop.  Intermittently, one of us would stand up and tell a short experience that we had about meditation and then lead a short introductory meditation (which was all translated into Turkish).

The night was insanely fun, by the end we were surrounded by over a hundred people who were all clapping and dancing to the very famous Dam Mast Kalandar.  Then, while we were singing last song, Ali Moula, fireworks burst out across the sky giving us the perfect ending to our night.

We’re Here!!

July 29th: 2 Days before the Congress

Within two days the ten of us (from Russia, Australia, America, Austria, and England) finally arrived in Istanbul and met up in a beautiful house on the Eastern side of the city.  We ate, slept, got up early and got straight to work.

We spent the day preparing and assembling our materials for the Congress – packets with a CD for meditation, and a simple brochure that explains all about Sahaja Yoga Meditation with some meditation tips and tricks.  We then stayed up late practicing a bunch of songs that we will perform tomorrow in one of Istanbul’s centers.