Mumbai / Hyderabad, 18th March 2024: The Global Spirituality Mahotsav concluded successfully with top-notch spiritual heads from various organizations. The session also saw an honor being conferred upon Rev. Daaji by the Commonwealth Secretariat as the ‘Global Ambassador of Peacebuilding and Faith in the Commonwealth’. A string of enlightening talks from various gurus including Shri Bawa Jain ji – Secretary-General for the World Council of Religious Leaders; Dr. Rollin McCraty – scientist, psychophysiologist, Executive Vice President and Director of Research at HeartMath Institute; Dr. Joseph Howell – Founder of the Institute of Conscious Being among many leaders of many other organizations.
Shri Bawa Jain Ji Secretary-General for the World Council of Religious Leaders said, “Silence is the language of the heart. Having a guru is the greatest blessing in one’s life. Oftentimes in life, we come to a crossroads. The more crossroads we come across in life, the more we have built our character to see which path to take. Don’t be afraid to fail because it is what builds us character. If you have a guru, he will point you in a direction that is good for your betterment. One of the greatest qualities of a leader is to put you at ease like Nelson Mandela and Daaji. A great leader builds leaders. Each one of you is a leader because Daaji has sown the seeds of leadership in your hearts. Continue to serve and serve. You will be enriched in life.”
Dr. Rollin McCraty – Scientist, Psychophysiologist, Executive Vice President and Director of Research at HeartMath Institute said, “In the last 30 years we have been fortunate to have scientistic discoveries that validate consciousness, how emotions affect the body by brain waves etc. The heart rate dramatically changes by how we feel. An optimal state where the mind, heart, and emotions all come at synchronization, become heart coherence.”
Dr. Joseph Benton Howell – Founder of the Institute of Conscious Being said, “A little child is full of hopes of what life is to be and it radiates that hope. Sadly, that little child has to go under a crust because of the demands and harshness of the world will not allow the precious innocence to survive in all its purity. We have put on a layer of protection called ego. As this child grows, the ego grows with it. We became a defensive personality. There is a shock point in midlife that takes us in a land of pain and suffering. Now we look for false identities on social media. What is it that we can be if not our ego unless we want to suffer? It is our soul that has a purpose and a meaning and a way with the ego’s help to have it protected. We must return to our first identity which is our true nature.”
The four-day summit was attended by spiritual leaders from all faiths and beliefs on one platform at the world’s largest meditation center. The Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, and the Hon’ble Vice President of India, Mr. Jagdeep Dhankhar, graced the summit on 15 and 16 March respectively. The summit has been brought by the Ministry of Culture (Govt. of India) and Heartfulness themed at “Inner Peace to World Peace”. The conference has emphasized bringing interfaith dialogues and help people of every age and every walk of life connect with spirituality in daily life.
Some of the organisations coming together for the Global Spirituality Mahotsav are the Ramakrishna Mission, Parmarth Niketan, The Art of Living Foundation, The Mata Amritanandamayi Math, Archbishop of Hyderabad, Rev Cardinal Anthony Poola, Shri Chinna Jee yar Swami Ji, The Brahma Kumaris, Patanjali Yogpeeth, Maharishi Foundation (Transcendental Meditation), Isha Foundation, International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, Archdiocese of Hyderabad, Rashtra Sant Tukdoji Maharaj Akhil Bhartiya Shri Gurudev Seva Mandal, Sant Dnyaneshwar Devasthan, Alandi, All India Imam Organization, Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur and the Shri Ram Chandra Mission/ Heartfulness.
Key dignitaries included Shri Chinna Jeeyar Swami – Shri Vaisnavism Guru; Gaur Gopal Das – Motivational Speaker; Pir Zia Inayat Khan – Inayati Order; Abhijeet Halder – IBC; Mata Harjinder Singh Dhami – SGPC; Govind Giri Maharaj – Geeta Pariwar; Dr. Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi – AIIO; Chinna Jeeyar Swami – Shri Vaishnavism; Acharya Lokesh – Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti; Rev. Anthony Poola – Archbishop of Hyderabad; Dr. Jayanti S. Ravi – Auroville Foundation; Ven Geshe Dorji – Tibet House; Swami Atmapriyananda – RK Mission; B K Mruthyunjaya – Brahma Kumaris ; Swami Chidananda – Parmarth Niketan; Shri Rakesh Bhai – SRMD – Jain; Venerable Ananda Bhante – Buddhist Monk; Tony Nader – Transcendental Meditation; Kabir Bedi – Actor; Shekhar Kapur – Actor.
The summit hosted various panel discussions, cultural programs associated with spirituality, an exhibition showcasing India’s spiritual history, narratives of peace, and an immersive experience of spirituality through books and music. There were also panchakarma centers set up for those who wanted to avail wellness and therapeutic sessions. The role of eminent people from film, music, and sports in sensitizing people who partook in the Global Spirituality Mahotsav is also being appreciated.