By Acharya S.P.Dwivedi
The –“Songs of the Soul” was organized by the Multifaith Action Society with support of ten faiths on June 9, 2012 at Cross Roads United Church, 7655-120 St, in Surrey. The Church hall was fully packed and participants clapped and chanted with the performers and it appeared to me that all were dipped deep in ocean of inner peace and contentment. This unprecedented gathering actually marked the beginning of spiritual awakening in Greater Vancouver.
No doubt, soul is a controversial thing because some people question to its existence and function while there are a sizable number of those who believe in it and call it with different names such as atman, spirit and rooh etc. Perhaps who are largely trapped in social and psychological hang- ups and also with worldly attachments never get chance for attaining inner freedom. People who have gone through this realization are now consciously moving out from the traditional convictions and beliefs to the realm of spirituality because to them it paves the path of harmony and self enlightenment.
The greeting chant was recited by Aline La Flamme of First Nations and following people represented the faiths: Shauna Pratt – Scientology, Avinash Maniram and Rishma bahadur Singh- Hindu, Bruce Harding- Christian, Erin and David Dalley& Sylvia Zeelenberg- Unitarian, Takuya Umeki -Buddhist, Inspired Hearts Choir – Bahai, Danial Farani-Summerfield -Muslim, Lorne Mallin &Charles Cohen – Jewish, Gagandeep Singh – Sikh and Amanjeet Singh accompanied on instrument –tabla. At the end Sukhvinder Vinning of MAS thanked the sponsors-Gurdwaras, performers and guests. All were entertained with sweet pudding and snacks.
