Observances
The 2009 Parliament offers the opportunity to deepen your own faith and get to know others. Each morning, a wide range of services - Eastern, Western, traditional, creative, theistic, atheistic and more, will be offered. Don't miss the opportunity to observe the Parliament's vast array of spiritual offerings while celebrating your own.
Religious traditions will include:
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A sampling of confirmed observances includes:
Rev. Ellen Grace O'Brian
The Radiant Path: Meditation Practice and Philosophy in the Kriya Yoga Tradition
Superconscious meditation is a proven method of cultivating inner peace and stillness. This workshop will present the practice of superconscious meditation and spiritually conscious living based on the Kriya Yoga teachings of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra. Through tellenhis method, the practitioner is led into the heart of reality; directly perceiving this unchanging essence within oneself leads to insight into the interconnectedness of all people and all things.
Dharma Master Hsin Tao
Silent Meditation - Ch`an" led by Dharma Master Hsin Tao
Ch`an meditation leads to an awareness of the silence that lies at the heart of all things. Dharma Master Hsin Tao, a Buddhist monk for 36 years, will lead participants in a guided meditation based on breathing and calming the mind as a method of entering into this unifying silence with every breath. This silent meditation reveals an internal space of peace and compassion that leads to the healing of self and others.
Rabbi Or Rose
Contemplative Shacharit (Jewish Morning) Service
Rabbi Or Rose, an associate dean of the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College in Boston, MA, will use the traditional rubrics of the Jewish Morning service to explore several key prayers through song, chant, and silent meditation. Rabbi Rose, an authority on Jewish spirituality, interfaith cooperation, and social justice, will lead this contemplative practice aimed at furthering personal and communal transformation.
Sri Swami Mayatitananda
(Mother Maya)
Observance with Mother Maya
An observance will be led by Sri Swami Mayatitananda, affectionately called Mother Maya. She is a renowned spiritual leader, healer, and world-class educator. An authority in Vedanta and Ayurveda, her loving presence and extraordinary work in healing devastating disease and despair has touched and transformed the lives of thousands. In 1981, Mother Maya founded the first school for Ayurveda Holistic Health education in the US—the Wise Earth School of Ayurveda in North Carolina—a non-governmental organization which continues to flourish today.
Fr. Laurence Freeman
Christian Meditation
Meditation is a universal tradition found in all of the great religions. Christian meditation is grounded in the experience of the Desert Fathers and Mothers of Egypt who, in ancient times, fled a corrupt empire to discover the Divine within the silent heart. Fr. Laurence Freeman, a world-renowned expert on Benedictine Spirituality, will lead participants in a guided meditation to form a basis for interreligious dialog and foster peace in our world.
Kirit C. Daftary
How a Jain Starts the Day: The Rituals
The rituals of Jainism are intended to create harmony among all of the Earth’s creatures: plants, animals, and fellow human beings. This session will present the morning spiritual practice of the two major sects of Jainism. Through a live demonstration, including music, a slide presentation, and Q&A, this session will bring to light how practitioners of Jainism greet each day.
Dharma Master Chung Tai
Invoking Inner Tranquility: Buddhist Chanting and Meditation
The graceful and subtle melody in Buddhist chanting resonates with our pure mind and permeates space with harmony and compassion. Using hand-bell, gong, and the wooden instrument muyu, Dharma Masters from Chung Tai Chan Monastery of Taiwan will lead the assembly with a Chan style Buddhist morning service. It begins with chanting, followed by guided Chan (Chinese Zen) meditation, and concludes with a dedication and blessing: May all sentient beings attain wisdom and be liberated from suffering.
