Dear brothers and sisters,
During the course of the last couple months we have had some interactions regarding international pujas, specifically about how they came about and the difference (if any) between national and international pujas, and the role of the CC in preparing the schedule. We felt it would be useful to share some background information on this topic.
Shri Mataji inaugurated the tradition of international pujas during the early days of Sahaja Yoga in order to promote and grow a global integration amongst members of the sangha, nationalities and countries. Indeed, working together to welcome their Sahaj brothers and sisters from across the world brought countries closer together, encouraged cooperation and collectivity and we all had a wonderful time enjoying the bliss of our unity and togetherness.
She brought these pujas to many places around the world and a quick look at the list of talks given by Shri Mataji indicates there was no rigidity or fixation on puja venues. Ashrams around the world, which for years had been the venues for pujas ceased to be so and new venues were subsequently used for many years thereafter. This change and variation injected dynamism and freshness into the sangha and each hosting country.
Today, as Sahaja Yoga has spread to more countries around the world, there are many pujas which take place nationally and we have had some questions asked of us regarding why every puja in the world shouldn’t be an international puja, or why every national puja isn’t announced by the CC. It goes without saying that any yogi can attend any puja he/she chooses to attend this has and always will be the case. However, to remove international pujas altogether would defeat the purpose for which our Mother established them in the first place. They are especially important for our collective growth as more and more Yogis attend pujas for the first time.
They foster a movement towards unity and integration. They create a focal point for Yogis to gather together in worship of our Mother. They create those special moments when thousands of Yogis sing the Holy names of our Mother together in perfect synchronization and the many drops together become the larger ocean.
If a country would like to pronounce its own national puja as an international one, it is naturally free to do so. Let us not make the worship of our Mother into a tool to achieve political ends or to prove a point. The purpose of the international puja schedule is to try as much as possible to continue the tradition and culture of gathering in one place to worship our Mother together.
Hosting pujas in countries which weren’t able to do so previously has created tremendous goodwill and benevolent love within the sangha. So many yogis who previously couldn’t travel to Europe or elsewhere for financial/visa issues were able to meet members of their Sahaj family, or maybe put their names for consideration for marriage.
As Shri Mataji talked about the creation of the CC in 2008, She said it should “attend to things”, be “for communication”, and “they should approve”. When Shri Mataji left us in Her physical form, the World Foundation took over the task of preparing the international puja schedule. Upon the formation of the CC in 2011, there was a consensus with the foundation that the role of the puja schedule should move to the CC since the foundation was only responsible for hosting pujas in Cabella, and that its principal focus at the global level was education. This understanding was friendly and complete and the CC accepted this request.
As we return to a tradition that we followed when our Mother was traveling everywhere on this planet, we pray to Her that the global celebrations of our worship across the world will spread vibrations and auspiciousness and give the opportunity to bring together many sisters and brothers that otherwise would not be able to do so. We are deeply grateful for the countries who have volunteered to host Pujas next year and we pray that this beautiful aspect of Sahaj culture might continue for many years to come.
With love and respect, Members of the CC