World Festival of the Heart — Exploring the ‘Power of Love’
The World Festival of the Heart is an event to be held in Melbourne, November 2012; it will seek to explore how we can use 'heart-power' to improve the well-being of the world.
Sri Chinmoy has a very famous and much quoted aphorism:
“When the power of love replaces the love of power, man will have a new name: God.” [1]
In an explanation of this, Sri Chinmoy elaborated by saying that here ‘God’ means universality.
He said that when we use the power of love, individuality immediately disappears and is replaced by universality or a positive feeling of oneness; however when we use the love of power, we feel separate and superior, feelings that very often lead to destruction.
Using this deeply insightful and meaningful ideal to build upon, the World Festival of the Heart, an event to be staged in Melbourne, Australia in November this year, was born. The Festival is a gathering of luminaries across the fields of spirituality, science and the arts, to celebrate their wisdom and life achievements, and to collectively explore how we can use “heart-power” to improve the fundamental wellbeing of all life on our planet.
Our world is standing on the brink of a new era and all around us we are witnessing a thrilling convergence of these three amazing fields of endeavour. Festival organisers are planning a three-day program that will explore this “convergence” and the possibilities it holds to change our lives in unimaginable ways.
Festival organisers are creating a program full of activities: workshops, music, dialogue, devotions, performance, concerts, an expo and a grand forum. The program is designed for anyone who has a passion for life, for the world and our future. Themes for Festival participants to explore will include:
- The Great Mystery: life, consciousness and the universe
- The Universal Heart: recognising the oneness in diversity of all life
- Creative Living: using heart-power for a healthy, happy and harmonious life.
Further information and contact details for the Festival can be found at www.festivaloftheheart.org.
Footnotes[1] Sri Chinmoy, 1970, Meditations: Food For The Soul
Stories
First-hand experiences of meditation and spirituality.
Spiritual Friends
Preetidutta Thorpe Auckland, New Zealand
Reflections on meditation
Janaka Spence Edinburgh, United Kingdom
The oneness of all paths - personal experiences
Nirbhasa Magee Dublin, Ireland
Meeting Sri Chinmoy for the first time
Janaka Spence Edinburgh, United Kingdom
I was just so transported by the atmosphere
Pulak Viscardi New York, United States
A Truckload of Humanitarian Aid Sails through Customs
Arthada Platzgummer Vienna, Austria
Why run 3100 miles?
Smarana Puntigam Vienna, Austria
The Impact of a Yogi on My Life
Agni Casanova San Juan, Puerto Rico
I just knew from the moment I saw him
Ashrita Furman New York, United States
'When you perform for me, always choose devotional songs.'
Gunthita Corda Zurich, Switzerland
The happiest I've ever been
Gabriele Settimi San Diego, United States
Sri Chinmoy's opening meditation at the Parliament of World Religions
Pradhan Balter Chicago, United StatesSuggested videos
interviews with Sri Chinmoy's students
My well-scheduled day
Jayasalini Abramovskikh Moscow, Russia
Beginnings of a spiritual journey
Mahatapa Palit New York, United States
My typical day
Pranlobha Kalagian Seattle, United States
How Sri Chinmoy appreciated enthusiasm
Prachar Stegemann Canberra, Australia
My spiritual search from childhood
Hemabha Jang Jeonju, South Korea
My first impressions of Sri Chinmoy's philosophy
Lunthita Duthely Hialeah, United States