Sahaja Yoga Meditation Australia

Sierra Leone countryside

It is July 2008, just one year since finding Patrick Sheriff alive in Bo, Sierra Leone, after eighteen years of no contact. That was in itself an amazing event following the chance meeting with the Sierra Leonian lady in a shopping centre in Toowoomba, Australia, nine months earlier. So much has occurred during the past twelve months.
 
July 2007 quickly became October 2007and we found ourselves sitting at Shri Mataji’s feet discussing the possible Tour of Sierra Leone in March 2008. That promised date soon took place and we found ourselves landing at Lungi Airport on 7 March after many vexing pre-flight preparations. Patrick was on such a high as he met us at the airport. It was 21 years since he visited Shudy Camps in England and met other yogis and later on Shri Mataji. 

          

During the 4-week Sierra Leone tour, six Sahaja yogis flew in from other countries to support the daily activities. Every day the public found us at Aberdeen Beach waiting under the twin trees. Simply, people came and sat on the sand with hands out and gained the experience of Self-realisation without too many questions. Day after day this was happening from 8.00am onwards.

 

We made contact with the manager of ABC TV in Sierra Leone, and thanks to his good nature we had radio announcements telling about the beach programs across from the UN helicopter pad. Also he agreed to broadcast a DVD of Shri Mataji followed by a live interview on television. The public were able to call and ask questions live as we sat in the studio and replied on screen. This session happened at peak viewing time and lasted for one hour.
 
He advised us that the Ballanta Music Festival was happy to allow us space during their event. We found our way there and put up our poster. Soon people were sitting in the chairs provided and taking the opportunity that was offered. Suddenly, a lady came around the building and her face lit up. She was the Principal of the Ballanta Academy of Music. She was so pleased to meet us as she had gained Self-realisation nine years earlier in the USA and never imagined Sahaja Yoga would be in Freetown. Over the past two months she has been holding Sahaja Yoga weekly meetings in Freetown.
 
Once we were invited to a dance troupe and 120 people or more felt the Cool Breeze. Day by day, many more found us on the beach. Once we had some children sitting with us and we asked one if he would sing a song for us. Immediately he spoke up and recited the Koran for us for the next thirty minutes. Who are these souls? Shri Mother’s children!

 

One day we only had about a dozen people with us and a man was walking past along the edge of the water with a rectangular board under his arm. I motioned to him to come but he kept walking even though he had noticed. I motioned again and he turned towards us. He sat down and took Self-realisation and would not leave us. The next day he arrived with a partially finished sketch of Shri Mataji taken from the leaflets we supplied. Later he asked if could he do another sketch, somewhat larger this time. They were both very beautiful.

 

As April arrived we prepared to celebrate Patrick’s 75th birthday which we all enjoyed. A few days later we were to catch the ferry to go across to Lungi Airport, to leave for home. In the months since our departure from Sierra Leone regular phone and email contact has been going on. Six weeks ago it was decided to set up a Sahaja Yoga ashram in Freetown.
 
Peter Corden

 

Editor: This story is a follow-up to our earlier story about the Sahaja Yoga realisation tour in Sierra Leone in March 2008. It is written by an Australian Sahaja yogi who went to Sierra Leone to help with the tour. The earlier story can be found here.

 

(Photograph: www.sahaja-yoga-sl.org)