The “Evening With…” event was traditionally held at our center on December 25th. It had the warm hearty atmosphere, made by all the Sadhakas. Someone prepared his brilliant performance, someone decorated a room with his marvelous works, someone prepared delicious home-made treats ...
Sadhu Andrey together with his girlfriend Marta just brought down the house. That evening they performed an energetic Stilyagi-style dance (similar to The Lindy Hop) with breath-taking tricks like flips and carries.
Sadhu Dmitriy made his own little tea-house where everyone interested could taste different varieties of tea infused in a peculiar manner. That holiday winter evening cups with steaming drink warmed up not only bodies but hearts.
Head Sadhu Mikhail and Sadhu Eduard sang old good song about dynamic aspect of God “There is just an instant…”
Spouses Polina and Pavel sang lullabies which they usually sing to their little son Ilya before bedtime. Now it`s clear why birth in the family of yogis is thought as a very big luck.
Head Sadhu Marina fervently performing her art song showed both her vocal and dancing skills.
Read by Senior Mentor Georgiy sharp poem about his way to God moved the most subtle strings in hearts of everyone present.
Sadhu Igor read very hearty and sincere poems of his own composition.
Altyna read her own poem Egoist:
Today: you are loved for a piece of cake
Tomorrow: they want one piece more
The day after tomorrow you`ve failed to share this piece
You run out of cakes
One second from after tomorrow: you are forgotten
You are not welcome without a cake
One instant from death: they sighed with relief …
With this poem she slightly puzzled some listeners. “Yeeah, it`s deep, but …obscure”, - came up a few voices out front. It often happens this way, the deepest and inmost is not always evident at once. Àccompanying herself on the guitar Altyna also sang a song in English for us. Every attendee sincerely greeted Altyna with applause.
Head Sadhu Gennadiy turned out to be not only a wonderful artist (everyone knew it long ago!), but an outstanding poet. His sly poems opened the story about the new amazing paintings he exhibited before public.
Head Sadhu Maria modestly showed her pastel drawings. These magic meditative works excited admiration in all the aesthets` souls.
Sadhu Nadezhda astonished everyone with her decoupage crafts: she masterfully changes the simplest things (bottles, planes, casket) into masterpieces.
It`s not the first time that Natalia brings her paper art works to the center. Turns out that in capable hands even such a simple material as paper may take the most different forms: from watches and decorator figures to construction kits. Showed works drew sincere admiration for Natalya`s mastery.
Some artists hesitated to come to the stage and tell about their works, therefore Senior Mentor Nadezhda sat in for them.
Maria, Margarita, Tatiana and Nadezhda with their paintings one more time proved that Anna Arzamastseva was right when she said that everyone can really paint. Anna is also Sadhu at the center and an amazing artist who taught her devotees to paint.
We can`t help mentioning Elza`s beautiful pictures made from salt dough.
Sadhu Vyacheslav exhibited his photos, made whilst his recent trip to the mountains to his friend`s house. Exceptionally picturesque views of the mountains and the river Vyacheslav complemented with the detailed story about his trip.
Sadhu Irina demonstrated some moves of Korean martial art Taekwondo. Judging by her personal experience it is also one of the ways of spiritual development which works through the body. Being engaged in Taekwondo for years Irina came to integral yoga. There are many roads, but there is one way.
Olga Isakova performed a beautiful and touching song Prayer: “Oh God, give me strength…” If only you saw the eyes of everyone, when they holding their breath were listening to Olga.
Together, we have the strength: Sadhakas` choir sang several well-known songs: “Evening bells”, “Oh, severe frost” and others. It was lively and fightingly. Thank you!
All of us could see a new angle on Sadhu Eugenia – she told us about Sufism and read a couple of wise, beautiful and very strong poems of the poet Dzhalal ad-Din Muhammad Balhi Rumi certainly devoted to God. More than this, Eugenia sang a blessing prayer in Hebrew, which is said before meals by Judaic convention.
Eduard showed his great qualities of a Knowledge Man (Brahman) and prepared his own translation of several Sri Aurobindo`s sonnets Electron and Discoveries of Science. Eduard told us that during his work he was even more amazed with the scale of the genius of Sri Aurobindo.
There came longed-for time to sing Bhajans. Guys prepared three versions of Mahamantra execution. It was exciting and surprising, but without singing beloved Shiva Shambo they were not allowed to leave the stage. Everyone sang along!
Next came the performance of Igor, which he started with the words: “It`s hard to perform after that, but we`ll try”. Igor masterfully improvised on the keyboard. The theme of his improvisation was the Water element. The music flowed gently as if it was rolling us on its waves, preparing the listeners to perceive the poem Savitri versed by Sri Aurobindo. Head Sadhu Ekaterina read the original passages from Savitri in English.
The evening traditionally ended up with Association game. Our guru Mikhail set this tradition up. That evening in that room he wasn`t nearby, but all of us could feel him in the heart of every loving Sadhaka.
At the end of the game Shakti(women) won, but truly won Love, Light and Joy!
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