[The cosponsoring organizations had organized half day yoga and meditation gathering on January 13, 2024 at Brooklyn Heights so that come together for an end to the current conflict in the Middle East. With the death of almost 1,200 Israelis and more than 22,000 Palestinians, and near famine conditions in Gaza, our hearts cannot endure more bombing. The first necessary step to any long-term solution to the conflict is a complete and permanent ceasefire]

Rohan Narine

The Notorious B.I.G. said it best, “Spread love, it’s the Brooklyn way.” Confidently, as the space filled, I can confirm that with everyone spreading love in excess from the start, it is indeed the Brooklyn way. As the Sri Ram Janmabhumi approaches while there is increasing tension between Israel and Gaza, it is paramount that we recognize and confront our violent pasts and pray for a ceasefire in Gaza immediately.

To our brothers and sisters in Palestine, we who met at the First Unitarian Church focused our minds on the disunion of the body from pain. We focused on breathing in our hatred, our anger, our natural insecurities, holding it, and releasing it out allowing those feelings to become extinct from our minds eye. This is our life’s journey.  In a Ras Garba dance, everyone chanted, “Ceasefire now” four times, beginning the clarion call that combined with the boundless love commenced a chant filling the space with an ancestral energy that we pray our brothers and sisters in Gaza can feel through these mere words.

During moments of deep silence, stillness, and oneness, we prayed for an end to violence, to war, and to returning to a world where we all treat each other as one large family. As we strive to envision a real world where these events will never have to be held, we invite you to come as you are, to be your truest self, and to help us grow.

In a vibrant confluence of joy and community spirit, we gathered to amplify the call for global peace, with a heartfelt plea for a ceasefire in Gaza. The day was marked by an outpouring of solidarity, led by our Executive Director, Sunita Viswanath, and the inspiring Garnett Losak, Director of Life at the First Unitarian Congregational Society in Brooklyn. Their leadership and welcome set the tone for a space where celebration, practice and advocacy merged into a powerful force for change.

A rich tapestry of diverse practices was shared, each centered on the unwavering goal of peace. The energy in the room was palpable, as practitioners from various backgrounds led sessions that resonated with the theme of harmony and understanding.

One true gift on the day was Pratima Kushmani Shridevi Doobay, a Ceremonial Priestess, sacred artist, and Human Rights Activist from Shridevi Arts. Her voice, presence and guidance brought a profound sense of purpose and connection to the gathering.

Also read: Hindu Leaders From Around the World Denounce Hate

The day was further energized by the creative genius of Parijat Desai, an acclaimed choreographer, who reimagined and refashioned Garba and Dandiya Ras into movements that transformed traditional dance into a unifying force for communities working tirelessly for social justice.

Adding to the rhythmic heartbeat of the event was KIirtan with Zander of the BROOKLYN KIRTAN COLLECTIVE. The collective’s soul-stirring melodies and chants provided a sonic backdrop that uplifted spirits and strengthened the communal bond.

Also read: Hindus have a special responsibility to denounce hate speech and violence

This was a day where every smile, every dance step, and every note of music echoed the underlying commitment to human rights and dignity. It was a day where we not only envisioned a world of peace but actively participated in its creation through the joyous power of community and shared aspirations.

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Courtesy: Hindus for Human Rights (Received through email) 

The post YOGA FOR CEASEFIRE first appeared on Sindh Courier.

The eighteen organizations and 41 Hindu leaders from around the world issue joint statement declaring that they stand with their Muslim siblings

Sindh Courier Report

New Delhi

Denouncing the hate and violence against Muslims in India, the eighteen organizations and 41 Hindu leaders from around the world have issued a joint statement declaring that they stand with their Muslim siblings.

“As Hindus, we are called to recognize that the Divine resides equally in all living beings. This recognition requires that we affirm the dignity of all beings and practice the virtues of non-injury (ahimsa) and compassion (karuna),” the statement says.

“Sadly, as we write this letter, we are seeing increasing violence against our Muslim siblings in India, carried out in the name of our faith.”

“As representatives of diverse Hindu traditions with deep histories, we are dismayed to see Hindu leaders in India and abroad openly embracing Hindutva—a century-old political ideology that sees citizens of other faiths as inherently foreign and not qualified to enjoy the full benefits of Indian citizenship. The images and videos of saffron-clad sadhus, sadhvis, and swamis calling for genocidal violence against millions of Indian Muslims in December 2021 are a chilling sight that we cannot ignore. And since the so-called “Dharma Sansad” in Haridwar, we have seen Muslim women put up for “auction” on an app created by college students, and hijab-wearing Muslim girls being denied their right to equal education in Karnataka.”

“The time is long overdue for Hindus around the world to break our collective silence and speak out against this hate that violates the deepest teachings of our tradition.”

“Some may wonder: why are we speaking about Indian Muslims when we know Hindus are under attack in other countries? Our answer is clear: the only way we can break the cycles of religious violence across South Asia is if we stand up for each other’s right to thrive and live with dignity. Violence against Hindus and other minorities in countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh does not, in any way, justify violence against Muslims and other minorities in India,” the statement argued.

By signing this letter, we pledge:

To speak out against anti-Muslim words and actions whenever they show up in our communities;

To build and strengthen relationships with Muslim neighbors, leaders and institutions in our communities;

To keep our temples and homes open to all, irrespective of religious background;

To commit to the teachings of religious freedom and social justice at the heart of our traditions that challenge notions of religious nationalism, casteism, and hatred for our brothers and sisters of other traditions.

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.

Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

The statement has been signed by following organizations and individuals.

Organizations:

Aryasamaj Mandir (Amritpuri, New Delhi); Bhaktiversity (Delhi); Global Naitik Shiksha Kendra (Delhi/Mathura); Hindu Temple Society of New Mexico (Albuquerque); Institute of Living Universal Values, Ramakrishna Vedanta (Fort Collins, CO); Jyoti Mandir (Orlando, FL); Matri Sadan Ashram (Haridwar, India); Mindful Meditation Yoga (Naperville, IL); Prem Bhakti Mandir (Queens, NY); Purple Pundit Project (New York, NY); Ramakrishna Institute of Spirituality & Hinduism (RISHI) (Pretoria, South Africa); Sarva Dharma Sadbhav Trust (Ayodhya); Shaanti Bhavan Mandir (Queens, NY); Shridevi Arts (New York)Shiva Sai Mandir (Denver, CO); Sifting to the Truth (Brooklyn, NY); Spirit of Love (Azusa, California) and United Madrassi Association, Inc. (Jamaica, NY).

Individuals:

(Institutional affiliation is provided for identification purposes only and does not constitute institutional endorsement)

Abhi Janamanchi, Senior Minister – Unitarian and Hindu, Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church (Bethesda, Maryland); Akilesh Ayyar, Hindu Spiritual Teacher, Sifting to the Truth (Brooklyn, NY); Aminta Kilawan-Narine, Board Member, Shri Trimurti Bhavan Mandir (Ozone Park, NY); Anantanand Rambachan, Emeritus Professor of Religion, Vedantic Scholar, Saint Olaf College (Minnesota USA); Anu Malhotra, Hindu priestess and President, Mindful Meditation Yoga (Naperville, IL); Babu Baijoo, Raisethorpe Arya Samaj (Pietermaritzburg, South Africa); Brahmachari Sudhanand, Matri Sadan Ashram (Haridwar, India); Brahmacharini Shweta Chaitanya (Atlanta); Chandrasegara, Pandit (Sydney, Australia); Dr. Brahmachari Sharan, Director for Dharmic Life, Dharmic Life (Washington DC); Karuna Mohan, Arya Samaj South Africa (Johannesburg); Khyati Joshi, Professor, Hindu scholar and community member (New Jersey); Krishna Vishnoi, Priest, Jyoti Mandir (Orlando, FL); Medha, Bhaktiversity (Delhi); Nafeeah Kim, Director, Shiva Sai Mandir (Denver, CO); Nicholas Indar, Assistant Pujari, New Jersey Mariamman Kovil (New Jersey); Pandit Manoj Jadubans, Spiritual Leader, Shaanti Bhavan Mandir (Queens, NY); Pandit Naresh Poeran, Shree Maheshwar Dhaam/Stichting Aastha (Rotterdam, Netherlands); Pandit NK Sharma, Founder President, Universal Association for Spiritual Awareness (Delhi); Pandit Sameer R., Hindu Temple Society of New Mexico (Albuquerque); Pandit Sanjai Doobay, Shri Trimurti Bhavan (Brooklyn, NY); Pandita Kushmani Doobay, Hindu officiant, Shridevi Arts (New York); Pandita Sapna Pandya, Hindu officiant (Washington DC); Pradeep Reddy, Board of Trustees, Hindu Temple and Cultural Society (Carbondale, IL); Pratima Dharm, Reverend, Pandita, Spirit of Love (Azusa, California); Pravrajika Vrajaprana, Senior Sannyasini, Vedanta Society (Santa Barbara); Prof. Pankaj Joshi, Ramakrishna Institute of Spirituality & Hinduism (RISHI) (Pretoria, South Africa); Raja Gopal Bhattar, Consultant, Educator, Pandit – Bhattar Consulting Group, Sadhana Spiritual Council (Los Angeles); Ram Saran Bhasin, President, Asamai Mandir (Kabul, Afghanistan); Reshma Persaud, Senior Officer, Philanthropy, Shiv Shakti Peeth (Queens, NY); Rev. Manish Mishra-Marzetti, Unitarian Universalist & Hindu, First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor (Ann Arbor, Michigan); Reverend Mahesh Upadhyaya, Unitarian Universalist and Hindu (Gujarat, India); Sena Lund, President, Afghan-Hindu Association (New York); Shashi Tandon, Hindu priestess (Chicago); Shivam Bhatt, Hindu priest (California); Sivea Key, Organizing Member, Institute of Living Universal Values, Ramakrishna Vedanta (Fort Collins, CO); Sushma Dwivedi, Progressive, Inclusive Pundit, Purple Pundit Project (New York, NY); Swami Narayan Das, Global Naitik Shiksha Kendra (Delhi/Mathura); Swami Shivanand Saraswati, Founder, Matri Sadan Ashram (Haridwar, India); Vijah Ramjattan, Acharya, United Madrassi Association, Inc. (Jamaica, NY); Yugal Kishore Sharan Shastri, Sarva Dharma Sadbhav Trust (Ayodhya).

The statement has also been circulated across the India and around the world with Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam translations.

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Sindh Courier has received this statement through mail from Hindus For Human Rights on a Google group of publishers, writers and intellectuals.

The post Hindu Leaders From Around the World Denounce Hate first appeared on Sindh Courier.