Asala Festival Service
|
The Asala Festival, which is also known as the Festival of Humanity, the Festival of the Christ, and the Festival of Goodwill, will be conducted by Arani (Annie Mai) on Tuesday, 14 June at 7:30 pm (AEST). The Asala Festival is celebrated at the Gemini full moon (moon in Sagittarius) which is at 9:51 pm (AEST) on that day.
We will be using some parts of the Heart Healing Service. You are welcome to join in with this service, and follow the format below in your own rhythm, or you may choose another format. Pre-service mantra If you would also like to utilise the pre-service mantra, it is: I open to the joy and love within. 1. Welcome and Introduction Welcome to the Asala Festival 2022, where I will begin with Ananda’s* words from the Asala Festival 2002: '… this is Maitreya’s** Festival - it is the day, at the full moon, the moment where He reads Gautama Buddha’s first speech to the Hierarchy. It is Maitreya’s Day. It is a day of goodwill.'2 To me, this festival celebrates the combined teachings of Gautama Buddha and the Lord Maitreya - the Way of the Heart which is built upon the Four Noble Truths and the Law of Love. Today, let us think upon the Way of the Heart and the many qualities we learn along the way, and how such qualities enhance our connection to soul where joy, one of the greater qualities, is found. As this festival is also called the Festival of Goodwill, let us begin by thinking upon this quality. Ananda explains about goodwill: ‘When a human being starts to become a person of goodwill, starts to think about others and not only himself or herself, starts to work for others, not only for himself, herself, or perhaps the near family, the soul starts to be felt. ’ Ananda goes on to say: 'The soul comes into action when you serve other people, when you serve the Earth. If you serve yourself only, it doesn't come, it won't live in you. So the soul, which is a much higher self of yourself, comes into manifestation when you live a life of goodwill and service.'3 So at this festival, let us think upon our life, and how goodwill and service may be part of it. We can see this festival as an opportunity to open to the love of the Lord Maitreya and thus have these qualities activated within us, and within the hearts of humanity. We can respond in whatever positive way we are able to in our daily lives: being a kind person, a good citizen, serving, helping as best we can, within our scope of understanding and ability. When we are of service, it is not monetary rewards we receive but more of the inner flow from our soul light, the joy we feel within, for it is the soul light that gives us joy. Ananda explains: ‘Joy is a quality of the soul in comparison to happiness, which is a quality of the personality. Joy is bubbling, joy is enlightening, joy is soul contacting - it is the light of the soul.’4 So today, we will be working with the quality of joy so our higher selves, the soul light within us, may be stimulated to help humanity and the Earth in the best way we can, so goodwill and the ability to serve may manifest in the hearts of all. Importantly, today we can be of service by coming together as a group with heart-felt intent, to send our combined healing light to Earth and to a suffering humanity. 2. Protection of the Cosmic Light Everyone: We ask for the protection of the Cosmic Light. Archangel Michael, Thou art that Light! 3. Attunement to the Heart Ananda will guide us in the 'Attunement to the Heart'. To listen to the attunement, click on the white arrow in the sound bar. Allow a short period to load. |
|
4.
Invocation Everyone: We invoke the Lord Maitreya, the Rising Light of Earth. We invoke the White Tara and the World Mothers of the Earth and the Holy Trinity: the Divine Will of God the Father; the Divine Love-Wisdom of God the Son; the Divine Intelligence of God, the Holy Spirit within the Mother. Blessed Lords and Ladies of the Hierarchy, grace us with Your Loving Presence. Bless this group that it may become a worthy channel in this healing service. Holy Mother of Compassion, show us the way, inspire us divinely as to where the healing is needed the most on Earth. 5. Cleansing Meditation In this cleansing meditation, we will sing to the Mother and we can open our hearts to Her, if we choose. She is there to guide us along the Way of the Heart, towards the Heart of Maitreya. Let us think upon Her love and joy, healing all of humanity. To listen to the song, click on the white arrow in the sound bar. Allow a short period to load. |
Feel free to sit quietly for some moments.
6. Prayer to the Light of Earth Everyone: Lord Maitreya, Thou Rising Light of Earth White Tara, Thou Spreading Light of Earth Son and Daughter of Logos Thou art Heart within Heart Thou art. We pray to You that Your Love for Humanity and Earth may see us through the impending crisis. Give us time to build Your society so that the Children of the Heart will have the knowledge of this society as the seed sown within their hearts, that they may, in lives to come, want to live for You and for all, the Way of the Heart. 7. Singing With the song 'Maitreya Heart of All', we are now preparing for the meditation to follow by seeing our hearts, and the hearts of humanity, opening to this beautiful Master, the Lord Maitreya, the Lord of Love, who is the World Teacher, the Bodhisattva. Ananda says of this song: ‘ When we sing [this] song… we are bringing the Heart of Maitreya close to us. It is in His Heart that we receive the healing and the help that we ask for, when we are healed.’4 To listen to the song, click on the white arrow within the audio bar below. Allow a short period to load.
8.
Healing Meditation We will now move into the 'Meditation on Joy' where Ananda will lead us. The meditation is 27 minutes in duration. There is a part where Ananda mentions the healing of Australia, but please feel free to think upon your own country. Ananda introduces the meditation, explaining a little more about the song we have just sung: 'We have invoked the Heart of Maitreya, [and we have also invoked] the White Tara who forms the gateway through which humanity can walk to enter onto the Way of the Heart, at which end stands the Lord Maitreya to receive, to welcome every soul who comes to know Him as the Christ, the Buddha. And we shall now prepare to receive that light that we have invoked.'4 Allow yourself to relax and open to this light of joy. To listen to the meditation, click on the white arrow within the audio bar below. Allow a short period to load. |
|
9.
Prayer of Gratitude Everyone: Thank You beloved God, Father-Mother, beloved Hierarchy and beloved Grace of God for the help given throughout this healing service. May the Light of Maitreya remain with us, and shine within the hearts of all. 10. Reading of The Great Invocation** Everyone From the point of Light within the Mind of God, There appears Maitreya as the Son of the Sun. Let His Light stream forth into the minds of men, Let His Light stream forth on Earth. Redeemer, Thou hast come. From the point of Love within the Heart of God, There comes Maitreya, the Lord of Love. Let His Love stream forth into the hearts of men, Christ the Risen One is here on Earth. From the Centre where the Will of God is known, Let the Avatar of Synthesis guide the wills of men. Maitreya, Your Purpose is clear. Avatar of Synthesis, make Yourself known. We serve You, Masters of the Light. From the Centre which we call the race of men, Let the Plan of Love and Light work out, And may it seal the door where evil dwells. Let Maitreya restore the Plan on Earth. Let His Light, Love, and Power be with you. **The Great Invocation as given by the Christ to the Lord D.K. has been rewritten by the Christ through Ananda Tara Shan, making it more in keeping with the times. 11. Completion Ananda tells us: 'If we have no joy we cannot manage in this world of stress, ruin, destruction, warfare, ill-will and hatred. Joy is a great protector. If we have joy, we are protected from many of the world sadnesses. If we do not have it , we should develop it.'4 So let joy be our way of completing this festival, listening to the song 'Call of the Dolphins' which contains such beautiful words for humanity. As we listen, we can see joy flow all over the Earth and into the hearts of humanity, opening all to the goodwill within. Please feel free to dance with the dolphins. To listen to the song, click on the white arrow within the audio= bar below. Allow a short period to load. |
|
Thank you for your wonderful participation, and take the joy of Maitreya out into the world.
*Ananda Tara Shan (1946-2002) Mother Founder of Heart Flow Worldwide and The Theosophical Fellowship **The Lord Maitreya has been the Bodhisattva - the Christ of Earth - since the Lord Gautama became the Buddha 2500 years ago. References 1. Welcome to the Church of the Resurrected Life and the Church of the Sacred Heart of Maitreya, The Theosophical Fellowship, Daylesford, 2004, p.3 2. Ananda Tara Shan, Asala Festival, The Theosophical Fellowship, 26 May 2002 3. Ananda Tara Shan, Soul Consciousness, accessed 19/05/2021, <https://www.maitreyatheosophy.org/soul-consciousness.html> 4. Ananda Tara Shan, Meditation on Joy, The Theosophical Fellowship, 23 February 1992 Recordings - Attunement to the Heart, 4 February 2001, tp4a,30-33 - Ananda Tara Shan, Meditation on Joy, Heart Healing Service, 23 February 1992, tp 1328 Music and songs – used with the kind permission of the artists: - Mother Song by Bernhard Wien - Maitreya Heart of All lyrics - Ananda Tara Shan music - by the Group 'Love of Maitreya' - Music behind the Healing Meditation: Call of the Dolphin CD, tracks 1-4, by Ken Davis, https://kendavismusic.com - Music for the completion of the service: Call of the Dolphin CD, track 5, by Ken Davis, https://kendavismusic.com Image by cobalt88 |