Daijiworld Media Network—Bangalore (CN)
Bangalore, Apr 11: ‘Outreach of the Spirit’ was the theme of the interfaith residential retreat organized by the Karnataka Bishops’ Commission for Dialogue in collaboration with the Ashirvad Interreligious Harmony Movement and held recently at the Asirvanam Benedictine Monastery Retreat House, here.
Of the 60 participants, 26 were Hindus, 23 Christians (including 5 CSI), 3 Muslims, 4 Buddhists, and 4 Jains. Of these, 8 were from Chikmagalur, 1 from Bellary, 3 from Belgaum, 2 from Mangalore, and the rest from Bangalore district.
This was one retreat where there were no talks or lectures but only meditation, reflection, and sharing. There were four sub-themes: my relationship with God, my relationship with others, with nature and with myself.
Each of these themes was introduced by a personal sharing by one or two participants, followed by quiet reflection and then personal sharing by everyone in small groups. The sharing was facilitated by a questionnaire.
This group sharing was very enriching as there were members of four different religious backgrounds in each group. This was followed by a common session for clarifications and sharing of highlights of what touched them most.
In order to deepen this experience, it was followed by a prayerful reading of and meditation on texts from the mystics of different religions on each theme. Fr Pradeep Sequeira, Dr Thimappa Hegde, Prof Bharathi Parekh, Dr Nayeemulla Khan, and S R David, were among those who initiated the sharing. Fr Ronnie Prabhu along with Dr Thimappa Hegde and Fr Pradeep Sequeira directed the whole programme.
The general atmosphere of silence, the Yoga meditations in the morning by Dr Thimappa Hedge and Yogini Usha Rani, the interfaith bhajans by Hira Purnaiya and Visuwasam Master, and the session in Sufi dance by Margaret Rebello, the penitential service at the end of the retreat and the intercessory prayer for the group and for all in need (and even the Sunday Mass which many attended), the serene surroundings and hospitality of Asirvanam, all added to the richness of the retreat experience.
About 15 applicants, some of these from Belgaum and Karwar, had to be turned away due to lack of accommodation.