Deeksha Giving, Awakening to Oneness, Moola Mantra, and The Beatles are a few things that were found at the first night of this year’s Interfaith Month. This event took place Thursday, Feb. 3 at the South Valley Unitarian Universalists Society in Cottonwood Heights.
Josie Stone, a representative from the Interfaith Roundtable, was the first speaker of the night. She explained that Interfaith Month started back in 2002, when Salt Lake City hosted the Winter Olympics. According to Stone, the city created the Interfaith Roundtable to provide Olympic participants with the with the option of being “able to go to their places of worship” during their time in Salt Lake.
“It was so successful that in those intervening years between then and now, that committee has stayed in effect, and it has grown and represents most of the faith groups and cultures and the different organizations that are based in our valley which are extremely diverse,” said Stone.
Janet Eakin, and Linda Beal, resident Deeksha Givers, introduced themselves and then discussed their background with Deeksha Giving. Both are certified Deeksha Givers, completing four levels of training in the US, Fiji, and India. They both have been involved in this work since 2008.
“Deeksha is dogma free and it does not belong to any religion or belief system,” said Eakin. “If you are religious it will deepen your experience with God, if you’re not religious it will deepen your experience with life.”
“No matter what your beliefs are, no matter what your religion, having the Deeksha Oneness blessing will strengthen your connection with the Divine,” said Eakin.
“[Deeksha blessings] strengthens whatever belief you have,” said Beal.
“We begin by playing the Moola Mantra,” said Eakin. “It is a Sanskrit prayer that is thousands and thousands of years old. We will all hold hands and sing this Moola Mantra together; it evokes the Divine presence to be here with us. After we sing the Moola Mantra together then the Deeksha givers will stand up…stand in front of you…they will place their hands on your crown chakra…they simply channel the Divine grace.”
She continued by saying that everyone feels something different; some people may not feel anything at all. She said to make sure to pay attention to the following week after your Deeksha, and you will notice a difference, like more inner peace and love.
Eakin then asked that when everyone hears The Beatles’ song Imagine, to stand up and sing along, to conclude the whole Deeksha process.
More information about Deeksha blessings can be found by visiting awakeningoneness.com.