THE POWER OF OM

This programme was on BBC Radio 4 at 1330 today. Sadly, it's not available to listen again - though this is a pretty good summary, from the programme website itself.

The Power of Om

Reverend Richard Coles explores the world of spiritual sound and meditation and tries to understand what it is about certain sounds and chants which gives practitioners a sense of proximity to the Divine. He tunes into the Om, a sacred sound in several religions including Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism and its vibration is believed by many to be healing. He speaks to the Director for the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, Shaunaka Rishi Das, who states that Meditation is something we all do from childhood, for example when we are focussing on something we want to buy and how to get it or when we kiss, but that it can be used for greater ends

Richard meets neuroscientist Dr Alan Watkins of Imperial College who has worked with the Dalai Lama and his team in Tibet and found that people who meditate together showed signs of "entrainment" in their brain activity, the same phenomenon that allows flocks of birds or shoals of fish to move together. Is this the sense of "one-ness" people talk about when meditating?

Richard speaks to the expert in comparative religion Martin Palmer who suggests that there is nothing inherently sacred about chanting, but that is a trick whose powers can be harnessed by despots as well as for good.

Richard talks to Jem Finer of The Pogues, writer of their greatest hit The Fairytale of New York about his Longplayer project, a musical composition based on the meditative sound of Tibetan Singing Bowls and designed to play continuously for 1000 years.

Richard also hears from the nuns at Saint Cecilia's Abbey on the Isle of Wight who sing Gregorian Chant everyday in its original form. What does the power of the Mother Note in Gregorian chant have in common with the mantra recitations of the Hindu tradition?

Producer: Victoria Shepherd; A Juniper production for BBC Radio 4.

A few interesting and intriguing observations (which I have to put here, faithful reader, since you can't hear it for yourself): how the very act of chanting in unison with other people alters a person's consciousness, affects brain physiology - even on the football terraces, giving one reason why supporters need a regular fix, even when the team they support is rubbish; that in theological terms, Om is analogous to the cosmic microwave background radiation, left over from early periods in the life of the universe after the Big Bang.

COLOURFUL "HOLI" DAY

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Colourful "Holi" Day

Nearly 50 people took part in a history-making 11-mile walk that took in visits and offering of prayers at more than a dozen of Leicester's Hindu Temples – all in one day.

The sponsored walk marked Holi, the Hindu festival of colours, to celebrate the beginning of spring,writes Kamlesh Purohit.

It was organised to raise awareness in Leicester about the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. The walk ended at Cossington Park, Belgrave. Walkers splashed each other with paints and colours – the traditional way of celebrating Holi.

GET (EVEN MORE) INSPIRED!

At the community centre opposite Shree Jalaram Prarthana Mandal (photo above), Narborough Road, this evening, for a meeting with the Get Inspired 2010 team. Get Inspired 2010 will be a public celebration of Hindu life, promoting the diversity of Hindu culture, values and philosophy to people of all ages and from all faiths and beliefs, as well as showcasing Hinduism as a sustainable and environmentally friendly lifestyle for the 21st century and beyond. The organising team are hoping to attract 10,000 visitors to the event itself at Leicester Racecourse and Conference Centre (Saturday 14, Sunday 15 Aug) and are intent on reaching a global audience by creating a lively online presence.

A group of community-minded individuals drawn from virtually all Hindu groups in Leicester is behind Get Inspired 2010. They've come together in recent months locally to promote the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies - an academic institution of international standing. I attended the meeting in this same venue that started the countdown to Get Inspired 2010 (see blog entry, Tue 30 Mar). I was struck immediately by the potential of the event and have been trying to help in any way possible since then. That has consisted, mostly, of introducing some of the organisers to other people in the city whom I believe would be interested in promoting the event by a variety of means, e.g. Amplified Leicester (and relevant legacy projects), Citizens' Eye Community News Agency, CreativeCoffee Club, Global Education Leicester-Shire. I'm glad to say that everyone I've helped come into contact with this project - and with the people organising it - seem only too keen to help.

There are 16 people here this evening, for a meeting that lasts about two-and-a-half hours. We're in a smaller upstairs room this time, as the bigger ground floor space we had for the launch meeting is being used by a yoga class. Attendees speak about the event in general, as well as the particular areas they are assigned to look after:

• Temple Zone - featuring large models of six iconic Hindu temples in India
• Kids' Zone - fun and educational activities, built around the core values of Hinduism
• Grandstand area - focusing on the Bhumi ("Mother Earth") project
• Stage - featuring performances from a range of artists
• Food zone - on-site catering (which will be entirely vegetarian, with vegan options too)

A variety of charity stalls and commercial exhibitors are also being courted to take part in the event.

The main contribution that Leicester Council of Faiths can make is in assuring the success of the Conference Zone. On the Saturday, the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC) are jointly sponsoring a public conference; then on the Sunday there will be an invitation-only event. I've been asked to obtain support from the Council of Faiths for both of these. I am also involved in promoting Get Inspired 2010 through social networking and getting information out to schools.

GET INSPIRED 2010

At the community centre opposite Shree Jalaram Prarthana Mandal in Narborough Road this evening. I've been invited to attend the launch for a forthcoming public celebration of Hindu life, an ambitious event to be held at Leicester Racecourse and Conference Centre over a weekend in the middle of August.

Get Inspired 2010 aims to educate, inform and promote the full breadth and diversity of Hindu culture, values and philosophy as well as to showcase the Hindu outlook on living a sustainable and environmentally friendly lifestyle. It takes as its target audience people from all over the UK, from all ages and all faith groups. It is looking to attract over 10,000 visitors to the event over two days but will also reach out to a global audience through its PR and marketing initiatives.

This event is being organised by a group of community-minded individuals drawn from all Hindu faith groups, who have come together over the last few years to promote the work of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies - an internationally recognised academic institution. I understand it's also building on the legacy of "Get Connected", a successful and fondly remembered event held in Leicester in 2004.

Sadly, I won't be able to attend Get Inspired 2010, as it's being held at the same time as the Summer Sundae Weekender at De Montfort Hall and Gardens (I've just forked out £250 for a three-day family ticket for that!)