LHSG SPREAD HOLINESS ON HOLI

By Monica Gokaldas

The Lotus Healing Seva Group celebrated the festival of Holi in its own unique way. It was unique in two ways; it was celebrated by group members who were not necessarily Hindus, hence the festivity was enjoyed equally by ladies of various faiths. It was also unique in the manner it was celebrated.

On the 5^th of March, about 20 group members spent their morning at the Karura Forest. They conducted a session of Reiki Healings and extended their healing energies towards the flora and fauna surrounding them. They went through a colour meditation guided by the group Leader Kamal Tolia and spread the colour coded energies towards the atmosphere. It was an amazing experience as during the exercise lot of birds, and squirrels found their way to that part of the forest and made their presence felt.

Then the members played Holi with the trees in their own way. The group had planted trees in a specified area three years ago and since then has been keeping a close watch over the nurturing of those trees.  The festival of colours was in its true essence shared by pouring water with the chants of “AUM Shanti” on the trees with the etheric hues of love, abundance, joy, peace, growth, stability and care. All the trees are like children to the group members and have been given their own identity by calling them by their individual names. Each tree received Reiki energy from the group members.

Then some more trees were planted in a very spiritual manner and thus Holi became a festival of new beginnings as well. One might wonder if there is actually a spiritual manner of planting a tree. Indeed there is and at LHSG these steps were followed for tree-planting making it a very special,a very sacred act.

Firstly forgiveness was asked from Mother Earth for having caused it hurt by digging a hole. This was followed by giving reiki to the hole before placing the plant by removing the plastic bag holding it while chanting “Aum Shanti, Shanti, Shanti” continuously. Simultaneously Prayers were said to Mother Earth for accepting the mini tree into its lap and giving it its space and nurturing it. The soil was patted all over the roots and over it making a mound using hands as the reiki energy flowed from the hands of the healers. Finally water was poured down using cupped hands depicting the Hindu method of giving something as an offering with love and respect. To conclude, the members gave Reiki healing to the newly planted as well as the existent trees before making their way out.

Having done that, the group made a promise to the trees to be looking after them, by attending to them at regular intervals, monitoring their growth till they become woody and as tall as our height. This is also in keeping with the Hindu scriptures, where one is told to avoid cutting trees, but having sinned by cutting, one must plant at least 10 trees in lieu of each tree felled and making sure they reach a sufficient level of growth.

Most of us, who boast of having planted trees, have unfortunately never done it this symbolic way and it is the changes coming with such awareness that we may have a happier, greener earth to live upon.