Great Beings program at the National Gallery of Victoria 25th June 2006

Goddesses of all traditions were honoured on Sunday 25^th June as the Great Hall at the National Gallery of Victoria became the venue for a remarkable day of talks on great women saints. The program was the inspiration of Swamiji who noted in his introduction that, “Great Beings are the heart and soul of the spiritual process. Not only can they guide others on the Way, but their stories rivet and transfix”. 

The day began as the crowd of over 700 listened to ‘yoga jazz’ by Ganesh (on sitar) and musicians from the Shiva Yoga ashram. Isobel (Lilavati) Crombie  then  welcomed the guests to the Gallery remarking that it was a perfect venue for interfaith events as art and spirituality are so closely aligned.

The Great Beings program featured three inspiring women speakers: our own Ma Devi Saraswati, Ms Susan Carland (from the Islamic Council of Victoria) and Dr Claire Renkin from the  Melbourne College of Divinity . Ms Carland began the program speaking about the inspiring life of the Sufi  poet saint, Rabia , and especially her concept of 'radical love'.   Dr Claire Renkin  then focused on the ever timely topic of Mary Magdalen .  She delved into both the historical and interpretative aspects of the Magdalen's life in order to, "clear up the muddle of the Mary's". 

Ma Devi  finished the individual presentations with a talk on the esctatic 12th century Hindu saint, Akkamahadevi,  whose poetry revealed her as a passionate lover of God. Ma Devi finished with a short meditation that  focused on the Inner Self and brought  to life the essential teaching of all Great Beings - no matter  what tradition  they are part of .

The day concluded with a panel discussion  and animated questions from  a crowd who were clearly enjoying the shakti, or spiritual energy, of the day.