Integral Yoga All Faiths Ceremony

Hari Om!

This is how the Interfaith Ceremony is done at the Ashram:

There is a round table on the stage or in the center of the room with
a big candle at the center and seats for the different
representatives of all the faiths.

At Yogaville, we usually have
representatives for Native American faiths, Native African faiths,
Sikhism, Islam, Christianity, Shinto, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism,
and other known faiths. It is not necessary to have all these faiths
represented. You can even add an additional one like Native
Australian faiths, or Native Pacific Islander faiths.

Processional music is played and the representative walk in in the
religious clothes of the faith they are representing carrying a lit
candle with a wax catcher at the base (usually just a circular piece
of paper to catch the hot wax from dripping on the hand). As they
approach the table, the line separates as one person goes to the
left, the next to the right, and so on until they are all standing
before their seats.

In unison they lift the candles and light the central candle. The
representatives then put out their candles with a spoon that is on
the table and lay them down. They all take their seats. The
processional music ends and the first representative stands up. We
play music from their tradition (about 2 minutes). Their music ends
and then the representatives reads or recites a prayer from their
tradition on a particular theme (e.g., oneness, faith, peace, etc.).

There is a basket of flower petals. The representative take a few
petals, circles them over the central light, brings them to his or
her heart and then tosses them at the base of the central. One by one
each representative stands, their music plays, they read the prayer,
throw the petals and then sit down. When all are done, the all stand
in unison, take their candles and in unison light their candles from
the central light. Then they process out to the processional music.

If you have any questions, just let me know.

May we all join together in Divine Grace during the ceremony on 1st November and always.

Om Shanthi.