Part Two, Report on the World Spirituality Conference

Some of the workshops were presented by yoga centers that were giving free introductory lessons in order to sign up new students to their longer courses.  The most popular course "How to become a Professional Guru," filled up first. (Note: a special report will be published in the April edition of Spiritual Lifestyles).  Second was "Marketing and PR for Satsang Promotions." Ganeshaji, one of the lucky ones to get into the "Guru" course, said she had been researching promising new career tracks, and was thrilled at the prospect of becoming a certified guru.  There was also considerable interest in the course entitled, “Multi-Dimensional Diksha.”  The buzz was that a couple in India had incorporated spiritual practice with multi-level streams of income to be derived by paying 5,000 euro for a Diksha which then entitled the receiver to charge others doing the same thing.

Given the range of "enlightenment" courses involving from one to twelve steps (paths, disciplines, inquiries), those new to spiritual seeking opted for the week-end seminars while veteran spiritual practictioners argued that enlightenment took a lifetime, and most often lifetimes to attain.

New Age practitioners, psychic healers, channelers, astrology and tarot readers were present.   Some of the offerings were: prayer circles, “rescuing the inner child” workshops, seminars on healing various psychological traumas, chakra tuning and balancing, light and sound practices, and the laws of attraction.  The “born again” pundits and those wanting “past life readings” shared the same tent.

On the last day, something happened that changed everything.  The final celebration was held in the big tent.  There were three circular stages where spiritual practices and rituals were demonstrated, such as Sufi dancing, devotional singing, pujas,how to wear and fold monk robes (especially Zen), a spiritual fashion show, correct meditation postures, mudras, Hatha Yoga asanas, levitation, breath control, advanced chakra balancing, to name a few.  Extreme ascetic practices of self-flagellation, mortification of the flesh, hair shirts, sun dance, nonlethal crucifixions (performed on Good Friday in the Philippines) etc. were demonstrated in a curtained-off section.

These in-depth demos took a long time, but attendees were rapt with attention, taking careful notes in their already jam-packed notebooks.  Announcements were made that videos of the entire event would be available to purchase.

When the demonstrations came to an end, just before the MC was preparing to begin the finale of accolades for the conference, a small child with his mother started crying.  The child's mother was heard to ask, "What's the matter, honey?"  The child wailed, "I don't want the circus to end!"  A hush came over the crowd.

Some started whispering, others turned white, and after a few minutes two people got up and left.  Soon, others followed.  Within 15 minutes the big tent was empty.  Silence.  Not a person was speaking, only the sound of receding footsteps could be heard.  Complete silence.

Spiritual Marketing, Inc., the promoters of WSC, has since announced that the next conference is cancelled.  They are now selling second-hand religious apparel, and religious objects.