and Los Angeles who gracefully left her body due to cancer on September 24, 2009.
Colombia defies all that you may ever have in your perceptions of this country. The 8th country on this wonderful Lord of Miracles Tour is a jewel that touches both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The central area is rugged mountains that lead to the coastal plains on both sides and its south is part of the large Amazonian ecosystem. It is a beautiful country with beautiful, vibrant people, who have beautiful manners and very striking features. Despite the negative news that we have heard in the past, their economy flourishes, the government is stable and the quality of life is exemplified in the smiles of its citizenry.
We had thought that we could rest on the six hour flight from Brazil to Bogota but the entire time we were asked so many questions about who we were. It was such a captive audience that for the entire flight the people waited in line in the aisle of the airplane to ask us questions and to have us bless them. This is Colombia! In all of our travels through 61 countries and countless around the world flights we had never experienced this before. By the time we got to Bogota, our 14th city, we were ready to sleep but we had to “hit the ground running”.
Our first stop after we checked into our hotel was a television interview about our tour coming to Colombia. From there we drove one hour across Bogota and proceeded to the auditorium of the Colombian National Police. For five years we have been working with the police teaching them anti stress techniques and how to act, not react, calm their mind, strengthen their nervous system and meditate. It has been extremely successful that now [as you may have read in the SikhNet article from this Tour on Bolivia] the National Police of Bolivia and the Bolivian army want Kundalini Yoga taught to them. On this return visit there were more than 1000 policemen who attended this conference where they learned to meditate, do pranayam and chant mantra. It was an incredible sight to see so many men and women meditating to Gurbani Kirtan.
After two hours with the police we left for “Eterno Sol” Yoga Center which is another 45 minutes away from the Police and taught a conference on Happiness and Prosperity. We combined the mantras of Wahe Guru with Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan and everyone left with such a feeling of joy.
The next day we were teaching separate large business groups in 2 conferences entitled “Expanding during Times of Recession and Crises”. This particular topic is very pertinent to most business in this world economy. In these conferences we share the technology of Kundalini Yoga and the science of breath with mantra and Shabad Guru. It is truly amazing to see how fast this technology is adopted by these major business executives. Later we filmed another television show for cable TV where we discussed the Lord of Miracles Tour. In the evening, we had the privilege of being invited by the wife of the Commandant of the Colombian National Police to dinner. Mrs. Eva Palomino is a woman who works tirelessly for the cause of police families. Her work is well known all over Colombia.
The following morning saw us out the door by 5:15am where we were on the 6:00am “Good Morning Colombia” which is the most watched show in the country. For almost 25 minutes we were asked all the questions you could imagine including who is Guru Ram Das and this Lord of Miracles Tour. The people of Colombia responded so well from this television interview that when we did have the LMT lecture, the majority of the attendees was inspired from this show. All during the interview, the 9 million who watch the show heard “Puta Mata Ki Asis” and “Guru Guru Wahe Guru, Guru Ram Das Guru” as the background music.
The next event that day was to deliver a conference to the 400 security guards of the National Congress. They are in charge of all the Colombian Congress members from both houses as well as the physical capitol buildings. For a solid hour they learned to meditate, calm their mind and listen to their intuition to the beautiful music of Sat Kirn Kaur and Snatam. It was the first time a non-Colombian has ever had the privilege to serve them in this capacity. The response was overwhelming. They especially appreciated the fact that we explained the damala that Ram Das Singh wears. Later, we were treated to a private inner sanctum tour of the Congress and Capitol. Colombia’s rich history and architecture is truly a marvel.
We then had the privilege to be invited by the First Lady of Colombia, Lina Uribe, to the Casa Nariño [Colombia’s White House] for tea. For the next 45 minutes we discussed Sikh Dharma, Philosophy, Kundalini Yoga, Yogi Bhajan and the purpose of our trip to Colombia. The First Lady was engaging, bright, intelligent and truly the Mother of the Country for the past 8 years. She is very well loved by her country for her work with the underprivileged and many other important issues that face women and children. It was a great honor for all of us to be welcomed by this gracious and noble woman.
As if the day wasn’t complete already, we further proceeded to Colegio Tilata in the outskirts of Bogota about one hour away. There are 600 day students who attend this beautiful school and every one of them learn Kundalini Yoga as part of their academic curriculum. They even built a huge yoga room for the students to accommodate several hundred. There we shared banghara, gatka and celestial communication. It is interesting to note that the school administration also takes yoga and they have found that among the students the level of drugs, alcohol, aggression and absenteeism has been greatly reduced. For 5 years we have been enjoying our visit to Colegio Tilata, the only school in the world besides Miri Piri Academy who offers Kundalini Yoga as part of their school day.
As we head back to central Bogota that afternoon we had another conference to give to a group of policemen who are called the “Fuerza Disponible”. This group of the police is known as the Available Force or the additional cops on the street. There sole duty is to act when there is a problem in the city. They are the front line and they are constantly on the go. However, we had the honor to teach a large group of them how to act, not react and to develop and muster their reserve energy when the times demand it. It was a very moving experience for all of us. They were extremely moved by their experience of Kundalini Yoga and the Kirtan.
After another one hour drive back to another part of Bogota, we held the Lord of Miracles Tour lecture to a packed audience. For two hours, they learned to meditate, dance bhangara, witnessed a demonstration of gatka by Ram Das and left uplifted, happy and calm. It was a very beautiful event that ended our 20 hour day.
The final day in Bogota was a wonderful experience of visiting a school in the largest slum of Colombia. More than one million people live in Ciudad Bolivar on the outskirts of Bogota. It is the home to paramilitary, drug cartels, drug dealers, gangs and everything else. To be escorted through this area required no less than three armed police vehicles. When we arrived at the school, 250 children were waiting to receive us. There they presented to us demonstrations in singing, dance and a play of life on the street. It was a very heavy experience to see what young children are faced with in these times.
On our part, we brought langar, backpacks for all, gatka, bhangara and celestial communication. For two hours we had a great time hugging and serving these children. You will see by the pictures their bright yet painful expressions on their faces. It was really a great experience to share these teachings of our life style. They loved chanting “Wahe Guru”!
The next day we found ourselves on a flight to Panama connecting on to San Salvador, El Salvador the 15th city and 9th country on this wonderful 7th Lord of Miracles Tour in Honor of Guru Ram Das.
Reporting from 31000 feet somewhere over Central America enroute to El Salvador.
S.S. Gurubachan Singh Khalsa
Ram Das Singh Khalsa
