Events

Fires for Peace ~ Baltimore, Maryland

On Tuesday, April 28, 2015 in the wake of unrest in Baltimore, Maryland, a group of devoted Homa practitioners came together in Druid Hill Park for sunset Agnihotra. The city was the scene of daily protest following the recent death of Freddie Gray, who had died in police custody on April 19th. The young man's death was the latest of several high-profile cases in the U.S. in which black men were found dead after contact with police. On the 28th Baltimore was placed under curfew for five days.

Several members of the Baltimore Homa Community, along with many friends gathered at sunset for five consecutive nights to create a circle of healing Agnihotra fires., meeting near the heart of Baltimore in beloved Druid Hill Park. With helicopters hovering overhead, convoys of military trucks passing by and streams of police cars in full siren mode, we chanted and meditated as birds nearby offered their evening songs.

Agnihotra is the basic practice in the Vedic science of Homa. It is performed daily, exactly at sunrise and sunset, to garner energies from those two powerful points of the day. It helps to eliminate all pollution and restore nutrients to the atmosphere, the soil and the water. One Agnihotra fire generates a great deal of healing energy covering a wide radius. A circle or a group of Homa fires creates a tremendous thrust of love into the surrounding environment.

As the daylight faded away and the fires died, we sang and drummed and shared our thoughts and prayers for a peaceful city. Our spirits were lifted. Our intention was, and still is, to help keep the powerful vibration of love strongly present in Baltimore as we make our way through any periods of intense transformation.

The drumming and singing were offered to assist in creating the healing energies that are generated whenever Homa fire and music are combined. The sunset Agnihotra fires were performed every day until the citywide curfew was lifted and the National Guard troops retreated to their bases.