Foreword

On April 27, 2000, responding to the intense longing of many sincere souls, our beloved Master finally graced the Land of Long White Clouds -- New Zealand. (Note: the Maoris, the native people of New Zealand, call their country Aotearoa, which means 'Land of Long White Clouds').

The venue for the lecture was the Aotea Center in Auckland, a popular site in New Zealand for international conferences and performances. Fellow practitioners exquisitely decorated the huge stage using a beautiful background that consisted of a blue sky and white clouds. The edge of the stage looked like waves moving in a blue sea. The green mountains and trees on stage created a warm and natural feeling, while the brilliant sunrise in the middle perfectly matched the infinite radiance of our loving Master.

Maori Ceremony to Welcome Master

The Auckland lecture program began at 7:00 PM, and the several thousand seats were soon occupied by an earnest audience waiting for The Supreme Master Ching Hai to talk about how to experience the divine realm of heaven. That night, Master wore a striking short-sleeved dress suit with a long, close fitting skirt in light pink, decorated with tiny blue and purple flowers. She wore Her hair with two short plaits hanging down from Her temples, which added to Her gorgeous and dignified appearance.

While fellow initiates were sharing their personal experiences with the audience, a group of Maori people outside the venue performed a traditional Powhiri ceremony to welcome Master to New Zealand. A Powhiri is more than just a welcome; it is an acknowledgement of the dimensions of spiritual, physical and mental wellness. This introduced Master for the first time to Maori customs, which are an important part of New Zealand's heritage and Maori life.

A Powhiri is a way of life to the Maori people. On a physical level, the physical presence of the person being welcomed is acknowledged. In that acknowledgement, reference is made to the essence of the spiritual dimension of those who have died in the year, the month, the week and the day belonging to the person whom you are welcoming, and in particular, Manuhiri Tuarangi (those who have traveled across the seas). Reference is also made to the essence of the rivers and mountains, which joins with the essence of those Tangatawhenua (native peoples of New Zealand) who have passed over. The physical presence of the person being welcomed is a visual representation of the physical and mental dimensions.

A "Kaumatua", the Maori Leader, welcomed Master to our shores, thanking the Creator for the safety of Her journey, while verbally connecting all the different aspects of the "Powhiri". On this occasion, the "Kaumatua" was also a spiritual leader of the Maori. He then thanked Her for the tremendous work that She is doing for the higher good of all people. He said that as Tangatawhenua we have a responsibility and accountability to our people to Manaaki (embrace and host the Master with the reverence She deserves), and finished his speech by calling on the Creator and the holy angels to bless Her and Her stay in New Zealand, and to continue to support Her in Her journey.

Next, a "waiata" (song) about the gentleness and beauty of the female energy was sung by the Hato Petera (St. Peter's) Culture Group. The second waiata was a welcome to the shores of Aotearoa (New Zealand). Master was then given a "hongi" (a pressing of the nostrils and forehead or third eye area together, thus sharing the breath of the spiritual life force on all levels). This is a sacred greeting of the Maori given to those considered to be friends. Master then proceeded to give a hongi to everyone in the Culture Group.

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