Report from California, USA

Music & Poetry Center Anniversary Celebration

 

[Los Angeles] The first anniversary of the Supreme Master Ching Hai Association's Music & Poetry Center in the Little Saigon area of Orange County coincided with the Lunar New Year holiday on January 27. Although weather forecasters had predicted rain, with Master's blessings, it turned out to be a beautiful spring day with plenty of sunshine in Southern California.

Guests gather to celebrate the anniversary of the Music & Poetry Center in Orange County, California.

In the year since its inauguration, the Music & Poetry Center has established itself as a tranquil place to learn about the spiritual teachings, humanitarian work, and artistic talents of Supreme Master Ching Hai. A large number of people have visited the Center's book department to inquire and learn more about Master's teachings, and many have since adopted a vegetarian diet and begun to practice the Quan Yin Method.

Over a hundred fellow practitioners and guests participated in the Center's first anniversary celebration, and enjoyed a delicious array of vegetarian dishes. Many of the guests expressed their delight and enjoyed themselves very much without any thought of leaving the Center, where peace and harmony prevailed. One of the VIP guests, Mr. Do Thong Minh, an Aulacese native living in Japan who holds a Ph.D. in literature, has written a Japanese-Aulacese dictionary and many other books, and is a special correspondent from Japan for the local station Little Saigon Radio. Having become acquainted with Master and Her great achievements while in Japan, Mr. Do visited the Center during his trip to the United States over the Lunar New Year holiday. He happily accepted our New Year's gift of the musical release, "One World ...of peace through music" and Master's "Wu Tze Poetry."

The day's guests also included many viewers of Master's TV program, "A Journey through Aesthetic Realms," produced by the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association's Entertainment Team. Among them was the bereaved wife of the famous Aulacese singer Si Phu, Ms. Ngoc Lan, who informed us that if she could meet Supreme Master Ching Hai, she would express how much she and her husband missed Her. The couple attended the "One World ...of peace through music" charity concert in 1998, and were very touched by the performance, which could be seen as she spoke with us. Also, she said that each Saturday she watches "A Journey through Aesthetic Realms" on TV. Ms. Ngoc Lan was especially touched to receive our condolences on the program when her husband passed away in July 2000. While expressing gratitude to Master and the program producer, she revealed Si Phu's great admiration for Master and said that he believed Her meditation method was the highest, although there are many other theories in the world. Ms. Ngoc Lan is now a vegetarian. Before she left the celebration, in memory of Mr. Si Phu, we presented her with the videotaped program in which Si Phu receives special mention. As she accepted the video, Ms. Ngoc Lan was deeply touched and expressed her gratitude to Master for this meaningful New Year's gift.

A Chinese couple who regularly watches the program also attended the celebration. For many years, the husband had been meditating using his own method, while searching for a true teacher. After becoming familiar with Master's teachings through the program, "A Journey through Aesthetic Realms," he decided to visit the Music & Poetry Center to learn more about the Quan Yin Method. The couple left the Center with many sample booklets and News magazines, and on the following day, the husband came to the Los Angeles Center to learn the Convenient Method.

Over the past year, many people have regarded the Music and Poetry Center as a ray of light shining in the darkness. With Master's Lunar New Year's Greeting, we are happy to have celebrated the holiday and the first anniversary of the Center, which shares Master's spiritual message with the public through music and literature.