Sahaja Yoga Australia
 
NSW, Shri Guru Puja

NSW Shri Adi Guru Puja at Balmoral on Sunday 4th July

NSW Shri Adi Guru Puja

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi’s Balmoral Property
Saturday 4th July 2020, 12PM
(Note the original Puja date has been changed to Saturday 4th July 2020, 12PM )

Dear Family,
 
Jai Shri Mataji!

By Shri Mataji’s grace we are planning to host Guru Puja at Balmoral on Saturday 4th July starting on time at 12pm.
 
We will use the old roster for this Puja as the new roster groups have not yet been finalised. There will be no cooking or wash-up groups as no meals or prasad will be served as a result of Covid-19 restrictions.

  • Setup: Rose (Group 8)
  • Dismantle: Hibiscus (Group 4)

COVID-19 Safety Plan for NSW Shri Adi Guru Puja

It is important for all yogis attending Guru Puja to read this email thoroughly and to become familiar with the requirements for taking part in this COVID Safe event.

National COVID Safety Plan

An updated national COVID Safety plan has been uploaded to our website. Life Eternal Trust Australia has provided its undertaking to follow its Guidelines. The LETA plan has been registered with the NSW State Government and has resulted in LETA being registered as a COVID Safe Business. See LETA COVID-19 Safety Plan (Passwood rose246).

COVID-91 Safety Plan for Guru Puja at Balmoral

The Safety plan we emailed you earlier this week has been extensively updated, so please take the time to read all the information below. 

The following areas are covered below:

COVID-19 Guidelines

It is important for those who attend to follow the COVID-19 restrictions in order to keep each other safe and not to put each other at risk.  
 
From 1 July 2020, there are new government rules to keep NSW COVID safe. The number of people allowed inside indoor venues will be determined by the ‘one person per 4 square metre’ rule, with no upper limit and all activity must be seated only.
 
Spaces where yogis can sit will be marked on the floor, and chairs will be appropriately spaced and positioned down both sides of the hall to leave the middle of the hall open so the yogis who choose to sit on the grass at the rear of the hall can see the stage. We ask all yogis attending to please follow these guidelines and not to move the chairs.
 
We ask for your understanding on the day in following the directions of a Councillor or Trustee if it is needed to help ensure that social distancing is followed during the Puja to ensure we are able to host future events. 
 
The intent is to Live Stream the Puja depending on the availability of the internet at Balmoral which due to its remote location can be unreliable.

You should not attend Guru Puja if you:

  •  You or a close contact, such as a family member or household member, has tested positive for COVID 19;
  • You have travelled overseas or to Melbourne in the past 14 days;
  • You have had any cough or flu like symptoms in the past 7 days – this includes fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, loss of smell or taste, fatigue, runny nose, muscle or joint pains, headache, vomiting or diarrhoea;

You should consider not attending Guru Puja if you are:

  • Aged 70 years or over.
  • Aged 65 years or over and have a chronic medical condition.
  • Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander person aged 50 years or over with a chronic medical condition.
  • Immunosuppressed.

Before you attend Guru Puja, you will need to:

  • Register via our COVID-19 Visitor’s Register – this is a legal requirement for COVID-19 contact tracing. Use the blue link below.
  • Available spots have been marked out in the hall  – see Seating Arrangements video below. Due to social distancing requirements, there will only be 150 seats available inside the Puja Hall. Therefore, it is essential that all yogis who are planning to attend to pre-register.  Please do not turn up on the day without registering!
  • We encourage all Yogis attending the Puja to download the Australian Government’s COVIDSafe app.
  • We encourage the collective to bring your own water bottle, snacks, and food and encourage eating outside of the Puja Hall as is practical.
  • We ask that yogis come prepared for the Puja and not use the changing rooms due to the need to observe social distancing.

Plan for congested traffic conditions

NSW School Holidays commence this weekend. Plan for congested traffic conditions and plan to  arrive before 11:30am to register so the Puja can commence as close to the scheduled time as possible.

When you arrive at Balmoral, you will need to:

  • Visit the registration desk upon entering to ensure that we have you listed for the event (this is a government requirement);
  • You will be asked some screening questions to determine if you are able to attend the Puja (see above regarding who should not attend the Puja);
  • Get your temperature checked at the registration desk (contactless).  Anyone who is displaying any symptoms or has a temperature over 37.5°C by law cannot be permitted to enter and will be asked to go home, along with their family members;
  • Clean your hands with hand sanitiser provided at the registration desk;
  • Masks are available at the registration desk for free – see the info in the LETA COVID-19 Plan (link)
  • Follow the signage to enter the Puja Hall via the entrance closest to the dam, and exit via the entrance closest to the amenities block;
  • Always maintain social distancing of 1.5 metres;
  • Please do not sing at the Puja. As singing is a COVID-19 super-spreader the government has asked religious groups to not sing or chant collectively. These regulations apply to all religious groups. Only a few of our musicians will be singing and they will be in the front row facing away from the rest of the collective.  So, please do not sing bhajans including Swagata (welcoming bhajan), Aarti or 3 Great Mantras. Other mantras can be said softly;
  • Avoid hugging. Coming together after a long break the natural desire might be for Yogis to hug each other after such a long absence. This is something that we all need to guard against.  Let us all recommit to the Sahaja acknowledgement of Namaste being a pure spiritual gesture representing the acknowledgement by one yogi of the Divine spirit in the soul of another Yogi in greeting;
  • Observe the signs showing how many yogis can be in buildings such as the kitchen and amenities at a time;
  • Clean Foot Soak buckets with detergent before and after use;
  • Families with young children are encouraged to bring their own hand sanitiser and be aware of the importance of hand hygiene for their children.

Video – Seating Arrangements in Puja Hall

Balmoral Seating Arrangements for Guru Puja 2020

Balmoral Seating Arrangements for Guru Puja 2020

Due to social distancing requirements, there will only be 150 seats available inside the Puja Hall. Available spots have been marked out in the Puja Hall.

Other information

We really do appreciate the efforts of all yogis in keeping everyone safe. 
 
Thanks also to all the yogis who provided advice.

We hope you all enjoy a wonderful Puja in Balmoral!

Guru Puja week – morning meditation Cabella 28th June 2020

HH Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi – Guru Puja week – morning meditation Cabella 28th June 2020

Love,
NSW Councillors and Trustees.