Lotus webmag holds event on Kashmir Shaivism with Virendra Qazi

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The web magazine, ALotusInTheMud.com, hosted its first public event September 10, 2023, in Hicksville, Long Island, where the chief guest, Virendra Qazi, expounded on Kashmir Shaivism.

About 70 prominent people from Long Island attended the session at the Arya Samaj of Long Island, an event arranged by Parveen Chopra, founder editor of the Lotus webmag.

A press release from Lotus noted that Qazi is “a top expert and practitioner of Kashmir Shaivism, which has been garnering attention even from global spiritual gurus.” Based in New Delhi, Qazi has been holding similar events in many cities in the USA and Canada during his current tour, a press release said.

In his talk, Qazi said Kashmir Shaivism’s central teaching is, ‘I am Shiva’. “So, know that God resides in all of you and you can realize the Divine in this very life.”

Qazi defined Kashmir Shaivism as a universal spiritual philosophy that accepts all elements of life in totality and teaches a path of realization through divine grace. The grace or shaktipat is in us all to a lesser or greater degree, he said.

He advised those present to make humility, love, and compassion their second nature.

“That will give you tremendous blessings,” he said.

He concluded with a brief meditation to give a taste of the follow-up experience sessions he conducts over two days.

In his introduction, Dr Nirmal Mattoo of the Mattoo Center for Indian Studies at Stony Brook University, said Qazi ji has been explaining Kashmir Shaivism to lay people for three decades and had served in leadership roles in the Steel Authority of India.

Dr Mattoo, who is also chairman of Indo-American Arts Council, and co-founder of Atlantic Dialysis Management Services, gave an introduction to Kashmir Shaivism.

Mohan Wanchoo, chairman & CEO at EC Infosystems, and a philanthropist, thanked Qazi for “enlightening us about Kashmir Shaivism and I am sure all in the audience here benefitted as we were almost like drinking from a firehose of his pearls of wisdom.”

Qazi’s discourse was preceded by Hema Qazi rendering devotional songs in Kashmiri and Hindi. She was greeted by Kavita Wanchoo.

Prof Indrajit Singh Saluja, editor-publisher of The Indian Panorama, introduced Parveen Chopra as an editor whose passion for spiritual journalism inspired him to start Lotus magazine.

ALotusInTheMud.com was launched in January, and has been growing its audience at a fast clip, Chopra said, and was at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in August to cover it.

Prominent attendees at the Hicksville event included Dr Buddhadev Manvar, Sunil Hali, Arvind Vora, Arish Sahani, Nilima Madan, and Atul Kumria. Refreshments were arranged by Renu Chopra.

Ashok Vyas, program director for ITV Gold, produced the video recording of the event for his Heramba Studio. Link to watch the video on the YouTube channel of Lotus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCqXZtrBtrM