International Sri Deep Madhavananda Ashram Fellowship –†Yoga in Daily Life International/PPJOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, September 11, 2004: His Holiness, Vishwaguru Mahamandaleshwar Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda and his group of international disciples were warmly welcomed by devoted South African bhaktas on their arrival into Johannesburg, on September 8. Swamiji’s inaugural public lecture to the citizens of Johannesburg was introduced by the Consul General of India Mr. Suresh Gaul, who noted the popularity of Swamiji’s authentic teachings and the Yoga in Daily Life system. H.H. Swamiji shared with them the traditional Peace Mantra “Om Shanti” and they enthusiastically joined in with him.BR
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On September 10, His Holiness, Sri Sahajanandji spiritual head of the Divine Life Society, South Africa, welcomed H.H. Swami Maheshwaranandji at Divine Life Society headquarters in Durban. H.H. SahajanandJi is engaged in tireless humanitarian work, which is improving the way of life for the poorest of the poor all throughout South Africa. To date, due to his immense efforts 180 schools have been established, which provide free education and meals to thousands of indigenous South African children. Proper housing has also been built by the Divine Life Society, providing proper shelters to replace hundreds of shanti-town dwellings. In 2003, Sri Swami Sahajanandji was awarded the highest recognition by the government of South Africa for his humanitarian work.BR
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Another great South African personality was also waiting to meet H.H. Swami Maheshwaranandji — Fatima Meer, who worked with Mahatma Gandhi and is also a close family friend of Nelson Mandela. She has devoted her life to the people of South Africa, fighting for their rights to achieve freedom and liberty, even against great odds such as being beaten and imprisoned. With much respect, H.H. Swamiji praised her as, “a very great soul, a hidden saint”.BR
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Like H.H. Swami Maheshwaranandaji, H.H. Sahajanandji is an activist for interfaith meetings and he was keen for H.H.Swamiji to meet with a close associate, Bishop Shembe — South Africa’s most revered and beloved Christian spiritual leader. The collaboration of H.H. Sahajanandji and Bishop Shembe, has resulted in the Divine Life Society building a Ganga Rani Hall and Sewing Centre on land adjacent to Shembe Village, some 40 kilometers from Durban. It provides spiritual services as well as training in machine-sewing to thousands of unemployed rural people, thereby helping to increase their levels of skills in their search for work.BR
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The day’s program ended with Satsang and Arati, back in the Divine Life Society headquarters. H.H. Sahajanandji gave H.H. Maheshwaranandji a tour of the Shivananda Ashram, which included the impressive printing house that continues the legacy left by Sri Swami Shivanandji — i.e. the printing and binding of his many volumes of spiritual literature.BR
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