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- A Table for
Peace for each continent -
Peace, peace upon
all the earth…
Not the peace of an inconscient sleep or a self-satisfied
inertia;
Not the peace of a self-forgetful ignorance
And a dark, heavy indifference,
But the peace of the omnipotent force,
The peace of perfect communion,
The peace of integral awakening.
(The
Mother)
George Nakashima
George Nakashima,
renowned Master Woodworker who was born in the United States
but worked in a Tokyo architectural firm prior to World War
II, came to Pondicherry in 1937 to help design and build
Golconde, Mother's beloved guest house in the Ashram. He was
so touched by Sri Aurobindo and Mother that he gave up all pay
and lived as an Ashramite for the two years he was in Pondy.
Sri Aurobindo gave him the name Sundarananda, 'One who
delights in Beauty', and Sundarananda continued as a devotee
for the rest of his life. He died in 1990.
Tables for Peace,
3.6 by 3.6 mtr,
one for every continent on earth
Some twenty years ago, Nakashima conceived the idea of
offering to each continent of the world a Table for Peace,
crafted from two great 300-year-old Eastern Black Walnut
Trees.
These trees had grown into extraordinary natural phenomena in
the state of New York, something that, he said, "occurs
perhaps only once in the history of a nation". They were
about 1.5 metres in diameter at the small end, 2.1 metres at
the flare, and 3.6 metres long. Their majesty called for a
symbiosis of nature and man in the deepest spiritual sense,
and Sundarananda felt the ultimate creative concept of their
presence: "The only true destiny of these noble trees,
favoured to grow as none of their peers were able to, is to be
used in their full length and width."
Two adjoining
slabs opened to match to make the most expensive pieces of
furniture ever, Tables for Peace measuring 3.6 by 3.6 metres,
one for every continent on earth, was the answer.
A token of man's
aspirations for a creative and beautiful peace
In 1984, Nakashima related an experience he had had a few
years earlier when he received the huge trunk of a walnut tree
in his Pennsylvania studio. As he later wrote, "In a
small but firm voice, [it] asked to be realised" as an
Altar for Peace. "It will be a symbol, a token of man's
aspirations for a creative and beautiful peace, free of
political overtones; an expression of love for his fellow man.
We have become so basically disoriented with our blind faith
in science and technology without spirituality, it has brought
us to the pit of madness."
Peace Table for
USA in New York City
Ten years ago, on
New Year's Eve, the first Table was placed in the Cathedral of
St. John the Divine in New York City. That auspicious night
the beautiful ecumenical Peace Table of black walnut was
dedicated with a concert for Peace conducted by Leonard
Bernstein and blessed by representatives of the religions of
the earth before diplomats of many nations. In the ensuing
years prayers for peace in all tongues and traditions and by
all people have been offered there. When Sundarananda passed
away in 1990, mountains of flowers were lovingly placed upon
the Table at the interfaith memorial service.
Peace Table for
Europe in Moscow
Some time ago, on
the 24th of September 1995, a second Peace Table was dedicated
at an interfaith celebration for the Fiftieth Anniversary of
the United Nations in the Cathedral of St John the Divine. Its
concluding ceremony, which included a keynote address by
Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Secretary General of the United
Nations, also included talks around the table by Mark Dixon,
the great grandson of Winston Churchill, and Ela Gandhi, the
granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi. The ceremony included a
three-hour pageant with prayers and songs from representatives
of many religious faiths. The ultimate destination of this
second Peace Table was to be Russia, where it was officially
placed and inaugurated on June 26th, 2001.
Peace Table for
Asia in Auroville
The 29th of
February 1996 marked the inauguration of the third Peace
Table, placed in Auroville. The 29th of February was called by
the Mother 'The Golden Day", for on this day in 1956 the
manifestation of the Supramental took place upon earth.
"There have been all kinds of predictions, by all kinds
of prophets; it had been said, 'There will be a new heaven and
a new earth, a new race will be born, the world will be
transformed…' On this day, a new world was born."
It was on this
date, 29th February 1996, that the Table of Peace was
installed in the City of the Future, where the Centre of
Indian Culture graciously received it on behalf of Auroville
until its final destination, the Hall of Peace (Auroville's
future town hall, situated in the area which Mother called
Peace), will be ready to receive it.
May this Symbol of
Peace be a token of humanity's aspiration for peace between
the peoples of the world, for love for all mankind, for peace
within ourselves.
See also: www.nakashimafoundation.org
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