by Barry Rathner
Jarek and Barry went to Holland for a 12-day tour of the country to meet and encourage the Homa Therapy enthusiasts who seem to be sprouting up all over there.
We left Poland on June 9 and were greeted by Certified Homa Therapy Teachers Dennis Jansen and Gillian Sluiter, a loving and dynamic couple and team. Their enthusiasm and youthful energy buoyed us throughout the tour. Their home in Ulft serves as the centre for Homa Therapy propagation in Holland.
Our second night saw us have lectures at the healing centre of Willy van de Berg and her husband, Frank, in the village of Silvolde. A few persons already practicing Agnihotra attended as did many persons coming to hear about Homa Therapy for the first time.One Dutch family was so impressed with Bhrugu Aranya and Agnihotra that despite having experienced many previous ecovillages, they wanted to relocate to ours.Adjusting to sunsets at nearly 10 p.m. which ended our evening after midnight throughout the tour required a bit of ‘mind training,’ but we pulled through.
Agnihotra presentation at Willie & Franks Home Centre.
The next day we were honoured to be a part of the First National Netherlands Homa Therapy Day in Raalte at the magnificent farm of Marjoleine and Froos Vullings.
For 10 hours, more than 20 attendees were able to experience many aspects of Homa Therapy including Agnihotra Ash medicine preparation, Homa Organic Farming principles, Homa Psychotherapy, Om Tryambakam Yajnya and question and answer sessions.
A detailed presentation on the current state of Centre of Light’s Indiegogo Crowdfunding campaign and future plans for financing unfolded in the form of discussions and videos. This was very beneficial to us and gave us ideas and positive mindsets for the future.
Froos, a business consultant and prosperity seminar leader, along with some other business-oriented persons expressed much support for our Centre of Light project. Some said they want to come visit us and some said they will pass word along about what we are trying to do.
We are grateful to the Vullings for their continued support and their graciousness in hosting extensive Homa Therapy programmes for the second year in a row.
Sunset Agnihotra at Fros & Maria Farm Centre
After returning from Raalte at 1:30 a.m. (and then doing sunrise Agnihotra shortly after 5 a.m.,) we spent two days discussing Homa Therapy plans with Dennis and Gillian, our gracious hosts.
On Tuesday we headed off to Heteren where the Herberg De Aandacht Catholic Church hosted us.
In what appears to be the first performances of Agnihotra at a church in Europe, we were served a very nice vegetarian dinner and then had a wonderful evening of Homa Therapy talks, Bhrugu Aranya videos and five Agnihotra fires at sunset. The enthusiastic reception we received was gratifying.
The brick church is gorgeous and contributed to the wonderful atmosphere that, of course, Agnihotra intensifies.
Agnihotra in Herberg De Aandacht Catholic Church
The next day the four of us embarked for the 4-day Eigenwijs Festival in Vierhouten, put up the tents, put out our material and settled in for the 2nd consecutive year we have done this festival.
As it was at the Eigentijds festival organized by Ecolonie, the largest Dutch ecovillage in France–held at the same venue as Eigenwijs– that we met Dennis and Gillian for the first time, it holds a special place in our hearts. That was the largest New Age Festival in Holland, and one of the biggest in Europe and we attended two years in a row.
Teaching and mixing with New Agers and healers from all over Europe at this festival gave us great opportunities to share our experiences with Homa Therapy to all interested.
Eigenwijs festival in Vierhouten Holland
It was wonderful that Andrea Hoexum ‘followed us’ from Heteren to Vierhouten and after experiencing Agnihotra for the first time at the church 3 nights earlier, came and purchased her Agnihotra copper pyramid to begin practice.
Several others whom we had met at last year’s festival and who had begun practice of Agnihotra, visited us and attended beginner, refresher and advanced seminars on various aspects of Homa Therapy.
We left Holland two days later, looking forward to future programme sharing with Dennis and Gillian and the wonderful, open-minded and open-hearted Dutch.
