Darshan in the UK – Visit – OLD keep for when darshan resumes

Mother Meera in London, August 2024

We are very happy to announce that Mother Meera will give Darshan
in London on Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 15th July and in Birmingham on Thursday 16th July.

Following the above dates, Mother will travel to the Republic of Ireland.
Please see the Mother Meera Ireland Facebook page for details.

Please read ALL of the sections below that are relevant to you.

Coronavirus

Many of you will be concerned at how the coronavirus outbreak will affect Mother’s UK visit. At the present time the visit is expected to go ahead as planned. Please do not contact us about this as we are unable to answer your questions. We will, of course, be taking note of advice issued by the UK government and will inform you if plans change. Mother’s advice is to take precautions as prescribed by the authorities but not to have fear.

If you develop any cold or flu-like symptoms then please do not come to the darshan venue.

Timing and Venue
London
  • On Tuesday 14th July there will be 4 darshan sessions; at 10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm.
  • On Wednesday 15th July there will only be 2 sessions; at 10am and 1pm.
  • Venue: this will, as before, be Kenton Hall, John Billam Sports Ground, Woodcock Hill, Kenton, Harrow, HA3 0PQ. Click here to go to the Kenton Hall web site where you will find detailed directions.
Birmingham
  • On Thursday 16th July there will be 2 darshan sessions; at 1pm and 4pm.
  • Venue: this will be the Novotel Birmingham Centre. Click here to go to the hotel’s website where you will find details of its location and how to get there.
  • Please note: There are extensive building works in Birmingham city centre which are expected to go on for many months. Broad Street, where the Novotel is located, is closed to traffic. Please leave yourself plenty of time to find the venue and, if travelling by car, check your intended route before you set off.
  • For those who wish to stay, apart from the Novotel itself, there are a number of other hotels nearby, including Travelodge, Hilton and Jury’s Inn.
For both London and Birmingham:
  • The doors open, and check-in begins, 1 hour before the above darshan start times.
  • Please arrive in plenty of time, especially if you are bringing children or have mobility issues.
  • If you arrive more than an hour before the start time you may have to wait outside until the doors open.
  • Each darshan session lasts approximately 1½ to 2 hours. We encourage everyone to stay until the end as Mother gives a group blessing. However, if you have to leave early, you may do so quietly.
Reservations
  • Reservations must be made on the mothermeera.com website – click here to see detailed instructions.
  • Then click here to go to the login / sign-up web page. If you have not used this system before then you will need to register to create an account so click the blue “Sign up as a user” button. If you have used the system before then log in using your email address and password (click here if you have forgotten your password).
  • Once you have logged in you will see “Mother Meera’s Calendar”. Choose “United Kingdom” from the “Country” list and you will see the darshan sessions in London and Birmingham. Then click on your desired session. If you want to add other people (family, friends etc) to your reservation click “Add attendee”. REMEMBER to click “Save registration” or your RESERVATION WILL BE LOST. If everything is in order you will be sent a confirmation email (nb: do not worry if you don’t receive the email, as long as the web page confirms your reservation your name(s) will be on our check-in lists).
  • To save on trees, please do NOT print your reservation, it is not needed as your name(s) will be on our check-in list.
  • The reservation system allows you to cancel or make changes to your reservation yourself. Full details are provided in the instructions. If, after reading the instructions, you still need assistance then please contact us.
CLICK HERE to open/close the KNEELING and SPECIAL NEEDS section
  • If you have any problem which makes it difficult to kneel, walk up onto the stage, kneel or bend in front of Mother, or if you have a wheelchair, then please contact us now to let us know. When you contact us please give your name, and those of anyone else with difficulties on your reservation, as they appear on your reservation.
  • If you are unable to kneel or bend in front of Mother please speak to a seating volunteer as soon as you enter the hall so that you can be seated in the area designated for those with special needs at the front of the hall. If you have a friend with you who does not have mobility issues we will do our best to ensure that they can sit as near to you as possible, they will have their darshan when their row is called which will usually be not long after you have yours. You will be assisted to go up onto the stage by a volunteer and you can have your darshan seated on a chair, you will not need to kneel. You will be assisted to go back to your seat afterwards.
  • If you can kneel and bend in front of Mother but have trouble staying in a kneeling position whilst in the queue on the central carpet then, when your row is invited out for darshan, please skip the queue, walk up to the foot of the stairs leading onto the stage and take a place on the carpet when those already there move forward.
  • If you have a wheelchair then unfortunately, due to the fact that Mother is seated on a stage, you will not be able to go onto the stage for an individual darshan. Instead you may receive darshan generally whilst in the hall and when Mother gives a “group blessing” at the end.
CLICK HERE to open/close the CHILDREN and BABIES section
  • Any child over 16 may, if they wish, receive darshan unaided, if they are under 16 please take note of the following points:
  • Please contact us now to let us know that you will be bringing a child / children. When you contact us please give your name and your child’s / children’s name(s) as they appears on your reservation.
  • In addition, when you make your reservation and add your child/children as attendees please be sure to click the “Child” tick box and enter their birthday. This allows us to check the number of children attending each darshan session and their ages.
  • When you arrive at the darshan hall please speak to a volunteer who will guide you to the children’s volunteer who will look after you and take you up for darshan when it is your turn.
  • Note that all parents with children assemble, together with their children, on the stage before Mother enters the hall (nb: only one parent is allowed to accompany their children). A carpeted area is provided and they can either kneel or sit on it. They then receive darshan early on and once they have all had darshan they are guided by the children’s volunteer to leave the hall. As we cannot look after your children you may not leave them to go back into the hall. There is however a children’s room where you can go. The children’s volunteer will explain everything to you when you arrive.
  • If you are a parent with a disability and will be bringing children please contact us in advance to let us know.
  • Please note that babies do not receive their own individual darshan. Their parent goes for darshan as normal, carrying their baby, who receives it through them. Babies only need to have a reservation if they occupy a chair.
Notes
  • Please note that you are only allowed ONE darshan at each venue, i.e. you can have one darshan in London (on either day) and, if you wish, one darshan in Birmingham. You cannot have two darshans in London.
  • A brief note about how darshan works: Those coming for darshan are seated in rows, as shown in the picture below (this is neither London nor Birmingham but the general layout is the same). When Mother Meera enters and sits on a chair on the raised platform, the Darshan begins. People are called, row by row, by one of Her volunteers to wait kneeling in a short queue, and shuffle forward as the queue moves. When the space in front of Mother is free the person at the head of the queue moves to kneel in front of Her with their head lowered (this is known as Pranam). She takes their head lightly in Her hands and holds it for a short while. When She lets go they raise their head and look into Her eyes. After a few moments Mother lowers Her gaze and they then get up and return to their seat.
  • Darshan takes place in silence. At the end, when the last person has had Darshan, Mother sits for several minutes in deep silence, giving a group blessing to all those assembled in front of Her. People of any age may have Darshan, including children, and provision is made for those who are unable to kneel or climb the stairs onto the stage.
  • Please don’t worry if these notes sound complicated: on the day you will be guided every step of the way, and the process flows smoothly. You can find further information on mothermeera.com – click here. The darshan procedure itself is explained on the PDF document mentioned on that page, you can also view it by clicking here (please ignore the request to print your reservation, this is not needed for UK darshans).
  • Please help to spread the word about Mother’s UK visit – click the image below to download an A5 poster announcing the event. You can either email this to people you know who might be interested or print it and put up copies in your local area, for example in libraries, community centres, yoga and meditation groups, health food shops and other display boards. If you would like us to send you some printed copies then please get in touch.
  • If you would like to spread the word about Mother’s UK visit on Facebook you can find the above poster on the Mother Meera London Facebook page (click here) and simply ‘share’ it to your timeline and friends.
  • Mother will not be visiting other cities in the UK during this visit and currently there are no plans for her to do so in 2020. If you want her to visit your city then the advice we always give is to write to her and ask. There are no guarantees but if there is sufficient interest then she may decide to come.
  • To find information about Mother’s visit to Ireland, which follows her London and Birmingham dates, please go to the Mother Meera Ireland Facebook page.