at the Asian Art Museum - Invocation and Processional for "Farms to Tables: Filipinos Then and Now"- October 6, 2013

RENEW * CELEBRATE * BEAR FRUIT... These are the intentions we put forward as we proceed to the events of today.

We invite you to create Renewal through the simple sound of AH, the sound which awakens the fifth chakra--the bridge--between our hearts and minds. Our chosen melody echoes the response in "Salidumay" in which gratitude is expressed in the two short phrases. Let us collectively sound the voice of our soul, peaceful within and without.

Today, may we collectively Celebrate our connections as a people, in the divine consciousness encompassed by our awareness of Kapwa, a way of living which embodies a oneness with nature and with the earth. Let us smile at the simplicity and wisdom in our opening ritual today, beginning with the offering of precious fruits to the altar inside Samsung Hall. In doing so, may we renew our conversation with Mother Earth in preparation for Farms to Tables: Filipino-Americans, Then and Now, and honor those who shaped the farm labor movement and influenced our rich culinary traditions. And, through the offering of fruits, may we be reminded of our generous ability to Give as well as abundantly Receive: a further reminder of Oneself in the other -- of Kapwa. We wish All a day of delightful celebration of the beauty of our culture. Renew * Celebrate * Bear Fruit. WELCOME !