Eckankar Ghana has marked its 50th anniversary as a religious organisation in the country with a public celebration at the Temple of ECK in Accra, reflecting on its humble beginnings and outlining its vision for the future.
The event, held at the temple in Okponglo East Legon, brought together traditional leaders from La, representatives of sister religious organisations, state agencies, the press, and members and friends of Eckankar from around the world.
In his welcome address, Mr David Mettle traced the organisation's history to 1975, when Kwame Boateng, affectionately referred to as Old Paa, and Isaac Osei separately made contact with the ECK teachings and collaborated with then Area Supervisor Maxwell Dogbe to register Eckankar in Ghana.
"From very humble beginnings in 1975, we have come a very long way," Mr Mettle said. He noted that the celebration would provide an opportunity to share the path travelled over the past five decades and to address questions about the essence of the ECK message.
Mr Mettle expressed gratitude to the traditional leaders from La, on whose land the Temple of ECK Accra is sited, as well as to sister religious organisations, state authorities and the press for their support over the years. He said the common love for God and the search for truth bound the organisations together.
He announced that Eckankar International had begun a new 60-year cycle christened The Days of Light and Hope, adding that Eckankar Ghana found its next 50-year cycle firmly embedded in that vision.
"Our flagship project for the anniversary celebrations, the newly built Youth and Family Centre, is a symbol of our resolve to prepare extremely well for the future," he said. "We therefore look to the future with great hope, happiness and excitement."
The celebration also featured a public workshop on the theme "Eckankar, The Path of Spiritual Freedom," presented by Mr Aspect Caiquo. He described Eckankar as a modern spiritual movement founded in 1965 that teaches individuals how to experience divine love, total spiritual liberation and direct contact with God in this lifetime. He explained that the word Eckankar means "co-worker with God."
Mr Caiquo outlined the core beliefs of Eckankar, including the premise that a person is Soul, an eternal and divine spark created because God loves them. He said the teachings hold that Soul enters the physical world to gain spiritual experience and matures through many lifetimes governed by the laws of karma and reincarnation.
He explained that the ECK, or Holy Spirit, is the divine life force that sustains all creation and is experienced directly within the individual as inner Light and Sound. He added that Eckankar focuses on Self-Realisation and God-Realisation while preserving individual consciousness.
The workshop also covered the four fundamentals of ECK, which include spiritual exercises such as chanting HU to open the spiritual eye, contemplation, the Inner Master, and self-discipline. Mr Caiquo said the current spiritual leader of Eckankar, known as Sri Doug Kunin, serves as both an outer teacher and an inner guide.
He described spiritual freedom as a state of awareness to be achieved in the present, rising above past karma, fear and daily anxieties by discovering the spiritual root cause of problems. He said the path emphasises complete personal responsibility, religious freedom and respect for others, steering clear of communal living or converting people against their will.
The event also featured the Eckankar Ghana choir and provided an opportunity for members and well-wishers to reflect on the organisation's journey and its plans for the future.
