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Have a Question ?
If you have questions regarding spiritual life, Vedanta, Hinduism etc, you can email us at answers ATvedantaprov.org
Newsletter November 06, 2013
Upcoming Events
* Please Note* - NO Class this Friday, Nov. 08.
Doors will open at 6:30PM for 7PM – 8PM Aarati
Swami Travels – Thurs. Nov 07 thru Sat Nov 09
Swami will attend the three-day 150th birth anniversary celebration of Swami Vivekananda, being conducted by the Vivekananda Vedanta Society of Chicago. Swami will return Sunday, Nov. 10 and will deliver the Sunday Service/Lecture. Please visit: chicagovedanta.org for more information about the event.
Bharathnatyam Dance Classes – Sundays 3:30 PM – 5:00PM
To learn traditional South Indian Classical dance, taught by classical dancer Anuradha, please call her only at 704-707-5430 for complete information.
Day-long Spiritual Retreat - Sat. Dec. 07, 9:30 AM - 7:00 PM
Sub: Towards The Goal Supreme
Speaker: Swami Kripamayananda, Vedanta Society, Toronto, Canada
Prior registration required. Registration Fee - $20.00 per person; For online registration - $21.00 per person
Click here for more information and to register online. (Schedule subject to change.)
Check out our blog for this entry: My Father's Arduous Task. A new post on the Vedanta Society of Providence blog addresses this question: http://vedantaprovidence.blogspot.com/
Weekly Programs (in addition to Daily Programs given below)
| Friday, Nov. 08 |
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM: Hatha Yoga class 7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation
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| Saturday, Nov. 09 | 8:30 – 10:30 AM: Karma yoga/cleaning |
| Sunday, Nov. 10 |
10:00-11:00 AM: Hatha Yoga Class ($5) 3:00 – 4:00 PM: Sanskrit class # 3 |
| Tuesday, Nov. 12 |
7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: study class on The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Ch. 45, pg 866 |
Daily Programs
| Morning : | 5:45 – 6:45 AM: Meditation 6:45 – 7:00 AM: Chanting followed by a short reading from The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Vol. 3 7:00 – 7:25AM – A short ritual worship/Puja. Open to all. |
| Evening : | 7:00 – 7:15 PM: Aarti (devotional music), with a short reading from
Swami Chetanananda's book: ‘Mahendra Nath Gupta ‘M’' 7:15 – 8:00 PM: Meditation |
Past Events
Swami received award – Thurs. Oct. 31
Swami Yogatmananda was honored with ‘Hero of Interfaith Award’ at the fourth annual RI State Council of Churches ‘Heroes of Faith’ Breakfast held at West Valley Inn, West WarwickRI. More than three hundred clergy and congregation members from various faiths attended.
Swami Gaurangananda visit - Sat. Nov 02 - Sun Nov 03
During his visit, Swami Gaurangananda from the Ramakrishna Ashrama in Nepal, sang devotional songs in the chapel.
Long Meditation Session – Sat. Nov. 02
Twenty devotees participated in the second 'Long Meditation Session' from 12 noon to 8:00PM.
Bhagavad Gita class at Middletown, CT – Sun. Nov. 03
Swami Yogatmananda conducted the monthly Bhagavad Gita (Ch.14) at Sri Satyanarayana Temple (10 Training Hill Rd,Middletown, CT) from 10:30-11:30 AM to more than twenty-five devotees.
Children’s Sunday ‘Spiritual Arts & Storytelling’ Class – Sun. Nov. 03
Six children, parents, an intern and Prof Abram met for the second 'Spiritual Arts & Storytelling’ class from 4PM – 6PM.
Swami at High School – Mon. Nov. 04
Swami spoke on ‘meditation’ to about eighteen Senior High School students and their teacher at Central Falls High School Monday morning, Nov. 04.
Synopses of Last Week's Classes
(All classes given by Swami Yogatmananda, unless otherwise stated)
KARMA YOGA (based on the book by Swami Vivekananda) class - Nov. 01, Friday
In our study of Karma Yoga, we have been seeing that the work we perform molds and shapes our character based on the attitude with which we approach our work. Although we may feel that our own path is arduous or dull, and that another’s path is so much more appealing or easy, we must each follow our own ideal (swadharma), and judge our progress by that, not the ideal of others. Karma yoga is the means by which we can move from the lower state of resistance to non-resistance, the "highest manifestation of power." Until we have fulfilled our desire for reward, wealth etc., we cannot pass into the stage of calmness and self-surrender that is non-resistance.
Toward the end of the second chapter, Swami Vivekananda outlines the four "ashramas" or stages of life. The first stage is the student stage, in which we cultivate discipline, which is essential for growth. If we are disciplined, we make progress toward our goals; if we aren't disciplined, we suffer. The second stage is the householder stage, in which we are responsible for supporting a family. After we have fulfilled our duties as householders, we must extricate ourselves and move to the third stage, ‘the forest dweller stage’. In this stage we become more in-drawn and less entangled with family life, and we prepare for the final ashrama- the monastic stage. In this last phase of life, we devote ourselves entirely to our spiritual practice. Many people often wonder, which is greater-- the householder ideal or the monastic ideal? Swami Vivekananda emphasizes that each ideal is great in its own place and that one cannot be ranked above the other.
Here and There – Nov. 03, Sunday
What makes the ‘One without a second’ appears as many? What makes the ‘many’change/ move? It is the power of the Divine Mother. God is not affected by this power of Maya, and is inseparable from it. Time and space are two aspects of this power. There is actually no such “box” as space, which is a creation of the perception of multiplicity. Einstein showed that there is no Absolute time and space disconnected from objects. Our sense of sight, reinforced by the sense of touch, makes for the perception of ‘space’. The sense of space is like the magician’s power. Sri Ramakrishna said that the Magician, or Divine Mother, alone is real. If we befriend the Magician, She will reveal her secrets. Once we realize that everything is in me, there is nothing to be disturbed about and no suffering. We need to pray to the Divine Mother, since we cannot have this realization by our own efforts. Sri Ramakrishna analogized that on a forest path, Lakshmana is the soul that wants to see God (=Rama), and Sita (-Divine Mother) understands his prayer and moves aside, so he can see Rama.
The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna class - Nov. 05, Tuesday
The Master advises the doctor that God cannot be realized without childlike faith. Is there not a risk of getting cheated if one has child-like faith? Sri Ramakrishna says that for a true and earnest seeker of God a luke-warm approach to attaining God is not acceptable. Such a seeker is desperate and wants to achieve God now and here. Such a person is not hesitant to try various things in realizing God and does it with one pointed faith.
Sri Ramakrishna then clarifies that it is necessary to live in the company of holy men. Holy company stimulates spiritual thoughts in our minds – the purpose of life, the truth of our existence and our relationship to God etc. This is not possible in worldly company as the focus there is on material pursuits.
While holy company is necessary, it alone, is not sufficient to realize God. Seekers must practice detachment from the world. This detachment takes different forms in a Sannyasi and a householder. Our attachment to the world is so strong that it won’t go away unless we spend a lot of time and effort. Unless we prioritize it, there will never be the right time to do the practices required to achieve this detachment. It must be done here and now.