Newsletter October 10, 2012

Newsletter Archives

 

Upcoming Events

Sitar-Tabla Fusion Concert – Sat. Oct. 13

In collaboration with India Association of RI, Vedanta is hosting a sitar - tabla ‘fusion’ concert (Chirag Katty /sitar and Amit Kavthekar/tabla) in the lower level (LL) of the Vedanta Society, on Oct. 13, from 6:00PM – 7:30PM. Light refreshments follow. All are welcome. A $15.00 donation is suggested.

 

Salutations! – Mon. Oct. 15

On Monday, October 15, the birth anniversary of Swami Akhandananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, will be observed in the morning with a chant and in the evening with a song, biography reading and Prasad

 

Spiritual Retreat - Sat. Oct. 27, 9:30 am - 7:00 pm

Main Speaker: Swami Ishtananda, Vedanta Society, St Petersburg, Florida

Subj: Dealing with EGO

Prior registration required. Registration Fee $20.00 per person (For online registration: $21 per person)

For more information and to download registration form OR Online registration: http://www.vedantaprov.org/spiritualretreat.html

 

Weekly Programs

Friday, Oct. 12	7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: Study Class on Bhagavad Gita, Ch. 15
Saturday, Oct. 13	8:30-10:30AM: Karma Yoga (cleaning & other works) 11:00AM - 12.00 noon: Guided Meditation and Prayer-music 6:00PM – 7:30PM –SITAR & TABLA fusion concert
Sunday, Oct. 14	5:00PM – 6:00PM: Swami Yogatmananda will speak on ‘Loving God and Loved by God’ 6:00PM – 7:00PM- Soup Supper 7:00 – 8:00PM – Aarati (singing, a reading and meditation)
Tuesday, Oct. 16	7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna class, Ch. 44 (Pg 839)

 

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
Evening :	7:00 – 7:15 PM: Aarti (devotional music), with a short reading from Swami Chetanananda's book: ‘Mahendra Nath Gupta ‘M’ 7:15 – 8:15 PM: Meditation

 

Past Events

1) Swami Yogatmananda visited Greenville & Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina on Sat. Oct 06 - Sun. Oct. 07 to conduct Vedanta classes. He returned on Mon. Oct. 08.

2) On Tuesday, October 09, the birth anniversary of Swami Abhedananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, was observed in the morning with a chant and in the evening with a song, biography reading and Prasad.

3) On Thurs. Oct. 04, 15 interfaith leaders of the monthly 'Attleboro-based' interfaith group assembled at the Vedanta Society to discuss the question - "What is the one significant change in your understanding of your tradition, over the years?". The discussion was very lively. Also Swami Yogatmananda was asked by the assembled religious leaders to explain the significance of 'OM' and the significance of the ochre robes. Click here to see photo.

 

Weekly Classes

(All classes given by Swami Yogatmananda, unless otherwise stated.)

Bhagavad Gita - Oct. 05, Friday

Ch 15 Verses 3-5:

Brahma Vidya, the intellectual understanding of non-duality, needs to become the practical, tangible, verifiable experience of non-duality known as Yoga. Yoga causes the knowledge of non-duality to seep into us and to become the orienting principle of our lives; thereby, we are able to shift our identification from the changing body to the unchanging, innermost, true-Self. In order to cut asunder the tree of ignorance that deludes us into the false identification with the body, we have to hold the axe of non-attachment firmly. Non-attachment is fundamentally the knowledge that nothing belongs to us. Sadhana, or spiritual practice, helps us develop the idea that nothing is ours and that everything belongs to God.  The purpose of life is to discover the root-cause of the universe, which is also to know our true Self. As we embark on this journey towards this ultimate goal of life, we must keep in mind that all of our actions should be aimed at this goal—the goal must never be lost sight of; therefore, non-attachment should be consistently practiced. When the supreme goal of life is attained, there is nothing left to be attained. To achieve this goal, we must take refuge in God and renounce our separation from Him. By giving up pride and delusion, the mind becomes pure and enables the spiritual aspirant to always hold onto the Goal in his consciousness.

 

'Mother Worship' - a talk by Pravrajika Gitaprana - Oct. 07, Sunday

A chant was read from the Rg Veda about the qualities of the Divine Mother. The Union of Shiva and Shakti was read, describing how Shiva and Shakti are both united and separate at the same time. Shiva, though referred to as He, really has no gender, and is pure consciousness. Shakti is the power of Shiva’s manifestation as infinite possibilities. Sri Ramakrishna referred to Brahman and Shakti as being like fire and its power to burn, or like gold and its luster. While Shaivites emphasize Shiva, Shaktas worship the manifestation. Everything is nothing but She or Mahamaya. While Vedantins take the approach of Neti Neti, Tantras take the approach of Iti Iti. Tantras believe that forms are not unreal, but the idea of separation is unreal. Rather than doing away with the ego, the ego is expanded to infinity. In a puja, such as Durga Puja or Kali Puja, consciousness is expanded so that everything in life is deified. The Divine Mother contains both good and evil, which is difficult for us to accept when we are being tortured or abused. Everything is Shiva veiled. Swami Vivekananda advised us to find God in our own heart and in every living being. The puja is the enactment of the one singularity taking form. The Divine Mother is represented through anthropomorphic forms and geometric forms, The puja marks off a sacred space via mantras, where the power of speech is primary, and understanding and meaning are secondary. The worshipper is deified through meditation, or internal worship. We invoke Mother in our own body. Then we offer things to Mother in external worship. Then there is a flower offering and Arati. We are not trying to leave the world, but to remove our own unknowingness. Sri Ramakrishna said that the one thing that is necessary is yearning. Mother has a way of pulling you forward, but doesn’t like you getting out of the game too easily.

 

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna class – Oct. 09, Tuesday

Master and M were discussing about the similarities between Master and Jesus Christ. In that light M told Master that both of them did not promote miracles. Miracle is to attract multitude. True spiritual knowledge can only be obtained by transcending the drag for miracles and the earthly pleasures. One should not confine the spiritual practices by any rituals or dogmas. The practices must bring one closer to the Lord. Sri Ramakrishna and Jesus both liked the youngsters who are not tarnished by the lust and greed. It is a misconception to think that spiritual practices can be done with less difficulty at the old age. Youngsters, who are full of enthusiasm and vigor, have a greater chance of realization. Jesus and Sri Ramakrishna both declared that they are one with the God. One referred to God as Father while the other as Mother.

Most noteworthy fact is their communion with the Lord. We all have the potential to feel the same oneness with the Lord. The identity of we all and the Lord is same as the identity of waves and the ocean.
Master asked M about the incarnations being complete or partial manifestation of God. M confessed that he really did not understand partial or complete manifestation but he knew that incarnations are like a hole in the wall through which one can have a glimpse of the Infinite. We need an apparatus through which we can get an idea about the Infinite. With the help of the teacher one gets help to change the awareness from finite and ever-changing to infinite and changeless. After that the purpose of the life gets fulfilled. The destination of the journey of life is attained. There is nothing more to be achieved.
M finished his bath in the Ganges. Master asked Latu - who was attending the Master at that time - to give M a little Prasad from the famous Jagannath Temple. Sri Ramakrishna advised him to have a little Prasad every morning before eating anything else. M took leave of the Master for the day.