Newsletter September 11, 2013

 

Newsletter Archives

 

Notice:

1. After Summer break regular programs have started at the Vedanta Society from Sept. 08.

 

2. Click here for some of the archived Sunday lectures from May & June 2013.

3. Check our blog http://vedantaprovidence.blogspot.com/ for new entries.

 

Upcoming Events

Sunday Guest Lecture - Sept. 15

From 5:00 - 6:00 PM Pandit Ramadheen Ramsamooj, Director, Accelerated Learning Program, and Faculty at Center for Indic Studies, University of Massachusetts, will speak on Vedic Educational Model. All are invited.

 

Hatha Yoga ‘8-session’classes: Click here for the .pdf Flier

Hatha Yoga classes are beginning at Prov. Vedanta in the Lower Level (LL) beginning FRIDAY, September 20 from 5:30PM – 6:30PM & on Sunday mornings from September 22, from 10:00AM – 11:00AM.

Early-bird’ price special for eight (8) classes (Friday only or Sunday only or mixed) is $35.00; Drop-in rate is $5.00/per class. Registration and Liability forms are to be filled. Contact pat.blake8@ gmail.com

 

Swami Travels to Oklahoma – Sat. Sept 14 - Mon. Sept. 16
Swami Yogatmananda will travel to Oklahoma on Saturday to conduct a retreat and deliver Vedanta talks to the Oklahoma Vedanta group. Swami will return Tuesday afternoon.

 

Day-long Spiritual Retreat - Sat. Sept. 28, 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Sub: Models of the Universe

Speaker: Swami Atmavidyananda, Vedanta Society of So. California, Hollywood

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.)

 

Weekly Programs (in addition to Daily Programs given below)

Friday, Sept. 13	7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: study class to begin on ‘KARMA YOGA’ (by Swami Vivekananda) — taught by Swami Yogatmananda.
Saturday, Sept. 14	8:30 – 10:30 AM: Karma yoga/cleaning 11:00 AM – 12 noon: Guided meditation and singing 7:00 – 8:00 PM: Aarati (devotional singing), a short reading and meditation
Sunday, Sept. 15	5:00 – 6:00 PM: A talk on ’Vedic Educational Model’ by Pandit Ramadheen Ramsamooj, UMass Dartmouth 6:00 – 7:00 PM: Soup Supper 7:15 – 8:30 PM: Aarati (devotional singing), a short reading and meditation
Tuesday, Sept. 17	7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: study class on The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

 

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
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 to Ridgely, NY– Sat. Aug. 31
Swami and some devotees traveled to Vivekananda Retreat, Ridgely Manor, NY on Saturday,  where  Swami  conducted a retreat on: ‘Stop Not Till The Goal Is Reached’ to about forty-five devotees. They returned Sunday night.

 

UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD DAY - Sept. 08, Sunday
The program started with Swami giving an opening chant and welcoming the guest speakers, musicians and the audience. He also spoke about observance of the Universal Brotherhood Day and the special importance it has during the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.  After the opening song, Rev Janet Cooper Nelson, Chaplain at the Brown University, spoke about Vivekananda’s contribution to the interfaith movement. He inculcated the spirit of dialogue which fostered understanding and loving relationship between faiths. Father John Sullivan of La Salette Shrine, Attleboro spoke about Vivekananda’s New England visit and how he gave the message that Jesus gave, which is the message of love and seeing the reality. He quoted St Francis of Assisi to illustrate Vivekananda’s life and teachings ‘Preach all the time; speak only if you have to’. Prof Jeffery Long beautifully illustrated the idea of ‘acceptance as against mere tolerance’. He explored Swami Vivekananda’s ideal of Universal Religion in great detail and highlighted his statement that it is not annihilation of all religions except one; but it is assimilation of all in the broad scheme. Swami Yogatmananda in the concluding remarks mentioned that Vivekananda’s broadness was not at the cost of depth. He stressed upon Swami Vivekananda’s emphasis on ‘seeing God’ and ‘religion is realization’. John Schlenk, the well-known composer and singer, along with guitarist Peter Travisano and a group of singers presented 4 songs – 2 of which were poems of Vivekananda and two were songs about him. There was a Hindi song on Vivekananda presented by other musicians too. Anuradha presented a beautiful Bharat-natyam style dance on Vivekananda. After the concluding hymn to Divine Mother, Swami Yogatmananda thanked everyone and made announcement of some new upcoming programs. Then everyone had  delicious dinner  mainly prepared by volunteers from the India Museum and Heritage Society.    

 

Click here to see the photos.

Synopses of Last Week's Classes

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

 

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna class - Sept. 10, Tuesday

When the Truth manifests through our beings, our lives will be illumined. Sri Ramakrishna's life is one such example right in front of us which is factually recorded and which can be followed by all of us. We must try to absorb that living message given by such Divine incarnations to improve and progress in our lives.
The conversations between Sri Ramakrishna and Dr. Sarcar- very renowned physician of that time - are being discussed. Sri Ramakrishna is spending His days in Calcutta on account of His failing health due to throat cancer. Dr. Sarcar was drawn to Sri Ramakrishna and his spiritual wisdom. He used to spend hours and hours together with the Master discussing and even arguing various spiritual ideas.

Master comments that conviction about the existence of God comes after having a little glimpse of God through His Grace. Conviction is a great step on the path of spiritual practice. After having a vision of God, one is not bound by the Maya again. One knows very well that God is the only substratum underlying this multi-faceted world. If one surrenders his/her ego at the feet of the Lord, then there is a very less chance of falling on this journey; but as per the Doctor, one can't march ahead on the path of God realization without controlling passions. Master comments that this is required on the path of knowledge, which helps the aspirant to discriminate and march towards the Real negating all that is unreal.