Newsletter March 13, 2013

 

Newsletter Archives

 

Upcoming Events

Sri Ramakrishna Puja/Worship Day – Sun. Mar. 17
Worship: 11:00 AM-1:00 PM; Prasad-lunch: 1:00-2:00; Video: 2:00-3:30; Music: 4:00-5:00; Symposium: 5:00-6:00; Music & Meditation: 6:00-7:00 PM. All are welcome to any or all of the program.

 

Day-long Retreat – Sat. Mar. 30 : Click here for more details.

 

Weekly Programs (in addition to Daily Programs given below)

Friday, March 15	7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: : Bhagavad Gita class, Ch. 18 begins
Saturday, March 16	8:30 – 10:30 AM: Karma yoga/cleaning 11:00am – 12 noon: Guided meditation and singing 7:00PM – 8:00 PM: Aarati (singing two devotional songs, a reading and meditation)
Sunday, March 17	11AM – 7PM: Sri Ramakrishna Puja Day; See details above. 5:00 – 6:00 PM: ‘Three-Speaker Symposium on Sri Ramakrishna’ 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM: Aarati and chanting 108 names to Sri Ramakrishna, followed by prasad dinner
Tuesday, March 19	7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: Study class on The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna - Ch. 45, p. 853

 

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

On Sunday, March 10, as a prelude to the 5-6PM Sunday Service, two musicians (Eric and Vaughn) from Congregational Church  sang/chanted using Tibetan bowl for instrument and following the Sermon, they sang ‘My Sweet Lord’ by George Harrison. Click to see photos.

Also, this being the Maha-shivaratri Day, there was chanting of 108 names to Shiva (Shiva-nama Sankirtanam) after Aarati.

LaSalle Academy – Mon. March 11
Swami discussed Hinduism and Vedanta for four separate senior level ‘world religion’ classes (about twenty-students each) at LaSalle Academy in Providence on Monday March 11 from 8:30AM – 12:30PM.

 

Weather and Climate - Many people want to know the weather forecasts, but what about our "internal climate"? You can read this new post on our blog, at http://vedantaprovidence.blogspot.com/

 

Synopses of Last Week's Classes

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

 

Bhagavad Gita class –– March 08, Friday

The 17th chapter helps us understand how our spiritual practices are rooted in our constitutional make-up.  We are all combinations of three psychological types—satva, rajas, and tamas--with a preponderance of one of these three; Sri Krishna has explained in this chapter’s early verses how these dispositions affect how a person performs austerities, makes sacrifices, and gives gifts.  These actions will look different and will bear different fruits depending on a person’s psychological type.  The chapter’s final verses tell us how to gives these actions a saatvik turn, which will bring about a positive change in our approach and attitude and makes our actions useful in spiritual life.  One way to cultivate saatva in spiritual life is to invoke God using the phrase, Om Tat Sat,” a three-sound-symbol which represents of Brahman. “Om” contains all sounds, and therefore all names and forms.  “Tat” means “that.”  “Sat” means “is,” or “isness,” which designates the Divine.  These three words together mean that everything is a manifestation of God.  When we begin a religious action by uttering the name of God (using this phrase, for example), we are reminded that God alone is the doer and will feel that we are an instrument of the Divine; then our work becomes karma yoga and liberates us. The attitude behind an action, the action itself, and the result of an action are all enmeshed; therefore if we change our attitude to one which recognizes God in everything, we change our action itself.  If we perform an act without faith, it will not bear any result.  Faith (shraddha) is an “essential ingredient.”  Without it, we cannot progress spiritually, no matter how many acts of worship we perform. 

 

SHIVA–the Auspicious – March 10, Sunday

Shivaratri is one of the most auspicious days observed by Hindus. Hindus view God as beyond human conception, and are not actually polytheistic. Yet they try to feel God through human avenues. Look at this picture of Shiva in deep meditation, where he is full of peace. Many people recite the Mahimna Stotra every day. Despite Shiva’s inauspicious accouterments, such as clothing made of animal skin, matted hair, a snake as a necklace, a begging bowl made of a human skull, and being adorned with ashes, Shiva’s intrinsic auspiciousness outshines through the inauspicious-sounding things– his face showers peace and his hand showers grace. We must, like Shiva, find peace in the bliss of the Self, and not be deluded by the pleasures of the world. Shiva is the destroyer of desires. Shiva is so intrinsically auspicious that when devotees utter his name, they become auspicious. Once, Shiva swallowed poison to keep the universe from being destroyed, showing that he is one of the rare beings willing to sacrifice for others. Another image of Shiva is the dancing Shiva. This represents the dance of everything that is changing in the universe. Shiva is the primary deity of musicians, artists, and authors. The demon of ignorance is under his foot. The pleasures of the world are due to ignorance. In pursuit of them, we often ignore our conscience. When Shiva is depicted as the destroyer, he is the destroyer of ignorance. Real pleasure is not from objects, but is of the Self, whose nature is happiness. Art shows the truth in a penetrating way, using the emotions, while reason is merely superficial. Shiva is beauty, knowledge and bliss.

 

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna – March 12, Tuesday

Dr. Sarkar was interested in discussions with the Master on philosophical and spiritual topics. He used to spend hours with the Master. That helped him to change his views and to transform his personality. Master said that ignorance can be removed by knowledge and after going beyond both the ignorance and knowledge one attains the perfect knowledge. At that time reasoning comes to an end. Doctor asked can this perfect knowledge be retained permanently? The state of perfect knowledge is beyond time and space. The rules of time and space will not be applicable there. Hence Dr. Sarkar's question holds no meaning. Our understanding is heavily based on the concept of time and space and hence it is difficult for us to even imagine a state beyond space and time. Dr. Sarkar even dared to ask Master why has He taken the' profession of Paramhamsa?' Paramhamsa is a state. In that state the same Self is felt everywhere. For such a person there is no difference between I and the world. The identity is not limited to own body. Master smilingly answered to him, whatever He does, not going to change His original nature. He prefers to listen to God who dwells within us as Pure mind and Pure intelligence. His actions are governed by that true indweller. When the impurity of desire is removed from the mind, one can experience the pure mind and pure intelligence.
Dr. asked an interesting question: He said, ‘in that case why do you ask me to cure your illness?’ The answer will be discussed in the next class till then we all are asked to ponder over this question.