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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 13, 2013
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Upcoming Events
Salutations! – Thurs Nov. 14
On Thursday, Nov. 14, the birth anniversary of Swami Subodhananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, will be observed in the morning meditation with a chant, and biography reading in the evening after the Aarati.
Swami Travels – Fri. Nov. 15 - Mon. Nov. 18
Early Friday morning, Swami will travel to Vedanta Society of Dallas, Texas to conduct Vedanta classes. He will return Monday afternoon, Nov. 18
Salutations! – Sat. Nov. 16
On Saturday, Nov. 16, the birth anniversary of Swami Vijnanananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, will be observed in the morning meditation with a chant, and biography reading in the evening after the Aarati.
Day-long Spiritual Retreat - Sat. Dec. 07, 9:30AM - 7:00PM
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. 15 |
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM: Hatha Yoga class 7:30 – 8:30 PM: Three-Speaker Symposium on ‘Karma Yoga’ by Swami Vivekananda |
| Saturday, Nov. 16 | 8:30 – 10:30 AM: Karma yoga/cleaning |
| Sunday, Nov. 17 |
10:00-11:00 AM: Hatha Yoga Class ($5) 3:00 – 4:00 PM: Sanskrit class |
| Tuesday, Nov. 19 |
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 Travels – Thurs. Nov 07 thru Sat Nov 09
Swami attended and spoke at the three-day 150th birth anniversary celebration of Swami Vivekananda, conducted by the Vivekananda Vedanta Society of Chicago. Forty-six swamis and nuns from Ramakrishna Order (USA, India and other countries) and about eight-hundred devotees and well-wishers attended the program alone. Two Providence devotees also attended the celebration through the weekend. Swami returned Sunday afternoon, Nov. 10 to deliver the Sunday Service/Lecture.
Attleboro-based Interfaith – Thurs. Nov. 03
A devotee and nineteen other interfaith clergy and congregation members participated in the ‘Attleboro-based’ interfaith meeting, conducted at the Prov. Zen Center, Cumberland RI to discuss: 'Is life always going to be a challenge? How can I find peace?'
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. 08, Friday
No class held.
Now and Then – Nov. 10, Sunday
Through the prism of Maya, the One without a second Reality appears as many. The three sides of the prism are 1. Space, 2. Time, 3. Causation. The ‘space’ aspect, which is produced by the ‘separation’ that we see between the multiple objects. The perception of multiplicity is not static, but these multiple objects are in constant flux. Things change! This ‘change’ generates the notion of time. Every perception is an event and the separation between the multiple events creates a sense of time. The special feature of ‘time’ (not shared by ‘space’) is it has the direction too. One can go only ‘forward’ in time. Why so? Because ‘events’ take place naturally in only one direction – the direction of increasing disorder. Past-present-future is not a really objective separation of three times, but it depends on the person. What is ‘present’ for one can be ‘past’ to someone else and ‘future’ to some other. With meditation, as the mind concentrates, more and more unification of awareness takes place and time moves ‘slowly’; when the ONE is experienced, time stops.
The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna class - Nov. 12, Tuesday
The holy conversations from the Gospel connect us to the auspicious, transcendental divine unity. The Oneness which is beyond the subject-object seperation is the source of all auspiciousness. Each one of us can surely find this source, if tried earnestly. We can witness such transformation in the personality of Dr. Sarkar because of his association with Sri Ramakrishna.
Master is explaining the importance of renunciation in spiritual life. Renunciation is the price to be paid for realizing the Truth. This price is fixed. It is not conditional. One has to renounce untruth for the sake of Truth. As Doctor has enjoyed the bliss of Master's company and realized its value; so he is ready to give up even his medical practice and the money earned for the blissful and loving company of Sri Ramakrishna. He asks Girish and other devotees present there to consider him as one of their own.
Strong identification with the body and the sense of ego give rise to many bondages which are glorified as duty. When the ego vanishes, all the karmas/ duties also vanish. Master gives an analogy of the river Karmanasa, wherein one can loose his/her ego and then there is no sense of duty and bondage.