Newsletter September 18, 2013

 

Newsletter Archives

 

Upcoming Events

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

 

Bhagavad Gita class at Middletown, CT – Sunday, Sept. 22
Swami Yogatmananda will conduct the monthly Bhagavad Gita class (Ch.13 continued) at Sri Satyanarayana Temple (10 Training Hill Rd,Middletown, CT) from 10:30-11:30 AM. All are welcome.

Classical Violin Concert – Sunday Sept. 22 
Immediately following the 5PM – 6PM Sunday Lecture, there will be a classical violin concert, ( in the lower level :LL)) performed by Tripurendra Bhowmik, accompanied on tabla by Amit Kavthekar. All welcome. No entry fee; $15.00/person donation suggested.

 

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. 20	5:30 PM – 6:30 PM: Hatha Yoga class 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. 21	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. 22	5:00 – 6:00 PM: A talk on ‘The Truth Shall Set Us Free’ by Swami Yogatmananda 6:00 – 7:00 PM: Classical Violin Concert; See details above.
Tuesday, Sept. 24	7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: study class on The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Ch. 45, pg 863

 

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

 

1) Brown Hindu Students' Ganesha Puja – Wed. Sept. 11
Some students from the Brown Hindu Student Association conducted a small puja-worship (guided by Swami Yogatmananda), to honor Ganesha, in the basement (lower level) of Vedanta Society, from 8:15 PM – 9:00PM. 
2) Interfaith Meeting – Thurs. Sept. 12
From 11:45AM – 1:30PM, Swami Yogatmananda and fifteen interfaith clergy and laity attended the monthly interfaith meeting this time held at Grace Episcopal Church, North Attleboro, MA, to discuss: ‘How does God help and guide us in responding to the senselessness of situations such as what is currently going on in Syria?’

3) Swami to Oklahoma – Sat. Sept 14
In Oklahoma City Oklahoma, Swami  Yogatmananda delivered two lectures on Vedanta at the Hindu temple to about fifty adults &  conducted a children’s program to about one hundred seventy-five children. He also delivered two talks in Marathi Language. Swami returned late Tuesday afternoon.

.Click here to see the photos.

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 - Sept. 13, Friday

As we work, it tends to bind us. So naturally this question arises: How can we work without getting bound. Yoga literally means to join or to merge. In the spiritual context, yoga means joining one’s self with the goal or ideal. Karma Yoga is a specific aspect of yoga.  The term karma refers to all actions, that is all movements either physical or mental. There is an intimate connection between our consciousness and the actions we perform: the actions we perform are an outcome of our consciousness. And, therefore, actions can give a feedback to consciousness.  In spiritual matters, the actualization of the spiritual ideal is of the utmost importance.  All of us have the intellectual capacity to understand spiritual truths; however, what we theoretically understand MUST become our actual experience. Spiritual life is principally about changing our false awareness into true awareness by converting our theoretical understanding of spiritual truths into practical experience. Karma Yoga is the practical science by which we give our actions a spiritual turn. Although our understanding and control of consciousness is extremely limited, we can control our actions to some extent. The practice of karma yoga enables us to perform our actions properly, which in turn sends signals to our awareness, changing it for the better. In this study of karma yoga, Swami Vivekananda, the greatest modern teacher of universal spiritual truths, will be our guide. If we study diligently and practice karma yoga with determination and sincerity, the experience of Swami Vivekananda will be become our experience. We must try to feel the divine touch of Vivekananda through his words in his book.

 

Vedic Educational Model a talk by Panditji Ramadheen Ramsamooj – Sept. 15, Sunday
The Super Accelerated Learning Theory (SALT) stems from the best of the American, British and Vedic systems of education. It is used in the American Vivekananda Academy (AVA) in New Hampshire. The students are mostly Nepali-Bhutanese refugees. Every child is potentially gifted. In western education, the logical left brain approach is used. In teaching art, the creative right brain approach is used. Story telling sparks curiosity about the subject, and allows learning to take place. A chant and a ritual prepares us to receive knowledge. In ‘initiation’, the brain changes and allows learning. Students need to have a purpose in life to be able to learn. Howard Gardner proposes that we have multiple intelligences. The Vedic system says that there is a singular intelligence. If we are using the multiple-intelligence model, we could add self-restraint and spiritual affinity as examples of intelligences. Memory fails when knowledge comes through the left brain. Knowledge gets encrypted in memory in an altered state, using the whole brain. Vedic pathways of education include going inward with meditation, having a practical application for what we learn, reducing stress to allow learning, and learning through pneumonics with sutras. At the AVA, students graduate from high school at age 13 and by age 18, they get a master’s degree. The students give well-received presentations at professional conferences. Those who start off having ADHD become able to sit still on their own, as their brains are naturally rewired. There is less conflict in the home, and the parents are surprised that their children want to help out at home. The students have peaceful, well-grounded lives. They become global citizens.

 

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna class - Sept. 17, Tuesday

Dr. Sarkar, Sri Ramakrishna’s physician, asks him if one can realize God without first controlling the passions. Sri Ramakrishna explains to him that this is only one of the methods of God realization. It involves exercising restraint by developing discrimination and through spiritual exercises. In this method, one first gains control over the senses and then, through continued discrimination realizes God. However, this method has limited effectiveness for most of the aspirants, as the senses do not easily come under control through only restraint.

Sri Ramakrishna says that there is another method, better suited for most people. This involves applying the mind to God. God is the real source of all happiness. By attaching mind to God, an aspirant experiences genuine happiness. This happiness slowly grows to a point that the attraction for sense objects is reduced naturally. Eventually, the world appears hollow and the worldly pursuits and sense enjoyments become worthless. The only aspiration that is left is to be one with God. This is like a moth who loses any interest in the objects in a dark room with a candle and rushes only towards the flame of the candle. This method is more efficacious because it is constitutionally suitable for most people. It leverages the attraction that is inherent in most of us and turns it towards God, and away from the worldly objects.