Newsletter November 12, 2014

 

Newsletter Archives

 

Upcoming Events

Bhagavad Gita class , Middletown CT  - Sun. Nov. 16
Swami Yogatmananda will conduct the monthly Bhagavad Gita (Ch.16 cont.) at Sri Satyanarayana Temple (10 Training Hill Rd, Middletown, CT). All are welcome.

Pravrajika Speaks – Sun. Nov. 16
Pravrajika Virajaprana, Vedanta nun from the San Francisco CA convent, will speak on: ‘Opening the door of the Heart’ for this Sunday’s 5PM – 6PM Lecture. All welcome.

Sitar Concert by Koyel Ghoshal - Sun. Nov. 23, 6:00-7:00 (after the Sun. Service)

 

Day-long retreat on Sat. Dec. 06, 10:00am – 7:00pm.
Sub:'Covering Everything with God' and 'Be a Witness' - by Swami Atmajnanananda (Vedanta Center, Wash. DC)

Reg. Fee $20.00 per person. Prior Reg. required. Register by mail or at the Vedanta Society or online. Click here to download reg. form or to register online.

 

NOTICES:

1) Sunday Morning Hatha Yoga: 10AM – 11AM - $5.00 walk-in; Contact Pat: pat.blake8-AT-gmail.com
2) Tuesday evening Hatha Yoga: 6:00PM – 7:00PM - $5.00 walk-in; Contact Hannah: key2Lyfe-AT-gmail.com 

3) Bharathnatyam Dance Classes – Sundays, 3:30 – 5:00 PM; Contact Anuradha: 704-707-5430
4) Sitar and Tabla lessons – Sundays, 4:00 – 5:00 PM; Contact Koyel Ghoshal: koyelg-AT-yahoo.com

 

Weekly Programs (in addition to Daily Programs given below)

Friday, Nov. 14	7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: Class #14 on ‘Bhakti Yoga’ (based on the book by Swami Vivekananda)
Saturday, Nov. 15	8:30 – 10:30 AM: Karma yoga/cleaning 11:00 AM – 12 noon: Guided meditation/chanting and singing 7:00PM - 8:00PM : Aarati (devotional singing, a reading and meditation)
Sunday, Nov. 16	5:00 – 6:00 PM: A talk - 'Opening the Door of the Heart' by Pravrajika Virajaprana (Vedanta nun) San Francisco, CA 6:00PM – 7:00 PM: Soup Supper 7:00PM - 8:00PM : Aarati (devotional singing, a reading and meditation).
Tuesday, Nov. 18	7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: Study Class on 'The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna', Ch 47, Pg 909

 

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. 4' 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 Brahmananda: As We Saw Him: Reminiscences of Monastic & Lay Disciples' (compiled/edited by Swami Atmashraddhananda) 7:15 – 8:00 PM: Meditation

 

Past Events

Swami to Dallas, Texas – Fri. Nov. 07 - Sun. Nov. 09
On Sat. Nov. 08, Swami Yogatmananda gave  three discourses in a Psychology workshop which was attended by eighty-five people and delivered a Vedanta class on Sunday to a group of devotees in Dallas, Tx.

Attleboro-based Interfaith Meet – Thurs. Nov. 06
Swami Yogatmananda attended the monthly Attleboro-based Interfaith meeting, this month conducted by Rev. Vern Wright of Second Congregational Church, Attleboro MA. Rev. Wright discussed the history of and the developed theology of the Congregational Church from middle 1660’s America onward. About fourteen clergy and congregation members of various churches attended. In December 2014, Providence Vedanta will host the meeting.

 

Synopses of Last Week's Classes

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

 

'Sri Krishna Yoga' - a talk by Vishwanath Alagwadi - Fri. Nov. 07

Based on the book 'Sri Krishna Yoga' by Swami Sarvagatananda, (Former head of the Vedanta Society of Providence), Viswanatha Alagwadi spoke about how Lord Sri Krishna has brought about wonderful harmony between different ‘Yogas’, which were seen as warring with each other. The term 'Sri Krishna Yoga' is a unique and very special contribution of Swami Sarvagatananda. The Swami expounds how, in verse 30 & 31 of the 3rd chapter of Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna harmonizes the Bhakti, Karma, Jnana and Raja- Yogas and then explicitly says that this ‘harmonizing’ is ‘my doctrine’. Swami also explains how these four Yogas blend into each other.

Viswanatha briefly gave a biographical sketch of Swami Sarvagatananda and the Swami's association with one of his mentors Swami Kalyanananda, who was the desciple of Swami Vivekananda.

 

What We Can Learn from Dreams – a talk by Chester Boncek - Sun. Nov. 09
The Mandukya Upanishad talks about the three states namely,  waking, dreaming, and deep sleep, along with the ‘fourth state’ or transcendence. We requires a philosophy, a method of realization, and a measuring stick to measure progress. Daydreaming, such as wanting to be rich or to be a ruler, is materialistic. The test of how far we are from Brahman is in what we daydream about. Deep sleep is the same every time, because there is no input from the five senses. There is an absence of disturbance. Paramahansa Yogananda said that dreams arise from a muscular and sensory relaxation, or from a retreat. Dreams are out of the control of the dreamer. Sri Ramakrishna first recognized Swami Vivekananda in a superconscious state. Vedanta warns us not to get caught up in dreams. Objects in the dream state are perceived to exist within us, while objects in the waking state are perceived to be separate from us. The entire world is made from our desires. When the mind is conquered, both entertainment and torment disappear. The only difference between the dreaming and waking states, is that the waking state is more sustained. But when we really wake up, we find that only God is real. We can pray with Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz: “And if you're listening, God, please don't make it hard to know if we should believe in the things that we see. . . Living here, in this brand new world might be a fantasy, but it taught me to love, so it's real, real to me. And I've learned that we must look inside our hearts to find a world full of love, like yours, like mine. Like home!”

 

Study Class 'The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna' - Nov. 11, Tuesday
Dr. Sarkar's personality was a good mix of faith and love for the Master as well as doubts and questions about His actions. Dr. Sarkar believed in equality of all the souls and  hence it was very difficult for him to accept Master as an incarnation of God. Not only that, but he also strongly condemned other people taking the dust of Master's feet, believing Him to be the God. " M" tried to explain this fact to Dr. Sarkar by giving various examples. Master also explained to him that some exhibit more manifestation of God and some less.
The idea of equality, which comes in conflict with the differences at manifestation level. Tis conflict prevails very strongly in our minds too. Everything that exists in this world is equal at an internal level but the external manifestations are different. Some show greater manifestation of the God while the others show less. The Divinity within is the true, unchanging identity of all. The divine essence is the same even in a saint or a sinner. As one uncovers the divinity within, he/she moves closer to the Truth. That true identity is the source of happiness for all of us. Once such conviction comes, one will develop single-pointed love for God.