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If you have questions regarding spiritual life, Vedanta, Hinduism etc, you can email us at answers ATvedantaprov.org
Newsletter December 24, 2014
Upcoming Events
Christmas Eve - Wed. Dec. 24
From 7:00 to 8:30 PM, Christmas Eve will be celebrated with mini worship of Jesus followed by readings, music, contemplation and prasad offerings. All are Welcome.
On Christmas Day, Dec. 25, morning meditation and evening Aarati programs continue as usual.
Salutations! – Sat. Dec. 27
The birth anniversary of Swami Saradananda, direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, will be observed in the morning with a chant, and in the evening with a song, a short biography reading and prasad.
Wish-fulfilling Tree (KALPATARU) Day: Thurs. Jan 01, 2015, 11:00AM – 1:30 PM
Observing the anniversary of the special event of Sri Ramakrishna granting fearlessness to devotees on Jan 1, 1886. Worship, prayers, singing, readings and lunch-prasad.
NOTICES:
1) Sunday Morning Hatha Yoga: 10AM – 11AM - $5.00 walk-in; Contact Pat: pat.blake8-AT-gmail.com - This Sunday, Dec. 28, is LAST Sunday Hatha Yoga class until further notice.
2) NO MORE TUESDAY HATHA YOGA classes until MARCH 2015. Contact Hannah:at key2Lyfe-AT-gmail.com for further information regarding day & time.
3) Bharathanatyam Dance Classes – Sundays, 3:30 – 5:00 PM; Contact Anuradha: 704-707-5430
Weekly Programs (in addition to Daily Programs given below)
| Friday, Dec. 26 |
7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: Class #19 on ‘Bhakti Yoga’ (based on the book by Swami Vivekananda) |
| Saturday, Dec. 27 |
8:30 – 10:30 AM: Karma yoga/cleaning 7:00PM - 8:00PM : Aarati (devotional singing, a reading and meditation) |
| Sunday, Dec. 28 |
5:00 – 6:00 PM: A talk on 'Learning from Past Experience' by Swami Yogatmananda 7:00PM - 8:00PM: Aarati (devotional singing, a reading and meditation) |
| Tuesday, Dec. 30 |
7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: Study Class on 'The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna', Ch 47, Pg 914 |
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 NJ & NY – Sat. Dec. 20 - Sun. Dec. 21
Immediately after the 11am – 12noon ‘guided meditation &music-hour’ on Sat. Dec. 20, Swami traveled to Berlin HinduTemple, New Jersey where he conducted Sarada Devi worship and gave a lecture on ‘Renunciation in Householders’ Life’. On Sun. morning, Dec. 21, Swami delivered the Sunday Service lecture (Living IN God) at Vedanta Society New York. Swami then returned to Providence to deliver the 5PM Sunday Lecture here.
Salutations! – Thurs. Dec. 18
The birth anniversary of Swami Shivananda, direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, was observed in the morning with a chant, and in the evening with a song, a short biography reading and prasad.
Synopses of Last Week's Classes
(All classes given by Swami Yogatmananda, unless otherwise stated)
Study Class 'Bhakti-Yoga' - #18 - (based on the book by Swami Vivekananda) - Dec. 19, Friday
Swami Vivekananda says here that by understanding and loving the universal alone, we can understand and love the particular too. While the followers of the path of Jnana want the ‘know’ the One Universal Principle, the Bhaktas want to realize and love the One Universal Person. God is the whole – visible universe is ‘God appearing in diverse forms’. The nearer we go to God, the clearer we see that all things are in him. Thus one attains perfect surrender. The notions like, people around are out to hurt me, goes away. The main obstacle ‘the demon of body-worship’.
Regular practice of meditation, repeating the Name of God, forbearance, austerities, service – help to reach the stage of ultimate surrender.
LIVING IN GOD – Dec. 21, Sunday
The Truth is that we ARE in God. It is only a question of experiencing it. The scriptures try to bring us this Truth. If we don’t see the Truth, we suffer, and lose peace of mind. Oneness does not destroy diversity, but encompasses diversity. If we don’t know we are God, it is like having $100 in our pocket that we don’t know is there, and continuing to beg for money. The Isavasyopanishad says that if we see the Self alone manifesting as all beings, then covetousness, hatred and jealousy go away. Otherwise, desires keep multiplying. Shankaracharya said that supply is limited, while people who want things are more in number, so there is war for resources and energy. We cannot eliminate desire as long as we experience I and the world. Rich people lead more restless lives and are more prone to suicide. St. Paul said: “For in Him we live and move and have our being.” The Bhagavad Gita says that by finding joy in the Self, no other person, or money, or enjoyments are necessary. Jesus saw that he was not being crucified, and forgave those who crucified his body, because he saw they were doing it out of ignorance. With Sri Ramakrishna, we have verbatim records that show that in spite of his having cancer, with no pain medicine available, he was always in bliss. He was not concerned about the cancer, but only about distributing bliss. More schools and reforms have not brought about an end to war, but only more sophisticated weapons. Living in God is the only solution. With practice and perseverance, we are sure to realize God.
Study Class 'The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna' - Dec. 23, Tuesday
Sri Ramakrishna praised a 16 year old boy Manindra for his attitude of God's handmaid.God can be worshipped in various modes depending on the relationship that the devotee establishes with Him – mother, friend, master etc. The important thing is to establish some connection with God. Once this connection is established, it provides devotees a human link to experience God’s love. When we establish such relations with humans, we come to grief as humans have changing mental attitudes and cannot be constant source of love. God being the ultimate unchanging reality, we should establish these relations with God.
We struggle to establish such relationship with God because we do not perceive God as real. Our minds glue to things that we see as real. Due to our ignorance, real God appears unreal and unreal relationships appear real. Knowledge of reality is critical for even a bhakta (devotee) to establish conviction in his relationship with God. Sri Ramakrishna was so convinced about the reality of God and unreality of the world that he used to struggle to keep his mind on the world. It used to often flee to God, into Samadhi. Such conviction through knowledge makes a devotee a better devotee by helping him establish a stronger relationship with God.