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If you have questions regarding spiritual life, Vedanta, Hinduism etc, you can email us at answers ATvedantaprov.org
Newsletter December 09, 2015
Upcoming Events
Day-long Meditation - Sat. Dec. 12, 12noon – 8:00PM
This is a continual long meditation session, starting with guided meditation at 11:00 AM. Must be IN bldg by 12 noon, when entry will be locked; Can leave any time, but cannot re-enter until 6:30PM.. Simple Veg. lunch-food will be provided. Doors open at 6:30pm for the 7:00pm singing Aarati, then meditation resumes.
Connecticut Vedanta Society Program – Sat. Dec. 12, 3PM – 5PM
Swami and devotees will meet from at newly formed Vedanta Society of CT, 100 Cherry Brook Rd, Canton CT. All are welcome. Connecticut Vedanta will NOT meet in January or February 2016. Check in Feb. 2016 newsletters for beginning monthly schedule.
Bhagavad Gita class, Middletown CT – Sun. Dec. 13, 10:30 - 11:30AM
Swami Yogatmananda will conduct the last monthly Bhagavad Gita (Ch.18-COMPLETED!!) at Sri Satyanarayana Temple (10 Training Hill Rd, Middletown, CT). All are welcome.
Christmas Eve Program – Thurs. Dec. 24
From 7:00 to 8:30 PM, Christmas Eve will be celebrated with 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. There will be no Jnana Yoga class on that evening.
Hatha Yoga class:
1) ‘Walk-in’ ($5.00) Hatha Yoga class on Tues. evenings from 6:00pm – 7:00PM with Hannah Resseger.
Contact Hannah only AT: key2life-AT-gmail.com
2) Beginning Wednesday, Dec. 16, there will be a six-week yoga series of classes from 5:00 - 6:30PM, under yoga teacher Ellen Schaeffer, (Yoga One, Foster). It is $30.00 for 6 weeks; or $10.00 walk-in.
Contact Ellen Only at: 401-368-9642
Weekly Programs (in addition to Daily Programs given below)
| Friday, Dec. 11 |
7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: Study Class #11 by Swami Yogatmananda on 'Jnana Yoga’, a book by Swami Vivekananda |
| Saturday, Dec. 12 |
8:30 – 10:30 AM: Karma yoga/cleaning 12 noon - 8:00 PM: Day-long Meditation 7:00 - 8:00 PM: Aarati (singing, a short reading) & Meditation |
| Sunday, Dec. 13 |
5:00 – 6:00PM: A talk - Three in One and One in Three’, by Swami Yogatmananda
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| Tuesday, Dec. 15 |
7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: Study Class by Swami Yogatmananda on 'The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna', Ch 49, pp 947 |
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. 6' 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
Day-long Retreat - Sat. Dec. 05, 10AM - 7PM
About fifty devotees participated in this fifty-second day-long retreat, from 10:00am – 7:00pm, on: ‘Cave of the Heart’ by Swami Chidbrahmananda (Ved. Cntr. WA/DC). Swami Chidbrahmananda delivered two 1½ hour discourses, very beautifully sang two songs during the ‘devotional-music segment’, and, with Swami Yogatmananda, answered written questions for more than an hour in the later afternoon ‘Q & A’ session. Aarati and the chanting of Krishna-Sankirtanama followed. About thirty attendees participated in the yoga session led by Patricia Blake. Swami Yogatmananda led the morning guided meditation segment and the afternoon ‘Vedantic Tales’ segment; various devotees sang/chanted during ‘devotional music segment; and there were refreshment breaks and meals.
Saxophone & Tabla Concert –Sun. Dec. 06, 6:00-7:30PM
About forty-five music enthusiasts listened to the Indian Classical Raaga Melodies from 6:20pm – 7:45pm, performed by Phil Scarff on Saxophone, accompanied on Tabla by Amit Karthekar.
Click to see photos of above events.
Just Kids! Children’s Time – Sun. Dec. 06, 4:00 - 6:00PM
About five children met this Sunday, Dec. 06, from 4pm -6pm, with Prof Dorothy Abram for the monthly Just Kids! Children’s program.
Synopses of Last Week's Classes
(All classes given by Swami Yogatmananda, unless otherwise stated)
Study Class - 'Jnana Yoga’ (a book by Swami Vivekananda) - Dec. 4, Friday
Class #10:
We have been discussing the second chapter of Jnana Yoga, titled “The Real Nature of Man.” Since we are taking up the study of this subject, it is safe to say that we are unaware of our true nature. For all of us, doubts arise pertaining to the true nature of our existence. The sages emphatically state that our true nature is infinite and in no way limited by the body-mind complex. However, we are afraid to receive and appropriate this captivating truth. “If I accept that my true nature is infinite, my world will fall apart,” we say to ourselves. This fear is a product of our attachment to sense pleasure, to the so-called world we have constructed out of ignorance. But the sages implore us saying, “If your world is unreal, let it fall apart.” The true source of our individuality lies in the infinite reality. As ocean, we are real; but as waves we are not. Although we may strive to cling to our “individuality,” we are, in fact, not individuals yet. Individuality consists in realizing our oneness with the divine reality and the whole of the universe. Thus Swami Vivekananda states that, “He alones lives whose life is in the whole universe.” There is no escaping fear unless we are established in non-duality. All of us are continually seeking the perfect ideal, because it is within us; nay, in fact we are that. Our true nature is trying to manifest. By relinquishing our attachment to sense pleasures, and consistently choosing what is right over what is merely pleasant, we begin to evolve spiritually, our ignorance increasingly fades away and more light shines forth in our lives.
Inner Sacrifice & Outer Prayer – A talk by Sw. Chidbrahmananda, Vedanta Center of Washington DC – Dec. 6
In the Kathopanisad, Nachiketas’s father is sacrificing everything he owns. He represents all of us, who give all we have, to get more. Nachiketa has faith, which is an intuitive perception that draws us away from the world. Nachiketa criticizes the idea of sacrifice for a temporary reward. His father gives him to death, as do all of our parents due to giving us birth. He goes to the realm of Yama, the god of death, as we are all sitting in the waiting room of death. Whatever we put in our mouth, look at, or listen to is our SACRIFICE. God always says yes to our prayers in proportion to our real requests. Swami Vivekananda advises praying for the good of humanity. Sri Ramakrishna says that God is a partner in our life, who can hear even the anklets on an ant. We may start our prayers from desires but when we have a relationship with God, we turn away from the world. Sri Ramakrishna touches Narendra, who goes into samadhi. At some point when we are gaming around, Sri Ramakrishna will touch us as well. Yama gives Nachiketas three boons, and for the third boon, he wants to know where we go when we die. Sri Ramakrishna says that death should be our teacher. Swami Vivekananda says that virtue is the only thing that follows us beyond the grave. He says that all that unites is virtue and all that separates is sin. Nachiketas knows that sensory pleasures endure only until tomorrow. This is renunciation, and we have to be single-minded in spiritual practices.
Study Class - 'The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna' - Dec. 8, Tuesday
Sri Ramakrishna was distributing the spiritual wisdom. Spiritual wisdom helps to recognize the true nature of our own self. One must practice the principles of this wisdom / knowledge in day-to-day life. Intellectual understanding along with regular spiritual practice will bring the exuberant joy of realization of true Self. Spiritual practice is nothing but removing the obstacles of ignorance and bondage. This is renunciation. Giving up the source of bondage to realize the source of bliss is renunciation. One must establish a connection with the source of bliss. The spiritual wisdom flows through that connection.
Master told Narendra, that everything that exists has come from him. Master was not identifying himself with the limited body but with the cosmic existence. Hence, he could very well see the whole creation coming out of him and dissolving in him. As the dreamer creates the dream world and it is dissolved in the dreamer similarly this existence comes into being and is dissolved in the cosmic existence. Narendra, seconded this understanding. He could see and understand the true nature of Sri Ramakrishna. Due to this, later on he could transmit the message of Sri Ramakrishna to the whole world in its true sense.
On Master's request Narendra sang some songs full of intense love and devotion suitable for everyone's mood at that time.