 |
 |
Newsletter February 17, 2016
Upcoming Events
Hatha Yoga Course - Wednesdays Feb. 10 - Mar. 16
Beginning Wednesday, Feb. 10, a six-week ‘Mindful Flow’ Hatha Yoga class will be conducted at the Vedanta Society on every Wednesday by Ellen Schaefer of One Yoga Center, RI, from 5:00 - 6:30PM. The 6-week course will be $30.00 Pre-paid; and $10.00 per class walk-in. Contact Ellen at 401-368-9642
Salutations!
The birth anniversaryof Swami Adbhutananda, direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, will be observed on Mon. Feb. 22, with a chant in the morning, and a song, a biography reading and prasad in the evening.
Every Thursday, for continued time (unless cancellations due to snowstorm etc.), there will be showing of the DVD series ‘GREAT COURSES’ from 8:00PM -8:45PM, following the 7:00PM Aarati, short reading & meditation. All welcome.
Weekly Programs (in addition to Daily Programs given below)
| Friday, Feb. 19 |
7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: Study Class by Swami Yogatmananda on Jnana Yoga (based on the book of Swami Vivekananda) |
| Saturday, Feb. 20 |
8:30 – 10:30 AM: Karma yoga/cleaning 7:00 - 8:00 PM: Aarati (singing, a short reading) & Meditation |
| Sunday, Feb. 21 |
5:00 – 6:00 PM: A talk on ‘Executing Plans’ by Swami Yogatmananda
|
| Tuesday, Feb. 23 |
7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: Study Class by Swami Yogatmananda on 'The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna', Ch 50, pp 956 |
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
Salutations!
The birth anniversaries of Swami Brahmananda and Swami Trigunatitananda, direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, were observed on Wed. Feb. 10 & Fri. Feb. 12 respectively, with a chant in the morning, and a song, a biography reading and prasad in the evening.
Synopses of Last Week's Classes
(All classes given by Swami Yogatmananda, unless otherwise stated)
Study Class on 'Jnana Yoga’- Feb. 12, Friday
This web of contradictions is on all sides. Everything we do is fraught with it. Everything ‘good’ is also ‘bad’ seen from another angle. Our desire to get happiness and satisfaction is like chasing a mirage and the real torture is that we cannot stop running after this mirage, EVEN IF WE KNOW IT TO BE A MIRAGE. We know everyone dies, but it is almost impossible, to feel one’s own death. This is because of the mutual superimposition of the mortal body and immortal self. We want to reform the world, remove all ‘injustice’; but before long one can see that this effort has given rise to a lot of injustice. Why is the situation like this, or who made it like this or since when it is like this – no logical answer possible to these questions, as even the questions cannot be logically formulated. And this is MAYA.
Sunday Lecture - Death: The Best Teacher – Feb. 14, Sunday
Death is change: What was, is not anymore. When there is no connection seen with the new state, we call it death. Everyone expects death, but the Mahabharata points out that we cannot imagine our own death. Thus, we miss learning from this teacher directly. Learning is not always for our betterment. Bad tendencies, called Asuras, happen naturally, while good tendencies, called Devas, require effort. A good teacher pushes the student, removes obstacles, teaches not just at intellectual level, but at functional level too. Teaches, not only by words, but even by mere presence. To have Death as a teacher, all are eligible, and the lessons are free. Pain is a tool for teaching. When we know the cause of pain, we avoid it. The presence of death makes us calm and peaceful when we know deep down that all material things will be over soon. When we don’t see this, we get caught and are bound. When we feel the presence of death, we feel impermanence. See the world as impermanent AND THAT IS LIBERATION. Swami Vivekananda said that death is the goal of everything, yet we cling to life. In the Kathopanisad, the teacher, who is Death, grants the student three boons. Death offers many temptations so the student would not choose to know what is beyond death, but the student rejects the temptations, because they were subject to death. The student asks for the eternal boon, which is not subject to death.
Study Class - 'The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna' - Feb. 16, Tuesday
Date: April 16, 1886 : Page 955
Sri Ramakrishna loved Girish due to his unflinching faith and his sincerity. That was Girish's greatest virtue. Everything, even his own life was surrendered to Sri Ramakrishna. He was a devotee of the highest order. Master lovingly offered him some refreshments. He gave him the garlands from his own neck as a sanctified offering. Such accounts are good for meditation and they help us elevate ourselves in that divine environment.
M and his wife were grieving for the loss of their son. It was very difficult for both of them to get over the agony. It is easy to rationalize that God alone is your very own, but very difficult to practice this principle in unfavorable circumstances. Master had a concern about M and his wife.
Girish asked the Master about a wiser choice between regretful renunciation and calling on God by leading a householder's life. Master insisted on performing the duties in a detached spirit as mentioned in the Gita. True renunciation lies in loving service to the world by giving up 'I and mine'. A householder can follow complete renunciation and detachment even amidst his worldly duties and responsibilities. Some follow the monastic life while others follow the householder's life. These are two different paths leading to the same goal. Girish asked to the Master - "Mind does not remain at an elevated state all the time. It comes down to the world every now and then." This is a practical difficulty faced by all the aspirants. The mind dwells on God for moment but very soon it indulges in worldly enjoyments. WHY?
The answer will be discussed in the next class.