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Newsletter March 09, 2016
Upcoming Events
REMEMBER, DAY-LIGHT SAVING BEGINS ON SUN. MARCH 13. PUSH YOUR CLOCKS AHEAD BY ONE HOUR ON SAT, MARCH 12 NIGHT.
Sri Ramakrishna Sankirtanam – Thurs. Mar. 10
Chanting of Sri Ramakrishna Sankirtanam (Life of and Prayers to Sri Ramakrishna), immediately following the 7pm singing Aarati. All are welcome.
There will be NO Video of Great Courses this evening(Thursday).
Sri Ramakrishna Puja/Worship Day – Sun. March 13, 11:00AM –7:00PM
11:00 am: worship-ritual, 12:30 flower-offering & Prasad-lunch
2:30-4:00 pm Video
5:00-6:00 pm: ‘Symposium’ on Sri Ramakrishna
6:00-7:00 pm: Sri Ramakrishna Sankirtanam
7:00 pm: Supper-prasad
All are welcome to any/ all of the events.
DAY-LONG RETREAT - Sat. Apr. 02, 9:30AM –7:00PM
Topic: 'Yogi and Bhagavad Gita' by Swami Prapannananda, Vedanta Society of Sacramento, CA
Prior registration required; can register at the Vedanta Society or online.
Fee: $30.00/person ($20.00 if registered and paid by March 21, 2016)
Click here for more info & online registration.
Restarting Tuesday Hatha Yoga Classes beginning Mar. 08
‘Walk-in’ ($5.00) Tues. evenings from 6:15pm – 7:00pm with Hannah Resseger.
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
Weekly Programs (in addition to Daily Programs given below)
| Friday, Mar. 11 |
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, Mar. 12 |
8:30 – 10:30 AM: Karma yoga/cleaning 7:00 - 8:00 PM: Aarati (singing, a short reading) & Meditation |
| Sunday, Mar. 13 |
11:00AM –7:00 PM: Sri Ramakrishna Puja/Worship Day; See details above 5:00 – 6:00 PM: A Symposium on Sri Ramakrishna |
| Tuesday, Mar. 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 50, pp 958 |
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
Attleboro-based Interfaith – Thurs. March 03
Swami, Pat B. and ten other clergy & congregation members of various faiths met at 11:45am at Centenary United Methodist Church, Attleboro MA to discuss this month’s question: “What can we do to re-ignite the good news to keep our faith communities thriving in the next 10-39 years?”
Day-long Meditation - Sat. March 05, 12Noon – 8:00PM
About a dozen devotees and swami participated in the day-long meditation from 12 noon to 8pm, which followed the 11am -12noon guided meditation & music hour.
Yoga Teachers Visit– Sun. March 06
About eleven adult yoga students training with Ellen Schaefer (Yoga One, Foster) met with Swami Yogatmananda during mid-morning to discuss the various scriptural yogas, and about Vedanta, and asked questions.
Just Kids! : Children’s Time – Sun. March 06, 4PM – 6PM
The Just Kids! Children’s program (ages 6-12 only) met from 4PM – 6PM.
Om Namah Shivaya: Maha-Sivaratri - Monday Mar. 7
Twenty- one devotees listened to a reading and sang Shiva-Samkirtanam (108 names to Shiva) after the 7PM Aarati.
Synopses of Last Week's Classes
(All classes given by Swami Yogatmananda, unless otherwise stated)
Study Class on 'Jnana Yoga’- Mar. 04, Friday
Class #20: To see life as a series of unavoidable contradictions is not pessimistic (nor optimistic); it is just a statement of fact, known in Vedanta as maya. Evolutionism seeks a “workaround” to maya by showing that society can evolve to provide the best path forward for the greatest number of people. But in this philosophy there will inevitably be those who will be left behind, taken advantage of. Even egalitarian social models (like communism) can never be inherently equal for all people. Likewise, agnosticism, which accepts that nothing can be known with certainty so one should just enjoy as much as possible, does not provide an acceptable solution to the problem of maya. In light of the fact of maya, Vedanta doesn’t seek to assure us that the world is a happy place with no evil or struggle. Instead, it encourages us to go beyond the limitations of the senses and the mind, in order to discover our true nature, which is bliss and freedom. Imagine a being that is beyond the limitations of maya, where everything is existing harmoniously and contradictions do not exist. This personal god is the common property of all religions. (Though in Vedanta, this is the beginning and not the end of religion). Realizing this God, that which was seen as limited becomes infinite and we are able to go beyond maya, beyond contradictions.
Sunday Lecture - 'Work Hard, Work Smart' – Mar. 06, Sunday
Service started off with singing of a song by Tara, about friendship with everyone and duty for self-control, compassion, and charity.
Work is defined as an activity directed to achieve some objective. Working hard is defined as concentrating all one’s energies on the task. Working smart is defined as putting intelligence into the work, making it goal-oriented, and using all available resources so that resistance is overcome. S-M-A-R-T in business stands for Specific (goal); Measurable (how much effort is put in); Achievable (realizing God is achievable since many have done so while happiness through money is not; pleasing everyone is not possible, as even Jesus was crucified); Realistic (not based on fantasy); and Time-bound (seeing perceptible change through the work – Sri Ramakrishna advocated doing spiritual practice intensely to see results). In the Bhagavad Gita, Yoga is said to be achieving practically what is intellectually understood. Lord Krishna defines hard work as working without getting attached, working with concentration, and not worrying about whether the work will succeed or fail. He defines smart work as making sure that the work is determined by the goal and not by desires, which are constantly changing. The main obstacle in work is getting caught in the work. We need to clean the dirt, but not get dirty ourselves. Work for liberation will succeed because religion is the manifestation of the divinity already in humanity, as Swami Vivekananda pointed out.
Study Class - 'The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna' - Mar. 08, Tuesday
Page 957, Date April 16, 1886.
Ordinary human beings who are completely engrossed in the bondages of the world, forget the sole purpose of this life. Hence an external force is needed to awaken their real nature, just like an alarm is needed to wake us up from the sleep.
Master mentioned to Girish that there is no alternative to intense spiritual practice for an aspirant to be able to maintain his/her mind at a lofty level. Girish insisted that Sri Ramakrishna's grace should be enough, even without the spiritual practices. Master answered that grace can't be demanded. It is beyond any cause and effect relationship. It is not governed by any rule per se. It comes only if one is capable to receive the same. Spiritual practices prepare an individual to receive the grace. But these practices alone are not enough for God realization. Human efforts are always limited and those limited efforts are not satisfactory for the realization of the Infinite. Still one must put in the utmost efforts.
Scriptures, spiritual customs and formalities are required initially, till the true love for the Lord is developed. Once the true love is kindled in the heart, all the formalities then become secondary. True love can be established for God by forming a connection or developing a peculiar attitude such as an attitude of a servant, attitude of a friend towards God. True seeker must try his level best to develop that true love for God.