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Newsletter September 28, 2016
Upcoming Events
Day-long Retreat – Sat. Oct 15, 10:00AM-7:00PM
Topic: '700 Verses on Divine Mother', to be presented by Swami Yogatmananda.
Prior Registration necessary.
Registration Fee:
On or before Oct. 08: $15.00 per person;
If registered and paid after Oct. 08, Fee: $25.00 per person;
(For online registration, $1.00 additional)
Registration can be done online or download reg. form and mail the check.
Click here for more information.
Day-long Meditation - Sat. Oct. 01 from 12:00Noon – 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.
Music Concert - Sun. Oct. 02, 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Immediately following the Sunday Service Lecture (5:00-6:00PM) on 'A-HIMSA (Non-violence)', there will be a music concert with Indian Classical Vocalist Padmini Rao, a disciple of Dhrupad Maestro Ustad Zia Moinuddin Dagar and Kirana tradition stalwart Ms. Prabha Atre, accompanied by Nitin Mitta on Tabla and Ravi Torvi on Harmonium. All Welcome. Donations Accepted.
Wednesdays Hatha Yoga – Sep. 14 - Oct. 19, 5PM –6:30PM
Six-week series of Hatha Yoga classes, on Wednesdays from 5pm –6:30pm, taught by Ellen Schaefer of One Yoga Center, Foster RI will be conducted at the Vedanta Society. Cost is $30/for 6-week session or $10.00 walk in per class. Please contact Ellen only at: 401-368-9642
Childern's monthly Program – Sun. Oct 02, 4PM – 6PM
The Just Kids! Children’s program (ages 6-12 only) will meet from 4PM – 6PM. All young children welcome.
CT Vedanta Monthly Satsang – Sat. Oct 08, 2:00-5:00 pm (Note – Venue Changed)
This month Vedanta Society of CT will have its Durga Puja celebration at Suvosree Chatterjee’s home at 27 FENWICK DR, AVON CT. (worship, music, Discussion with Swami Yogatmananda) from 2:00pm – 5:00pm. All are Welcome.
Vedanta Blog and Facebook:
Check out Vedanta Society's upcoming and past activities on Vedanta Facebook and participate in writing your comments, thoughts, poetry, and musings on Vedanta BLOG.
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/VedantaProvidence
Blog: www.vedantaprovidence.blogspot.com
Weekly Programs (in addition to Daily Programs given below)
| Friday, Sept. 30 |
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, Oct. 01 |
8:30 – 10:30 AM: Karma yoga/cleaning 12 noon – 8:00 PM: Day-Long Meditation |
| Sunday, Oct. 02 |
5:00 – 6:00 PM: A talk on 'A-Himsa (non-violence)' by Swami Yogatmananda 6:15 – 7:30 PM: Indian Classical Vocal Music Concert by Padmini Rao
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| Tuesday, Oct. 04 |
7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: Study Class by Swami Yogatmananda on 'The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna', Ch 51, pp 967 |
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. 7' 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 'THE STORY OF AN EPOCH: Swami Virajananda and his Times', by Swami Shraddhananda 7:15 – 8:00 PM: Meditation. Open to all. |
Past Events
Swami to Detroit, MI; Ganges Retreat, MI; Hindu Temple Lemont, IL - Sept. 22 - 25.
Swami Yogatmananda visited Detroit, MI on Thu. Sept. 22 and gave an informal talk & q-a session at a devotee’s home. On Fri. 23rd & Sat. 24th Swami conducted a retreat on ‘Imitation of Christ’ at Vivekananda Retreat, Ganges, MI. About 40 devotees attended. He spoke at the same venue on Sun 25th morning on 'Looking at a Hologram' and in the evening at Hindu Temple, Lemont, IL on ‘Sannyasa According to Bhagavad Gita’. 25 or so devotees attended.
Click here to see photos.
Synopses of Past Classes
Fri. Sept. 23: A video of Swami Anubhavananda’s lecture on ‘Beyond Time Space and Object’ was shown.
Sunday Lecture –'Perfection vs. Perfectionism' - a talk by Prof. Donna Maurer – Sept. 25, Sunday
When personality traits are solidified, they can be impediments to growth. The solution is: not to identify with them. Perfection is an absolute word, since something is either perfect or not perfect, with no in-between. There is a Hindu chant that says: That is perfect. This is perfect. Taking the perfect from the perfect, only the perfect remains. Perfection is not to be found in the external world. Only consciousness is free from all limitations. Perfectionism is either a need to be perfect or a belief that we should strive for perfection. Perfectionism is a relative word, since it can exist to different degrees. Adaptive perfectionism has us set high goals and strive for them, while maladaptive perfectionism causes us to have unrealistically high goals and excessive self-criticism. Attention to detail is important. Sri Ramakrishna paid so much attention to personal items that he could find them in the dark. Sri Ramakrishna paid attention to the tendencies of his devotees, even if they were opposite to one another. The benefits of a person who criticizes us are that it is a basis for self-reflection, it can lead us to greater tolerance, and it lets us know that we have not yet reached perfection. Sister Devamata taught us to measure spiritual growth by how far we seek higher things such as work, love and truth, for their own sakes.
Study Class - The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna – Sept. 27, Tuesday
Ch. 51 Pg 966; April 22, 1886
Normally we expect that a devotee of God, who leads a moral and ethical life, should not face any misery. But in reality happiness and misery are the two sides of the same coin. If one wants to go beyond misery he/she must be ready to go beyond the happiness as well.
Narendra suggested the only way to go beyond misery is Pantheism. Pantheism believes that the multi-faceted universe is really the One Divine principle. As per the Vedantic idea of Pantheism, the unchanging divine Self pervades in and through this universe without undergoing any transformation. The one Self appears as many with multiple names and forms due to ignorance. As the knowledge dawns, the perspective changes and the one Self appears everywhere. At that moment, there are no miseries or even happiness.
The relative happiness is born out of the contact of sense organ with the object of enjoyment. It is limited in nature. That happiness is always accompanied with misery. But the absolute happiness or bliss can be experienced by realizing the true nature of this Self. After that realization, the bliss alone - the essential nature of the Self, exists.