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Newsletter Dec. 28, 2016
Happy New Year 2017
Please Click on the above link to view the Christmas Greeting Card.
Upcoming Events
Kalpataru/Wish-fulfilling Day Program – Sun. Jan 01, 2017, 11AM –2PM
Program begins at 11:00am with short ritual worship, singing/music; a video; readings on significance of the day in the Ramakrishna Order, reflections and prasad. All are welcome to attend any or all of the day’s events.
Reminder: NO 5pm – 6pm Service/Lecture on Sun. Jan 01, 2017
Salutations! – Wed Jan. 04
The birth anniversary of Swami Saradananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, will be observed on Wed. Jan. 04 in the morning with a chant and in the evening with a devotional song, and a short biography reading.
Weekly Programs (in addition to Daily Programs given below)
| Friday, Dec. 30 |
7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: Jnana-Yoga Study Class by Swami Yogatmananda |
| Saturday, Dec. 31 |
8:30 – 10:30 AM: Karma Yoga/Cleaning |
| Sunday, Jan. 01 |
11AM –2PM: Kalputaru/’Wish-fulfilling’ Day Program Morning meditation (5:45am – 7:20 am) and evening Aarati (7pm -8pm) will continue as usual |
| Tuesday, Jan. 03 |
7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: Study Class by Swami Yogatmananda on 'The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna', Ch 52, pp 975 |
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
Salutations! – Sat. Dec. 24
The birth anniversary of Swami Shivananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, was observed on Sat. Dec 24 in the morning ‘guided meditation’ hour, a devotional song, and a short biography reading.
Christmas Eve Program – Sat. Dec. 24, 7:00pm-8:30pm
After 7pm Aarati, Christmas Eve was celebrated in the beautifully decorated chapel with mini worship of Jesus. This was followed by selected readings from Sermon on the Mount, The Imitation of Christ and The Life of Swami Vivekananda, interspersed with singing of Christmas carols and reflections from Swami Yogatmananda. The program concluded with prasad dinner. About thirty-three devotees attended.
Click here to see photo.
Synopses of Past Classes
(All classes given by Swami Yogatmananda, unless otherwise stated)
Study Class on 'Jnana Yoga' - Dec. 23, Friday
Class #44:
Desires are what make us miserable, so we come to the conclusion that we have to give up our desires. What does this actually mean? It means we must give up the idea of proprietorship. Nothing belongs to me or anyone; all belongs to God. Swami Ranganathananda says that, all Vedanta asks us to give up, is our dumbness. “Dumbness” here means not seeing the truth and holding on to false appearances. When these false ideas are given up, we will be free. All our desires for external objects will vanish when we realize that, as Jesus taught, everything we seek (“the kingdom of heaven”) is within us. When we rid ourselves of desire, we become free from suffering. Our identities, which at present are always shifting, will become fixed in a true, divine identity. Work done with right attitude, is the key. Work is a vehicle for self-realization, when done in the right way. While working we must cover everything with God; may we feel the divine presence everywhere while doing our work.
Dec. 25, Sunday: No 5pm Lecture
Study Class - The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna - Dec 27, Tuesday
Reviewed Mar 1882 - April 24th 1886
Through the reading of the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, we have witnessed the transformation in the recorder of the Gospel, M. When M first came to Sri Ramakrishna, he was intensely depressed due to a number of family and other problems. He was contemplating committing suicide. During his first visit, Sri Ramakrishna dealt severe blows to M’s ego. Ordinarily we are intensely engaged in seeking worldly happiness from sense pleasures, money, artistic pursuits, food etc. In such a state, we are not prepared to listen to spiritual advice. Intense sorrow makes us introspective and we are prepared to listen to someone. This provides a tremendous opportunity to open new doors in our spiritual progress. Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita was in a similar state, until Sri Krishna dealt him a blow by ridiculing and rejecting his idea of escaping the war.
At such moments a spiritual Guru provides specific instructions for prayer and regular spiritual practice – called Sandhya. As a result of continuous practice of Sandhya, the student realizes the essence/goal of this practice – the Gayatri. Gayatri, in turn helps the practitioners realize the essence of the universe - Om. We are born animals. The spiritual instruction provides us a new pair of eyes (called upanayana). This causes us to be born again – Dvija – as it were. It is in this new spiritual and goal oriented life, that we subdue our animal nature and manifest our human nature. M followed Sri Ramakrishna’s instructions for 4 years and was completely transformed. The problems of the life were not gone but, he learned to deal with them. When one connects oneself to a spiritually awakened Guru, one is bound to be spiritually awakened. Anyone in the spiritual lineage of the one who has realized Brahman (God) will realize God as well. In coming weeks, we will read in the Gospel how Sri Ramakrishna's disciples manifest His teachings in their lives.