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Past Events

 

Independence Day celebration - Sun. July 04

About fifty devotees along with Swamis Tyagananda and Yogatmananda gathered at Jhaveris' home in Framingham, MA on Sunday, July 04 from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Swami Yogatmananda gave a short talk on freedom and liberation while Swami Tyagananda persented an article written by him (yet to be published) on the same subject. There was some devotional music along with serving of lunch.

 

Residential retreat - Fri., July 09 to Sun., July 11

A residential retreat on "Principles of 'Sadhana'" was conducted from Fri., July 09, 6:00 PM - Sun., July 11, 1:00 PM at the Center. The retreat began with a ritualistic worhsip (puja), short reading and devotional music on Day 1 (Friday). Day 2 (Saturday) involved early morning meditation-chanting-a short reading, two discourses on the subject by Swami Yogatmananda, guided meditation, devotional music, evening aarati and meditation and a DVD show on the life of Swami Turiyananda. Day 3 (Sunday) also involved early morning meditation-chanting-a short reading, Q/A session with Swamiji and reading-out one's own written short essay on the subject aloud to all others.

 

Swami's visit to Ganges, MI and Chicago, IL - Thu., July 15 through Mon., July 19
Swami and some devotees traveled to Vivekananda Monastery in Ganges, MI where Swami conducted a retreat on 15th Chapter of Bhagavad Gita - 'Purushottama Yoga' to about fifty devotees. 'Over the Rainbow' was the Sunday Service lecture, with about fifty persons in attendance. They also visited the recently built 'Sri Ramakrishna Universal Temple' in Homer Glen, Chicago, IL and they returned to Providence late night on Monday, July 19.

 

Gathering to observe M's birthday in West Wareham, MA - Sat., July 24
About 30 devotees assembled at Roys' home in West Wareham MA from 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM on Sunday, July 24 along with Swamis Tyagananda and Yogatmananda to observe M's birthday (M was the chronicler of 'The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna'). There was a short reading on M's life along with devotional music, short talks by both Swamis and meal/snacks.

 

Guru-Purnima - Sun., July 25
About fifty devotees attended the worship, devotional singing, readings and a talk by Swami on gurus and Vyasa ('guru of gurus') from 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM on Sunday, July 25.

 

Please click here to see photos of some of the above events.

Synopsis of this month's classes

 

Kashmir S'aivism - Tuesday, July 13

Some of the names/terms used in Kashmir Saivism:
Five faces of Siva (SIVA= AUSPICIOUS): Ishana (= controller), Tatpurusha (=supreme being), Sadyojata (=ever new), Vamadeva (= beautiful, pleasant god),
and Aghora (=non-fearsome, easily approachable).

The Five powers/aspects they represent (in the same order): Chit-shakti (consciousness), Ananda shakti (Bliss), Ichha-shakti (will) Jnana-shakti (knowledge) and Kriya-shakti (Action).

Four principal Schools/disciplines: Pratyabhijna = Recognition. Saint Somananda is considered the originator. His disciple is Utpal-dev and later famous saint/scholar in this lineage is Abhinava-gupta; Krama = Gradual, sequential. This school is based on transcendence of limitations like time-space causation and realize the transcendental Siva. Eraknatha the principal teacher; Kula school explores Siva as abode of bliss. The original teacher of this was Sumatinatha; Spanda=vibration. The school holds that the Universe and soul are the vibrations of Siva. Vasugupta was the originator. Kallat and Kshemaraja are other famous teachers.

The name Kashmir Saivism is due to the fact that it was principally developed and preached by sages who lived in the Kashmir region from 8th-12th century AD. The discipline is known as TRIKA (= TRINITY). The three are Pashu = individual soul, Pasha = Power that binds and frees & Pashupati or Siva = the Supreme, transcendental and immanent Lord.

The three methods (Upaya) of liberation are given for three categories of aspirants: Shambhavopaya - The Truth is instantaneously experienced by the aspirant by listening to the words of the teacher; Shaktopaya - Purifying the mind by Yoga and meditation on the indwelling Siva; Anavopaya - Using rituals and external symbols to learn concentration.
The three stages of increasing impurity are told as: Anava-mala - anava=atomic, mala=impurty. This impurity is due to the soul's misconception that it is limited, atomic; actually, in Truth it is unlimited; Mayiya(=due to Maya)-mala -The soul then sees the world different than it and starts craving for it; Karma-mala - The craving propels the mental and physical actions.

 

Kashmir S'aivism - Tuesday, July 20

In the last class, 7/20, we saw that 'SIVA SUTRA' (Aphorisms on Siva) by Vasugupta is an extremely useful book for learning of the SAIVISM. Vasugupta was a sage living in Kashmir and was blessed by the vision of the Siva who told him that there is a stone slab in the woods of Dachheegram near Srinagar on which you will find the secret of Saivism engraved. He got the slab and saw these 77 aphorisms engraved on it. This anecdote is to emphasize the divine origin of these.

Aphorism 1: Chaitanya-aatmaa - Consciousness/awareness is self tells that self is not limited to the body but is infinite and all-pervading. Self is pure consciousness, not the matter. The two-fold meaning of this is thus: every vibration of awareness is really self and self is not matter, but pure consciousness.

Aphorism 2: Jnaanam Bandhah - Knowledge of the variety or division is bondage. When the division in the reality like 'I' and 'world' is perceived, that is bondage at the primary level. This knowledge (which is really ignorance of the Truth of unbroken oneness) then limits the self to various imposed conditions. All the secondary bondage ensues from this.

 

Kashmir S'aivism - Tuesday, July 27

Aphorism 3: Yonivargah kalaa-sariram - The cycle of cause-effect gives rise to the various, infinitely many bodies making the bondage more complex.

Aphorism 4 describes the role of sound in 'stabilizing' or firming up the knowledge of the unreal subject-object world. A passing perception comes along with its sound component; that gives it a name and that gives the passing perception a sense of continuity. All that passes for knowledge is accompanied by words; it is in fact nothing but words. The 5th aphorism emphasizes the role of effort in attaining the liberation.

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