Newsletter November 04, 2009

Past Events

1) Satsang in Framingham - Saturday, October 31
A satsang program with Swami Tyagananda of MA and Swami Yogatmananda of RI was held at the Jhaveri home in Framingham MA from 11AM - 3PM, attended by about fifty devotees. It included short talks by the swamis; devotional music/singing; luncheon; autumn 'leaf-peeping', etc.

2) Bhagavad Gita class, Middletown CT - Sunday, November 01
Swami conducted the monthly Bhagavad Gita class (chapter 6 cont) at the Sri Satyanarayana Temple, 10 Training Hill Rd, Middletown CT from 10:30 - 11:30 AM.
3) Classical Indian FLUTE concert - Sunday, November 01
About fifty-seven music enthusiasts listened to a classical Indian FLUTE concert by Jay Gandhi in the Vedanta Chapel from 6:15PM - 7:45PM. Jay was accompanied by Chris Pereji on Tabla.

Click to see the photos.
4) Birth-Anniversaries
On Friday, October 30, the birth anniversary of Swami Subodhananda, and on Monday, November 02, the birth anniversary of Swami Vijnanananda, direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, was observed in the morning with a chant and in the evening with a song, a biography reading and Prasad.
5) Brown Hindu Student group - Monday, November 02
Swami met with the Brown University Hindu student group at 8:00 PM to discuss current concerns.
6) Brown University Religious Life Affiliates - Tuesday, November 03
Swami attended the monthly Brown University Religious Life Affiliates gathering of interfaith chaplaincy Tuesday afternoon.

Synopsis of last week's classes

Friday, Oct. 30 - Bhagavad Gita - CH-4 Verses 34-37
The knowledge that is limited to intellectual understanding of the world may be obtained by attending classes, reading books, doing observations and analysis etc. But the means for the spiritual wisdom are categorically different, because this requires subduing the ego, opening of the heart to the inner divinity and getting intimately connected to the Source of this knowledge through service. Unlike the intellectual worldly knowledge, this spiritual wisdom coming from the Guru, removes all the delusion completely and permanently through the immediate experience of the Truth. This is the unique efficacy of Self-Knowledge. It makes one see all beings included in the Self which is divine. Then Lord Krishna assures Arjuna that no matter what wrong you might have done earlier, this Knowledge will take you to the supreme Goal. All relative acts, so called good or bad, are burnt by the irrepressible fire of this Knowledge of the True Self.

Sunday, Nov. 01 - Some Thoughts on Thinking - Swami Yogatmananda
Thinking is a very important tool that helps us to set our actions beforehand to achieve the desired result. Four major characteristics of an effective thinking are: 1) Thinking should be sharp enough to cut through the appearances revealing the reality beneath. 2) It should be able to go deep to penetrate through the different layers of appearances and should have enough strength not to get swayed by the emotions. 3) It should be always vigilant and scan each and every action. 4) It should be comprehensive; one should be ready to examine, understand and accept others' views if found right.
Faculty of thinking should be properly integrated with the faculty of feeling and willing. Kathopanisad says that if our properly trained faculty of thinking steers our actions then alone we can reach the goal. Thinking becomes redundant when one reaches destination. In Jnanayoga, Swami Vivekananda says that thinking is possible only in the domain of subject, object and subject-object relationship. Because of this inherent limitation, thinking can never be used to find the Ultimate Cause. There we have to use the tool of meditation which silences all thoughts and takes us to the core of our Being.

Tuesday, Nov. 03 - The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna (Chapter 38)

Sri Ramakrishna was talking to his devotees when he learned Ram Babu was writing about him. Ram was a great devotee who visited the Master often. Even though he was quite devoted, there still lurked the desire for name and fame. Imagine us, who may be a far cry from him and how much beware we have to be of these lurking desires, which are the impediment in God-realization. We have to be aware that God is the Truth inside us. We also have to be Beware of the pitfalls in the spiritual life-such as the clever mind and ego-sure impediments to realization. According to Sri Ramakrishna, one must be simple go realize the God. Toward the end of the chapter we see a man who fell asleep on a bench and totally missed the Master's presence. Unless we are vigilant, we could figuratively fall asleep due to ignorance and miss the golden opportunity this lifetime affords for transcending the lower consciousness and merging with God.

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