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Newsletter January 07, 2009
Swami Travels to Puerto Rico - Jan. 10 - 13
Swami Yogatmananda will travel to Puerto Rico early Saturday morning, Jan.10th,
to conduct a retreat on 'Yoga' and deliver Vedanta talks. He will return to
Providence on Tuesday Jan 13th.
The birth anniversary of Swami Turiyananda, direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, will be observed on Saturday, Jan. 10th in the morning with a chant and in the evening with a song, a biography reading and Prasad.
Weekly Programs at Vedanta Society of Providence
| Friday Jan 09 | 7:00
PM –
Aarati (devotional music) & meditation. 7:30 PM – Bhagavad Gita class (Ch 3 cont) |
| Saturday, Jan 10 |
8:00 -10:00
AM - Cleaning |
| Sunday,
Jan 11 |
5:00 -
6:00 PM - A talk on 'Karma and Equality' (Karma Yoga #5) by Swami
Tyagananda |
|
Tuesday, |
7:00 PM –
Aarati (devotional music) & meditation. 7:30 PM – Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna class, Ch. 37, Pg 718 |
Daily Programs at Vedanta Society of Providence
| 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. II |
| Evening | 7:00
– 7:15 PM: Aarati (devotional music), a short reading from Spiritual
Treasures: Letters of Swami Turiyananda 7:15 – 8:00 PM: Meditation |
Click here to see the photos of past events.
Kalpataru Day - Thurs. Jan. 01
Raj and Dhiraj Jhaveri hosted the annual Kalpataru Day for fifty-plus
devotees at their residence at Framingham, MA. Swami Tyagananda and Swami
Yogatmananda spoke briefly on that event. The program concluded with devotional
music & potluck lunch.
Birth Anniversary of Swami Saradananda, direct disciple of Sri
Ramakrishna, was observed on Friday, Jan, 02, 2009 in the morning with
a chant and in the evening with a song, a biography reading and Prasad.
Swami Yogatmananda spoke at the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society, 58
Deerfield St Boston on Jan. 04th on 'Vedanta and Democracy' from
11:00 AM - 12:00 noon.
State House Interfaith Vigil - Tues. Jan. 06
Swami chanted and gave a brief talk at the State House Interfaith Vigil
for the Jewish Federation and Rhode Island Coalition to Fight Poverty
& Homelessness, which took place in the Capitol Rotunda from 3:00
- 4:00 PM on Tuesday, Jan 06, 2009. Leaders of other faiths also spoke
to the approximately three hundred advocates, legislators and general
public who attended.
Synopsis of Last Week's Classes
Friday - Bhagwad Gita - Jan. 02
Ch. 3- Verses 17-19:The goal of the Karma -Yoga is to reach the ultimate
fulfillment, the signs of which are told by the Lord as: the life centered
in the Self. The happiness, satisfaction etc are not in any external achievement
for such a person. So, he does not seek anything in the world. 'Does not
get anything by doing nor lose anything by not doing', for he/she has nothing
to achieve anything from anyone; in fact there is no relation with anyone
what-so-ever. God alone is the father, mother, friend - everything. When
such a stage comes in the life, then and then alone, the purpose of Karma
Yoga is over.
So, Lord urges Arjuna, to do work meticulously, according to your situation
but with detached attitude all the time. The background awareness
of the ultimate goal should guide us. As one constantly progressing towards
destination gets there, so also a spiritual aspirant gets to see Self everywhere.
Sunday - Thinking Globally, Acting Locally - Swami Yogatmananda
- Jan 04
As a Sanskrit verse says, 'For a broad minded person, the whole earth is
but one family - global family' and this idea appeals us ethically indeed.
Vedanta takes a leap further and emphasizes oneness of the whole universe.
Ignorance of our true nature makes us see variety, but all variety is in
fact included in the Whole. Philosophy tells us what is Truth and ethics
points out the gap between fact and Truth. How to bridge the gap? Not by
trying to change the situation around but by changing one's awareness. Think
globally - the all pervasive oneness of the whole universe but act locally
to change one's awareness to conform to that Truth. Attempt to change outside
situation will defeat the purpose. We have to evolve and change ourselves
to outgrow the situation. The advice to bring about the change in oneself
is necessary because the natural tendency is to try to blame the situation
and make all effort to change it.
Taittariya Upanisad tells us that the means to get the highest knowledge
are always with us; purify sense organs, mind, intellect etc. and gradually
the subtler truths will reveal. The student purifies himself - the action
was local - to realize the universal truth of all-pervading Brahman.
In the lectures on 'Practical Vedanta', Swami Vivekananda warns us against
the common tendency of dragging the ideal down to suit our convenience;
instead we should struggle hard to reconcile our life with the highest ideal.
Have firm faith that I am Divine and take actions in daily life to manifest
this principle.
Tuesday - Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna - Jan. 06
One has to ready to give up what is unreal and accept the real. This is renunciation. Holy Mother believed that to be Sri Ramakrishna's greatest feature. His whole life was " no I, no mine; Lord Thou & Thine". We all talk of making spiritual progress, but all too often we are caught up in the web of worldly concerns. The Master gives an illustration of how while making a show of practicing austerity and silence, people get busy doing other things. The 'world is the priority, not the God'. We make excuses not to practice. Even advanced seekers like Rakhal and Narendra hesitate to give up the attachment completely. Master urges us to be practical and to not run after shadows. He has laid out a relatively simple blueprint to follow to realize God. It's as if he has removed the bolt on a door. All we need do is to give it a gentle push.