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If you have questions regarding spiritual life, Vedanta, Hinduism etc, you can email us at answers@vedantaprov.org
Newsletter September 16, 2009
Guest Speaker, Swami Gautamananda - Tuesday, September 22
In place of the regular class on 'Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna', Swami Gautamananda
(trustee of the Ramakrishna Math and president of Chennai Center, India) will
deliver a discourse on: 'Message of Sri Ramakrishna for the Modern World'
at 7:15 PM (please note time is earlier than usual). All are welcome - no
fee.
Durga Puja/Worship - Sunday, September 27
A day to honor Sri Durga (the Divine Mother), from 11:00 AM until 7:00 PM,
will be held at the Vedanta Society of Providence on Sunday, September 27.
Everyone is welcome to any/all events listed - there is no fee.
Ritual worship conducted by Swami Yogatmananda is from 11:00 AM –
1:00PM (this includes flower offering by attendees); Prasad (luncheon) at
1:00 PM; a Video from 2:30 –
3:30 PM; Music hour to honor various aspects of Sri Durga from 4:00 –
5:00 PM; Sunday lecture (see box below) from 5:00 –
6:00 PM; Aarati and meditation at 6:00 PM, followed by Prasad (food) offering.
Weekly Programs at Vedanta Society of Providence
| Friday, September 18 |
7:00 PM
- Aarati (devotional music) & meditation |
| Saturday, September 19 |
8:00 -
10:00 AM - Cleaning |
| Sunday, September 20 |
5:00 -
6:00 PM - A talk on 'Lower Truth to Higher Truth' by Swami Yogatmananda |
|
Tuesday, September 22 |
7:00 PM –
Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:15 – 8:30 PM - Discourse on: 'Message of Sri Ramakrishna for the Modern World', by Swami Gautamananda, Trustee of the Ramakrishna Math and president of Chennai Center, India The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna class will resume on Tues 9/29 |
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 I |
| Evening | 7:00
– 7:15 PM: Aarati (devotional music), a short reading from 'The
Spiritual Quest and the Way of Yoga' (The Goal, the Journey and
the Milestones) by Swami Adiswarananda 7:15 – 8:00 PM: Meditation |
Residential Retreat at the Vedanta Society, Friday August
28- Sunday, August 30
Twenty eight people attended the retreat on the theme Work and Worship.
It began with a short worship and then proceeded through various sessions
of prayers, meditation, classes, readings, walking meditation, essay-writing
etc.
Retreat at Ridgely Manor, NY - Saturday, September 05 and
Sunday, Septmber 06
Swami Yogatmananda gave a retreat on Yajnyavalkya-Maitreyi Dialogue. About
thirty five people attended the retreat.
Bhagavad Gita class, Middletown (CT) - Sunday, September 13
Swami conducted the monthly Bhagavad Gita class (Chapter
6) at Sri Satyanarayana Temple, 11 Training Hill Rd Middletown
CT from 10:30 –
11:30 AM.
Synopsis of last week's classes
Sunday - Universal Brotherhood Day, Interfaith Symposium
- September 13
An Interfaith Symposium on 'The Common Foundation of Religions' was
held at Vedanta Society of Providence on Sunday, September 13, from 5:00PM
- 7:30PM. About one hundred and ten people attended the program, which included
multi-faith music, recitations, short speeches by 2 students on the main
theme and talks by 4 eminent religious leaders. Dinner for all concluded
the program.
Fr John P. Sullivan's talk (Our Lady of LaSalette, Attleboro MA),
focused on the common ground of love and non-violence, giving the instances
from the life of Jesus, Mahatma Gandhi, Archbishop Romero. He described
life as a pilgrimage.
Rev. James Ismael Ford (First Unitarian Universalist Church, Providence
RI) discussed his exposure to Sri Ramakrishna and Vivekananda in his youth
and his subsequent training in both Zen Buddhism and Universalist Unitarian
ministry., focusing on the common ground of 'stopping' and 'paying attention'
and to recognize that 'not knowing is the most "intimate knowledge".
Fr Edward G St Godard (Holy Family Parish, Woonsocket RI) spoke of
his friendship with and respect and reverence for Swami Sarvagatananda (Senior
swami of Providence and Boston Vedanta Centers who passed away in May '09)
and told some striking reminiscences.
Swami Tyagananda (Ramakrishna Vedanta Society, Boston MA) provided
a synopsis of their talks and thought-provoking queries for all to consider.
He told that the diversity of Faiths is important too. Unity of Religions
means respecting the diversity.
Please click here to see the photos of this event.
Tuesday - The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna - September 15
We all wish to be immortal even though sometimes due to suffering we utter the words: "I want to die". What this really means is that we want to exist in a better, painless situation. Sri Ramakrishna's words can bring us immortality by reminding us that we are not the body. The body is born, gets old and dies; but we are not the body, we are the ever-present Self. By transcending the ego, we realize that we are divine by nature. Having and experiencing these Truths free us from desire and once this occurs, we lack nothing and are able to feel absolute bliss the way Sri Ramakrishna did. He emanated it and just by being in his presence, people were able to assimilate his teaching. So he mentions to M that the most beneficial way to learn spiritual truths is through association with the holy. He also told to understand the difference between the outer manifestation and the inner feeling