Newsletter April 21, 2010

Past Events

Swami Yogatmananda's Talks
1) Swami spoke on 'Vedanta and Judaism' at Temple Emanuel, Providence on Thursday, April 15, 10:00 -11:00 AM.
2) On Sunday Apr. 18, Swami conducted the monthly Bhagavad Gita class (Ch 7 cont) Sri Satyanarayana Temple 11 Training Hill Rd Middletown CT from 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM.

Spiritual Retreat - Sat. Apr. 17 - 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Seventy-one devotees attended this twenty-ninth retreat consisting of: guided meditation, devotional music/singing, two lectures by Swami Chidananda, a 'Vedantic Tales' segment by Swami Yogatmananda, an hour long Q & A session, chanting of Sri Rama-Nama-Sankirtanam, Aarti, two meals and refreshment/'break-times'.

For Discourse I, Swami Chidananda, Head of the Vivekananda Vedanta Society, Chicago, spoke on 'Fate and Free Will'. Fate is nothing but the cumulative result of all of one's thought-word-action deeds done in all previous lifetimes. To acknowledge 'fate', the concept of reincarnation (transmigration of soul from body-to-body) is to be recognized. Learn to see Life as Universal Play in continual action (God's Lila). Therefore play the role you have received (based on all previous skills from all previous lives) graciously and as excellently as possible. As one's ignorance is dispelled, one 'acquires skills' to play another role, even in the present lifetime. Until one realizes oneself in totality, there is no escape from transmigration (rebirth).
Everything that comes one's way is meant as a lesson to learn from-be willing to learn from God's 'invisible teachings'. There are 'fixed' and 'variable' components in Life. 'Free-will' is in the 'variable' category: the inner spark that tells oneself: "I must begin a spiritual life"; "I must learn to be/do better", "I must lessen materialistic ways'', etc. Remember there is a consequence to every thought-word-deed; therefore strengthen spiritual yearnings and practices; self-criticize and analyze to lessen your own carelessness (negative samskara result).
Connect with everyone: a sincere spiritual devotee cannot properly follow a spiritual path if there is any hatred or ill-feeling toward any other individual. All Realized-Souls emit a continual vibration of love and compassion. Learn to be receptive to the guidance such Divine Grace. Become free from the six alligators of negativity. Read from scriptures like Bhagavad-Gita daily: each verse is like a mantra containing infinite power and wisdom to change the past lifetimes of self -abusive patterning. Glorify the Lord as you learn to live properly and positively in Life.

Discourse 2: 'We Ourselves Are Responsible for What Life Brings Us' was presented by Swami Chidananda in the afternoon.
Everyone is personally and individually responsible as the 'creator' of their own life and have the free-will to change current circumstances; to transform life-decisions from worldly to spiritual. The whole Creation is based on Cause and Effect- no one can escape Cosmic Law. Pay attention to character formation or pay a high price for lack of character. Spiritual Life is to be/come top priority. Monasteries/ashramas are meant to inspire/encourage/instill a seed of spiritual yearning into those who visit. Everyone's karma is self-produced and independent- the results of all thoughts and deeds come from God's Will and in God's Way only. Implement spiritual values and teachings to ability; do what needs to be done as taught- let God do the rest. Never yield to weakness; negative tendencies. Endlessly repeat: "I will see/know God/Truth". Learn to control and master your mind to have thoughts of continual purity; otherwise the mind will try to deceive; trick you into worldliness. God knows every miniscule thought you have-there is no hiding yourself in the universe. Develop an inner, life-building transformation-changing character unto yourself.

In Vedantic Tales segment, Swami Yogatmananda discussed Rama's 12 years banishment into the forest from the 'feelingful/mythological' perspective of Tulsidasa's Ramayana, rather than the more 'historically accurate' Ramayana of Valmiki.

A lively hour-long question-answer session followed a short break. Aarti; then chanting of Sri Rama-Nama-Sankirtanam, led by Swami Chidananda, concluded the retreat. Dinner followed.

VEENA Concert with Durga Krishnan - Sun. Apr. 18
From 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM, immediately following the Sunday Lecture, Durga Krishnan, a primary disciple of late Dr. Chittibabu, performed Veena in the Vedanta Chapel, accompanied on Mridangam by Gaurishankarto to about fifty-five enthusiasts. Dinner followed.

Click here for photos.

Synopsis of last week's classes

Friday, Apr. 16 - Bhagavad Gita (Ch. 6, Verses 15-18)
A Yogi does not seek pleasure from other objects; knowing that true joy comes from within, he leads a disciplined life. Cultivating this discipline isn't easy, but when one begins to practice it the mind gradually comes under control. In the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna gives no prescriptions in terms of so many calories or vegetarian or coshered for what an aspirant should eat or how many hours of sleep are best; instead, He espouses Yukta-- what is right. We should eat the right foods in the right quantity, and it varies from person to person according to inner constitution and external environment. Also the intake through all the sense-organs must be 'right' too; meaning to see and hear what is right (pure) so as not to upset the mind. We should sleep, be active, relax, all in the right measures. This is the Middle Path taught by Lord Buddha. What is right will depend upon the individual. The guru, or spiritual teacher, will know what is right for the disciple. In the Gospel, we see Sri Ramakrishna giving particular advice to one devotee, and the opposite advice to another! Disciplined life is a gradual, evolutionary process. Eventually the aspirant feels more and more peace and happiness and seeks less in the external world. The mind becomes like a steadily burning flame: steadily fixed on the ideal - unwavering and uninfluenced by the outside world.

Sunday, April 18 – When Shall I Be Free? - Swami Chidananda
Identification with body, mind and senses makes us bound to the world. Freedom is possible only when 'I and mine' or 'ego' is completely eliminated. Ego is the root cause of all sufferings. Since ego is the most difficult thing to overcome, Sri Ramakrishna advises us to sublimate it by developing a mature ego. In the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, he illustrates through various stories how to handle this ego properly. Establish a relationship with God such as a child or a servant of God. Give up the sense of doer-ship and always remember that God is taking care of everything and everyone. In spiritual life, there is no place for negligence or carelessness. Always be watchful and alert because the ego comes in a crooked and subtle way. The more you become humble, the closer you go towards God. Surrender everything at the feet of God. Devotion coupled with humbleness is the key to freedom. God creates adverse circumstances to glorify his devotee. The ego subsides when one practices discipline and self-sacrifice. A spiritual aspirant experiences more and more peace and bliss as ego starts diminishing. Real freedom comes when one becomes free from ego.

Tuesday, Apr. 20 - The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

If one wishes to make progress in the spiritual life, s/he must have renunciation. This doesn't necessarily mean becoming a monk formally, or living in a forest away from the world. What it does say is that one should give up the notion of "I' and "mine". This is a very daunting task. But without it, religious practice is a show and often nothing more than attempt to ease our guilt. Sri Ramakrishna explains to Trailokya how a man can live in the world. "First he must realize God". After that nothing of this world will be of interest to him, for he will only seek the bliss of the Lord. There was more discussion regarding an Incarnation of God and the nature of prema or ecstatic love. There has to be a going through a-vidya. Patanjali says that avidya inverts the perceptions: That which is temporary appears to be permanent. That which is not I appears to be I. After much discussion and argument with Trailokya, Ramakrishna assures him that God alone is real, and is to be felt and experienced, not argued about by pundits. This a compassionate, healing gesture on the part of the Master, relevant for every aspirant, ancient or modern.

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