Newsletter Nov 15, 2006

Brown University - Nov 15

Swami Yogtamananda will participate in a panel discussion with other inter-faith leaders at 7:30 PM on 'Religion and Queer Sexuality' to be held at MacMillan Hall sponsored by the Queer Community Committee. This program is open to the public.

Ramakrishna Vedanta Society, MA - Nov 19

Swami Yogatmananda will discuss 'Overcoming Loneliness' from 11:00 AM - 12 noon at Ramakrishna Vedanta Society MA located at 58 Deerfield St, Cambridge. All are welcome.

Spiritual Retreat - Nov 11

Seventy devotees attended this fifteenth day-long retreat held at Vedanta Society of Providence. Swami Chetanananda, head of Vedanta Society of St. Louis, MO, with great humor and insight, conducted the two discourses and question-answer sessions on 'Vedanta through Stories'.
Swami Chetanananda began by explaining realized souls like Buddha, Jesus Christ and Sri Ramakrishna utilized parables to teach highest Truth to all people. Heart and head both are to be utilized to realize God, but the heart is ultimately to be followed, as it is never wrong regarding the Ultimate. Folks listen a lot, but do not hear properly. People also read widely but not wisely. Learn the inner meaning of words in scriptures. The basic steps of: do no harm to others, speak truth, decrease words spoken, keep to words uttered, practice spiritual disciplines taught by the teacher and decrease desires are part and parcel of spiritual parables. Vedanta's approach says direct experience will increase spiritual faith, as evidenced by the experimentation and verification of Pantanjali. The story of 'Don't Break the Rhythm' tells 'proceed slowly and steadily without breaking the rhythm and 'one's eyes will open'. He also told stories to illustrate how four types of grace and self-effort go together and that the Vedas are considered to be like a loving protective mother (for guidance). Spiritual progress is like a war between a snake and a mongoose, and to ultimately 'win', try to: 1) keep holy company 2) increase practice of discrimination by digging deeper within the spiritual tradition chosen 3) increase chanting of the Lord's name (or Aum) thereby cleansing/purifying the heart and mind 4) go into (contemplative) seclusion to integrate and absorb truths learned.
The Vedanta process is rational and convincing to many 'occupational' minds. In worldly contacts be like a bee-work with zeal, enthusiasm and unselfishness, taking in all that is good and beneficial. Like bees, adjust and bend to situations and circumstances; do not be rigid or like cast-iron either in work or in viewpoint/opinion. Learn to see within and receive love from all things, yet do not become co-dependent in the snare of neediness ("love you/miss you/need you") Persevere; stay through the rigors of spiritual disciplines to 'pass the test'. Acknowledge law of karma in that 'It all will happen' according to the Universal Script.
A Devotional music, guided meditation session, question-answer session, Shyama-Nam Sankirtan and Aarti were also part of the program.

Music Concert - Nov 12

Kumkum Sannyal, famous vocalist of North Indian Classical Music accompanied on Tabla by Pt. Nitin Mitta and on Harmonium by Shraddha Agrawal, performed for about one and half hours in the Vedanta Chapel, which was telecast in the library for audience overflow. About 135 persons attended.

Click here to see photos of above events.

On Nov 12, Swami met with the youth class (ages 12-24) on personality development from 9:45 AM - 10:30 AM at Sri Satyanarayana Temple, 11 Training Hill Rd, Middletown, CT. This was followed by the monthly Bhagavad Gita class (Ch 4 cont.) from 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM.

Synopsis of Last Week Classes

Friday - Raja Yoga Class - Nov 10

Aphorism 3:18-20
One common objection against the idea of re-birth is: 'why do we not remember our past births?' The objection is not valid on several grounds, as existence is not dependent on memory. However, Yogis say that the knowledge of the past births can be had by concentrating on the impressions. All our experiences get micro-processed into corresponding impression, no experience is irretrievably lost. With concentration on these impressions, they can be revived into memory. This process is unconsciously used while responding to different situations; we all have such experiences when we acted according to some inputs which were not from our experience in this life nor could be explained by genetic transmission.
The characteristics of body are reflections/projections of characteristics of mind; thus the concentration (samyama) on them will be able to reveal the inter-relation; this will enable the person to get an idea of the nature of another's mind. But the content IN the mind does not get revealed in this way, as the concentration was not on the content.
In the life of Sri Ramakrishna, we find he could understand a person's mind by carefully examining the signs on the body. Of course, it is a very profound and difficult skill; requires tremendous concentration. So, it is not right for a person to jump at a conclusion about someone's mind by a superficial view of the physical signs.

Sunday - How to Measure Spiritual Progress? - Swami Chetanananda, Vedanta Society of St. Louis, MO - Nov 12
According to Vedanta, this world is not absolutely real and the goal of human life is to realize God. When a person starts spiritual practices, physically there may not be any change, but inside within. Some key points to measure spiritual progress:
1) The person becomes happy and cheerful.
2) Absense of doubt - The experience of the supreme truth cuts asunder the knots of heart and all doubts vanish forever.
3) The person becomes free from delusion, misery and hatred. Only love emanates.
4) According to Patanjali, when a person starts controlling mind, gradually the mind becomes like an x-ray vision (Prajnajyoti) and can ascend to higher plane of consciousness like a jet stream.
5) Ego is the main barrier between finite and infinite. By spiritual practices, ego gets transformed, as Sri Ramakrishna used to call it 'ripe ego'. The person feels oneself to be a child or servant or friend or beloved of God.
6) Devotional scriptures mention that as every morsel of food brings satisfaction, nourishment and freedom from hunger so also devotion to God brings satisfaction, tremendous spiritual strength, conviction and freedom from misery and pains.
7) The person becomes truthful, sinless, desireless, unselfish and compassionate. He/she learns to feel for others.
God is infinite and hence the spiritual aspirant's desire is infinite. You will never be fully satisfied till you reach the goal. Bliss is in infinite and not in finite things.