Upcoming Events

Swami Travels to New York, Sat, Oct 26 evening: The Swami will be leaving for New York on the evening of coming Sat; he will speak at the Sunday service of Vedanta Society of NY and will come back to Providence by Sun afternoon.
A group of Hatha-Yoga teacher-trainees from One Yoga Center will discuss questions about Yoga and Vedanta with the Swami. Sat Oct 26, 3:00-5:00 pm

Weekly Schedule (in addition to Daily Schedule given below)

Fri. Oct. 25 7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation.  
7:30 – 8:30 PM: Study class on ‘Svetasvatara Upanishad’, conducted by Swami Yogatmananda
Sat. Oct. 26 8:30 – 10:30am: Karma Yoga (Cleaning & Work-service)
11:00am – 12:00 noon: Guided Meditation & prayers
Sun. Oct. 27 5:00-6:00 pm: Prayers and singing of Songs on Mother Kali, by Swapna and Rahul Ray, along with the explanation by Swami Yogatmananda; followed by Arati and Soup Supper
Tue. Oct. 29 7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation
7:30 – 8:30 PM:Study Class on Sri Ramakrishna and His Divine Play

Daily Schedule

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
7:00 – 7:25 AM: A short ritual worship/Puja. Open to all, but one must enter before 7 am
Evening (Except on Sundays)
7:00 – 7:15 PM: Aarti (devotional music), with a short reading from ‘BOOK OF DAILY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS’ by Swami Paramananda
7:15 – 8:00 PM: Meditation. Open to all.

Past Events

Thu, Oct 17, 6:30-7:30 pm: Swami spoke on Durga Saptasati (700 verses on Durga) at the Hindu Temple of RI at 40 Crystal Rd, Warwick. About 12 attended.

Daylong Spiritual Retreat: Saturday, Oct 19, 9:30 am to 7:00 pm. Swami Ishadhyanananda from Vedanta Society, Sacramento, CA gave 3 classes on 2nd Chapter of Bhagavad Gita. There was guided meditation, Hatha Yoga, Vedantic Tale and devotional music. 47 attended.

Monthly ‘Satsanga’ of Vedanta Society of Connecticut, Sunday, Oct 20, 10 am to Noon. 25 devotees participated in this monthly program where after a short worship followed the discourse by Swami Ishadhyanananda and q-a on Divine Mother. This was the last such program At 100 Chery Brook Rd, Canton, CT, where Vedanta Society of CT held its monthly meetings for past 4 years. From November the programs of Vedanta Society of CT will take place at the newly acquired Church space at 887 Stafford St, Mansfield CT,

 Sitar-Tabla Concert, Sun Oct 20, 6:15-7:45 pm: Josh Feinberg, an expert Sitar player from Oregon gave a wonderful sitar concert; he was ably accompanied by eminent Tabla Maestro Amit Kavthekar. 35 attended.

Click here to view photos.

Synopses of Past Classes
(All classes given by Swami Yogatmananda, unless otherwise stated)

Friday, Oct. 18 – Study Class on Svetasvatara Upanisad
Chapter 5, Verses 11-14 :
We all feel that in this body (deha) there is some conscious entity (dehi) that does not change with the change of the body. With practice, we will be able to feel the oneness of this in-dwelling self, which is the same in all beings. We only feel attraction and repulsion due to our identification with body. When we transcend it, it is not possible to feel hatred toward anything or anyone. The same one God can take various forms. Just like a woman can be seen in various relationships as mother, teacher, patient, etc., so too can the same God be identified in different ways, depending on the connection that the aspirant forms with the Divine. There are infinitely many ways to worship the same divine principle.
As we pursue the practice of looking inward, we move closer to the divine. Our habits are so hard to overcome, but it can be done with practice. We are attached to our mind and body, so it is difficult to see the divine awareness within us. None of us want to lead a miserable life, but we have to do because we are stuck to external appearances. We chase after the pleasures of the world, but they always leave us wanting. When we learn to go beyond, we will start experiencing real bliss and real love, both of which are utterly different from worldly forms of bliss and love.  If we are able to recognize what unifies everything, all bondage is cut asunder and we are “free from further embodiment.”

Sunday Service, Oct. 20 – Spiritual Approach to Suffering –Swami Ishadhyanananda
Suffering is not a problem, because a problem is something with a solution. Suffering is a mystery. The hardest part of suffering is not being able to make sense out of it. We can try to avoid suffering, or to accept it. People who accept their suffering report less subjective pain. We can outgrow suffering, by learning to appreciate the simple things in life, and by choosing to contribute to society. We can become strong and accomplish what we thought was impossible. We can empathize with people going through the same types of things as ourselves. Swami Vivekananda said that we learn from both happiness and sorrow, but pain is the better teacher. Vedanta says that suffering is not random or a punishment from God. It is from our karma, which we can change by doing good. Swami Madhavananda, a revered swami, said that the reason he suffered was to exhaust his bad karma, so he would not have to be born again. Embodiment itself is suffering. The Atman does not suffer. In reality we do not suffer, and what we appear to suffer is transitory. We may look back on our suffering and see that it was for our good. Kunti prayed for suffering because it helped her to remember God. With deep faith in God, we can avoid complaining about our suffering, and pray for the strength to bear it.

Tuesday, Oct 22 – Study Class on Sri Ramakrishna and His Divine Play
As a Guru in His Youth Pages – Chapter 5, 471-472 :
We see the names and forms in the world. The changeless undivided Reality appears as these various forms because of Maya. In this world of multiplicity, we have desires that are an expression of our imperfection – a feeling that we lack something and need something. The multiplicity appears very enchanting. But, in chasing even one of the desires we find that instead of getting fulfilled, it multiplies. So, how do we find true fulfillment? Real fulfillment is in the Truth – in transcending the multiplicity. This does not mean that we leave the multiplicity behind. We should see that the One became many – just as a rope, in ignorance, appears as a snake. Sri Ramakrishna was established in the awareness of One yet was also able to see the world of multiplicity.
Incarnations are born to remove this ignorance of multiplicity and establish the knowledge of Oneness. They come with such tremendous power to teach and transform that they are at the head of all religions. They can clearly see our minds. In our ignorance, we think that we know our minds the best, but the reality is that we don’t. We should realize that the very purpose of the advent of an incarnation is to teach us. God becomes man so that man may become God – i.e. help us realize that we are essentially Divine. Their immense power to teach changes the social order or conventions. Such teachers are born and never created. As soon as such a teacher is born people follow the teacher and the standards that the teacher establishes.