Upcoming Events

Day-Long Meditation – Sat. Jan. 07
This is a continual long meditation session, starting with guided meditation at 11:00 AM. Must be IN bldg by 12 noon, as doors get secured.
Children’s Program – Sun. Jan. 08
Children’s program (ages 6-12 only) will meet from 4PM – 6PM. All young children welcome.

 

Salutations! – Wed. Jan. 11

The birth anniversary of Swami Turiyananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, will be observed on Wed. Jan. 11  in the morning with a chant and in the evening with a devotional song, and a short biography reading.

 

You are welcome to contribute your thoughts about Vedanta, Spiritual Life, etc. on:
Vedanta Society’s Blog – http://vedantaprovidence.blogspot.com or

Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/Vedanta.Providence

Subscribe and watch Sunday lectures on our youtube channel:

www.vedantaprov.org/youtube.html

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFof5116HcBYIpUFvKet1Uw/live

 

Weekly Programs (in addition to Daily Programs given below)

Friday, Jan. 06	7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: Jnana-Yoga Study Class by Swami Yogatmananda
Saturday, Jan. 07	8:30 – 10:30 AM: Karma Yoga/Cleaning 11:00 AM – 12 noon: Guided meditation and chanting/singing 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM: Day-Long Meditation
Sunday,  Jan. 08	5:00 – 6:00 PM: Lecture: ‘I’ and “God’ Connection’ bySwami Yogatmananda 6:00 – 6:15 PM: Aarati 6:15 – 7:00 PM: Soup Supper 7:00-8:00 PM – Meditation
Tuesday,  Jan. 10	7:00 PM: Aarati (devotional music) & meditation 7:30 – 8:30 PM: Study Class by Swami Yogatmananda on ‘The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna’, Ch 52, pp 975

 

Daily Programs

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. 7’ 7:00 – 7:25AM – A short ritual worship/Puja. Open to all.
Evening :	7:00 – 7:15 PM: Aarti (devotional music), with a short reading from ‘THE STORY OF AN EPOCH: Swami Virajananda and his Times’, by Swami Shraddhananda 7:15 – 8:00 PM: Meditation. Open to all.

Past Events

Kalpataru/Wish-fulfilling Day Program – Sun. Jan. 01, 2017, 11AM –4 PM
About ninety devotees attended the11am – 12:45pm  Kalputaru Day Program, which was from 11:00 am – 4:30 pm. From 11am – 1pm, there was ritual puja/worship; devotional singing/music; a reading  from ‘Thus Spake Sri Ramakrishna’ by Prasoona  Krishnamurty, a reading from ‘Sri Ranakrishna & His Diveine Play’ by Tushar Puranik, and a talk by Swami Yogatmananda, followed by Aarati and flower offering by devotees,which was followed by prasad luncheon. A 2-hour DVD: ‘Bhagini (Sister)  Nivedita’ ( 1957) , was viewed by about thirty-five devotees., from 2:15 – 4:15pm. See more in ‘Synopses’ section below.
Click here to see photos.

Synopses of Past Classes

(All classes given by Swami Yogatmananda, unless otherwise stated)

Study Class on ‘Jnana Yoga‘ – Dec. 30, Friday

Class #45:
Though we run after worldly desires, upon reflection we can see that our true desire is really God alone.  We can only find the bliss and satisfaction we are seeking in that which is actually infinite, the Self.  As we strive to give up worldly desires, we may wonder about the potential harm in doing our work.  But giving up desires does not mean become idle or being fatalists.  We can, and should, still work!  There is no other way; but the way we work must be changed.  We must learn to make our work into worship.  If we can work without attachment to the fruits of our efforts, remove the idea of “I and mine, and constantly remember that God is in everything, then our work becomes our tapas, or austerity.  Work will cease to be bondage; it will become the vehicle by which we’ll realize the Truth.  Practicing karma yoga this way, the knowledge that we are Spirit will dawn in us.  Everything we seek is already ours, but now we will truly know/feel/experience it.  “Know the truth, and that truth shall liberate you.”  – says Jesus.

Kalpataru Day Celebration – Jan. 01, Sunday
Swami Yogatmananda started by doing a puja.
While the puja was going on, devotees sang spiritual songs.
Prasoona Krishnamurthy read a chapter on How to Realize God from Thus Spake Sri Ramakrishna. The chapter emphasized devotion to, and yearning for, God, and giving up worldliness.
Tushar Puranik read the chapter on The Master Bestows Fearlessness through Self Revelation from Sri Ramakrishna and His Divine Play. The message was that the Master bestowed blessings on his devotees on January 1, 1886, and no longer concealed His Divinity.
Swami Yogatmananda said that Kalpataru Day is a blessed day when we experience Sri Ramakrishna in our hearts. Sri Ramakrishna granted only spiritually elevating wishes on that day. We need to be careful what we wish for, because if our wishes are not spiritually elevating, they may be granted and we will still be dissatisfied. Sri Ramakrishna did not identify with the body, so we can feel his presence even now.
Aarti, a flower offering and a prasad lunch followed.
The event concluded by watching a movie about Sister Nivedita, called Bhagini Nivedita. The movie emphasized Sister Nivedita’s curiosity and search for answers, and her devotion to Swami Vivekananda, to the education of Indian women and girls, and to Indian independence.
About 100 devotees attended the function.

Click here to see photos.

Study Class – The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna – Jan. 03, Tuesday

Ch. 52; After passing Away of Sri Ramakrishna
Swami Vivekananda called Sri Ramakrishna the greatest among the incarnations. By “greatest” he meant the most recent, complete and universal incarnation of God – useful for anyone who wants to realize God. The advent of Sri Ramakrishna was to establish the religion in this world. The religions get dogged by dogmas, rituals etc.  Sri Ramakrishna’s advent was to impart the essential wisdom of religions by addressing the questions: What is the goal of our life? And, how to attain this goal?

After Sri Ramakrishna’s passing away on Aug 15th 1886 His disciples came together in their love for Him.  This love was unique in that it was not for any superficial aspects of Sri Ramakrishna but for his essential message – attaining the very goal of human life by realizing God. The Disciples who received this message also became the radiators of the glorious message. They bonded together in their love for the Master and in their efforts to realize God. Loving relationships are formed on the basis of common interests, usually around ephemeral things like sports, financial interests, physical attraction etc. You cannot rationally expect such love to last. But, love based on unchanging goal of human life finds a stable platform and is lasting. Worldly people are not interested in such a goal and find it difficult to have relationships with spiritually minded people. Sri Ramakrishna’s disciples therefore focused all their time in pursuit of God realization and did not like to associate with worldly minded people.