Vedanta Center of Atlanta: December events
Vedanta Center of Atlanta: December events
Times:
10:30am-11am: silent meditation in the Chapel before each Sunday’s talk.
11am-noon: talk and worship in the chapel.
noon-1:30pm: devotees and friends meet in the Monastery for tea, coffee, snacks and a continuation of our spiritual fellowship.
Please join us!
PS: Please be on time. The service starts promptly at 11AM.
Venue: 2331 Brockett Rd, Tucker, GA 30084
Contact: (770) 938-6673 ; http://vedantaatlanta.org, http://vedantaatlanta.org/calendar-of-activities-events/
See Calendar for details about any particular Sunday.
Note: There is silent meditation in the Chapel from 10:30-11am, before each Sunday’s talk. After the talk, devotees and friends meet in the Monastery from noon to 1:30pm, for tea, coffee, snacks and a continuation of our spiritual fellowship.
Spiritual talks and classes are open to the public and free of charge.
December is a month for study of Raja Yoga, a spiritual path often called the yoga of meditation. As a raja yogi, you use ancient, proven spiritual techniques to quiet your mind and gain control of your attention.
Regular daily practice of Raja Yoga increases your ability to concentrate, and may lead to meditation. This can unite you with the Divine Presence, the source of your being, and liberate you from the cycle of rebirth and death.
Sunday, December 2, 11am-noon
Talk: What Can You Expect from Meditation?
w/ Br. Shankara
Sri Ramakrishna said: "It is (God’s) will that we should run about a little. Then it is great fun. God has created the world in play, as it were. This is called Mahamaya, the Great Illusion. Therefore one must take refuge in the Divine Mother, the Cosmic Power Itself. It is She who has bound us with the shackles of illusion. The realization of God is possible only when those shackles are (broken).”
The Master continued: (Therefore) “One must propitiate the Divine Mother, the Primal Energy, in order to obtain God's grace. God Himself is Mahamaya, who deludes the world with Her illusion and conjures up the magic of creation, preservation, and destruction. She has spread this veil of ignorance before our eyes.
We can go into the inner chamber only when She lets us pass through the door. Living outside, we see only outer objects, but not that Eternal Being, Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute …
“(She) alone is the root of the universe. That Primal Energy has two aspects: vidyā and avidyā. Avidyā deludes. Avidyā conjures up ‘(lust and greed)', which casts the spell (of worldly desires).
Vidyā begets devotion, kindness, wisdom, and love, which lead one to God …” — from the Gospel of Sri RK, Chapter 4, ADVICE TO HOUSEHOLDERS, August 13, 1882
How does all this relate to Sunday’s topic? The practice of meditation erodes the power of Avidyā’s delusion, and helps awaken you from its spell. Meditation also — spontaneously and automatically — offers you the Vidyā that begets devotion, kindness, wisdom, and love, which lead you to God.
December 9, 11am-12noon
Swamiji’s Raja Yoga and The Wizard of OZ — Part 1, the background
w/ Br. Shankara
This Sunday morning’s talk is about a fairy tale.
Albert Einstein said, “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.”
The Library of Congress declared The Wizard of OZ "America's greatest and best-loved homegrown fairytale.” Published in 1900, it remains an all-time best-selling book of children’s literature. More than three million copies had already been sold by the time it entered the public domain in 1956.
For us, it’s notable that the book’s author, L. Frank Baum, was strongly influenced by Swami Vivekananda. A student of Theosophy, Baum and his family lived in Chicago in 1893; they eagerly looked forward to the Parliament of World’s Religions. Baum, his wife and mother-in-law were in the audience on September 11th when Vivekananda received a long standing ovation after the Swami said simply, “Sisters and Brothers of America …”
Baum attended more of Vivekananda’s talks, and was captivated by the Swami’s best-selling book Raja Yoga, published in 1896. Theosophists of the time incorporated that book, and Vivekananda’s lectures on Jnana, Karma, and Bhakti yoga, into their teachings.
On Sunday morning we will study Dorothy’s strange and wondrous journey to the Emerald City of OZ, and explore how the spiritual principles and practices taught by Vivekananda are reflected in the characters and events of Baum’s evergreen fairy tale.
December 16, 11am-12noon
Swamiji’s Raja Yoga and The Wizard of OZ —
Part 2, the story Baum told
w/ Br. Shankara
On Sunday morning we will look closely at the characters, and many significant events of L. Frank Baum’s fairy tale.
Dorothy, a young girl, and her dog Toto make a wondrous journey from the plains of Kansas to the Land of OZ and — miraculously — home again. As the story is told, she and all three of her extraordinary companions are utterly transformed.
We will see how the spiritual principles and practices of Karma, Jnana, Bhakti, and Raja yoga, as taught by Swami Vivekananda are woven into the fabric of Baum’s story.
Baum attended more of Vivekananda’s talks, and later was captivated by the Swami’s best-selling book “Raja Yoga,” published in 1896. Four years later “The Wizard of OZ” sold out its first edition, even before it came off the press.
Swami Sarvadevanandaji will be with us from Thursday, December 20th to Saturday the 22nd:
12/20: On Thursday evening the Swami will answer the question, “Why Is Swami Vivekananda So Relevant Today?” From 6:30-8pm, he will speak at the Global Mall, 5675 Jimmy Carter Blvd., Norcross GA 30071. Tickets for this event are $10 and include dinner. Reservations are encouraged; click here to view the flyer for that evening.
12/21:
The Swami also will give talks here in the Chapel, on Friday evening at 7pm, and on Friday evening after the Swami’s talk, we’ll have a potluck supper and reception for him.
Talk: “Fundamental Practices Before Meditation”w/Swami Sarvadevananda
8:15-9:30pm - Reception & Potluck Supper
12/22: He will speak in the chapel on Saturday morning at 11am.
Talk: “Overcoming the Obstacles to Meditation” w/ Swami Sarvadevananda
If you want to take initiation — mantra diksha — from the Swami, please let Br. Shankara know by e-mail (shankara@vedantaatlanta.org) right away. Initiations may be done on the morning of Friday the 21st, or Saturday the 22nd.
Dec. 23, 11am-12noon
Talk: "Christ the Messenger" Swamiji’s Raja Yoga and The Wizard of OZ
— Part 2, the Story Baum Told (delayed a week from 12/16)
w/ Br. Shankara
Dec. 24, 7-8pm (Mon)
Christmas Eve Worship and Celebration, followed by prasad snacks, caroling and other Christmas festivities in the Monastery, until 9:30pm.
Dec. 30 @ 11am (Sun)
Holy Mother’s Birthday Celebration
A short talk on Sri Sarada Devi, then Her Puja w/ Br. Dhruva followed by a potluck prasad lunch in the Monastery.
Dec. 31-Jan. 1, 11:30pm-12:06am (Mon night)
Midnight Meditation, followed by fellowship and snacks in the Monastery.
Jan. 1, 2:30-3:30pm (Tues)
Kalpataru Day Observance, followed by snacks and fellowship in the Monastery until 4:30pm.