Vedanta Center of Atlanta: January events
Time: 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. 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.
Dates:
1/4 - “Doing Business” w/ Swami Yogatmananda
1/11 - Vivekananda / Brahmananda Birthday Puja Celebration 
Shrine Decoration, 10am to 11am
Puja Worship, 11am to 12pm
Potluck Prasad Lunch, 12:30pm to 2pm
(Please bring food you wish to have offered to the Monastery kitchen no later than 11am.)
Calcutta (Kolkata), India – January 1863 – Two boys are born nine days apart: Narendra Nath Dutta on January 12 and Rakhal Chandra Ghosh on January 21. Spiritual by nature from early childhood, by the time Naren and Rakhal were in their late teens they had joined Sri Ramakrishna’s innermost circle of disciples.
When their Master left his body in 1886 they became monks. With their brother disciples they founded the Baranagar Monastery (Math), and what later became the Ramakrishna Order of India. For the next several years Naren and Rakhal — now Swami Vivekananda and Swami Brahmananda — led the life of wandering sadhus, gathering the fruits of spiritual discipline and austerity.
Then, in 1893, Vivekananda attended the first World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago (USA) as a delegate for Hinduism. The Swami’s charisma and inspiring oratory made him the star of that event; he was invited to stay and teach in the West. Vivekananda spent nearly seven of the next ten years — almost all of the rest of his life — in the U.S. and Europe, lecturing and leading classes.
Thousands were drawn to him and his message of Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Vedanta. His legacy is the many centers in the West that continue to offer the Master’s teachings, and the 10s of thousands of followers who now make those teachings the center of their spiritual lives.
Swami Brahmananda, on the other hand, remained in India. The Swami was a natural leader — the fire of illumination burned so bright in him that it spontaneously set alight the flame of spiritual aspiration in others. A new generation of young people gathered around him; many of the men took monastic vows.
Swami Brahmananda became President of the Ramakrishna Order when Swami Vivekananda established Belur Math in 1897. During his tenure as President, the Order underwent great expansion— new branch centers were opened in India and abroad.
Those difficult formative years brought out Brahmananda’s “kingly” qualities of loving administration. He gave great stability to the new order of monks. Vivekananda affectionately called him ‘Raja’ — since then he has been respectfully referred to as ‘Raja Maharaj’ by all. Brahmananda held the post of President till the end of his life. He gave up his body in April of 1922.
We will celebrate the birthdays of these two spiritual giants on Sunday.
1/18 - “God, Evil, and the Cow’s Udder” w/ John Schlenck 
Why does evil exist in God’s universe? Probably most of us wrestle with this question some time or other. If God is the source of evil, how can we worship him/her? Better not to have anything to do with such a God. On the other hand, when the going gets tough we feel the need for a helping hand. The divine Self within seems to be an abstraction. To whom can we pray?
1/18 - 5pm to 6:30pm, Sacred Song Circle meets in the Monastery
Please come, if you like to sing or play music that lifts the soul, or if you just like to listen. No formality — the Circle is not for “performance.” It’s for the sheer enjoyment of offering music to the Divine, in yourself and in others. If you play an instrument, please bring it. Tea and snacks will be served. Meet us in the Monastery library!
1/25 - “The Bhakti Aphorisms of Jesus Christ” w/ Br. Shankara
Swami Vivekananda said that Jesus taught according to His audience’s ability to hear Him. To His close disciples, Jesus offered the Sermon on the
Mount. To crowds that sometimes numbered in the many hundreds, He spoke mainly in parables. Scribes and Pharisees who came to test and accuse Him were met with sharp repartee and Talmudic riddles.
Yet, because He knew the inner nature of His listeners, Jesus’ teachings seemed always to include the way of the heart. For example, “He who is near to me is near the fire, and he who is far from me is far from the kingdom.”
This Sunday morning, Br. Shankara will explore a dozen or more of Jesus’ Bhakti aphorisms (devotional sayings). Quotations will come from the canonical Gospels, and from the Gospel of Thomas.
February 2015 sneak peek…
Sunday, 2/1 - “Divine Love between Radha and Krishna” w/ Uma Mujmadar
Sunday, 2/8 - “Sri Ramakrishna's Karma Yoga” w/ Br. Shankara
Friday, 2/13, 7:30p - Talk (topic tbd) w/ Swami Kripamayananda, followed by a reception and dinner for the Swami
Sunday, 2/15 - “Human & Divine Love” w/Swami Kripamayananda
