VEDANTA SOCIETY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 2323 Vallejo Street (at Fillmore) San Francisco, CA 94123

Swami Tattwamayananda, Minister Ramakrishna Order of India

JANUARY 2019SUNDAY LECTURES: 11 A.M. January 13: “What Swami Vivekananda Gave Us” Swami Tattwamayananda January 20: “Holy Mother’s Clarion Call” Pravrajika Amaraprana

WEDNESDAY VESPERS: 7:30 P.M. Worship, Devotional Singing, and Meditation Every Wednesday evening in January.

PATANJALI’S YOGA SUTRAS FRIDAYS, 7:30 P.M. Vivekananda Hall No classes in January. The class will resume on February 1 at the Old Temple.

Sri Sarada Devi’s Birthday & New Year’s Day Tuesday, January 1, 10 a.m. Please see the invitation on the next page.

WINTER RETREAT: JANUARY 5 – 6, 2019 “THE VEDIC WAY OF LIVING”

BY SWAMI TATTWAMAYANANDA Vivekananda Hall

Please RSVP by Jan. 2, 2019 at sfvedanta.org Swami Vivekananda’s Birthday Sunday, January 27, 10 a.m. We will observe Swamiji’s birthday on January 27. The program will include worship, chanting, meditation, devotional singing, readings on the life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda, flower offerings by devotees, and a prasad luncheon.

New Temple

WINTER RETREAT January 5 ‒ 6, 2019

Vivekananda Hall, New Temple

“THE VEDIC WAY OF LIVING” By Swami Tattwamayananda

Saturday Discussion Sessions: 10 – 11:30 a.m. & 2 – 3:30 p.m.

Sunday Discussion Session: 10 – 11:30 a.m.

Meditation will follow each morning session.

Please RSVP by Jan. 2: sfvedanta.org Or phone: 415-922-2323

Wednesday evenings: Vespers & Meditation 7:30 – 8:15 p.m.

Devotional Singing, Worship, and Meditation

January 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30 ______________________

A CLASS on Vedantic scriptures is conducted on Fridays by Swami Tattwamayananda at

7:30 p.m. in Vivekananda Hall. The topic for study is: “Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.” No classes in January. Class will resume on February 1 at the Old Temple.

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

Sunday, January 27, 2019

10:00 a.m. Formal Worship

Swami Tattwamayananda

11:00 a.m. Devotional Singing

Led by Men’s and Women’s Choirs

11:45 a.m. Readings from the Life and Teachings of

Sri Sarada Devi

12:30 p.m. Flower Offerings by Devotees

Prasad Luncheon

(Child care provided)

TEMPLE HOURS. The temple is open daily for meditation from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. On Tuesdays the temple is closed.

INTERVIEWS with Swami Tattwamayananda may be scheduled by those who wish to know more about Vedanta. Specific instruction and guidance are given by the swami to anyone who earnestly desires to undertake spiritual practice. Those wishing to make appointments with the swami may do so by speaking with him after the services, by telephoning 415-922-2323, or by e-mailing: tattwa@sfvedanta.org.

THE SRI SARADA LIBRARY will reopen on Sunday, January 13, and will be open on Sundays from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., following the lecture, and at other times by appointment.

BOOKSHOP HOURS: Mondays: 2 ‒ 5 p.m. Tuesdays: CLOSED Wednesdays ‒ Fridays: 2 ‒ 5 p.m. Saturdays: 11 a.m. ‒ 5 p.m. Sundays: 1 ‒ 5 p.m. The bookshop carries translations of principal Vedantic scriptures, books on Vedanta and other world religions, and children’s books. A large selection of books, incense, photos, etc., may be ordered online at sfvedanta. Orders may also be placed by phone or fax. E-mail: books@sfvedanta.org.

To view or listen to lectures, classes,

and retreats, please visit: YOUTUBE

www.youtube.com/user/SFVedanta

FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/sfvedanta

LIVESTREAM http://livestream.com/sfvedanta

Old Temple

2963 Webster Street SUNDAY SCHOOL. Classes are held on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 12 noon for children in first grade through high school to give them a general knowledge of Vedanta, to acquaint them with the basic teachings of the major living religions, and to inspire reverence for the great religious teachers of the world. Parents wishing to enroll their children are invited to speak to the secretary of the Society. Classes resume on January 13.

Vedanta Retreat Olema, Marin County

The Society’s retreat provides an opportunity to spiritual seekers of all faiths to meditate and study in a secluded area of meadows and forests away from the disturbances of urban life. The retreat is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, please visit our website: sfvedanta.org.

ABOVE IS THE EMBLEM of the Ramakrishna Order depicting the union of the four paths by which the Supreme Being may be realized. The waves are symbolic of unselfish action; the lotus, love of God; the rising sun, knowledge; the serpent, awakening of spiritual power; and the swan, the Supreme Self.

A P R A Y E R

By Shankaracharya

ord, may we feel that Thou art the Soul of our soul. That it is Thy energy which is functioning as our mind and intelligence. May our bodies be Thy abode, and our enjoyments be as offerings unto Thee.

May our powers and desires be the companions of Thy will, and our lives be instruments of Thy purpose. May our every word be a hymn unto Thee, our every act, Thy adoration, and our every step, a pilgrimage to Thy shrine. And may we realize, O Lord, that whatever we perceive is lighted with Thy light—that the universe and all its beings are Thy very Self.

L

YOU SHALL REACH THE HIGHEST

Instead of materializing the spirit, that is, dragging the spiritual to the material plane as these folks do, convert matter into spirit; catch a glimpse at least every day of that world of infinite beauty and peace and purity—the spiritual, and try to live in it day and night. Seek not, touch not with your toes even, anything that is uncanny. Let your souls ascend day and night like an “unbroken string” unto the feet of the Beloved whose throne is in your own hearts and let the rest take care of themselves, that is, the body and everything else. Life is evanescent, a fleeting dream; youth and beauty fade. Say day and night: “Thou art my father, my mother, my husband, my love, my lord, my God—I want nothing but Thee, nothing but Thee. Thou in me, I in Thee, I am Thee. Thou art me.” Wealth goes, beauty vanishes, life flies, powers fly—but the Lord abideth forever, love abideth forever. . . . Stick to God! Who cares what comes to the body or to anything else! Through the terrors of evil, say—my God, my love! Through the pangs of death, say—my God, my love! Through all the evils under the sun, say—my God, my love! Thou art here, I see Thee. Thou art with me, I feel Thee. I am Thine, take me. I am not the world’s but Thine, leave not then me. Do not go for glass beads leaving the mine of diamonds! This life is a great chance. What, seekest thou the pleasures of the world?! He is the fountain of all bliss. Seek for the highest, aim at the highest, and you shall reach the highest.

– Swami Vivekananda

A letter to the Hale sisters, July 31, 1894 The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda,

Vol. VI, pp. 261-62