Awaken yourself ! Be anchored in the Spirit of God, in the realization of the Infinite Being that flows like an ocean through all creation. It is worth-while in this short season of life to make the effort to gain God-realization.

— Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda

SHA�D SANGAM 2018

Yogoda Satsanga Society of India

NOVEMBER 18 – 23&

NOVEMBER 30 – DECEMBER 5

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Dear Divine Atman,

With hearts filled with love and tremendous joy, we invite you to the Sharad Sangam to be held in the months of November and December 2018, at our Ranchi Ashram. This year also we are con-ducting two Sangams, from November 18 to 23 (Sangam I) and November 30 to December 5 (Sangam II), to provide opportunity to more devotees who wish to participate. However, a devotee may attend only one Sangam.

Oftentimes busy life schedules and worldly habits lead us to a state where we forget God, the sole Sustainer of our lives, thus allowing ourselves to be victims of the storms of suffering and pain. Attending Sangams will help us to strengthen our resolve to re-establish our lives anchored in God. Guruji said, “If you follow the way of meditation that we teach, you shall find that one day, when you are least expecting it, God will drop both His hands to lift you up. It is not only that you are seeking God, but that God is seeking you—more than you are seeking Him.”

Please note that only YSS devotees may attend the Sangam. Relatives of YSS devotees and children under 15 years of age are not eligible to attend the Sangam. Also, owing to the hectic and concentrated schedule of Sangam, we request the devotees with fragile health or debilitating conditions not to apply.

The procedure of registering for the Sangam is mentioned on pages 5 and 6, and the Registration Form, is on pages 7 and 8. Kindly read the procedure carefully before sending in the Registration Form.

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All devotees intending to participate in the Sangam may please prepare themselves well in advance by regularly studying and practising Gurudeva’s teachings and meditation techniques. Gurudeva says, “Together with practice of the meditation tech-niques, you must surrender yourself to God. You must claim your divine birthright. Your constant prayer, your boundless determination, your unceasing desire for God, will make Him break His tremendous vow of silence, and He will answer you.”

Our deepest prayers are with you for success in all your

spiritual endeavours.

In divine friendship, Yogoda Satsanga Society of India

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Sangam OverviewGurudeva said, “Every day let us endeavour to supplant wrong

habits and tendencies with good habits and actions. May we all realize the joy of such occasions as this Convocation, and receive such upliftment from these experiences that the darkness of ignorance may be forever dispelled by the beacon light of that joy.” Sangam offers an excellent opportunity to become aware of our tendencies, which otherwise may go unnoticed, and gives us motivation to progress on the path with new enthusiasm. The schedule at the Sangam will include group meditations, discours-es, explanation of the meditation techniques, Kriya Yoga diksha, bhajan sessions, and video shows. The schedule will provide opportunities for personal spiritual counselling with the sannyasis and also time for rest and relaxation.

MeditationsSannyasis will lead group meditations twice daily throughout

the Sangam. Dhyana Mandir, Smriti Mandir, and Matri Mandir will be open for individual meditations.

Yogoda Satsanga Meditation TechniquesThe techniques of concentration and meditation and also

the Energization Exercises will be thoroughly explained and demonstrated. Classes will be conducted in English and Hindi.

DiscoursesWe endeavour to select topics that are of benefit to devotees

for their threefold development of body, mind, and soul. Sannyasis will give talks on these topics based on the teachings of Gurudeva, to help devotees gain deeper insights and progress on the spiritual path.

Kriya Yoga DikshaAll Kriyabans attending the Sangam will have the opportunity

to participate in the Kriya Yoga diksha ceremony along with new devotees receiving Kriya Yoga diksha. The Kriya Yoga diksha ceremony will be held on November 22 and December 4.

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Eligibility for Receiving Kriya YogaDevotees who have completed the study of the first 52 Yogoda

Satsanga Lessons are eligible to apply for Kriya Yoga diksha. If you are one such, please send your answers to the questionnaires at the end of Steps I and II of the Lessons (enclosed with Lessons 26 and 52, respectively) to Yogoda Satsanga Sakha Math, Ranchi, before August 5, 2018. If your answers are found satisfactory, you will be informed of your suitability for the diksha. If you are eligible by the time of your attending the Sangam, you may submit, for consideration, answers to the questionnaires on your arrival.

VolunteersMany of you have so enthusiastically served in different areas

in previous years. Your devoted service helps to make the Sangam a success. As on earlier occasions, many devotee-volunteers will be needed this time too. Some of the areas where you can help are: Registration office, accommodation arrangements, audio-visuals, stage-arrangements, bookstall, decorations, kitchen and dining, maintenance, medical, sanitation, security, ushering, etc. In some of these areas a few volunteers will be required one week before the function and a few volunteers may have to stay up to 3 days after the function.If you would like to volunteer, please fill in the Registration Form accordingly. After receiving this information, we will select volunteers for various areas of work and guide them.

REGISTRATION INFORMATIONProgramme

The Sangam will begin in the morning of the opening day and end in the afternoon at 4:00 p.m. on the closing day. You may plan your arrival and departure accordingly. Except for volunteers, devotees are requested not to arrive earlier than one day before start of the programme, nor stay beyond one day after the closing.

AccommodationDormitory-style accommodation will be provided to ladies

and gents separately. Family members may please plan and pack accordingly. The accommodation will be within or near the

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Ashram. Devotees with special needs for accommodation or diet may please make their own arrangements. A list of nearby hotels will be provided on request.

AllocationWe will try to register the devotees for the Sangam of their

choice. If the number of requests for registration is more than what we can accommodate, preference will be given to those who are attending the Sharad Sangam for the first time. Also, if the number of devotees applying for a particular Sangam is more than the number we can accommodate, we will try to register them for the other Sangam. Devotees who will make their own arrangements for accommodation may participate in any one of the Sangams as per their choice.

RemittancesThe Registration Form along with a registration fee of `750 per

person should reach Ranchi on or before August 5, 2018. A letter confirming your registration for participation in the Sangam will be mailed in the third week of August. We request you not to come without proper confirmation.

Remittances should be made only by an At-Par Cheque or by I.P.O. or by a Bank Draft on a Ranchi bank, payable to YOGODA SATSANGA SOCIETY OF INDIA. Please do not pay by Money Order. Devotees visiting Ranchi, Dakshineswar, or Noida may submit their payment in cash at any of these Ashrams.

Please do not club any other remittances with the Sangam remittance. Please send your remittance along with your Registra-tion Form, not separately.

You may also register for Sangam online at sharadsangam.org

MealsContribution for meals will be `200 per person per day. This

should be given on arrival at the Reception Office.For any queries please call on 1800 3000 5193 or email at

sangamenquiry@gmail.com

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