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Vedanta News S E P T E M B E R — November 2017 Issued by the President of the Ramakrishna Sarada Vedanta Society of NSW

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Vedanta News S E P T E M B E R — November 2017 Issued by the President of the Ramakrishna Sarada Vedanta Society of NSW Vedanta News S e p t e m b e r — November 2017 Issued by the President of the Ramakrishna Sarada Vedanta Society of NSW PROVERBIAL WISDOM From: As they say in Zanzibar, compiled by David Crystal THE heart’s letter is read in the eyes. -ENGLAND Deep in our hearts is If we would know what we are, let us anger our rooted the assurance that neighbours. -Germany the moment will yet come, T HERE IS NO WORSE ROBBER THAN A BAD the secret signal be ex- BOOK . – I TALY changed, the mystic name LEARNING is treasure a thief cannot will fall upon our ears, and touch. - C HINA somewhere, somewhen, somehow, our feet shall The wise person is cheated only once. –Finland pass within the gates of A true word is not beautiful and a beautiful Peace, we shall enter on word is not true. – J APAN the road that ends only A bad word whispered will echo a hundred miles. — CHINA with the Beatific Vision. T HAT which you would say to another, say to your- self first . –E STONIA Sister Nivedita Contents R eg ul ar i t y is the best medicine. It is better to follow no saint than six. 2—4 News — I n d i a 5—6 Coming Events, Wisdom of the Gita 7—8 Article: A Pilgrims Diary—Sister T HOSE who cannot cut the bread evenly cannot Nivedita get on well with people. – C ZECH R EPUBLIC 8 A Counter –Cultural Figure: Dr.Jeffrey D Long’s reflects on D AWN does not come twice to awake us . Nivedita – S OUTH A FRICA Vedanta Answers: Q & A with Swami Smarananda Ramakrishna Sarada Vedanta Society of NSW www.saradavedanta.org PH: 61 2 9745 4320 Email: [email protected] Vedanta Hall, 15 Liverpool Road, Croydon NSW 2132 P.O Box 817, Strathfield NSW 2135 www.facebook.com/VedantaSocietyofNSW Vedanta News Donation: $25.00– 2 years 8 issues Payable to: RSV SOCIETY OF NSW PAGE 2 VEDANTA NEWS Vedanta Memoirs Pictured above: Retreat at Point Piper in 1988. Rick Spencer seated second row far right. Julie Fotherby at a Vedanta function in Burwood, in the 1980s. At the latest Vedanta Memoirs session at the Society’s Guru Purnima Celebration on Sunday, July 9, we were taken to the place where the seeds of the modern Vedanta movement in Australia were sown. It was in his childhood that Dr.Rick Spencer first came into contact with Vedanta. His mother, Vilma, was the proud host on numerous occasions of the Government of India sponsored international lecturer, Swami Ranga- nathananda. The Swami, late President of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, was like a fascinating, fun-filled grandfatherly figure for the 12 year old Rick. Rick also described his many years of close contact with the Vedanta movement in Australia, the U.S and England including his close contact with his Guru, Swami Asheshananda, late head of the Vedanta Society of Portland and disciple of Holy Mother Another long-time member of our Society, Julie Fotherby, also shared her memories. The iconic Sydney educa- tor in etiquette and deportment for young women, June Dally-Watkins, was progressive enough in the 1970s to include yoga classes in her courses conducted by ‘the Mother of Yoga’ in Australia, Roma Blair. That was Julie’s first experience of the peaceful power of Yoga leading to an exploration of meditation and Vedanta, after discover- ing the Vedanta Bookshop in the Rocks in the late 1970s. Young People’s Meeting A group of (mostly) young people went on a poetic, multifaith, mystical journey on Sunday 18 June, at Ve- From the Poetic Readings: danta Hall as they reflected on a col- lection of poems selected by Abhijit Christianity: “You’re planning, doing all the time … But some- Hore, group coordinator. thing else is missing deep inside. Your mind is whirling, but your heart is dead, So turn to God and let go of your pride.” The poems provoked a lot of discus- -Contemporary poet, Joanna Fuchs (To Do List From God) sion and sharing. The group won- dered about the trap of endless ambi- Buddhism: “It is like the child of a rich house who has strayed tion, about the need to cultivate con- among the poor. The cause of our circling through the six worlds tentment, on not being too hard on is that we are on the dark paths of ignorance,” ourselves, on digesting, learning from -18th century Zen Master, Hakuin. (Song of Meditation) and letting go of life’s difficulties, in- Islam: “I then looked deep into my heart and it was there where cluding, as shared by a young Doctor, He dwelled that I saw Him, God was nowhere else to be found,” - the traumas of their working lives. 13th Century Sufi, Rumi. (Where is God?) After discussion and some afternoon Hinduism: “To look unblended on that living Sun. …our souls the tea the group went on another jour- Immortal’s selves within, Comrades and powers and children of ney: walking the labyrinth, an ancient the Unseen,” - Sri Aurobindo. (The Unseen Infinite) aid to reflection, concentration and Judaism: “Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she meditation following the path printed With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled on a mat. masses yearning to be free.” After tea the group sat with Pravrajika - Emma Lazarus. (The New Colossus. From a plaque installed in Gayatriprana for a Q & A session. New York’s statue of liberty). PAGE 3 Girl’s Junior College Opening The Ramakrishna Sarada Mission took another step in providing quality education with the inauguration of a Junior College for girls at their Centre in Kamptee, Nagpur, in the picturesque tablelands of Maharashtra, India. The General Secretary, Pravrajika Amalaprana, opened the College on 1st August. The College has new physics, chemistry and biology laboratories. Over 900 students, parents and staff attended. In Brief Iftar Dinner At the Invitation of The Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP, Pravrajika Gayatriprana ac- companied by Betty Yeoh and Nandu Mehta attended the an- nual Ramadan Iftar Dinner (Breaking of the Fast) held on 29 May, 2017, in North Syd- ney. New Website UTS Chaplaincy Dr.Ashit Maitra has The Society’s New Website will be published on Tuesday, August 29, been approved to join the Multi 2017. There’s lot to explore and we’ll be updating the home page weekly. -Faith Chaplaincy department Our events are now linked to the popular Eventbrite. at University of Technology Sydney. Visit us now: www.saradavedanta.org Website includes: Baha’i CBD Lunchtime Discussions Home Page with Weekly Teaching and previews of upcoming talks and Discussion Classes & Announcements Three discussions were held Downloadable current and back issues of Vedanta News. with senior representatives from Government Departments Up-to-date full list of titles stocked by Vedanta Book Agency and representative of religious and Featured Titles gallery. organisations. The meetings Events Calendar. explored the themes What Does it Mean to Be Australian ‘About Us’ section with write-ups on: What is Vedanta, and Towards Social Cohe- Vedanta in Australia, The Ramakrishna Movement, sion—Can We Transcend our Sri Sarada Math and it’s Leaders, Sri Ramakrishna, Differences? Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda, Interfaith Work Dr.Ashit Maitra and Robert Presidents of our Society. Grant participated. Photo & Video Gallery PAGE 4 VEDANTA NEWS THERE’S something higher, “ something greater, some- thing more beautiful, which Swami Atmasthanandaji Maharaj 1919—2017 needs to be attained. The 15th President of Ramakrishna seeker knows his life is mo- Math & Mission Passes Away mentary. He knows that all Born near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Swami Atmasthanandaji was initiated by his maneuvers, all that he Swami Vijnanananda, a monastic disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. has built, and everything Having joined the Ramakrishna Order at the age of 22 his early monastic life received a spiritual boost in the solitude of Shymala Tal in the company of a else will vanish in a moment. spiritual giant—Swami Virajananda, disciple of Sri Sarada Devi. When he thinks of all this, Then came years of service to the community through the Order’s medical he develops detachment. He work in India and Burma (Myanmar). then begins to look up for Following his election to Assistant and later General Secretary of the Order, the Swami oversaw the Ramakrishna Mission’s massive relief and rehabilita- some greater power, some tion work in India, Nepal and Bangladesh. higher human help, which is The Swami was a driving force behind the Pallimangal (integrated rural de- velopment) schemes in West Bengal helping villagers to be self-sufficient mightier than himself and through handicrafts and various rural products. the others around him. He The Swami had visited numerous centres of the Ramakrishna Order in the knows he is small, but from USA, Canada, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Fiji, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. within him he hears the call After serving as Vice-President 9 years Swami Atmasthanandaji went on to serve as President of the Order from 2007 until his passing at the age of 98 of the Infinite,.” from age related illnesses on Sunday June 18, 2017. Swami Smaranandaji Maharaj is the 16th President of the Order follow- Swami ing the election at the Trustees and Governing Body of the Ramakrish- Atmasthananda na Math and Mission held on 17 July, 2017. (The Swami is featured in From Sri Ramakrishna: God of All our Vedanta Answers item on page 8). The Swami & the P.M. How Swami Atmasthananda created a future Prime Minister. Back in 1966 a young Narendra Modi was deeply inspired by Swam Vivekananda; so inspired that he planned to be- come a monk of the Ramakrishna Order.
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