Reach Issue 56 January 2021 Daintree Rainforest Reach https://glampinghub.com/ Newsletter of the Vedanta Centres of Australia Sayings and Teachings IN THIS ISSUE 1. News from Australian Sri Ramakrishna on a True Teacher Centres Adelaide He alone is the true teacher who is illumined by the light of true Brisbane knowledge. Canberra Source: Great Sayings: Words of Sri Ramakrishna, Sarada Devi and Swami Melbourne Vivekananda; The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture; Calcutta; page 9. Perth Sydney Sri Sarada Devi on Herself Obituary: Reflections on the Life of Late Sri Ramakrishna left me behind to manifest the Motherhood of God to the world. Dr. Amrithalingam Source: Great Sayings: Words of Sri Ramakrishna, Sarada Devi and Swami by Swami Sridharananda Vivekananda; The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture; Calcutta; page 20. 2. Feature Article: Shinto Swami Vivekananda on Man Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life —think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success. Source: Great Sayings: Words of Sri Ramakrishna, Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda; The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture; Calcutta; page 35-36. e welcome you all to the Vedanta Movement in Australia, as epitomized in the lives of Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda, and invite you to involve yourselves and actively participate in the propagation of W the Universal Message of Vedanta. Issue No. 56 January 2021 Page 1 Reach 1. News From Australian Centres 11 September 2020 to 10 December 2020 Adelaide 16 East Terrace, Kensington Gardens, SA 5068 Email: [email protected] Contact: Dr Raman Sharma on (08) 8431 9775 Mrs Pathma Iswaran on (08) 8379 5336 URL: http://vedantaadelaide.org Daily Activities The Centre functions from 7.30am-12.30pm and 4.00-8.00pm. The evening vesper service to Sri Ramakrishna is performed from 7.00-7.30 pm followed by bhajans, devotional reading Worship of Mother Durga in Adelaide and meditation. Regular Activities Swami Manyananda conducted classes and discussions on the Vedanta Sara - ’Fundamentals of Vedanta’ every Wednesday from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon. Swami Manyananda is also conducting classes on the Narada Bhakti Sutras on Sundays from 11: 00 am. Every alternative Saturday, Swami Manyanan- da has been conducting a reading and discus- sion on The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna before Some of the Devotees at the Kali puja / Diwali function the evening aratrikam. Celebrations Other Activities Durga puja or navaratri was celebrated on Satur- day, 24 October 2020. The programme includ- The 15th Annual General Meeting of the Ve- ed puja, Vedic chanting, bhajans, pushpanjali, danta Centre of Adelaide was held on Sunday, prasad distribution and a short talk on the 11 October 2020. Swami Sridharananda, Swa- ‘Significance of Durga Puja’ by Swami Man- mi Manyananda, Swami Dhanyananda, Br yananda. In the evening there was the chant- Ram, the executive committee members and ing of the Mahisasura Mardhini Stotram and many devotees were present. Swami Sri- bhajans. dharananda also gave two talks on ‘The princi- ples of the Ramakrishna Vedanta Movement Kali puja or diwali was celebrated on Saturday, 14 for the present times’ and ‘Significance of Kar- November 2020 with puja, bhajans, push- ma Yoga’. panjali and prasad distribution. Page 2 January 2021 Issue No. 56 Reach 7:00 pm — 8:00 pm at 134 Fleming Rd, Chapel Hill, Qld) on alternate Fridays. Chanting of the Sri Ramanama Sankirtanam was held fortnightly at the Centre on ekadashi days (7:30 pm — 8:00 pm). Devotees took turns in decorating and wor- shipping Sri Ramakrishna's image every week at the Sri Selva Vinayakar temple, South Mac- lean, Qld. Swami Atmeshananda conducted Vivekachud- amani classes for the Vedanta Group at Toowoom- ba on the first Wednesday of every month. A class on the Ashtavakra Gita was conducted The Annual General Meeting at Adelaide at 101 Sharpless Drive, Springfield Lakes, on a fixed day of the month. On the third Saturday of every month, the Brisbane Bhagavad Gita was studied online by the Vedanta group at the Gold Coast from 5.30 96 Vedanta Drive, (next to 2 Poppy Cresent), p.m. to 6.30 p.m. Springfield Lakes, QLD 4300 On alternate Fridays, the Centre’s volunteers cooked food at its soup kitchen for the benefit of the needy. An average of 100 meals per week Email: [email protected] are cooked by volunteers, packed into contain- Contact: Swami Atmeshananda (07) 3818 9986 ers and frozen. They are distributed free of cost URL: http://vedantabrisbane.org through the Westside Community Centre, Goodna Street Life shop, Queensland Youth and Fami- lies Support Services and the Base Youth Sup- Daily Activities port Services. Meditation and the chanting of hymns were Every Friday the Centre's Food bank distribut- conducted between 6:15 am and 7:15 am on all ed groceries to the needy. An average of 12 gro- days except Sundays when it is held from 7 am cery hampers along with cooked food and free to 7:30 am. bread was distributed to the needy. Vesper service (aratrikam), bhajans, and readings The Maa Sarada's kitchen prepares and sells from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna were held food at a reasonable cost to people. On an aver- between 6:30 pm and 7:15 pm. age, about 120 persons avail themselves of this Members were encouraged to visit the Centre service. The kitchen is efficiently managed by and discuss topics concerning spiritual life. volunteers. On Fridays, a Justice of the Peace (JP) renders Regular Activities service at the Centre from 10 am to 11 a.m. Peo- ple needing the service access this free service. Sunday mornings:- (a) Yoga class from 8:00 am to 9:15 am. (b) Srimad-Bhagavad Gitā Class (10:00 am—11:00 am). (c) Bala Sangha or chil- Other Activities dren’s classes and Yuva Sangha (10:00 am— The Centre organized children's vacation pro- 11:00 am during school term ). grammes during school holidays on 21, 24 & A class on the Brahma Sutras was conducted 28 September & 1 October 2020. Meditation, on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 12 noon. Yoga, story-telling, painting workshop, posi- tive affirmations, gardening and a creative A Vedic Chanting class was held on Wednes- writing workshop were conducted. 30 children days from 8:30 am to 9:30 am online. participated in this programme. Classes on Meditation and Spiritual Life from Issue No. 56 January 2021 Page 3 Reach Dance, Nadananjali School of Dance, African Fusion Music, dance by The Thai Culture and Language School of Brisbane, dance by Eshwaralaya Kalaikoodam, dance by The Flamenco Studio and Drums by Toko-Ton Tai- ko Japanese drumming group. Swami Sri- dharananda's video message was played and Dr. Ashim Majumdar, Vice President of the Centre welcomed the audience. Ashneel Pa- darath gave the vote of thanks. Due to Covid restrictions, a maximum number of 60 persons were allowed to be present. However, the event was broadcast live on Facebook and Youtube. Children’s Vacation Camp in Brisbane The Government of Queensland supported the event through their grants programme. On the occasion of the National Mental Health Week, the Centre organized a workshop entitled The Annual Multicultural Programme of the 'Mind your mind' on 18 October 2020. A panel Centre was conducted on 10 October 2020. A of expert speakers and presenters on mental special stage was erected at the Centre's lower health conducted the day long workshop. ground floor area to conduct the programme. Around 35 persons participated in this. The in- Senator Shayne Neumann, Federal MP, Ms. teractive sessions were informative and instruc- Charis Mullen, MP (representing Hon. Stirling tive and was much appreciated by the partici- National Mental Health Week pants. Annual Day Multicultural Event A devastating hail storm hit Springfield Lakes on 31 October 2020. The Centre distributed cooked meals to the YMCA, Springfield Lakes - Hinchliffe, Queensland Multicultural Affairs who had set up a camp for people affected by Minister), Councillor Nicole Jonic, Ipswich City the hail storm on 13 November 2020. council and other dignitaries attended the pro- A volunteer appreciation programme was or- gramme. The event consisted of Welcome to the ganized on 13 November 2020. After evening Country by Shannon Ruska, an Aboriginal rep- prayers, many of the volunteers were recog- resentative, dances by Walker School of Irish nized and acknowledged for their selfless ser- Page 4 January 2021 Issue No. 56 Reach Other News A sum of $12, 500 was received by the Centre from the Community Energy and Efficiency and Solar Grants programme. This amount, along with a generous donation of $15, 600 by a devotee helped the Centre to install a 30KW solar system at the Centre which was commis- sioned on 20 November 2020. This will help in reducing greenhouse footprints and the Cen- YMCA, Springfield Lakes vice to the Centre. A thanksgiving hamper was given to the family of each volunteer. Celebrations During navaratri, Sri Durga Saptashati (Sri Sri Chandi) was chanted every day from 6 a.m. to 7.30 a.m. from 17 to 25 October 2020. A few devotees attended them in person and it was broadcast The Vedanta Centre’s Solar Panels tre’s power bills. Forthcoming Programmes During the school holidays in December and January, the Centre will conduct holiday camps for children aged from 5 to 11. The dates for these are 14 to 17 December, 11 to 14 January 2021 and 18 to 21 January 2021.