Newsletter - London Centre of Self
Transcription
Newsletter - London Centre of Self
London Centre of Self-Realization Fellowship Quarterly Newsletter January – March 2015 Dear Friends, The London Centre extends its warmest greetings. With this quarterly newsletter we bring you details of our programme of special services, retreats, and other spiritual gatherings for the coming three months. We look forward to meeting many of you as you join us in the Centre’s activities at 82A Chiltern Street, London W1U 5AQ. Full details of all items mentioned below are available on the London Centre website www.srf-london.org.uk. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS All branch members are requested to attend the Annual Elections and General Meeting on Sunday 8th February 2015 after the service. You are warmly invited to join us for a Centre Department Monastic Visit during the period of 19 th to 22nd February 2015. A detailed schedule will be circulated in due course. Hatha Yoga classes will commence on Tuesday 20 th January 5.45pm-6.30pm and will take place in the social hall on alternate Tuesdays thereafter. All are welcome, please wear warm comfortable clothing, and bring water and a mat. A suggested donation of £5 per class is requested which will go towards upkeep of the centre. SPECIAL SERVICES AND ADJUSTED SERVICE TIMES For each of the special services, please plan to arrive early in order not to disturb those quietly meditating. For the commemorations you are also invited to bring devotional offerings of a flower and a donation in an envelope. December Wednesday 31st 10.30 pm – 12.15 am New Year’s Eve meditation January Monday 5th 7.00 pm – 8.45 pm Yogananda’s Birthday Commemoration Saturday 10th 10.00 am – 4.00 pm Yogananda Commemorative Meditation March Saturday 7th 7.00 pm – 8.45 pm Yogananda’s Mahasamadhi Service th Monday 9 7.00 pm – 8.45 pm Sri Yukteswar’s Mahasamadhi Service LESSONS, GITA READINGS, AND HATHA CLASSES There will be Gita readings and Lessons readings held every month on the following dates. For SRF Lessons classes the only requirement is that you are a lessons student and everyone is welcome to attend Gita readings. Hath Yoga Classes will be held fortnightly on the following dates (wear warm comfortable clothing and bring water and a mat). SRF Lessons January 4th February 1st March 1st Time (Sunday) 12.15 – 1.15 pm Cancelled – One Day Retreat 12.15 – 1.15 pm Gita Readings January 18th February 15th Time (Sunday) 12.15 – 1.15 pm 12.15 – 1.15 pm March 15th 12.15 – 1.15 pm Hatha Yoga Classes January 20th February 3rd February 17th March 3rd March 17th March 31st Time (Tuesday) 5.45 – 6.30 pm 5.45 – 6.30 pm 5.45 – 6.30 pm FAMILY SERVICES, SUNDAY SCHOOL AND TEENS GROUP MEETINGS For details of Family services, Sunday School, and Teens activities, or to volunteer to help; please contact us on 020 8952 6373 or [email protected] for Sunday school, or 0755 282 7980 or [email protected] for teens. For the Young Adults group, please contact us on 0755 282 7980 or [email protected]. VOLUNTEERS The London Centre is always grateful for volunteers to assist in running the Centre. If you would like to offer your services please kindly complete the online form which you will find within the news and events section of our website. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the volunteer coordinator at [email protected]. SRF MEDITATION CIRCLES IN THE UK AND IRELAND There are a number of Meditation groups across the UK and Ireland. For a full listing contact [email protected]; Ian Kendall (Tel; 020 8979 3498), or Theresiu Janicki-Hardy (email: [email protected] , Tel: 02392 631019) SOCIAL GATHERINGS You are warmly invited to join with us for social gatherings on the following days: Thursdays at 8.40pm Sundays at 12.30pm January 29th 2015 January 25th 2015 February 26th 2015 February 22nd 2015 March 26th 2015 March 29th 2015 On Thursdays light refreshments are provided. On Sundays you are invited to bring food to share. RETREATS ONE-DAY RETREATS (10.00am – 5.30pm): Date(s) Venue Sunday 1st February Chiltern Street Contact Name Bharathy Prabaharan Tel/Email 07846 598 261 [email protected] Please note that one-day retreats replace regular Sunday services. Please bring an individual vegetarian packed lunch and vegetarian food to share for the closing tea. WEEKEND RETREATS Date(s) Venue Booking Tel/Email Prices (p/p) Booking Contact opens Friday – Monday Ladywell Retreat Centre, Ian [email protected] £132 Fri – Sun 5th Jan th th April 10 – 13 Goldaming, Surrey. Stratford 01903 767296 £197 Fri – Mon 2015 Other retreats held in Cheshire are also available – for details please contact Alan Watt on Tel: 01509 415243, or email: [email protected]. Retreats near London can be booked online via the London Centre Website: www.srf-london.org.uk/index.php/services/retreats/. LONDON CENTRE MAILING LIST This Newsletter is available at the Centre, by email and by post to those who cannot use other means. Sending newsletters by email is the quickest and most economical method. To have your email or postal addresses added to our mailing list, please inform: Bill and Brenda Deller, Tel: 01189 476946, or email: [email protected]. Information on this newsletter and other information is also available on the centre website: www.srf-london.org.uk In this quarter’s newsletter, we’ve included an excerpt from Sri Daya Mata’s “Enter the Quiet Heart”; Page 97: “Adversity comes not to destroy or punish us, but to help to rouse the invincibility within our souls....the painful ordeals we go through are but the shadows of God’s hand, outstretched in blessing. The Lord is very anxious to get us out of this maya, this troublesome world of duality. Whatever difficulties He permits us to pass through are necessary to hasten our return to Him.” And finally, some words of inspiration from our Guru: “Sorrow, illness and failure are natural results of transgressions against God’s laws. Wisdom consists in avoiding such violations and finding peace and happiness within yourself through thoughts and actions that are in harmony with your real Self. Govern your mind wisely by dwelling upon positive aspects of life. Do not be satisfied with drops of wisdom from scanty earthly sources; rather, seek wisdom without measure from God’s all possessing, all bountiful hands.” - Paramahansa Yogananda