Workshops and Bios - Sri Sathya Sai Organization

Aum Sri Sai Ram
Workshop Descriptions and Facilitator Bios
WK 1 – Resolving Conflicts the Sai Way
“One should keep a watch on every word he uses. Even a small slip of the tongue may
have serious consequences. Every action has to be done after due deliberation.”
- Divine Discourse March 27, 1990
Through scenarios, role-plays and audience participation, we will review the roots of
conflicts and explore techniques at avoiding and resolving conflicts using Universal
Human Values and Swami’s teachings.
Mrs. Anne Sohani has worked for the American Sai Organization since its inception in
1975. Over the years she has given talks about her experiences with Swami at Sai
Retreats in many states. She is a member of the Fairlawn NJ Sai Center.
Mr. Piyush Ghayal’s first trip to see Swami was Christmas 1984. Since then Piyush has
been involved in the Bal-Vikas/SSE programs at the Center and Regional Level. He has
served as the Regional YA Male Advisor and as the Regional President.
WK 2 – Integrating Spirituality and Technology
"In these past few years, we have witnessed technology grow as a presence in our
everyday lives. Smart phones, laptops, social media are just some examples of changes
brought by technology that have become increasingly pervasive at home, school and the
workplace. In doing so, many of us have experienced that technology can be both an
enabler in our duties and a distraction from them.
So, what do these growing changes mean to our spiritual progress?
In this workshop we will explore Swami's teachings on technology, and discuss how to
apply these teachings on our spiritual journey"
Mr. Pradosh Dessai, grew up in Goa, India, but came to Swami's fold only when he
moved to Sydney, Australia in the year 1996 . He is the founding member of Loudoun
Sai Center (near Washington DC) and has served as the President of that center . He has
also served as the Vice President and Devotional Coordinator of Fairfax, VA Sai center.
Currently he is serving as SSE group 4 Teacher in Loudoun Sai Center. By profession he
is an IT consultant who owns his own consulting company which is doing business with
Federal Government and Defense industry.
Mr. Satheeshan Siva is a young adult living in Manhattan, New York. He grew up in
Sydney, Australia where he attended SSE classes and first participated in the young adult
program, which he continued participating in after he moved to New York. He is an
active member of the Manhattan Sai Center, where he previously served as Devotion
Coordinator and YA Representative. He currently serves as National YA Representative.
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WK 3 – Integrating Sai’s Teachings into our Daily Lives
Swami says – “Living is not enough; it has no value by itself. It is the motives, the
feelings, the thoughts, the attitudes that prompt the day-to-day life that matters. Always
try to put yourself in the position of the other and judge your action against the
background; then you will not be wrong. Make the mind, the voice and the actions agree
in harmony. That is the right way of life. Treat all as your own self; do not have a double
standard. Be in the world, but let not the world be in you”.
Can we implement these sayings and others given the busy and ultra-competitive life we
live today? Why is it important that we follow Swami’s teachings? Are Swami’s various
prescriptions for life even relevant for our lives today in modern society? If they are
relevant, how we can integrate Swami’s teachings in our daily lives and benefit from
them?
This workshop aims to address the above questions using quotes and illustrations from
Swami’s discourses. Daily life scenarios and dilemmas will be discussed crystallizing
readily implementable action plans, consistent with Sai’s teachings. The workshop will
develop a framework to apply Swami’s teachings to everyday situations.
Ms. Venitha Edamadaka has been the YA representative for the Philadelphia Sai youth
over last two years. She also attends the Cherry Hill Sai center where she serves as a SSE
group 1 teacher and the center educational coordinator. Venitha has served as the center
devotional coordinator for two terms. She had worked as a case manager for children
with mental health issues in Philadelphia for five years. Her family enjoys attending
service projects in the Philadelphia area.
Mr. Ramesh Swaminathan has known Swami and has experienced Swami’s divinity since
1984. Over the years, he has been involved in various center activities such as Bhajans,
teaching Veda chanting for children and adults, coordinating study circle and other
service activities. He served as Devotional Coordinator at the Cincinnati-Dayton Sai
Center for about two years. He has deep interest in reading Sai’s teachings and Sai
literature. He works in the Finance area, attends East Brunswick Sai Center and lives in
Edison-NJ with his wife, and two sons.
WK 4 - Being the Message: The Role of Study Circle in our Spiritual Growth
In the 90th year of His advent, what can we possibly offer our beloved Swami? He has
guided us, humored us and showered us with His grace and love - how do we return even
a particle of it? By our love and bhakthi (devotion) to Him of course....right?
"Do you love Me?" Swami once asked His college boys. Then, in His inimitable way,
Swami led them through a startling story and a beautiful challenge to what they thought
of as love. What about devotion? Of course we’re devoted…aren’t we?
"The seeker....should pay attention not so much to the devotion or love that he has
towards the Lord, as to the love and grace that the Lord bestows on him! He must be
always eager to find out which behavior of his, what acts of his, will be most pleasing to
the Lord...that is real bhakthi”.
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So how do we understand what Swami means? How do we practice His teachings in our
daily lives, and become His message? Study circle can help! Join us for a lively,
interactive workshop as we explore the meaning of love, the qualities that make us dear
to the Lord, and how we can learn to practice His teachings in our lives through
techniques you thought only SSE children used!
Dr. Sivakumar Sreenivasan is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon whose first darshan
was in 1985 during Swami’s 60th Birthday. He has served as an officer for over 8 years
and is very thankful to Swami for His continued guidance.
Dr. Ramya Gopinath is a physician specializing in Infectious Diseases. She currently
works at the FDA, and lives with her husband and 2 children in Ellicott City MD. She has
been an aspiring devotee of Swami's for more than 25 years. She participates as much as
possible in Swami's global medical mission and hopes to do much more.
WK 5 – Importance of Seva - How to serve even with my busy schedule?
"Have you always wanted to take part in Seva but you feel you are not able to find any
time since life gets in the way and you have to juggle multiple activities at work and
home? In this interactive workshop we explore together what constitutes seva and what
does not. We share our collective experiences on simple acts of service which any one
can do that can have a meaningful impact. We will reflect on Swami’s teachings on (1)
service through thoughts, words and deeds, (2) through righteous living and (3) through
reverence to nature".
Dr. Ram Dharanipragada is an organic chemist by profession and has been a part of the
drug discovery teams at Sanofi pharmaceuticals for the past 21 years. He is currently a
Distinguished Scientist at Sanofi working on Peptide Therapeutics.Ram has served as the
service coordinator and president for the Bridgewater Sai Center.
Bob Singh wishes to be known as a humble servant of Bhagawan's. He keeps himself
active when at home and as a member of Flushing Sai Center since coming to NYC in
1984. He loves Bhagawan and His teachings. They are everything to him. Bob travels
around the globe serving Sai at Medical Camps, disaster relief efforts, etc.
WK 6 – Meeting the Challenges in Life - Handling Academic Pressure
This Workshop engages participants to understand their personal relationship with
Divinity. How can we integrate Sai and His teachings into our daily lives, using them to
help us in real life situations at school, college, with peers, and tackle difficult choices
with conviction? Parents also play an important role, so our format will include
independent and joint interactive activities with parents. This workshop will cater to
SSE4, college bound YAs and parents.
Mrs. Yamini and Mr. Neil Sharma have known Swami since they were children in the late
70's. Both grew up in Canada. Neil started the YA group in Vancouver and Yamini
spearheaded the same in Calgary where they grew up. Swami has been gracious enough
to speak with them on many occasions. Yamini was allowed by Swami to attend the famed
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1993 Summer Showers discourses. In 1994, she spent time backstage of Poornachandra
Auditorium with Swami and the guest artists for the inaugural 3 Day music festival that
brought India's best artists to Prasanthi. That same year, Swami performed Yamini and
Neil's engagement and marriage. They have been living in the US since the late 90's. The
couple has done many workshops on various topics but their greatest lesson was when
Swami told Neil to stop speaking engagements and start focusing more on family.
Mrs. Sangeeta Lekhi was raised in Miami, Florida and has been part of the Sai fold since
she was 10 years old. In 2004, Sangeeta was appointed as one of the first YAs to become
members of the National Sathya Sai Council, leading and coordinating the program for
the USA YAs. Although her education and work experience is in Accounting and
Business, after Swami's direct guidance, she switched to the field of Education. With His
Grace, Sangeeta received a Teaching Fellowship from the NYC Dept of Education,
earned her Masters in Math Education, and worked with At-Risk students at a Secondchance high school in Manhattan. Sangeeta is blessed with a wonderful and supportive
husband and two sons. She currently is the SSE Coordinator for Edison Sai Center.
Ms. Ishwarya Ananthbhotala is currently a YA at the Boston and Flushing Sai
Centers. She comes from a family that has been in the Sai fold for three generation. She
is an SSE graduate. Ishwarya will be receiving her Bachelors in Electrical Engineering
and Computer Science from MIT in June, and continuing on to pursue her Master’s
degree.
WK 7 – Mental Wellness and Mindful Living: Coping with the Internal and
External Roller Coasters of Life
This workshop is an exploration of how we are constantly facing challenges and often
riding a roller coaster of highs and lows. Using experiential, interactive, and meditative
techniques, we will learn to embrace these thoughts, realize their falsehood, make new
choices, and anchor ourselves in the present moment.
Objectives:
 How thoughts/emotions/behaviors contribute to our approach to life
 Identifying FALSE thoughts, and EMPOWERING ourselves
 How to shut down the trappings of Monkey mind by practicing Mindful Living
Dr. Raj Lowtan is a psychiatrist in private practice for about 12 yrs. Originally from
Trinidad and Tobago, he heard of Swami as a boy, but Swami did not call on him until he
came to USA in the early 1990s. Swami directed his field of study, and he has never
looked back - what a wonderful journey it continues to be with “Saichiatry”.
Dr. Jyothsna S. Bhat is a clinical psychologist specializing in individual, couples and
family therapy, geriatric rehabilitation and maintains a private practice in Newtown, PA.
Among her areas of expertise are depression, anxiety, marital stress, grief/loss,
adjustment and other childhood disorders. She has been a devotee of Sathya Sai Baba
since the age of 5. She grew up in the SSE and YA programs, and served as Regional YA
Rep of the Mid-Central and North-Central regions. She has led workshops on various
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topics in psychology and spirituality at local and regional conferences. She has also
helped organize, and participated in, service initiatives including the PACT project, the
Sai Katrina Project, free medical camps and the Sai Org response to the Haiti
earthquake.
Ms. Mimi Vavilala is a young adult from the Manhattan Sai center. She recently
graduated from Columbia business school and will begin working in the Boston
consulting group shortly.
WK 8 – Devotional Singing as a way of connecting with Swami
Singing the glory of Swami, aloud, without interruption generates immense peace and
happiness. It is very easy but yet its power cannot be underestimated. One can attain
Swami by the sadhana of nama sankirthan, singing the glory of the Lord, and listening to
the Name being sung. Swami says, ‘Wherever My devotees sing, there I seat
Myself.” Bhajans when sung by a group of people is beneficial to not only those who
listen but even to those beyond the circle of listeners; the whole world can benefit by the
vibrations. This workshop will explore the path of Devotional Singing as a means of
connecting with Swami
Mr. Krishna Prayaga was born in a Sai family in a small town near Visakhapatnam in
India. He was a Balvikas student, a sevadal, as well as an active member of the
devotional group. With Swami’s grace, he was instrumental in forming the Bridgewater
Sai Center. He is trained in classical music. The harmonium is his favorite instrument...
he may leave home without his wallet but not without his harmonium - which is his
constant companion. Swami composed numerous bhajans through him. He has served
Swami as the President of Bridgewater Sai Center and is presently an active member at
the center. He wishes to be known as a “SAI SEVAK”.
Mr. Suresh Sharma attended Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL) and
received his B.S. (1991) and M.S. (1993) degrees in biosciences. He has no words to
express his gratitude to Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai for allowing him to be a student in His
institute. He also got opportunity to sing Bhajan’s in Swami’s divine presence. Suresh is
currently at the Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. He is conducting
research in the fields of Virology and Mitochondrial biology. He considers his good
fortune to be able to sing Bhajans with Sai devotees.
WK 9 – Nutrition for Mind, Body and Soul
In addition to food, Swami teaches us there are many other factors which fall under the
category of “nutrition”. The goal of this workshop is to demonstrate the relationship
between “Sai-ence” and “Science”. Lessons learned from studying geographical clusters
of peoples who have lived long and healthy lives will be detailed. The importance of
community, family relationships, service, healthy ways of perceiving the world and
mindful living are commonalities associated with these environments. It is not surprising
their longevity and vitality are reflections of Swami’s teachings. Evidence based studies
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will be presented to demonstrate the science to support the benefits of these spiritual
practices.
Dr. Stan Wetschler is a retired Internist in the Pittsburgh area. He served as medical
director for the largest hospital based home care agency in the country. In retirement, he
was a Board member for a national hospice. He is a past President of the Pittsburgh
Center. In 1999 he received unexpected “bad news” that he had terminal cancer and was
not destined to survive. Along with his wife, Jayne, who was the catalyst for what would
eventually result in a major transformative process, they embarked on a long journey
orchestrated by Swami towards surviving and thriving. Realizing that standard western
medicine did not hold the answers for healing or recovery. Stan became boarded in
Holistic Medicine. He had a vision that one day he would devote his time to helping
cancer patients find a new path to holistic healing. Incorporating Swami’s teachings,
retreats for cancer patients came to fruition.
Mrs. Jayne Wetschler has had a lifelong interest in spirituality, nutrition, and the
interconnection of the body, mind and spirit. Since coming into Swami’s fold, her
involvement has been elevated to new heights. As a facilitator at workshops which teach
lifestyle changes for cancer patients, she introduces the participants to mindfulness,
meditation, creating sacred space, journaling, and the healing power of love and service.
As a former professional Interior Designer, her goal has been to help redesign one’s
“inner space” in order to have a paradigm shift, thus creating the opportunity for the
participant to lead a happier, healthier, and more fulfilling life. Jayne continues to work
as a hospice volunteer. She has served as Seva Coordinator, Vice‐ President, and is
currently the President of the Pittsburgh Center.
WK 10 - Gayatri Chanting with Swami
This workshop will offer an opportunity to enjoy the bliss and serenity of Swami’s room
while chanting the Gayatri Mantra with Swami. This workshop will be held in Swami’s
room where space is limited. Seating is on first come first served basis. In addition,
people are not obligated to spend the entire duration of the workshop there. They’re
welcome to stay and chant for as long as their hearts desire.
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