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"Most trouble is over petty things. Observe them. Do not get stuck in them."
~Gururaj |
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Dear Meditators!
I want to thank Sean for planning and laying out the newsletter for the last two years. He is passing the job along to Danielle and we are grateful for her taking on this important task of keeping us informed. I also want to thank Philip and Camille for their ongoing contributions and assistance. Sami is also joining the team to work on content. Please read below for information on upcoming retreats, particularly the dates and pricing for the Summer National Course. Flights directly into Philadelphia are generally at good prices. Book your flight now! Namaste, Vidya |
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Upcoming Retreats
2012 NATIONAL SUMMER RETREAT
Date: June 29, 2012, starts at 5 pm - July 5, 2012, ends at 2 pm
Deadline: June 15, 2012
Location: Franciscan Spiritual Center
609 S. Convent Road, Aston, PA
(20 minutes from Philadelphia airport)
Cost: Single: $ 522
Double: $ 492
If attending less than full time, for double: $82 x the number of days attending
single - $87 x number of days attending. |
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Meditators from Europe receive discount.
The Franciscan Spiritual Center is located in Aston, PA which is about 20 minutes from the Philadelphia airport. There is a beautiful campus for contemplative space and walking. It is handicapped accessible. Some rooms have a private bath and some are shared. Most of the rooms are doubles. We will accommodate single requests as possible.
Theme: You want to know the truth: Are you ready?
"I want to find God." That is the question in the hearts of each and every one of you. You cannot find God, but God finds you if you are ready. The seed can only germinate if the ground is fertilized and made ready; then can the seed only germinate. So the seed is that divine force, and you are the ground that you have to cultivate in such a way, through your spiritual practices, that the seed germinates....Be ready - so that the seed of divinity impregnates your entire existence. (US 84-15)
On this 6 day retreat we will discuss deeper teachings of Gururaj relating to what cultivating the ground really means, discriminating illusion from reality, and the spiritual strength that it takes to stand firm in our resolve.
Time will be given to meditations, chanting, walking meditation, introspection, yoga, Tai Chi, Yoga Nidra, study of teachings, discussion, relaxation and fun. We are still planning a rich agenda for you including kirtan.
Lorietta tells us the following: This chant and response music is a natural addition to our years of practice. It brings out the "bhakti bhav" the deeply flowing love we experienced in the presence of Gururaj. And he did love music! Chanting these ancient mantras can...well, let me quote the words on the back of David Newman AKA Durga Das'es recently released CD, 'Stars':
Warning! (kirtan)...."may cause the following symptoms...Open heartedness, optimism, gratitude, devotional bliss, abiding happiness, tears of joy, inner peace, delight in the present moment, a spontaneous desire to sing and dance raison d'etre, receptivity to grace and a keen sense that every thing is just perfect as it is." If symptoms persist, please pass it on!
Let's have a kirtan! If you play an instrument that you can carry, please bring it!
REGIONAL RETREATS
Fall Retreat - Knoxville, TN
Date: October 5, 2012 - October 7, 2012
Location: Sunnybrook Farm & Retreat Center
313 Prospect Rd
Walland, TN 37886
Contact: Emma Woods
Phone: 865-300-8615
Please register for all retreats by email, phone, or post. Include the following registration information:
Name, Address, Email address, Single or Double, Roomate Preference, and Food Restrictions.
INTERNATIONAL RETREATS
Spanish Meditation Society Course
Date: May 11 - 15, 2012
Casa de Ejercicios "San José"
Avda. Reyes Católicos 12
28280 EL ESCORIAL (Madrid)
Teléfono: 91 890 02 00
Fax: 91 896 16 63
E-mail: casasanjose@eurociber.es
Canadian Meditation Society Summer Retreat
Date: August 13, 2012 - August 19, 2012
Location: Victoria, BC
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DECISION - MAKING AND FINDING THE SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM
The following are are few clips from talks where Gururaj mentions how to find solutions to problems.
US 80-41
What I'm trying to illustrate to you is the power of the mind. If it is brought to a level of quietude, if it is taken to a deeper level, to the level where everything is one there's no time, no space. And with just a little conscious thought directed towards it and then you go into meditation in that vast area where the whole mind is one, then everything is possible no impossibilities.
That is why whenever important decisions are to be made we meditate first bring the mind to a level, to that broad base where everything is one and the answer is just there automatically.
One lady wanted to come to South Africa to visit me. She put her mind to she does not know the mechanics of it but she put her mind very deeply to the thought that I want to go and visit Guruji in South Africa. She went into meditation, and the thought permeated the meditations, although she was not too conscious of it. But we know the mechanics, and something just happened which brought her the fare for the traveling and there she was, she came. So simple. You see how powerful mind is.
US 85-36
Now, close your eyes and ask yourself any question that you want answered. It can be a personal question, doesn't matter. Any question. If it's more personal the better, because it affects your lives. Just repeat the question for three times in your minds. Be positive about the question. And the answer to your question will dawn on you within two minutes, if not less. [PAUSE while group sits in silence] Open your eyes slowly. This is a demonstration where you can see that all solutions are inbuilt into the question. All answers are inbuilt into the question. If the answer was not inbuilt into the question, then there would be no question. So this was a demonstration, and many of you must have experienced the answer dawning on you.
And that comes from self awareness, where you bring that question which is troublesome to you to the fore of your conscious mind and you allow the super level conscious mind to sort out the jigsaw puzzle for you. Those are the mechanics of it.
US 85-03
Now, what we're going to do tonight - first meditate for about a minute, and then in your own mind ask yourself your own personal question. You don't need to tell me about it. Ask yourself your own personal question which bothers you, and when the time is up then I will say, Om shanti, shanti, shanti. As usual, you will find the answer. So we will meditate for a minute, and then repeat the question a few times in your mind and you will see the answer will dawn. [PAUSE]
You know, to meditate with me for two minutes is worth your meditating yourself for two hours. Because there is a spiritual force emanated. Now, the answer to the question that you received does not come from the analytical mind. It comes from deep within oneself which we call the inner voice. Follow it, and you will never go wrong. That is a 100 percent guarantee. Because you were in touch with your inner self and the answer came from the very depths of your being, which is Divinity itself. When an answer comes from the analytical mind, then the divine self is left behind. It is also analysis that makes people judgmental, because everything you observe you analyze and then form judgments.
So the more you practice your practices, the deeper you can reach within yourself, and every answer is there. To every problem the solution is there because there could never be a problem if there was no solution. So the solution is in built into the problem.
When we use too much analysis, it is just the surface area of the mind that is working. But when we reach within ourselves, after mulling over the question a bit, an answer will be received. Follow that faithfully. There's no mistake there. You're drawing from a far deeper source and not just the mind.
THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTENDING AN AMS COURSE:
Excerpts from Gururaj
"When you come to a course there is a certain energy imparted, which you might not be able to see, that goes deep within the core of your personality. And you are never the same person again." US 86-40
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"Group meditation is always very helpful, very good, because here so many minds are attuned to the same purpose. A togetherness, a family feeling develops.... Did Christ not say, "When two people are gathered in my name, I am there"? This is what is meant.
So on the spiritual path, too, let us always be in such company where things of a higher level is discussed and thought about. But if we take a drive every night down to the wharf area in San Francisco and places like that, the mind could never be attuned to higher things." US 77-23
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