Jain statue in spring
NI Membership News
for May 2008
In This Issue
May Calendar
A Thought from Swamiji
May Birthdays
Member Contribution
New Members
About Membership
Quick Links
Greetings!

Welcome to our brand new monthly bulletin for everyone who is part of the Nityananda Institute community.  It's a work in progress.  We really want it to be both useful and inspiring to you -- giving you an overview of what's going on, who's in our news, and how you can participate. 

Although this first issue focuses exclusively on Portland, we intend for future issues to include news from all NI Centers.  We welcome your ideas and suggestions.

May Calendar
Upcoming Events

Check out this helpful calendar of special events happening during May at NI.  Many of them you've already gotten emails about or seen on flyers or signup sheets. 

Mark your calendar for those events you don't want to miss. 

(If we have left anything off, we apologize in advance and hope you will let us know.  Some items are subject to change--dates and times are correct as of now.)

A Thought from Swamiji
Swamiji Living in Community

"The whole reason why we live here in the ashram, and we regularly practice here together, is to cultivate joy within ourselves and to share it with people who are also cultivating it. That is the whole point of spiritual practice-of any spiritual practice. When there is that kind of conscious alignment of purpose, focus and work happening in all who participate, the vibrancy, the power, and the possibilities that become available in the environment are really profound." 

(from the December, 2007 Retreat)

May Birthdays
Tom Fab
NI members who celebrate birthdays this month include

May 1:  Tom Fabrizio ->
May 16:  Laura Santi
May 28:  Vivina Boster
May 29:  Wendy Wong
May 29:  Tara LaRue

May 30:  Leslie Goldstein
Member Contribution
 Flowers and Poems
Dan Sisco has been writing beautiful poems for years.  Recently, in collaboration with Susan George, he has provided poems to be displayed alongside her gorgeous flower arrangements in the Portland ashram.  Click here to see some of these poems and arrangements as photographed by Mira Ames.
New Members
Justine Flynn Welcome New Members

A special welcome to new Portland members of NI.

Justine Flynn ->
(click her name for a short bio)
Mark Johnson

Bradley Maybee

(To become a member, see below.)
About Membership
What Is a Member?

When you make a commitment to spiritual growth, Nityananda Institute is here to help you by offering ways to interact with authentic teachers, proven spiritual practices, and a vibrant spiritual community.   Many people participate in programs at NI, but not everyone is officially a member.  So what's the difference? 

A member is a person who, in addition to practicing at NI, agrees to provide ongoing financial support in the form of membership fees.  In exchange for this reliable base of support, NI offers certain benefits to members, including special discounts on products, services and events; members-only online forums; and invitations to participate study groups and other unique programs. 

If you are not yet an Annual Supporting Member, please consider joining today.  NI gets no outside funding and relies on those who value their experience here to help us keep our facilities open and our teachers available to serve people worldwide.  Click this link to find out more.
 
Thank you for being part of our growing community. 
 
With love,
 
Patty Slote
Membership Director
Save up to  $125
If you are an Annual Supporting Member of NI and you're coming to the July retreat, you may be eligible for extra savings.  Members already get a $100 savings on the full retreat fee.  Sign up and pay in full by July 1, and you'll be able to save an additional $25 for "early bird" registration.  For more information, go to our website, www.nityanandainstitute.org.  The retreat, which honors Swamiji on his 60th birthday, begins Tuesday evening, July 22, and ends Sunday, July 27.
 
Offer Expires: July 1