VEDANTA SOCIETY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 2323 Vallejo Street (at Fillmore) San Francisco, CA 94123

Swami Tattwamayananda, Minister and Spiritual Teacher Swami Asutoshananda, Assistant Minister

Ramakrishna Order of India

MARCH 2016 Wednesday, March 2, 7:30 p.m. — Vespers and Meditation Friday, March 4, 7:30 p.m. — Scripture Class: Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras Vivekananda Hall Swami Tattwamayananda

— Sunday, March 6, 11 a.m. “FROM THE FINITE TO THE INFINITE” — SWAMI VEDANANDA — Monday, March 7, 7:30 p.m. SHIVARATRI

Worship and flower offering, refreshments, and chanting, reading and meditation. Wednesday, March 9, 7:30 p.m. — Vespers and Meditation Friday, March 11, 7:30 p.m. — NO SCRIPTURE CLASS

— Saturday, March 12, 10 a.m. SRI RAMAKRISHNA’S BIRTHDAY Worship, group devotional singing, readings from the life and teachings of Sri Ramakrishna, flower offerings by devotees, and prasad luncheon. SUNDAY, March 13, 11 a.m. — NO LECTURE Wed., March 16, 7:30 p.m. — Vespers and Meditation Friday, March 18, 7:30 p.m. — Scripture Class: Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras Vivekananda Hall Swami Tattwamayananda

— Saturday, March 19, 3 p.m. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY — MEMBERS ONLY Sunday, March 20, 11 a.m. — “OUR JOURNEY ON SRI RAMAKRISHNA’S PATH” — SWAMI ASUTOSHANANDA Wed., March 23, 7:30 p.m. — Vespers and Meditation Friday, March 25, 7:30 p.m. — Scripture Class: Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras Vivekananda Hall Swami Tattwamayananda

— Sunday, March 27, 11 a.m. “THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION” Swami Tattwamayananda Wed., March 30, 7:30 p.m. — Vespers and Meditation

Phone: 415-922-2323 Fax: 415-922-1476 Websi te : www.s fvedanta.org E-mai l : temple@sfvedanta.org Swami Tat twamayananda’s E-mail : ta t twa@sfvedanta.org

New Temple q S h i v a ra t r i q

Monday, March 7, 2016, 7:30 p.m.

Worship & Flower Offering Refreshments 7:30 p.m. 8:30 p.m.

Chanting, Reading, and Meditation 9 to 10:30 p.m.

In Ce lebrat ion Of S r i R a m a k r i s h n a ’ s B i r t h d a y

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Formal Worship Devotional Singing 10 a.m. 11 a.m.

Readings from the Life and Teachings of Sri Ramakrishna

11:45 a.m.

Flower Offerings by Devotees Prasad Luncheon

12:30 p.m.

(Child Care Provided)

Wednesday evenings: Vespers & Meditation 7:30 – 8:15 p.m.

Devotional Singing, Worship, and Meditation

March 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30

A CLASS on Vedantic scriptures is conducted on Fridays by Swami Tattwamayananda at 7:30 p.m. in Vivekananda Hall. The topic for study is: Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. There will be no class on March 11. THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the Society will be held on Saturday, March 19, at 3 p.m. in Vivekananda Hall. Reports of the past year will be presented, the board of directors for the coming year will be elected, and urgent matters concerning the Society will be discussed. The meeting is for members only, and all members are earnestly requested to be present.

SUNDAY SCHOOL. Classes are held on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 12 noon for children in first grade through high school to give them a general knowledge of Vedanta, to acquaint them with the basic teachings of the major living religions, and to inspire reverence for the great religious teachers of the world. Parents wishing to enroll their children are invited to speak to the secretary of the Society.

TEMPLE HOURS. The temple is open daily for meditation from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. On Tuesdays the temple is closed.

INTERVIEWS with Swami Tattwamayananda may be scheduled by those who wish to know more about Vedanta. Specific instruction and guidance are given by the swami to anyone who earnestly desires to undertake spiritual practice. Those wishing to make appointments with the swami may do so by speaking with him after the services or by telephoning 415-922-2323 or by e-mailing: tattwa@sfvedanta.org.

MEMBERSHIP in the Society is open to anyone who accepts the principles of Vedanta, who can participate regularly in its activities, and who receives the recommendation of the swami in charge.

THE SRI SARADA LIBRARY is open on Sundays from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., following the lecture, and at other times by appointment.

BOOKSHOP HOURS Mondays: 10 a.m. ‒ 5 p.m. Tuesdays: CLOSED Wednesdays ‒ Saturdays: 10 a.m. ‒ 5 p.m. Sundays: 1 ‒ 4 p.m. The bookshop carries translations of principal Vedantic scriptures, books on Vedanta and other world religions, and children’s books. A large selection of books, incense, photos, etc., may be ordered online at sfvedanta.org. At present, more than 1400 titles are available. Orders may also be placed by phone or fax. E-mail: books@sfvedanta.org.

To view or listen to lectures, classes, and retreats, please visit:

YOUTUBE www.youtube.com/user/SFVedanta

LIVESTREAM http://livestream.com/sfvedanta

ONLINE OUTREACH

WEBSITE: sfvedanta.org FACEBOOK: facebook.com/sfvedanta TWITTER: twitter.com/sfvedanta YOUTUBE: youtube.com/user/SFVedanta LIVESTREAM: livestream.com/sfvedanta

Old Temple 2963 Webster Street

The Old Temple is still undergoing renovation. Completion of the project is expected sometime this summer. For more information, please visit our website: www.sfvedanta.org

Vedanta Retreat Olema, Marin County

The Society’s retreat provides an opportunity to spiritual seekers of all faiths to meditate and study in a secluded area of meadows and forests away from the disturbances of urban life. The retreat is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, please visit our website: www.sfvedanta.org.

ABOVE IS THE EMBLEM of the Ramakrishna Order depicting the union of the four paths by which the Supreme Being may be realized. The waves are symbolic of unselfish action; the lotus, love of God; the rising sun, knowledge; the serpent, awakening of spiritual power; and the swan, the Supreme Self.

THE M I ND I S E VE R Y TH IN G

Do your duty with one hand and with the other hold to God. After the duty is over, you will hold to God with both hands. It is all a question of the mind. Bondage and liberation are of the mind alone. The mind will take the color you dye it with. It is like white clothes just returned from the laundry. If you dip them in red dye, they will be red. If you dip them in blue or green, they will be blue or green. They will take only the color you dip them in, whatever it may be. Haven’t you noticed that, if you read a little English, you once begin to utter English words . . . . Then you put on boots and whistle a tune, and so on. It all goes together. Or, if a scholar studies Sanskrit, he will at once rattle off Sanskrit verses. If you are in bad company, then you will talk and think like your companions. On the other hand, when you are in the company of devotees, you will think and talk only of God. The mind is everything. A man has his wife on one side and his daughter on the other. He shows his affection to them in different ways. But his mind is one and the same.

Bondage is of the mind, and freedom is also of the mind. A man is free if he constantly thinks: ‘I am a free soul. How can I be bound, whether I live in the world or in the forest? I am a child of God, the King of Kings. Who can bind me?’ If bitten by a snake, a man may get rid of its venom by saying emphatically, ‘There is no poison in me.’ In the same way, by repeating with grit and determination, ‘I am not bound, I am free,’ one really becomes so—one really becomes free. . . . One should have such burning faith in God that one can say: ‘What? I have repeated the name of God, and can sin still cling to me? How can I be a sinner anymore? How can I be in bondage anymore?’ If a man repeats the name of God, his body, mind, and everything become pure. Why should one talk only about sin and hell, and such things? Say but once, ‘O Lord, I have undoubtedly done wicked things, but I won’t repeat them.’ And have faith in his name.

−Sri Ramakrishna, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna