Week 10

Todo: Please learn the poornakumba Mantra in preparation for Get to know your Guru ( G2KG) on Dec 10th 11:00am to 1:30 pm

om na karmana na prajaya dhanena tyagenaike amrtatvam anasuh parena nakam nihitam guhayam vibhrajate yad yatayo visanti


vedanta-vijnana suniscatartha sannyasa yogad-yataya-suddha-sattvah te brahma-loke tu paranta-kale paramrtat-parimucyanti sarve

dahram vipapam parame’ sma bhutam yat-pundarikam pura-madhya sagmstham tatrapi dahram gaganam visokas tasmin yad antas tad upasitavyam

yo vedadau svarah prokto vedante ca pratistatah tasya prakrti-linasya yah para-sa mahesvarah

na tatra suryo bhaati na chandra taara kam nemaa vidhyuto bhaanti kuto yamagnh tameva bhaantam anubhaati sarvam tasya bhaasa sarwamidham vibhaati
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a17gVciqBvA

 

Topic Covered: Devotion

•What is Devotion?

•Love for God

•Upasana means sit near god

•Perform Puja, Chant Stotrras, Sing Bhajans and  studying scriptures.

Rama’s explanation to Sabari:

1.Being in the company of good people- satsanga in all aspects

2.Love for Ramakatha

3. Service to Guru – who is Guru?

4. Sing the glories of the Lord

5.With faith, do Japa of Rama nama

6.Have self-control, good character, dispassion and adopt the ways of a Saint

7.See Me everywhere in the world and see a saint as more than Me

8.Be content and do not look at someone’s faults, even unknowingly

9.Be straightforward, not deceitful, have faith in Me, and stay calm in all circumstances.

References:

Sabari meets lord Rama

Navadh Bhakti as told to sabari by lord Rama

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 9

Topic Covered: Japa

•True meaning of Pilgrimage (tIrtha yAtrA)

•Saint Tukaram Story.

•Benefits of Japa.

•Provide fine tuning and relaxation of the mind

•Focused mind means sharper intellect

•Singing lords name creates an atmosphere of peace, Serenity and tranquility.

•Pray together, Be together

•Perform Japa

•Person breathes 900 time an Hr, 21,600 times a day

•Half the times goes in sleeping so one breathes 10,800 times  during one’s waking hr

•Single round of mala (108 beads) is thus equivalent to remembering  1/100th of ones Waking hrs

 

Topic Covered: Charity
•Charity

•To help the needy.

•An act or feeling of goodwill or affection.

•Love for humanity

•Homa – Our gratiturde to all devatas, the natural forces.

•Charity means

•giving unconditionally with the purpose of betterment of individual., community, society, nation or the world.

•It comes in many forms – Physical, intellectual, emotional or material,

•Lasting fulfillment

•Examples of Charity

•True Charity

•The golden Mongoose story.

•The Smoky Buddha.

•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZGghmwUcbQ

•Guru/preceptor.

•Guru – He who has through knowledge of Scriptures and experience of the supreme. Free from all bias and mental obsession.

•Preceptor – in whose presence you feel elevated and inspired to live a nobler life.

Week 6

Guru Paduka Puja performed in the ashram

Steps to perform Daily Puja

Check  out the pictures.
https://goo.gl/photos/j1NcanHQXcrLU8UB9


 

Week 5

7. Bow Down to Guru

•        Rama Lives in the heart of one:

•       Who Bows down to Guru and Brahmin with Respect

•       Whose hands Always perform Rama Puja

•       Who has Faith

•       Our Teachers

•       Make a List

•       Our 24 Teachers

•       The Right Attitude

•       Humility

•       Bow Down to Brahmin

My 24 Gurus explained

 

Week 6:

We performed Paduka Puja in Kutiya

•       Puja Steps

1.       Invite the Lord - Avahanam

2.       Offering a seat to the Lord- Asanam

3.       Washing the feet of the Lord - Padyam

4.       Washing Lord’s hand – Arghyam

5.       Offering a drink to the lord – Acamanam

6.       Offering water to the lord – Snanam

7.       Offering Panchamrtam to the lord

8.       Offering clothes to the Lord - Vastram

9.       Offering Ashes to the Lord- Bhasma

10.   Offering Sandalwood paste – Gandhalepanam

11.   Offering rice grains to the Lord - Aksatah

12.   Offering a garland to the Lord - Puspam

13.   Offering incense to the Lord - Dhupah

14.   Offering Light to the lord - Dipah

15.   Offering Bhog to the lord - Naivedyam

16.   Offering Aarti to the lord. – Mangala Nirajnam

 

Steps to perform Daily Puja

 

Week 7

 8. Shivamanasapuja

•       Can we perform puja without any supplies?

     - Shiva Manasa Puja – Swami Brahmananda

•       What is the right time to perform puja?

Bhagavad gita

•       9.26 – Whoever offers me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit , water that offering of love of the pure-mind, I accept.

•       9.27 – Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give, whatever austerity you practice,  O Arjuna (Kaunteya), do it as an offering to me.

9 What is Faith

•       Pujya Gurudev’s Words

•       Letter to God

•       A light to guide us

•       Walk of Faith

 

To do:

Completed writing our understanding and values learnt from each of the sections. - Homework completed in class

 

Week 4 - Topics covered

• Prayer, Doha/caupai 127.1-128.4: - Reciting
• Ramacharitamanas
• Understand / discuss Caupai 128/128.1
•RAmA lives in the heart of one who sings only the Lord’s glory.
•Hamsa can discriminate –
 extract the good and leave the bad.
•Appreciate the uniqueness in everyone including
ourselves.
•Let us sing His Glories!
Week 4 - To do

• List out lessons learned for  - lesson 5
• Complete the Past week to-do
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Week 3 - Topics covered

• Prayer, Doha/caupai 127.1-127.4: - Reciting
• Ramacharitamanas
• Understand / discuss Caupai 127.2/127.3
Words->Thoughts->love->Transformation

Rama's Favorite Bhaktha
Wrote the lessons learned from Lesson 3


• The Cataka Bird Story
• Set the Highest goal (discussed goals of individuals)
• Persevere towards it (anything worth achieving requires lot of work)
• Never compromise. (it is uncommon to give up with things get hard)
• Perseverance
• The Salmon Lifecycle and video
• King Bruce and Spider - Video
• Grmmarian Vardaraja
• Closing Prayers.

Week 3 - To do

• Review Wiki Definitions and explanation of Doha & Caupai
• List out lessons learned for  - lesson 4
• Complete the Past week to-do