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Dallas-Fort Worth Meditation Group eNewsletter August 2022 |
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Qualities of the Self-Realized
Arjuna said: O Keshava (Krishna)! what are the characteristics of the sage who possesses ever calm wisdom and who is steeped in samadhi (ecstasy)? How does this man of steady wisdom speak and sit and walk?
"O Krishna, my spiritual curiosity is inflamed by thy words about the ultimate state of samadhi-yoga; what is that sage like who is settled in this final union? Does he behave like other men in his speech and actions?"
"After attaining union with Spirit, a devotee's consciousness never descends. Once established in God-consciousness, the devotee remains in samadhi-union. His plane of activity changes; instead of working in the world while looking toward God, he feels himself in God while working in the world. His discrimination is merged with the Spirit, even when he sleeps, eats, or works. He realizes that God has become his nature, his little self, as well as all other selves. He beholds the entire material world as a God-saturated cosmos. Even in the wakeful state he enjoys nirvikalpa samadhi or the state in which the devotee perceives both Nature and God. To be in divine ecstasy and simultaneously to be actively wakeful is the paramahansa state; the "royal swan" of the soul floats in the cosmic ocean, beholding both its body and the ocean as manifestations of the same Spirit."
~Paramahansa Yogananda God Talks With Arjuna Vol. 1 Verse 54 pages 296-297 |
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Janmashtami Online Commemorative Meditation Thursday, August 18, 2022, 9:30 pm - 10:30 pm CDT
On the sacred day of Janmashtami, SRF will be honoring and celebrating the birth of the great avatar Bhagavan Krishna, whose teachings are one of the pillars of the SRF/YSS path, with a special talk, meditation, and devotional chanting.
Speaker: Brother Kamalananda
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How to Awaken Love for God
"Love is the ultimate way to God. As Master (Paramahansa Yogananda) said, Without devotion, you can't touch God; you keep Him at a distance.
We are not accustomed to loving God wholeheartedly; we are not taught this in school or by parents or by anyone else. So we have to make a special effort to establish the habit of loving God-in activity as well as in meditation-and that requires will power especially in the beginning."
Once another disciple and I were together with Paramahansaji and the Guru said to him, "You should be more devotional." And the monk said to Master, "Sir, give me the grace of your devotion, and then I'll be able to love God all the time." Paramahansaji replied "My grace is there, God's grace is there. Now your grace is necessary!"
In my own life, I have found it helpful to have in my pocket or on the desk a written reminder that would say "Practice love" or something else that would help me to keep my mind with God. During the day I would read it often, to remind myself to make a definite effort to practice the presence of God.
The techniques take us to the door of God, by scientific application of spiritual law; but God is above law, and to get His attention and ultimately commune with Him, we have to call to Him with all the love of our hearts. That love is the only thing that reaches Him. When we are full of that divine love, we completely melt in God. "Love makes us one with God," the Guru said. And that is a very important statement to remember: Love makes us one with God--nothing else does."
~Brother Bhaktananda Love Makes Us One With God Self -Realization Magazine, Summer 1982 Pages 23 to 25
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Self-Realization Fellowship World Convocation 2022
August 14th - August 20th
This year Self-Realization Fellowship planned to offer the SRF World Convocation both online and in-person at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. The decision to cancel in person attendance was made due to the very recent developments in the Covid-19 public health situation in Los Angeles.
The Convocation activities this year will be offered only online. Online Convocation includes a satsanga with SRF/YSS President Brother Chidananda, classes on Paramahansa Yogananda’s “how-to-live” teachings and meditation techniques, guided group meditations and kirtans (devotional chanting) and virtual pilgrimage tours to the ashrams where the great guru lived and communed with God.
Reservations for the 2022 online SRF World Convocation may be made either online at the SRF website SRF Convocation or by calling SRF Mother Center at 1-323-225-247. Self-Realization Fellowship has announced that this year there will be no charge for online Convocation registration. There will be a donation link for devotees who wish to contribute to the Convocation. Please view the details and watch for updates of the announcements on this SRF page. |
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Weekly Online Group Meditation via Zoom
Please join our Dallas Fort Worth SRF Meditation group online on Wednesday evenings for Zoom Group Meditation and Energization Exercises.
Time: 7pm - 8.30pm.
7pm - 7.15 pm Energization Exercises 7.20pm -8.30 Group Meditation with Inspirational-reading, Chants , Meditation and Healing Service .
Zoom Link to Join : Meeting ID: 731 6530 6898 Passcode: 917834
Group
meditation is a castle that protects the new spiritual aspirants as
well as the veteran meditators. Meditating together increases the degree
of Self-realization of each member of the group by the law of invisible
vibratory exchange of group magnetism. - Paramahansa Yogananda |
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Current Services
10:00 am Meditation Service 11:00 am Readings Service Sunday School will resume in September
DFW Group Sunday 11:00am Readings Service Topics
August 7------ Surmounting Life's Troubles August 14---- Proof of the Existence of God August 21---- Health Through Union with Cosmic Life August 28---- Man's Greatest Duty: to Remember God
September 4--- What is Salvation? September 11-- Life - A Cosmic Motion Picture September 18-- Hastening Human Evolution September 25-- Finding God in Family Life
Our online calendar will reflect our newest service schedule. |
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Sunday School at the DFW Chapel
We are very pleased to announce that on September 11th we will be resuming our Sunday School program at the Chapel.
The classes will be Sundays 11am to 12 noon. We very much look forward to seeing you and your children. |
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Changes For Our DFW Meditation Group
As mentioned earlier this year our Managing Council together with the Long Term Planning Committee realized the need for our group to become a legal entity with non-profit status. We have had meetings with ministers at Mother Center and communicated with other SRF groups that have incorporated. Being an incorporated non-profit church allows us to purchase a property without a requirement to pay property taxes.
In May of this year our group voted to incorporate. Our application for approval to incorporate the Dallas Fort Worth Meditation Group has been submitted to SRF Management. At this time we are waiting for the approval process to work its way through SRF. |
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Dallas Ft. Worth Building Fund
We are pleased to report that due to your generosity the Dallas Ft. Worth Building Fund has a current total of $658,313 as of June 15th, 2022.
The building fund exists for the purpose of allowing our group to have a permanent Chapel when the time is right. We would like to encourage those who can contribute, comfortably, to our building fund to do so.
A donation of any amount will be gratefully accepted.
Our building fund is held in an account for us by Self-Realization Fellowship. Gifts to this fund are tax exempt.
In divine friendship,
Managing Council, DFW Meditation Group Self-Realization Fellowship |
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Self-Realization Fellowship Links
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DFW-SRF Group General Donations
We are open with limited attendance while our monthly obligations for the facility still continue. Any donations to our group general operating expenses are needed and will be greatly appreciated.
Thank You for your support! |
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As the official branch of SRF in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, our meditation group Email: connect@srfdallasfortworth.org Phone: (972) 294-7161 |
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For those who are new to Self-Realization FellowshipSelf-Realization Fellowship (SRF) has more than 500 temples, retreats, ashrams and meditation centers around the world offering all interested seekers the opportunity to come together to experience the power of group meditations. Additional information about meditation with videos and the world wide work of SRF can be found on the international web site; Self-Realization Fellowship |
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