January • 2025

"Good is that which elevates the mind, and evil is that which degrades the mind. Social virtue and vice are temporal entities. These things have nothing to do with a person's relationship with the Supreme. "

- Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar




2025: The Year of Moral Integrity

Ananda Seva initiated a year long program last January that declared 2024 to be THE YEAR OF SPIRITUAL PRACTICES.


Participants in this program were formed into groups that met every other week and committed to, discussed and supported each other in their spiritual practices. The program was so successful that some of the groups did not want it to end. If you did not get the chance to participate, and would like support in your spiritual practices, a new opportunity is coming.


Ananda Seva has declared 2025 to be:

THE YEAR OF MORAL INTEGRITY


Those who feel called to step up and lead groups in 2025 will be sharing materials that focus on the Yamas and Niyamas. You can register now below. Groups will be forming in January.

For more information, please contact Ammadevi.

register





Let Us Move Together

free monthly program on Zoom


The next program will be:

Saturday Feb. 1st

"Practicing the Presence of God"


The spiritual journey involves the transformation of human consciousness from a small sense self to a state of unity with all; to experience oneself and all other beings and things as expressions of one source; one cosmic consciousness.


Different traditions use different methods for achieving this. In the Ananda Marga tradition we use both sitting meditation and active meditation. This active meditation is a type of mindfulness practice where one pauses briefly upon meeting others or upon commencing an action to ascribe divinity to the other or to the action.


This practice is sometimes called Guru Mantra or Madhu Vidya (honey knowledge). Developing this practice can be a challenge but many find personal ways of implementing it that become rewarding and transformative.


During this session we will ask participants to share what is working for them; how they adapt and use this practice to expand their minds and open their hearts. 


Please join us and share your story. Prepare to be inspired!


Facilitator

Chandranath, aka Chris Simmonds, has been meditating for many decades and still hasn’t reached enlightenment; but it doesn’t mean he’s stopped trying. Chris leads group meditations and classes in Ottawa, the capital of Canada, where he lives and works. 





Asana of the Month

Click on the photo below for a video demonstration of the asana.

Dhanura'sana

 link to the Ananda Seva Asana Manual



Recurring Spiritual Events

Visit our website




Ananda Seva Activities





Ohio


The Ananda Seva Ohio meditation group is led by Ac. Giriisha

  

Regular Saturday meditation for new people is at 10:00 am ET with music and a discussion of a spiritual topic. 


Contact Ac. Giriisha for more info.






Oregon

The next Movie Night will be: Friday Jan. 10th @ 7:00pm

Showing: Bab' Aziz


The New Year's Day Program


On Jan 1st the community in Eugene gathered together with folks on zoom for a very uplifiting New Year's Day program. A New Year's Day message was read by Ravi, Gayatrii and Rob shared inspiring music and Clare led everyone in a Qigong exercise at the end of the program, before sharing a lovely potluck meal together.



Dharmachakra

(group meditation)

every Sunday

10:00am - Noon

at Dharmalaya

On the first Sunday of the month a zoom option is available.

Click here for more info and a link.

1st Sunday of the Month Potluck Ananda Seva Eugene hosts a potluck after group meditation.

Next potluck: Jan. 5th



Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop


PROUT Institute and Dharmalaya are hosting Heiko Koester's popular

Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop on


January 25th

10:00 am - 2:00 pm


info & registration



Ontario


Events coming up in Ottawa:

Heartspace Meditation

Wednesdays at noon

Eastern Time

Feldenkrais: ‘Awareness Through Movement’®Weekly group classes for mindful & gentle exercises with Michaela Kreim

Tuesdays, January 7/14/21/28 & February 4 (hybrid virtual & in-person options available)


Follow Ottawa Meditation on Facebook

Upcoming :

Sunday Jan. 5, 19, & Feb. 2

Open Community

Meditation and Potluck

Click on image above for more information.




PROUT NEWS

Jan 18th Forum on Degrowth

A Dialog Between Two Perspectives


CRISIS AND TRANSITION

Jan 3



We are excited to invite you to the Crisis and Transition Substack's first Subscribers-only benefit, a forum to be hosted on January 18th at 10:00 am Pacific (6:00 pm UCT). This presentation will last 90 minutes and will be a live forum on Zoom with Registration and Link forthcoming. This will be the first of a quarterly series and will be accompanied by a other follow-on benefits to be released on a rolling monthly basis.

If you are not yet a subscriber we’d love to invite you to join at this time and participate in our broadening conversation about systems change. If you’re subscribed please let a friend know!

This Forum will address the following question:

"In advancing the agenda of a life-centered economic civilization, do the ideologies of degrowth and balanced economic growth represent opposing or synthetic visions of the future? Is it not only possible but necessary to fuse them? If so, how do we get there?”

Ramesh Bjonnes and Jason Schreiner will be the guest presenters. They will respond to questions and comments posed by facilitator Clare Strawn and by members of the audience.

Ecological limits to capitalist growth is a well recognized problem. Resources are being consumed at a rate that would require some 1.7 Earths to sustain. And while most would agree that overshoot is a problem, how growth is to be managed remains an ongoing conversation.



  • What are the strengths and limitations of degrowth and balanced growth?
  • Are there other perspectives on “growth” we should be discussing?
  • How should other post-capitalist visions, like Prout, relate to the growth/degrowth discussion?
  • Should the emphasis be on collaboration between groups that have an anti-capitalist vision? And how might this work?


These are some of the important questions that are likely to be explored during the Crisis and Transition Substack’s first issues forum offering for our subscribers.



register



Announcing new publications:


Four new edition publications on

the social philosophy of P.R. Sarkar are out!

Click on the photos for more info.



Karin (Kirana) Perkins has written a book!

You can purchase the Kindle version now here .

The print copy will be available soon.




What's happening with CDRT?

Community - Driven Recovery and Transition

Check out our website.






Weekday Morning Kiirtan & Meditaiton


Every weekday morning

at 7:35 am PT

Ac. Gayatri and others lead kiirtan, meditation, kaoshikii and a morning check-in to connect and support each other on our spiritual journeys.

Full Dharmachakra on Thursdays


Join by Zoom

passcode: Baba





West Coast Dharmachakra


Join us for our weekly Sunday morning group meditation. This event is free and open to everyone. The program includes singing uplifting songs, yogic dance, chanting, meditation, a discourse, and group discussion.

The first Sunday of the month program is followed by a sattvic vegetarian potluck..


more info here.





Philosophy Study Group


It's not too late to join!


Ac. Giriisha is leading the Philosophy Study Group which meets on the 1st Thursday of the month

@ 4:00 PM ET

This session meets through May.


We will read the Book: 

Shrii Shrii Anandamurti, Advent of a Mystery by Pranavatmakananda


Note from Ac. Giriisha:

This book provides an intermediate level introduction to the life and works of Shrii Shrii Anandamurti.

  

The Kindle download. Kindle version is recommended.


If you have questions or wish to join, please email Giriisha

Shrii Shrii Anandamurti




Ananda Seva in Finland

Click on the photo above to see what is happening in Finland.





Spiritual Intention

a dharma talk




NEW ON TEACHABLE

opportunities to learn at your own pace and time


Transformation Education Teachable site gives you the opportunity to take on-demand courses at your own pace. We now have 19 classes up on the platform covering a variety of topics.


Featured Class this Month:

Introduction to Ananda Sutram

course by Ravi Logan



This class taught by Acharya Ravi Logan gives an accessible overview to the Ananda Sutram, the seminal work by Shrii Shrii Anandamurti published in 1961. This text sheds light on deep philosophical topics such as metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and macro-history. This is great starter course for anyone interested in yoga philosophy and is recommended to anyone thinking of becoming a meditation teacher.





What are you reading?


Nandiita's recommendation:

Invisible Acts of Power by Caroline Myss

Clare's recommendation:

Heart Politics by Fran Peavy

Ravi's recommendation

To The Patriots by Shrii Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar

Shanti's recommendation:

Rest is Resistence by Tricia Hersey

If you are reading something that inspires you, please email your recommendation to Madhu for next month's newsletter.




Art for Service & Blessedness



"The artists or writers, before holding their brush or pen, should look around and assess the direction in which society is moving and the basic causes of its weakness. What are the “isms” that have supplied impetus to evil ideals? It is not enough to look around; they may also have to take a firm stand against the apparently irresistible forces of destruction.."

– Shrii Shrii Anandamurti

Abhimata, The Opinion


Artistic expression has always been integral to human evolution. The artists spark the imagination and pave the way for new ideas to flourish. Can you imagine a revolution with no songs to rally the people? The energy stirring beneath the earth now calls us to connect with that Divine Source and draw inspiration to birth a new society. How will you use your creative energy to support that flow?



"Fused Glass Abstract 1 " photography by Betsy Parker





Forever Young -Bob Dylan

click image above




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