Santa Cruz Meditation Group April Newsletter 2025

Santa Cruz Chapel News and Events



Weekly Services


Wednesday 10 am - 11 am Zoom Bhagavad Gita Study Group

(Contact srfsantacruz@gmail.com for the link)

Thursday 7:30 pm - 9 pm Inspirational Service


Sunday 10 am -10:45 am Meditation


Sunday 11 am - 12 pm Reading Service & Meditation



Monthly Services


Kirtan

Thursday, April 10th, 2025

7:30-9:00 pm



3 HR Meditation

(3rd Saturday) 6:30 - 9:30 pm

April 19th , 2025



Santa Cruz Chapel Special Events


SPRING CLEAN UP!

Saturday, April 5, 2025

9:00 am - 12 pm PDT


Please join us on Saturday, April 5th, for our annual chapel spring clean-up.

What better way to serve our Guru than by working together with other devotees to keep our chapel and grounds looking beautiful? We will weed and clean both the grounds and the inside of the chapel. Lunch will be provided.


Please join us for whatever time you can allot that day.


Please sign up by sending an email to srfsantacruz@gmail.com so we will know how many will be attending.


Thank you for your help and Jai Guru!





Service Opportunities at the Chapel


New Sign-up Sheets are on the bulletin board in the kitchen at the Chapel. We are looking for willing volunteers to join the flower and altar committee and the cleaning committee! Altar chair: Elizabeth Mandranis harvestmoondolls@yahoo.com. Her contact information is also on the signup

Cleaning chair: Rich Furnish.-ombuilderssc@gmail.com 


SRF Online Meditation Center

April Events


6-Hr Monthly Meditation

- Led by SRF/YSS Members

April 5, 2025

8 am - 2 pm PDT

We invite you to join us for a six-hour meditation in English led by SRF/YSS members. The service will begin with group practice of the Energization Exercises, followed by an opening prayer, a chant, an inspirational reading, and periods of chanting and silent meditation. After three hours, there will be a thirty-minute intermission. Following the intermission, the program will continue with a reading and periods of chanting and silent meditation. The service will conclude with Paramahansa Yogananda’s healing technique and a closing prayer



3 - Hr Monthly Meditation with Kirtan 

- Led by SRF/YSS Members

April 12, 2025

8:40 am - 12 noon PDT


We warmly invite you to join us for a three-hour meditation with kirtan (devotional chanting), in English led by an SRF/YSS member. The service begins with group practice of the Energization Exercises, followed by an opening prayer, and includes inspirational readings, kirtan, and periods of silent meditation lasting about 30-50 minutes each. We ask that no recordings or screenshots be made. 



Good Friday Meditation in English

 led by an SRF Monastic

Fri Apr 18, 2025, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm PDT


 Join us for a special Good Friday meditation in English led by an SRF monastic. The service begins with an opening prayer, devotional chanting, and a period of silent meditation. The service concludes with the practice of Paramahansa Yogananda's healing technique and a closing prayer. 



Please note: The video of the event will be available for viewing until Monday, April 21 at 10:00 p.m. PT on the event page 


Easter Six-Hour Meditation in English — led by an SRF monastic

Sat Apr 19, 2025, 10:40 am - 5:00 pm PDT


This meditation, conducted in English, will begin with group practice of the SRF Energization Exercises, followed by an opening prayer, inspirational readings, devotional chanting, and periods of meditation throughout the day. You are welcome to participate in the meditation below or join via Zoom (during the live event).


Schedule listed for the Pacific Time zone:

                    Part 1: 7:40 – 11:00 a.m.

                    Intermission: 11:00 – 11:30 a.m.

                    Part 2: 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.


100th Anniversary of Paramahansa Yogananda Conducting the First Easter Sunrise Service at the SRF Mother Center

Sunday, April 20, 7:00 a.m. (Pacific Time)


As we approach Easter, it brings a sense of joyful expectation to recall that this holiday has, as Paramahansa Yogananda explained, not only great historical meaning in relation to the life of Jesus Christ as an incarnation of the Divine, but also profound significance for our own aspirations of being able to resurrect the latent divine consciousness within ourselves. 

 

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Paramahansa Yogananda, conducting the first Easter sunrise service held at the SRF International Headquarters (Mother Center) in 1925. We are happy to announce that on Sunday, April 20, SRF/YSS President Brother Chidananda will lead a special Easter sunrise service live-streamed from the Mother Center. This event will be conducted in English, and simultaneous interpretation will be available in select languages.

Please note: The video of the event will be available for viewing until Monday, April 21 at 10:00 p.m. PDT on the event page





Sessions are listed in the viewer's time zone

Click the purple button below for zoom links.

OMC/ODK Calendar


SRF Teachings Library


We invite you to explore the wisdom of Paramahansa Yogananda to support and enrich your spiritual life.

Teachings Library 

SRF Inspirational Services Online


We invite you to join the weekly online inspirational service led by an SRF or YSS monastic.


The programs generally include guided meditation and a talk on Paramahansa Yogananda’s teachings. Click the button below to view videos.

Online Inspirational Videos

Prayer Requests: SRF Worldwide Prayer Circle


Monks and nuns of the Self-Realization Fellowship Prayer Council pray daily for all those who request prayers for physical, mental, and spiritual healing and for world peace.


They are joined by SRF members and friends around the globe who are part of our Worldwide Prayer Circle.

Prayer Requests

SRF Service Opportunities:


Join the SRF Worldwide Volunteer Community


We invite you to join the global community of Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) and Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (YSS) members serving Paramahansa Yogananda’s worldwide mission. Volunteers make it possible for devotees to join daily group meditations and spiritual study, regardless of their location, circumstances, or language. 


How to Volunteer

1, Log into the SRF/YSS Volunteer Portal - https://volunteer.yogananda.org/home

2. Browse Service opportunities and select “ I want to Volunteer”

3. Fill out the volunteer application form.


Wishing you a wonderful month in the presence of the Great Gurus of Self Realization Fellowship.


Jai Guru!


For more information about the SRF Santa Cruz Meditation Group please contact:

JJ Walton-Hadlock @ srfsantacruz@gmail.com.

831-227-6449