Fwd: ***Upcoming Events*** Jan - July, 2012 - Flushing Sai Center, NY

[Ganesh L]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sundar Venugopalan

Date: Tue, Feb 14, 2012 at 7:02 AM
Subject: ***Upcoming Events*** Jan - July, 2012 - Flushing Sai Center, NY
To:

SaiRam!

By Swami's Divine Grace, below is an initial tentative schedule for the coming months. These are subject to His Divine Will and will be updated as we go along.

January 29, 2012 (Sun, 2 PM to 4 PM at Saraswathi Hall, Flushing)	Talk by bro. Chittoori Rommel
February 20-21, 2012 (Mon-Tue, 6 PM to 6 AM at Geeta Temple, 92-09 Corona Ave, Elmhurst, NY 11373)	Mahasivaraatri Observance - 12-hour Mahasivaratri Bhajans
February 26, 2012 (Sun, 2 PM to 4 PM at Saraswathi Hall, Flushing)	Talk by Sister Panu Chetty on, "Form to Formless"
March 18, 2012 (Sun, 2 PM to 6 PM at Saraswathi Hall, Flushing)	Talk, interspersed with music, by bro. Hari Subramaniam on “Nava Vidha Bhakthi (Nine forms of Devotion)"
April 1, 2012 (Sun, 2 PM to 4:30 PM at Saraswathi Hall, Flushing)	Swami's Mahasamaadhi Observance - Talk & Musical Offering by Sands Around Infinity (Dr. Paul Erhard & Family)
April 15, 2012 (Sun, 2 PM to 4 PM at Saraswathi Hall, Flushing)	Swami's Mahasamaadhi Observance - Talk by bro. Sai Sravan Cherukuri
April 24, 2012 (Tue, Venue and Time: To be Announced)	Swami's Mahasamaadhi Observance – Service Offering in New York City
April 29, 2012 (Sun, 2 PM to 4 PM at Saraswathi Hall, Flushing)	Swami's Mahasamaadhi Observance - Talk by Prof. A. Anantharaman
May 6, 2012 (Sun, 2 PM to 6 PM, Venue: To be announced)	Easwaramma Day Observance – Keynote talk, Cultural Program by SSE children and SSE Graduation
July 1, 2012 (Sun, 10 AM to 4 PM, Venue: To be announced)	Guru Poornima Observance - One day mini retreat with Dr. Sunder Iyer
July 15, 2012 (Sun, 10 AM to 4 PM, Venue: To be announced)	Full day Workshop on “Sai Time Management” by Dr. Aroon Yusuf

 

Program Details:

• January 29, 2012 (Sun, 2 PM to 4 PM at Saraswathi Hall, Flushing) – Brother Chittoori Rommel, from Prashanthi Nilayam, will visit the Flushing Sai Center.

Shri Rommel, from the Indian Foreign Service, is a former Diplomat who has served in various Indian Missions abroad. He worked in different capacities as First Secretary, Charge d’ affairs, Consul General of India and Head of Indian Missions.

An ardent devotee of our beloved Swami, he has played several roles in the Sai Organization in different countries, over the past 3 decades. He has given inspiring talks at Sai centers around the world and written articles on Swami's Teachings for different SAI publications and journals, including, "Bhavans". In April 2010, he took voluntary retirement from his diplomatic career to serve in Swami's Mission of Love.

On Jan 29th, he will speak at our center on, "The Love of Sri Sathya Sai".

• February 20-21, 2012 (Mon-Tue, 6 PM to 6 AM at Geeta Temple, 92-09 Corona Ave, Elmhurst, NY 11373) – All the New York City Sai Centers will jointly participate in the 12-hour Mahasivaratri Bhajans. The Bhajans will commence at 6 PM on Monday (Feb 20) and conclude at 6 AM on Tuesday (Feb 21) at the Geeta Temple in Elmhurst (Queens, NY).

• February 26, 2012 (Sun, 2 PM to 4 PM at Saraswathi Hall, Flushing) - Sister Panu Chetty, from South Africa, will visit the Flushing Sai Center.

Mrs. Panu was Blessed to play different roles in the Sai Organization of South Africa, including, Regional Youth Convenor in Durban, Spiritual Convenor and SSEHV teacher for Sai-Teens, in Pretoria. Her inherent Sai-talent in highlighting SWAMI’S teachings through music and drama has been a riveting experience for all those who have witnessed it. She works with devotees, including youth, in producing plays based on human values; showcasing practical spirituality on stage. South Africa had an opportunity to perform in the Divine Presence in 2010 and Mrs. Panu was her Province's Production Co-ordinator for the play, “UBUNTU – I AM BECAUSE YOU ARE”.

On Feb 26th, during her talk, "Form to Formless", sister Panu will also render a few value based songs that express the initial emotion of the loss of Bhagawan's physical frame and the subsequent realization that He cannot be confined to the physical Form.

• March 18, 2012 (Sun, 2 PM to 6 PM at Saraswathi Hall, Flushing) – Brother Hari Subramaniam, from India, will visit the Flushing Sai Center. 

Bro. Hari was part of the "Brindavan Bhajan Group" where he had the unique opportunity of experiencing the Lord and listening to HIS Teachings first hand (the Brindavan Bhajan Group is the group that renders Bhajans in Swami's Divine Presence at Brindavan in Whitefield).

By HIS Grace, Hari led Bhajans in the old Sairam shed at Brindavan where Swami gave Darshans in the past. He was Blessed to continue singing in HIS Divine Presence, since the inaugural day of the new Sai Ramesh Hall in Whitefield. He has had a lot of personal interactions and guidance from our beloved Swami on many topics, including, on aspects of devotion and Bhajan Singing. He collated these teachings and experiences into a series of talks and with HIS Blessings has rendered them in several countries. He has given talks & conducted multimedia-aided Bhajan workshops in the United States, Canada, in the Carribean, United Kingdom, the Far East, Middle East, India and other parts of Asia.

A soulful singer and gifted orator, Hari's talks are full of music and humor, and convey profound spiritual truths in the most simplest form. Coming from a devotional singing background, he very effectively employs Sai Bhajans as a medium to narrate HIS Stories and HIS Teachings.

On March 18th, Hari will speak (and sing) on "Nava Vidha Bhakthi (Nine Forms of Devotion)".

• April 2012 (Bhagawan's Mahasamaadhi Observance) - Through the month of April, our center will observe our beloved Swami's Mahasamaadhi with a series of programs remembering His life and Message, expressing our gratitude to our ever loving and eternal Lord.

*******************************

• April 1, 2012 (Sun, 2 PM to 4:30 PM at Saraswathi Hall, Flushing) – Sands Around Infinity (SAI) - Dr. Paul & Mrs. Ellen Erhard and their sons Jeffrey and Robert - from Denver in Colorado, will visit the Flushing Sai Center and offer a musical tribute at HIS Divine Lotus Feet.
  

Dr Paul is a double bass professor at the University of Colorado College of Music and was Blessed to stay in Puttaparthi and teach music to students of Swami's college there. Paul has trained the Sri Sathya Sai University Brass Band since 1997, and has been blessed to perform with the brass band on many Christmas and New Years concerts in the Divine Presence. Paul and his wife, Ellen, have performed numerous times in front of Swami with the International Sai Symphony Orchestra. Mrs. Ellen is a violinist and performed in Swami's Divine Presence as part of the music choir. In 1998, Ellen, a professional violinist, began teaching violin in Swami’s Primary School, developing a large class of violin students. Her students have performed numerous programs for Swami. From 1991 to 2003, the Sathya Sai Baba Center of Boulder met in the Erhard home.

Their sons, Jeffrey and Robert Erhard, were both Blessed to study in Swami's institutions at Puttaparthi and they are proficient in music and the Vedas. Jeffrey Erhard, lead vocals and harmonium, and Robert Erhard, cello and vocals, sang bhajans and chanted Vedas during their seven years as Sai students in Prashanthi Nilayam from 2002 to 2009. Beginning in his 8th standard, Jeffrey was a member of the Sai Institute Veda Group, chanting daily at the Divine Lotus Feet.

On April 1st, the Erhard family (SAI) will narrate their inspiring experiences and also offer a musical tribute, comprising, instrumental music and devotional songs/Sai Bhajans.

The video of Swami instructing Jeffrey Erhard to chant the Vedas in His Divine Presence is available at, http://ssbcflushing.org/audio/otherVideos.php (username/password: srisathyasai/namonamaha) ("Swami On Veda Chanting" - 3 min:44 sec into the video).

Some of Dr. Paul's performances in the Divine Presence at Puttaparthi can be heard on RadioSai at,

http://dl.radiosai.org/SI_2004_03_28_DBL_BASS_PAUL_02_GANESA_SARANAM.mp3 and http://dl.radiosai.org/SI_2004_03_28_DBL_BASS_PAUL_05_HUM_KO_TUM_SE.mp3

• April 15, 2012 (Sun, 2 PM to 4 PM at Saraswathi Hall, Flushing) - Brother Sai Sravan Cherukuri, from Washington DC, will visit the Flushing Sai Center and offer his perspective of Sai Teachings, recollecting fond memories of being raised in the Divine physical proximity.

Sai Sravan is an alumnus from the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Puttaparthi. His life, since childhood, has been touched by the Divine Grace of our beloved Swami, who continued to inspire and guide him, even after he left the portals of the institute. Most recently, early last year, Swami guided him on many aspects of life, including, Sai Spiritual Education (SSE) during a series of conversations with Sai Sravan. Sai Sravan's parents serve Swami at HIS Ashram in Prashanthi Nilayam and his two children study in Swami's school there.

After his talk to the general membership, brother Sai Sravan will collate the guidance received from our beloved Swami and share with SSE teachers/parents in the form of a "SSE enrichment workshop". This breakout session will be at the Asamai temple. Bro. Sai Sravan will be accompanied by his family.

• April 24, 2012 (Tue, Venue and Time - To Be Announced) - Swami's Mahasamaadhi Day will be observed by spreading His Love through service to members of our community in New York City. Further details on the service program for this day will be announced in due course.

• April 29, 2012 (Sun, 2 PM to 4 PM at Saraswathi Hall, Flushing) - Prof. A. Anantharaman, from Prashanthi Nilayam, will visit the Flushing Sai Center after participating in Swami's Mahasamaadhi Observance in Puttaparthi.

Prof. A. Anantharaman serves Swami as the Media Coordinator for the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust and faculty in the department of Management Studies (SSSIHL, Puttaparthi). Prior to this, he has worked as the Chief Executive of multinational companies in Africa, Asia, Europe and USA. He serves as an adjunct professor in several business schools, including, the Harvard Business School (MA) and Swami's School of Business Management in Puttaparthi.

Prof. Anantharaman is an eloquent speaker and has spoken on many occasions in the Divine presence of our beloved Swami. 

Many of his talks in Prashanthi Nilayam can be heard on RadioSai at, http://www.radiosai.org/program/SearchProgramme.php (Search Description: Anantharaman).

*******************************

• May 6, 2012 (Sun, 2 PM to 6 PM, Venue - To Be Announced) - The detailed program for our center's Easwaramma Day Observance - Keynote talk, SSE cultural program and SSE graduation - will be announced in due course.

• July 1, 2012 (Sun, 10 AM to 4 PM, Venue - To Be Announced) - Dr. Sunder Iyer and Mrs. Maya Iyer, from Elyria in Ohio, will visit our center for the 1-day mini-retreat on the occasion of Guru Poornima.
  
  Dr. Sunder Iyer had the great Blessing of being a "personal attendant" of our beloved Swami for a couple of years and learned from His direct Divine Guidance. He was among the first batch of students to join Swami's college at Puttaparthi in 1979, and he subsequently completed his graduation, post graduation and Ph.D. in Banking and Finance at Swami's Institute. The 16 years that he spent in the Divine Presence also includes the 5 when he served as a faculty in Swami's College. Sunder's passion is practicing and teaching yoga and was the only student that received a gold medal for yoga from the Divine hands during the first convocation of the Sai University.
  
  Sunder Iyer's wife, Mrs Maya Iyer, also spent her youth in Swami's Divine Presence, from the age of 13 and later graduated from the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. After her graduation, sister Maya volunteered at the Sri Sathya Sai Super Specialty Hospital in Puttaparthi. She was specially trained at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, to assist in the Cardio-Thoracic surgery department. Maya was awarded the title of YOGA SIROMANI (Teacher of Yoga) from the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, in South India.
  
  Sunder Iyer's soulful talks, which are interspersed with his melodious music, reveal profound spiritual truths through simple instances encountered in His Divine Presence. He will be our keynote speaker for the 1-day mini-retreat on the auspicious occasion of Guru Poornima.
  
  Some of Dr. Sunder's talks/interviews are available in Ted Henry's Souljourns Video Series on Vimeo.

• July 15, 2012 (Sun, 10 AM to 5 PM, Venue - To Be Announced) - Date is TENTATIVE - In response to our requests, Dr. Aroon Yaseen Yusuf from Toronto, will return to New York to conduct a full-day workshop on, "Sai Time Management". The Registration information for this workshop will be circulated in due course. This workshop is open to ALL and SSE children/Young Adults are encouraged to attend.

Dr Aroon Yusuf, a plastic surgeon from Toronto, currently serves as the Canadian Sai Org's National medical service coordinator. He earlier served as Canada's National youth coordinator. He had the good fortune of having Swami guide him during the youth phase of his life at which time Bhagawan asked him to start the youth group in his Center in Canada. Dr. Aroon Yusuf is also a Trustee of the Sathya Sai School of Toronto and continues to work on it's Education committee. He also participated in medical relief work in Haiti, SriLanka, India and Guyana. Dr Aroon Yusuf was instrumental in starting and formulating a program for the pre-YAs/SSE Group IV in Canada (http://www.sathyasai.ca/content/view/126/163/lang,en/).

Dr. Aroon Yusuf is a distinguished Sai speaker and his "Sai Time Management" workshop is renowned for it's simplicity and power. He has facilitated this workshop in different parts of the world and it captures the basics of managing time effectively per Swami's Divine Principles.

We pray to our beloved Swami for His choicest Blessings so we can continue to delve in His Message and avail every opportunity to contemplate on HIM.

Please contact us for any further information or if you wish to volunteer in any way.

 
Regards
Sundar Venugopalan
_________________
(917) 686 7947

Center Website: www.ssbcflushing.org

[Ganesh L]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sundar Venugopalan

Date: Thu, Apr 12, 2012 at 10:13 PM
Subject: May 2012 - Flushing Sai Center, NY
To:

SaiRam!

By His Divine Grace, below is the Sai schedule for May. These are subject to His Divine Will and may be updated as we go along.

May 5, 2012 (Sat, 10:30 AM to 4 PM at Robertsville Elementary School, Morganville, NJ)	Regional Easwaramma Day – Program by SSE children, based on the theme, "My Life is My Message"
May 6, 2012 (Sun, 2 PM to 6 PM at Public School 115/Glen Oaks School, 8051 261st Street, Floral Park, NY 11004)	Center Easwaramma Day - Keynote talk by Shri Vedanarayanan, play by the SSE children ("My Life is My Message") and SSE Graduation & Attendance Awards
May 20, 2012 (Sun, 2 PM to 4 PM at Saraswathi Hall, Flushing)	Talk by bro. Ravi Mariwalla
May 25-28, 2012 (Fri-Mon at Camp Westmont in the Poconos)	Regional Retreat – Talks by Dr. Narendranath Reddy, Dr. Rupak and Sarojini Changkakoti, Prof. Anantharaman and other programs. (Regn.: http://retreat.sathyasai-region2.org/)

Program Details:

• May 5, 2012 (Sat, 10:30 AM to 4 PM at Robertsville Elementary School, Morganville, NJ) – The Mid-Atlantic Region SSSO will observe Easwaramma Day with an inspiring program put forth by the SSE children, based on the theme, "My Life is My Message".

The pre-registration details will be sent out in due course. Please contact us if you need car pooling assistance or if you have space in your car for a fellow devotee.

• May 6, 2012 (Sun, 2 PM to 6 PM at Public School 115/Glen Oaks School, 8051 261st Street, Floral Park, NY 11004) – The Flushing Sai Center will observe Easwaramma Day with an inspiring program, comprising, a play by our SSE children ("My Life is My Message"), a keynote talk by Shri Vedanarayanan from Prashanthi Nilayam and the SSE Graduation & Attendance Awards (The program flyer is attached).

Shri. Vedanarayanan is an award winning Sanskrit teacher and former student from the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning in Puttaparthi. He has been associated with our beloved Swami's educational institutions since 1976. In 1981, after securing his Bachelors degree from Swami's College, on Bhagawan's Instructions, he completed his MA in Philosophy from Bangalore University and secured a Gold Medal. He is a familiar face in Prashanthi Nilayam - for the last 25 years, Shri Vedanarayanan has been participating and leading the early morning Vedic invocations in the Ashram. He has been leading Vedic chanting in Sai Kulwant Hall, during Darshan time, ever since Swami initiated this practice.

In the year 2004, Shri. Vedanarayanan, received the “National Award for Teachers”, from the then President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. “More than any of these awards, I feel the greatest reward for me is the opportunity to chant Vedic hymns in front of the very Origin of the Vedas – The Veda Purusha – our Beloved Swami Himself!” said Shri. Vedanarayanan, whose association with Swami dates back to 1968, when he came for His first Darshan as a 6-year old boy.

Shri. Vedanarayanan has spoken in Prashanthi Nilayam on many occasions and his talks on RadioSai can be heard at, http://dl.radiosai.org/TALK_VEDA_NARAYANAN_2006_02_15_PART1.mp3 and http://dl.radiosai.org/TALK_VEDA_NARAYANAN_2006_02_15_PART2.mp3

• May 20, 2012 (Sun, 2 PM to 4 PM at Saraswathi Hall, Flushing) - Bro. Ravi Mariwalla, a SSSIHL alumnus and former staff from Swami's Super Specialty Hospital, will visit the Flushing Sai Center.
  

After spending almost a decade as a Sai student and completing his Masters in Business Administration from Puttaparthi (1982-91), Ravi was personally instructed by our beloved Swami to stay back and join the Sri Sathya Sai Super Specialty Hospital in Puttaparthi immediately after its inauguration, as technical support staff. In preparation for this, Swami sent him to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi for advanced training. Ravi went on to serve for almost 15 years at Swami's Super Specialty Hospital in Puttaparthi (1991-2005). He was also part of the Sai University's Brass Band and performed for the first time during Swami's 60th Birthday celebrations.

Ravi Mariwalla has spoken in the Divine Presence on many occasions and his 2002 talk in Puttaparthi can be heard at, http://dl.radiosai.org/TALK_RAVI_MARIWALLA.mp3

• May 25-28, 2012 (Fri-Mon at Camp Westmont in the Poconos) - The annual Mid-Atlantic Regional Sai Retreat of the Sri Sathya Baba Organization will be held over the Memorial Day Weekend and will be based on the theme, “Why fear when I am STILL here!” (The program flyer is attached).

This year’s retreat will feature inspiring speakers, including, Dr. Narendranath Reddy, Dr. Rupak and Sarojini Changkakoti, and Professor Anantharaman. Registration can only be done online at, http://retreat.sathyasai-region2.org/. You can complete the registration online and then mail your checks along with the payment stub, as per instructions on the website. Please indicate your car pooling needs, if any, during the online registration process.

The camp has limited overnight capacity. We encourage you to register as soon as possible (even if you plan to attend only for a day). Early registration is critical to the planning process.

The retreat is made possible by the dedicated effort and selfless service of many volunteers. We encourage you, if possible, to arrive early on Friday and help convert the camp into Prashanthi Nilayam.

Please make an effort to participate in the above and share in His Divine Love.