SaiRam Dear Members. Please find below the latest Sri Sathya Sai Center of Loudoun Newsletter.
Please join us with family for our Devotional Satsang with Special Guest Speaker Dr. Axay Kalathia @ Hovatter Elementary School in Aldie – 41135 Collaboration Dr, Aldie, VA 20105.
More Details about Devotional, SSSE, Seva, and YA Activities below.
SRI SATHYA SAI GLOBAL COUNCIL – ZONE1 (USA- REGION 2)
A Warm and Loving Sai Ram Dear Members,
Hope all of you had a divine and wonderful week with Swami’s Grace!
With Divine Grace of our Dear Swami, we had a wonderful parent orientation with special guest speaker Brother Fize Mohammed who came all the way from Trinidad and Tobago and addressed the important role of parents in SSSE with so many live examples, funny incidents, and activity games. Parents then met with individual Group Gurus to go over the upcoming SSSE year plan. We wholeheartedly thank our Dear Swami for blessing us all with this informative session, and also thank our Brother Fize and all our Dear Parents. Please find pictures from the event.
This Sunday September 22nd, we will have regular devotional satsang and SSSE classes with our special guest Dr. Axay Kalathia (SSSGC Zone1 Chair) @ Hovatter Elementary School from 9:45 AM EST . See more details in the Devotional & SSSE section below.
See below for important details.
Please find this week's Centre Newsletter, updates from all wings (Devotion, SSSE, Seva & YA) along with Center Calendar for September 2024 and Zonal/National and Regional updates.
Sri Sathya Sai Center of Loudoun (SSSCL) Feedback form: We are requesting all members to provide your feedback about how the center is functioning or anything to improve center operations using the link below.
Q&A with Dr. Axay (Zone 1 Chair): Please submit your questions for Dr. Axay to be addressed during Q&A time of his visit to our center this Sunday. Please refrain from posting any sensitive or controversial questions and only post general questions about SSSGC, Zone 1, operating guidelines of the center etc. Last day to submit your questions is Friday Sept 20th. Questions to Dr.Axay's Zone 1 Chair : https://forms.gle/v2h465rNKRpAirNQ6
PARTHI PILGRIMAGE CENTENNIAL YEAR 2025 (July 10 – 13, 2025) – Registration is now open. We are truly blessed by His Grace to embark on both an inner and outer journey to our spiritual source, Prasanthi Nilayam. Parthi Pilgrimage, set during the centennial year, has been confirmed by the ashram authorities for the auspicious dates of July 10-13, 2025. Last Date: Oct 1st
“Religion is three-fourths character. No person can claim to be religious if he merely observes the sacraments and fails to be upright and compassionate”
Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
Please check the attached September 2024 Calendar above.
Look for more details from Center, Devotional and SSSE, and Seva Sessions.
Subscription
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This Sunday Sept 22nd, we will have a regular devotional session with special Guest speaker Dr. Axay Kalathia, SSSGC – Zone1 Chair in Devotional Hall starting from 9:45 AM onwards @ Hovatter Elementary School, followed by Bhajans. Please join us.
9:30 AM – 9:45 AM – Setup (Please join if available)
9:45 AM – 10:00 AM – 3 Oms, 21 Samastha Lokah, Chanting Gayatri & Sai Gayatri Mantra X3 each, Swami Darshan Video
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM – Practicing Mahishasura Mardini
10:30 AM – 10:35 AM – Introduction and welcome to Dr Axay
10:35 AM – 11:00 AM – Dr. Axay Kalathia talk
11:05 AM – 11:25 AM – Bhajans
11:25 AM – 11:35 AM – Closing Prayers
Sadhana Hour – SSSGC USA – National Devotional Initiative for Bhagawan’s Centennial Birthday celebrations.
Today, Friday, September 22nd, starting at 9 PM EST. The session will be on “Learning to chant Sri Rudram”. Brother Venkata Ramana will teach sixth anuvaka along with guidance on pronouncing the mantras. Please Join.
SSSCL – Upcoming Akhanda Bhajans & Bhagawan’s 99th Birthday Celebrations – medley’s & song practices at center.
Birthday Songs will be shared on September 2nd week.
Akhanda Bhajans Medley Offerings: As part of AKB, we will be offering Men’s & Ladies Medleys which will be practiced every Sunday at the Center. Please participate. (below are the Youtube links for Medleys)
Any questions please reach out to Devotional Coordinator, Sister Saideepa Amin, devotion@loudounsai.org.
Sai Ram
Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavanthu!!!
SSSCL – Sri Sathya Sai Educare (SSSE)
Important Announcements:
SSSCL – Regular SSSE Classes: SSSE kids will have their classes starting from 9:30 AM @ Hovatter Elementary School. Please arrive by 9:25 AM to not miss mediation at 9:30 AM. Please make sure kids don't miss the mediation.
We are truly blessed by His Grace to embark on both an inner and outer journey to our spiritual source, Prasanthi Nilayam.. Our Parthi Pilgrimage, set during the centennial year, has been confirmed by the ashram authorities for the auspicious dates of July 10-13, 2025.
If interested to join the pilgrimage & want to participate in SSSE or Adult programs , please register using the below RSVP link. Last day to register is Oct 1st 2024.
All SSSE kids are encouraged to sign up and be part of the SSSE program that will be offered at Bhagawan’s Sannidhi in Prasanthi Nilayam
For any Seva related questions, please reach out to Seva Coordinator, Brother Vijay @ seva@loudounsai.org.
Sai Ram
SSSCL – Young Adults Updates
YA Re-registration Form: Please look for information from YA reps to re-confirm as active YA of the center by registering using the link below. YA Re-Registration Form
Region 2 Fall YA Retreat from November 29th – December 1st, 2024: Sairam Dear Young Adults, I hope this message finds you well! With Swami's blessings, we are excited to announce that we will be conducting a region-wide Fall YA Retreat from November 29th – December 1st, 2024 (Thanksgiving Weekend) at the Vraj Temple in Schuylkill Haven, PA. The Retreat will be centered around the theme, “The Attitude of Gratitude.” We look forward to coming together as the Region 2 YA community and urge you all to register using this link by Saturday, September 28th, 2024.
Please see the attached flyer for more details and as always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us! Let us all celebrate this Thanksgiving together by showing our gratitude to our Beloved Swami.
Loving Sairam, Region 2 YA Team Sejal Rajagopalan T: (908) 487-3722
We express our immense gratitude to Dearest Swami in launching the “100 Acts of Kindness” National Sri Sathya Sai Global Council-USA Young Adult Service Project: a Heartfelt YA Service Offering to Our Dearest Swami, On Occasion of Swami's Holy Centennial Birthday Celebrations!
We envision every YA across the U.S. to fulfill at least 100 acts of kindness each, leading up to Swami’s Centennial Celebrations in November 2025. Partaking in this service sadhana is a special opportunity to offer our deepest gratitude to Swami through our unity of thought, word, and deed.
“Acts of kindness” could be leaving a kind thank you note, giving a small token of appreciation to the local fire station or custodial staff, spending time with the elderly, or just taking the time to smile and listen to others! It is any act of selflessness that promotes positivity and looking outwards to “see the Sai in all.” Each time you partake in an act of kindness, kindly log in your service experience through this brief Google Form: https://forms.gle/uVmgmYhhqGWdfK4b6.
Through this Google Form, we hope to collect an abundance of heartfelt reflections that can be compiled and expressed in a final offering for Swami’s 100th Birthday. It will be inspiring to read about the diversity of service projects and acts of kindness completed by all of us YAs, through a spirit of unity and teamwork.
The 100 Acts of Kindness Service Project is simply a goal, as the magnitude of our devotion and love cannot be quantified for our Dearest Swami! Let us all join together in offering these service acts of kindness to our Dearest Swami and may we experience His infinite love and grace.
If you have any questions and (or) looking for more YA updates, please reach out to our Female YA Rep Varsha Rao @ yafrep@loudounsai.org and Male YA Rep Arjun Sundaram @ yamrep@loudounsai.org
Sai Ram
SSSGC's Regional, National and Zonal Updates
Updates from DMV & Region 2 Centers:
None
SSSGC (USA) – Region 2 Updates:
SSSGC Region 2 – Second Sai-lent Retreat of 2024 | 25-27 Oct 2024:
Offering our most reverential pranamas at the Divine Lotus Feet of our Dearest Lord Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. We are delighted to announce that SSSGC-USA Region 2 will be hosting the second Sai-lent Retreat of 2024 in October. Here are the details:
Dates: 5 PM 25th Oct (Friday) to 12 PM 27th Oct (Sunday) 2024
Location: Vraj Temple, 51 Manor Rd, Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972. (This has AC/heated rooms and auditoriums.
Please use the following website to register for the Sai-lent retreat:
Please note that the retreat can accommodate only 50 participants. We encourage devotees to register early to secure their place. Open until Oct 11th or for First 50 registrations.
Sadhana Initiatives for all devotees/centers in our region 2 as a collective/individual offering to our beloved Bhagawan on his 99th Birthday and Centenary celebrations. Our Region 2 Devotional Coordinator Krishna Prayaga in collaboration with Our SSSGC Region 2 Center Devotional Coordinators formulated the following.
Individual/Family Sadhana:
– Chant “Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavanthu” at least 9 times a day.
– Chant any or all of these Mantras at least 9 times a day
“Om Sri Sai Ram”, “Gayatri Mantra”, “Sai Gayatri” or “Mrutyunjaya Mantra”.
– Read Tapovanam once a month (Read the whole book in a day/week or a chapter a week, according to convenience/preference).
– Likhita Japa – Write “Om Sri Sairam '' at least for 9 minutes a day. ( The books will be collected and sent to Parthi to be used for Vibhuti Packaging.)
– Learn 9 New Bhajans before November 2024
– At Least for 9 minutes a day Read Swami’s Literature, Listen to Swami’s Speeches or devotees experiences about Swami
SSSGC-Region-2-Fall-YA-Retreat-2024.pdf