SaiRam Dear Members. Please find below the latest Sri Sathya Sai Center of Loudoun Newsletter.
Please join with family for SSSCL Krishnashtami Celebrations this Sunday August 25 @ Hovatter Elementary School in Aldie – 41135 Collaboration Dr, Aldie, VA 20105. Please see detailed program schedule in Devotional Section.
Please look at Member and SSSE Registration in Important Center Updates Section below.
More Details about Devotional, and Seva 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 blessing of Swami, This Sunday August 25th, we will meet at Hovatter Elementary school for Krishnashtami Celebrations by singing the glory of Lord Sai Krishna starting from 9:45 am, see details below in the Devotional session.
We eagerly look forward to seeing you all with family at Krishnashtami celebrations.
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 August 2024 and Zonal/National and Regional updates.
Sri Sathya Sai Center of Loudoun – 2024- 2025 Member & SSSE Registration Form:
SaiRam Dear Members.
Please use this form to register you, your family members, and SSSE Students for 2024-2025. This registration form is for both existing and new members.
In previous years we used to send two separate forms – one for member registration and another for SSSE registration. We have tried combining both into one form to make it easy for center members.
If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to us.
Please fill this form before August 27 2024 for planning our 2024-2025 SSSE Academic year.
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)
Please register using the Member Registration and SSSE Registration Link Shared Above in Important Center Updates.
Other Important SSSE Announcements:
SSSE Training to Region 2 again on Sept 7,8th (online session on 14th). Attached is the flyer and Registration form. Balvikas is very close to Swami's heart and closer yet are the teachers who teach it. He often says, the work we do defines who we are. It is like a mirror. We have the body to do work only so that we sanctify time. Teaching SSSE is a sure shot way to sanctify our time and earn divine grace. (see attached Flyer)
SSSGC Region 2 Meeting of the Minds | Session 11 | Sep 5, 2024
We are excited to resume Meeting of the Minds (MOM) sessions for the 2024-2025 Year!
Intended audience: Present and Past Gurus, Gurus in training, Education Coordinators, and Center/Regional/National Office Bearers.
Current Gurus and Past Gurus Please Join this enriching session.
MOM Session 11:
Topic: Questions you always wanted to ask! by Alpa Uchil When: Wednesday, September 4, 2024 from 8:00 PM-8:30 PM EST Description: As we start the new SSSE year, we will go over some common and challenging questions/scenarios pertaining to SSSE.
– To share tangible, actionable, and sustainable tools for gurus to use before, during, and after lesson planning. – To introspect on Swami's definition and expectation of a Guru. – To realize, understand, value, and practice what the SSSE movement is meant to provide for students, parents, and Gurus.
In 2024, there were 3 sessions (paused for Retreat prep): Session 8 (January 2024): How do I make lesson plans from the Source? Session 9 (February 2024): How do I connect today’s student to God? Session 10 (March 2024): Successful tips for conducting Harmonious Homes
Any questions on SSSE related activities please reach out to SSSE coordinator, Sister Sai Vajra Neeraja @ sse@loudounsai.org
Sai Ram
SSSCL – SEVA UPDATES
Month of August 2024 Seva Activities
Narayana Seva: Breakfast at Leesburg Shelter (August 24th)
Desc: Prepare and serve breakfast at Leesburg Shelter located at:19520 Meadowview Ct, Leesburg, VA 20175 on Saturday, August 24th, 2024.
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
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.
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
SSSE_Guru_Training_Baltimore_Flyer.pdf