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!  Holy Maha Shivaratri and Happy International Women’s Day to all our Sisters!!

With Swami's grace, we had a wonderful session of SSSE classes  & Devotional with members participating in Veda learning and a lovely offering of bhajans to Swami by our SSSE Kids. We thank each one of you for your participation.

Important Message in change in Location for the Month of March 2024.

SaiRam Dear Members,

We THANK Swami, all Center Members, Parents & SSSE kids for accommodating all devotional and SSSE activities at the new location for whole month of February, @ Hovatter Elementary School in Aldie –  41135 Collaboration Dr, Aldie, VA 20105 due to non availability of Claude Moore devotional hall for three of the Sundays in February. 

Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/FAnFzr8dtbNo76MAA?g_st=iw

Please Note and mark your calendars, We have major events lined up at the Center, Regional and National during the next couple of months.

Today Friday March 8th from 6 pm to Saturday March 9th 6 am (12 hrs), SSSCL will be celebrating Maha Shivaratri @ 27125 Post Time Ct, Chantilly VA 20152.

This Sunday, March 10th, there will be ONLY SSSE Classes @ Hovatter and NO Devotional satsang.

Looking forward to seeing all the Members, Parents, SSE Kids tonight in Maha Shivaratri 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 March 2024 and Zonal/National and Regional updates.

Sai Ram

Please check the attached March 2024 Calendar above.               

Quick Highlights in March 2024:

Today Friday March 8th from 6 pm to Saturday March 9th 6 am (12 hrs), SSSCL will be celebrating Maha Shivaratri @ 27125 Post Time Ct, Chantilly VA 20152.

This Sunday, March 10th, there will be ONLY SSSE Classes @ Hovatter and NO Devotional satsang.

Look for more details from Devotional and SSSE Sessions.

Please mark your calendars so that you can attend the Center with family and friends, and enjoy the bliss of these special programs.

Subscription

Don’t forget to subscribe to SSSCL YouTube Channel:  

https://www.youtube.com/@loudounsaicenter

Sai Ram

Sri Sathya Sai Center of Loudoun

1. Maha Shivaratri Celebrations on Friday, March 8th from 6:00 PM to Saturday March 9th 6:00 AM. (Address above)

   Tentative Agenda: 

   Friday March 8th

   5:30 PM – 6:00 PM: Silent Meditation

   6:00 PM – 6:45 PM: 21 Oms, 21 times Samastha Lokah, Shivopasana(by adults), and Rudram Chanting (First time)

   6:45 PM – 7:00 PM: Bilvashtakam (by SSSE Group 3 kids) and Nirvana Shatkam

   7:00 PM – 8:15 PM: SSSE Assigned Bhajans

   8:15 PM – 8:50 PM: Rudram Chanting(second time) and Chanting Lingashtakam

   8:50 PM – 10:30 PM:  Assigned Adults/YA Bhajans

   10:30 PM – 11:50 PM: Open Bhajans

   Friday Mar 8th – Sat Mar 9th

   11:50 PM – 12:10 AM: Chanting of “Om Namah Shivaya” and “Triyambamkam”

   12:10 AM – 03:45 AM: Open Bhajans

   03:45 AM – 04:15 AM: Rudram Chanting (Third time)

   04:15 AM – 05:50 AM: Assigned Bhajans and Unison Bhajans

   05:50 AM – 06:00 AM: Swami Bhajans & Closing Prayers

   Note: Dinner will be served from 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM – Dinner (Bhajans will be on-going).

   Please go over the details below.

   1. We request you all to start early to avoid traffic and to be at the venue (27125 Post Time Ct, Chantilly 20152) on time by 5:30 PM Friday March 8th.

   2. Dress Code: Ladies/Girls – Blue (any shade)/White/Silver and Men/Boys – Blue or White.

   3.  SSSE Children will have an assigned slot at approx. 7:00PM Friday March 8th.

   4.  Assigned SSSE/Adults/YA’s bhajan details have been shared in respective Maha Shivaratri WhatsApp groups.

   5.  Any SSSE Kids/Adults/YA’s who prefer to stay all night are encouraged to offer bhajans during Open Slot.

   6.  Meals, Snacks, and Refreshments will be provided as per schedule during the entire 12 hours and any questions please reach out to Seva Coordinator Brother Vijay.

   Note: We encourage all devotees to bring their own water bottle if possible as we want to encourage being green.

2. NO DEVOTIONAL SESSION on Sunday March 9th @ Hovatter Elementary School.

3. SSSCL – Festival Hosting for Year 2024 – Last Day for receiving the signups is March 11th 2024.

   Sign up Link : SSSCL Festival Hosting Signup Form

   Any questions please reach out to our Devotional Coordinator Sister Sai Deepa at devotion@loudounsai.org.

Sai Ram

Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavanthu!!!

Sri Sathya Sai Educare (SSSE) Updates  

Regular SSSE Classes on Sunday Mar 10th @ Hovatter Elementary School, Aldie from 9:25 am onwards.

1. This Sunday, March 10th – Regular SSSE classes start from 9:25 am. @ Hovatter Elementary School, NO Devotional Session.

2. MAHA SHIVARATRI Celebrations:

3. Yearbook Submissions March 10th is the deadline. Please turn in all your submissions to your Gurus by next class.  Any questions please reach out to me or Gurus.

4. Kanjira Sign Up form :  As announced, any SSSE kids interested in learning Kanjira Basics please fill in the form.

   https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdUuARJcme8VvQwiGy516eICGYwgUSIwk-0An04XhXjMf7K9A/viewform?usp=sf_link

   Last Day: MARCH 15th 2024

5. Spring break : No SSSE class on March 24th and we will resume back on March 31st.

6. SSSE Picture Day: March 17th is SSSE Picture Day, we request all Kids to come in white.

7. Regional Retreat Memorial Day weekend: SSSE Play, If you are coming to Retreat this year and interested to be part of the offering from our center, Please reach out to Sister. Sai Neeraja @ sse@loudounsai.org

Any questions on SSSE related activities please reach out our SSSE Coordinator Sister Sai Vajra Neeraja @ sse@loudounsai.org

Sai Ram

SEVA UPDATES

Month of March 2024 service activities:

1. *Narayana Seva (Dinner at Reston shelter): March 15th**

   Desc: Prepare and serve dinner at Reston Shelter located at: 11975 Bowman Towne Dr, Reston, VA 20190 on Saturday, March 15th, 2024.

   Signup link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4DAFA929A0F8CF8-48313788-march#/

2. * Narayana Seva (Breakfast at Leesburg shelter): March 22nd**

   Desc: Prepare and serve breakfast at Leesburg Shelter located at:19520 Meadowview Ct, Leesburg, VA 20175 on Saturday, March 22nd, 2024.

   Signup link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4DAFA929A0F8CF8-48313893-march#/

3. *Donating needy items at Single Women Homeless Shelter**
   As part of this service activity we will purchase and donate items like Paper Bowls, Paper Plates, Spoons & Forks, Paper Towels, Laundry Detergent, and other items at Single Women Homeless Shelter.
   Signup link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4DAFA929A0F8CF8-48315233-donating#/

4. *New Shoes/Gentle Used Shoes collecting and donating at various homeless shelters service activity**
   As part of this service activity we will be collecting new shoes/gentle used shoes & sandals(Men, Women & Kids) and distribute at
   various homeless shelters during our monthly Narayana Seva(Reston & Leesburg shelters).
   **NOTE: Please do not bring very old shoes and uncleaned shoes for donating(We do not accept).*

5. * Potomac River Cleanup at Strathmore Local Park (MD).  We are doing this service activity along with Bethesda Sai Center

   Date: 4/6/24(Saturday) from 9:00 am to 11:00 am  

   Address: Strathmore Local Park, 3210 Beaverwood Lane, Aspen Hill, MD 20906.

6. Monthly visit to Assisted Living Center: Our Sai Center engages in monthly visits.  During these visits our volunteers spend quality time interacting with the elderly guests of the center (also playing board games, reading books).

   Date: 4/13/24(Saturday) from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm

   Address: 4310 Forest Hill, Fairfax, VA-22030

For any Seva related questions, please reach out to our Seva Coordinator Brother Vijay @ seva@loudounsai.org.      

Sai Ram

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

1. Sri Sathya Sai Global Young Adults Conference will be held at the Divine Abode – Prasanthi Nilayam from 12th to 14th July 2024 with the theme Reconnect, Recharge, Rejoice in SAI Love. 

   Website Link:  https://www.sssgyac.com/ 

   The link contains information about the program, the registration link and other relevant details. Additional information is contained in the attached flyer and video. 

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 Centers:

1. Baltimore Center's Maha Shivaratri Program: Baltimore Sai Center invites all to their Maha Shivaratri Program on Friday, March 8th from 8:00 pm to 6:00 am  Saturday, March 9th @ 8684 Ridge Rd, Ellicott City, MD 21043.

2. SSSGC Center of  South Bethesda: Friday, March 8th, 9:00 PM — Saturday, March 9th 6:00 AM @ Murugan Temple of North America

   5300 Princess Garden Pkwy, Lanham, MD 20706

SSSGC (USA) – Region 2 Updates:

1. SSSGC Region 2 Annual Memorial Day Retreat – Camp Site Visit:

   Camp Site Visit for Annual Memorial date Retreat date is on 23rd March 2024.Saturday 10 AM.

   Location: Camp Green Lane (249 Camp Green Lane Rd, Green Lane, PA 18054)

   This is open for any interested devotee.

   Please use this link to register if you would like to attend the camp site in connection with your volunteer work that you have signed up for.

   https://forms.gle/H5E8Y2CmXgnN82TKA

2. We are pleased to announce that our Registration for Annual Memorial Day Retreat is open.

   Please use this link to register.

   https://region2.sssgc-usa.org/retreat/retreat-2024/ – Please book offsite hotels through the registration link asap as you get a discount compared to booking directly with the hotel.

   Please note that in the accommodation section, there is one discounted Hotel available for those who would like to stay off site. 

   The theme of the retreat is : “Be always Happy”

   Details of the Retreat:

   Time and Dates: 5 PM 24th May (Friday) to 12 PM 27th May 2024 (Monday).

   Location: Camp Green Lane (249 Camp Green Lane Rd, Green Lane, PA 18054).

3. Please see the list of MahaShivaratri celebrations across different SSSGC centers in our Region 2.(See below attached)

SSSGC-USA National Announcements:

With Bhagawan’s immense grace, see below SSSGC USA National Devotional initiatives in preparation for Bhagawan's Centennial Birthday celebrations. We are excited to share the details of the upcoming initiatives that aim to help with our Sadhana and enrich our spiritual journey.

Sadhana Hour – Fridays, 9 PM to 10 PM EST.

Starting March 1st, we will gather for “Sadhana Hour” on most Fridays on Zoom.

1. First Friday of Each Month – Bhajan best practices and Learning Sessions: Sessions on the first Friday of every month will delve into best practices on leading bhajans and workshops on learning to play common instruments used in bhajans such as taalam, kanjira, harmonium, and tabla. We kick off this series with Sai Shruthi and Rashmi guiding us through the basics of playing taalam on Friday, March 1st.

2. Second Friday of Each Month – Study Circle Sessions: Eminent Sai devotees will moderate study circle sessions on the second Friday of each month. On the second Friday, March 8th, brother Ravi Mariwalla will lead a study circle on the topic “Practice & Inspire.” Please review the attached study guide beforehand for an enriching study circle session.

3. Third Friday of Each Month – Rudram Learning Session: To help follow Bhagawan's guidance on chanting Rudram, every third Friday will feature a Rudram learning session conducted by brother Venkataramana. These classes will start from the third Friday, March 15th.

4. Multi-Faith Talks – Select Fridays: On select Fridays, we will host multi-faith talks by esteemed guests.

Please participate by joining these sessions.  See below Flyer

The second session of “Sadhana Hour” is scheduled for this evening, Friday, March 8th at 9 PM to 10 PM EST. This session will focus on providing an overview of the Practice and Inspire series of study circle topics shared at the Center Leader’s Conference held at Parsanthinilayam last year.   Prof. Balu Karanam, National President, SSSGC USA will lead the session.  The video of this session will be made available for those that may not be able to attend due to schedule conflict with Shivarathri bhajans at their  centers.  Also, please note the updated zoom link below.

Zoom Session Details:

SSSGC-Zone1 Updates:

• Sai Inspires Zone1 Bulletin  – https://mailchi.mp/sssgc-zone1.org/sai-inspires-zone-1-bulletin-12790971?e=544b396769

• Subscribe to our Zone 1 Bulletin to receive periodic announcements and special features.

You can share your feedback by using “Contact Us” on our zonal website at 

https://www.sssgc-zone1.org/

Sai Ram

Quick Links: 

• SSSGC Zone1 Website: https://www.sssgc-zone1.org/

• Sri Sathya Sai Prema Tharu – 10 Million Trees Global Plantations Drive: www.sssprematharu.org

• Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vahini Inclusive Education Project (IEP) Volunteering:  https://forms.gle/LkQVbgthQziY3kzr9 Or email at: volunteer.iep@sssvv.org

• “Prasanthi Connect” Mobile App: Google Play Store | Apple App Store | Use QR code

• Call Sai is a program designed to provide assistance to Sai devotees. Call (1-272 CALL SAI; 1-272-225-5724) or visit https://www.callsai.org/

• SaiLights Magazine: https://www.sssgc-zone1.org/sai-lights-magazine

• Operational Guidelines

• Guidelines, Rules and Regulations

Sai Shiva Chintanam |  Non Stop Shiva Bhajans  #mahashivratri

Jai Sai Ram!

Saideepa Amin (devotion@loudounsai.org) 
Sai Vajra Neeraja (sse@loudounsai.org)  
Vijay Konkimalla (seva@loudounsai.org)  
Arjun Sundaram (yamrep@loudounsai.org)  
Varsha Rao (yafrep@loudounsai.org)  
Prasanthi Babu (vp@loudounsai.org)
Raghavendran Srinivasan (president@loudounsai.org)

!! Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavanthu !!

LOVE ALL SERVE ALL      HELP EVER HURT NEVER