May WRDS 2017
Six Monthly Region Wise
Good News and Highlights of New York Sector
December 2016 – May 2017
Atlanta Region
Seminar in Miami, Florida, February 12, 2017
Ananda Marga Seminar was held in Hollywood, Florida on Sunday February 12, 2017. Trainer was Acarya Diiptimanananda Avadhuta and organizer Acarya Anudhyanananda Avadhuta. The seminar attracted media attention and was filmed for a documentary of the Reuters news agency by one our best sympathizers (that Ac. Anudhyanananda Avt. met in the United Nations), His Highness Prince Arthur Louis Pagan (territorial prince of The House of Homestead in USA.) He and his wife were attended the seminar and were very impressed and inspired by the Ananda Marga philosophy and meditation. He learned meditation.
RDS and Kiirtana Retreat, February 28 – March 5, 2017
RDS took place in Ananda Girisuta Master Unit, Asheville, North Carolina, USA from February 28 – March 2, 2017. 16 Dadas and Didis were assembled for the RDS and participated in the Kiirtana Retreat and Dadhichi Divas. During the retreat seminar classes were given by Ac. Iishvarakrsnananda Avt, Ac. Diiptimanananda Avt. and Ac. Vimaleshananda Avt. Inspiring talks were given by Ac. Abhiramananda Avt. (SSNY). The program was successfully conducted with a total of 70 participants.
The main output of the program was one LFT candidate creation for the upcoming LFT training in Ananda Kanan this summer.
Atlanta Regional Retreat, April 14 – 17, 2017
Atlanta Regional Retreat was held at Ananda Girisuta Master Unit from April 14 – 17, 2017. Revolutionary Marriage took place on Saturday, Akhanda Kiirtana was conducted and three workshops on Neohumanism. Eighty Margiis and five WTs attended the retreat.
Boston Region
With the help of all workers in the Region, several new activities have been established in the last six months. Regular yoga classes are conducted in various locations in New York City and nearby areas. Three classes are conducted every week by Ac. Diiptimanananda Avt., Office Secretary of NY Sector since last one and half year at the athletic department of Queens College, Flushing, Queens, New York. Acarya Abhiramananda Avadhuta has established classes in several senior centres, and in cooperation with various social organizations, in United Nations in Manhattan, Long Island. More than four classes are regularly conducted. Various people are introduced to Ananda Marga such as religious leaders, doctors, advocates, politicians. Last six months more than one thousand people have been in contact with SS NY.
Ac. Vimaleshananda Avadhuta, Public Relation Secretary of NY Sector has been working tirelessly in publishing monthly the Crimson Dawn Newsletter and posting news on regular basis. He is regularly representing Ananda Marga at meetings and conferences organized by the interfaith peace organization HWPL.
Monthly Meditation Retreats at New York Sectorial Office
Monthly Kiirtana and Meditation Retreats have been established in NY Sectorial Office on every first or second following Saturday and Sunday of the month. Last six months now retreat is going in good flow and increasing the number of Margiis, sympathizers and new Margiis and have Akhanda Kiirtana, classes, and workshops.
One hundred people got benefited and five people have received initiation. One new unit was established in Brooklyn and Margiis from there are also attending the retreats.
On May 6 and 7, the monthly meditation retreat included a Microvita Seminar.
On Saturday Acarya Vimalananda Avadhuta, coordinator of the Microvita Research committee gave a lecture on the topic Microvita Science and its possible applications.
The following day Dr. Hans-Hoachim Rudolph (Manohara) went into details about a specific topic of Microvita and Cosmology which has been subject of scientific research and discussions since the seminal discourse given by Shrii Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar in 1990. At the seminar in New York were present several professors who got deep insights about the profundity of Shrii P. R. Sarkar contribution to science. Prof. Ravi Kulkarni has been introduced to Microvita Science recently and he is working on creating a framework of reference for further study harbouring the beginning of the work for a Microvita and Consciousness Research Institute in USA.
New Unit in Brooklyn was established in Brooklyn, New York in the Russian and American community. Weekly Dharma Cakra is conducted in a rented yoga studio.
Seminars
Regular structural programs have been established in the Sector in which New York Sectorial Office seminar was conducted in the months of February 2017. Seminar took place in Sectorial Office in February, 2017. One new family was introduced to Ananda Marga, Shiva and Urmila. They were inspired by the philosophy of Ananda Marga and are now coming regularly to Dharma Cakra. Bhukti Committee meetings and unit meetings take place regularly.
Seminar was held in Worcester on April 6. The highlight of the seminar was a video conference with Professor Ravi Batra. He explained several aspects of PROUT related to the present day situation in USA and in the world. Spiritual topics were presented by Ac. Sarvajiitananda Avt. and Ac. Abhiramananda Avt. Successful program was conducted with 36 Margiis attending. All effort has been made by the local Margiis such as Timir Prabhakar, Piyush Bhatnagar, Manish Makhiya and their families.
Ananda Marga School at New York Sectorial Office
Inauguration of a new Ananda Marga School took place on March 7, 2017. The school is opened with the collaboration of Ananda Marga and LEAD (they are non-profit organization who is providing qualified teachers,) We have currently 21 children enrolled in the program that is focused on helping them to develop their potentiality in terms of academic achievement, social skills, and moral integrity. The children are in the age 5 – 10 years. This is a service-oriented school. We have currently three full time teachers and three volunteers working at the school. Ac. Diiptimanananda Avt. is teaching yoga and meditation and music classes and Ac. Abhiramananda Avt. is looking after the administrative part of the school.
Interfaith Programs in New York
New York is a cosmopolitan city with most of the religions and ethnic groups of the world living together in one place. Ananda Marga has established a presence in the interfaith community in New York, working towards world peace, mutual respect and love.
Ananda Marga monks were special guests at the Gathering of Lights meeting in Long Island. Acarya Abhiramananda Avadhuta and Acarya Vimaleshananda Avadhuta assisted to a beautiful spiritual program featuring interfaith songs. Ananda Marga Universal mantra Baba Nam Kevalam was presented on stage and all participants joined in chanting and dancing together. Everybody felt a very strong spiritual vibration which remained for the entire program till the end. Special thanks to all the spiritual leaders present with their devotional feeling and warm love.
Meeting with Bill De Blasio, Mayor of New York City.
On April 15th Ananda Marga representatives met Mayor of New York Bill De Blasio. Arish Sahani worked hard to make the meeting possible during a fund raising event in Brooklyn. Acarya Abhiramananda Avadhuta and Acarya Vimaleshananda Avadhuta presented to the Mayor Ananda Marga books and an outline of a service project intended to help the homeless population in New York. The meeting was effective and the Mayor has given good attention and assured to work together for the society.
Ananda Marga at the “Oneness in Diversity” conference in New York on May 6, 2017. Around 350 religious leaders and other dignitaries were participating. Ananda Marga was represented by Acarya Abhiramananda Avadhuta and Acarya Anudhyananda Avadhuta accompanied by Brother Arish Sahani and Acarya Vimaleshananda Avadhuta.
The conference was held on occasion of the visit of Mr. Lee, the founder and leader of HWPL, South-Korean based organization working for peace at different levels worldwide. Ananda Marga introduced internationally amongst all the leaders. Photographs were published in Crimson Dawn and other social media around the globe.
Ac. Abhiramananda Avadhuta was interviewed by the editor of the newspaper Newsday LLC. The interview was published in the column “ON FAITH, Asking the Clergy” and highlighted Ananda Marga neohumanistic education.
The Ananda Purnima celebration was the biggest gathering in NY Sectorial Office since many years. The program started on Tuesday May 9 and lasted until evening of May 10. Including a 12 hours Akhanda Kiirtana. We had a visit of seniors and staff from a nearby senior centre and they enjoyed kiirtana, meditation, a talk by Ac. Shankarananda Avt. and Ac. Iishvarakrsnananda Avadhuta. We served them Prasad and lunch. All school staff, students, parents and all Margiis, sympathizers and many new people attended the program and all appreciated and felt the blissful environment.
At the evening of May 10, we had a RAWA program featuring a professional singer that performed songs. Many Margiis and sympathizers attended and enjoyed the program.
Chicago Region
The Festival of Faith, on April 19 – 22, was held in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Ac. Advayananda Avt. and Brother Yatimana were the representatives of Ananda Marga. This event was organized by Buddhist monks and had about 400 participants. Ac Advayananda Avadhuta established better relation with different religious faiths, spiritual and socially active groups. All dignitaries appreciated Ananda Marga values and contribution. Afterwards they attended a nationally televised event at the Cathedral of the Assumption, with renowned broadcast journalist Ann Curry.
Acarya Sarvajiitananda Avadhuta and Ac. Anudhyanananda Avt organized a meditation workshop in Chicago City on April 2. More than 15 people attended. Ananda Marga philosophy was introduced. A new unit was established.
Dallas Region
The margi of Dallas welcomed the visit of Sectorial Secretary Acarya Abhiramananda Avadhuta by organizing several meetings and opportunities for pracar. The seminar was attended by 35 people. Acarya Advayananda Avadhuta and Margiis of Dallas organized the program.
Inauguration of a New Ananda Marga Centre in Houston, Texas
Houston, USA is famous for the Space Center, the coastal visitor center at NASA’s astronaut training and flight control complex.
Brother Kapil, senior Margii of USA offered one place in Houston in the heart of the city. The new jagrti was inaugurated on April 30, 2017. Acarya Abhiramananda Avadhuta and Ac. Anudhyanananda Avt. took the lead to establish the new Jagrti and Ac. Satyamitrananda Avt. was introduced to take care. Dr. Ram and the local Margiis in Houston were so inspired and they are taking care of this Jagrti. They will have regular meditation class and Dharma Cakra.
Kingston Region
AMURT is very active in Port-au-Prince, Haiti with their integrated education programs and rural development program. The projects there include: Kindergarten, Afterschool Enrichment, Youth Leadership Training, Women’s Literacy and Support, Urban Ecology Education, Childcare Provider & Teacher, women’s self help groups, salt production. AMURT has 25 staff and the project has running expenses of $30,000.00 per month.
Los Angeles Region
In Los Angeles since many years, Acarya Muktatmananda Avadhuta (Sectorial Commerce Secretary) three times a week leads a feeding program, collecting food donations from the Food Bank and distributing at the Jagrti to low-income families living nearby. The Los Angeles feeding program is serving on average 11.3 tons of food every month. Last six months 68 tons of food has been distributed benefiting around 2500 people. The commercial value of the food would be around $200,000 U.S. Dollars (1.3 Crores rupees)
The Los Angeles Jagrti has been renovated. The cost was more than $15,000.00 U.S. Dollars.
In January 2017 Ac. Dayashiilananda Avt. and Ac. Vimaleshananda Avt. took the initiative with the Margiis of Los Altos Hills to feed the homeless people in San Jose City.
Minneapolis Region
Ananda Kanan Winter Retreat took place on the occasion of the New Year followed by LFT Training. Trainer was Acarya Anudhyanananda Avadhuta. Two LFTs were created.
Mexico City and Monterrey Regions
Acarya Ragatmananda Avadhuta has many artistic talents, including oil painting on canvas, plays sitar and guitar. He regularly performs in Mexico City and other cities of Mexico, inspiring people with music and promoting meditation and vegetarian diet. On December 31, 2016, he attended a religious program in Mexico City and inspired the 25 attendees with Prabhata Samgiita. On March 5 and April 9, he similarly sang Prabhata Samgiita and kiirtana at religious programs attended by 25 people in Mexico City.
Acarya Satyamitrananda Avadhuta Regional Secretary of Monterrey Region is doing very good work, touring different cities and giving meditation workshops, yoga conferences, seminars and lectures. He was given opportunity to give two lectures the famous university Ibero-American University (Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México). He also gave public workshops, kiirtana and bhajan concerts. Last six months more than three hundred people were benefitted by his work.
Ottawa Region
On March 25, Ananda Marga Seminar took place in Cabane-en-Bois-Rond, in Gatineau, Quebec County in Canada (near Ananda Kanak Master Unit.) Trainer was Acarya Dayashiilananda Avadhuta. Classes were given in the French language. Brother Iishvara is the active Margii of that area and organized the seminar.
The largest universities in Ottawa are University of Ottawa and Carleton University with around 30,000 students each. Acarya Dayashiilananda Avadhuta is regularly doing pracar in those universities and yoga and meditation clubs have been running for the last three years. Last six months more than 200 students were benefitted.
Acarya Parinirvanananda Avadhuta has given lectures and classes on Ananda Marga philosophy in the different temples, churches and community centres in Toronto, Canada. Last six months three hundred people have been contacted.
Philadelphia Region
Ananda Vrati is located near Scranton, Philadelphia Region in USA. New construction and renovation has started. Ac. Shankarananda Avt., Ac. Anudhyanananda Avt. and Ac. Abhiramananda Avt. recently visited the place. Brother Adyatman and Sister Kusum are doing hard work. Ananda Vrati is three hours drive from New York and the new facilities can be used for ASD training programs, regional retreats, and wellness programs. The construction cost for last six months was around $150,000 U.S. Dollars.
Conference at New Jersey Institute of Technology was organized by
Dr. Jay Kappraff, professor of mathematics, Dr. Hans Chaudry (contact of Ac. Shankarananda Avt.) and Jaya Dayal attended by thirty professors of the Institute. The theme was “Service to Humanity in Hundred and Ten Countries of the World.” Ac. Abhiramananda Avadhuta was the main speaker. The professors appreciated the work of Ananda Marga around the globe. The program was ended with a meditation workshop.
This time for the first time since many years, seminar was organized in Sterling, Virginia on February 18, 2017. Organizer of the program was Sandeep Khanuja and trainer was Acarya Dhruva ji, family Acarya of Washington DC. The seminar was sweet and inspirational for all Margiis of Virginia and had the title — “Sowing the Seeds of Spirituality.” The program was attended by 15 Margiis.
On May 3, 2017 a Human Rights International Youth Conference took place in Washington DC, USA. The subject of the conference was Human Trafficking. The representatives of Ananda Marga, Acarya Abhiramananda Avadhuta and Acarya Anudhyanananda Avadhuta were invited to participate in the programs. The conference was so successful. After the program we met with ambassadors of different countries, activists, NGOs representatives around the world, public officials and brilliant youths from around the world. A special meeting was conducted with Dr. Mary Shuttleworth, the chairman of the Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) by Ac. Abhiramananda Avadhuta and future plans made for better understanding.
(in the featured image Dada Advayananda with the Meditation Club Texas university)