CHANNUKAH BLESSINGS
1.) Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam
asher kidishanu b'mitz'votav v'tzivanu
l'had'lik neir shel Chanukah. (Amein)
Blessed are You, Lord, our God, king of the universe
Who has sanctified us with His commandments and
commanded us to light the lights of Chanukkah. (Amen)
2.) Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam
she'asah nisim la'avoteinu bayamim haheim baziman
hazeh. (Amen)
Blessed are you, Lord, our God, king of the universe
Who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days
at this time (Amen)
SONG
Banu cho-shech le-ga-resh
Be-ya-dey-nu or va-esh
Kol echad hu or ka-tan
Ve-ku-la-nu or eitan
Sou-ra cho-shech hal-ah sh’chor
Sou-ra mip’ney ha-or
We come to dispel the darkness
In our hand is a light and fire
Each person is a small light
And together we are a strong light
Go away darkness, get-on blackness!
Go away darkness before the light!
M.A. CENTER SATSANG
DECEMBER 8, 2007 BULLETIN
www.amma.org/bayarea
The light of Guru's grace helps us to see
and remove the obstacles in our path.
– Amma
Mata Amritanandamayi Center (M. A. Center)
10200 Crow Canyon Road; Castro Valley, CA 94552
Tel: 510.537.9417 Website: www.amma.org
To have an announcement included in this bulletin please send to: Richard Morey,
richardmorey@sbcglobal.net by Friday noon. This weekly bulletin is available online at:
http://www.bayarea.amma.org/events/weekly%20bulletin.html.
WELCOME to M.A. Center, a spiritual home for devotees throughout the Bay Area. Let
us know if you have any questions, and feel free to join us for any of our programs!
THIS EVENING’S PROGRAM SCHEDULE
5:00 pm – Chanting the 1,000 Names of the Divine Mother
6:00 pm – 108 Names of Mata Amritanandamayi & Meditation
6:30 pm – Spiritual talk & Amma’s Birthstar Puja
7:30 pm – Bhajans (devotional singing)
8:45 pm – Arati & Closing Prayers 9:00 pm – Dinner
The bookstore and library will be open after this evening’s program, and join us for a
delicious vegetarian dinner on the balcony. We also have a bake sale on the balcony after
Satsang, with the proceeds going to building homes for the poor.
UPCOMING M.A CENTER SCHEDULE
In addition our Saturday evening programs, the following special events will be held at
the M.A. Center. All events are held in Amrita Hall unless otherwise noted.
This evening we will have a Hanukkah Candle Lighting
Saturday, December 15 The Amma Shop in Amrita Hall will be open from 2:30-5:00
pm for your holiday shopping!
Saturday, December 15 Holiday Welcome Tea & Tour; 3:00-5:00 pm
Please RSVP for Welcome Tea & Tour to events@ammachi. org.
Sunday, December 16 Christmas Meditation Day; 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Friday, December 21 Amma’s Birthstar Puja; 7:30 pm; Main House Puja Room
Saturday, December 22 Winter Solstice Celebration; 4:00 – 5:00 pm at the Labyrinth
Monday, December 24 Christmas Eve Program; Community potluck 6:00 pm; 7:30
pm program
Tuesday, December 25 Christmas Day Caroling at Evergreen Castro Valley Healthcare
Center. Meet at Main House at 1:15 pm, arrive at nursing home at 2:00 pm. The Bay
Area Satsang will also be providing Holiday gifts for the residents. Everyone is invited to
participate by bringing the following new gifts to satsang on December 15 & 22: 2008
calendars, new socks, new stuffed animals and hand lotion.
Thursday, December 27 – Sunday, December 30 Amrita Yuva Dharma Dhara
(AYUDH)Youth Retreat. Online registration is now available at the following:
http://www.amma.org/events/youth-retreat.html
Monday, December 31 New Year’s Eve Program, 7:30 pm - 12:00 midnight
Tuesday, January 1, 2008 New Year’s Day Silent Retreat; 10:00 am - 6:00 pm; online
registration at http://www.amma.org/events/newyear-silent-retreat.html
ONGOING M.A. CENTER PROGRAMS
Regular Evening Programs Evening bhajans are held each weekday evening at 8:00
pm in the Main House Puja Room.
Saturday Morning IAM Practice from 9 – 10 am in the Main House Puja Room.
Amrita Bala Kendra Program This program for children ages 4 –12 is held every 2nd
and 4th Sunday of the month from 3:30 – 5:30 pm. For additional information and to
register, please contact Sudhir Aggarwal at aggarwal3@gmail.com or at 818-262-3895.
Hatha Yoga classes are held Saturdays, 4:30 – 5:45 pm, in the Main House Puja Room.
Prayer List At the end of each Saturday evening program, we read a “prayer list.” If
you would like to add someone to the list, please send their name to prayers@amma.org.
BART Pickup for Saturday programs: The pickup leaves Castro Valley BART at 5:40
pm every Saturday. Please confirm with Thomas at (510) 326-5757. If you are coming on
BART to do seva on Saturday morning, we pick people up at the Castro Valley BART
station at 9:20 am.
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Lost & Found If you lost something during tour, please check on the table on the
balcony on the side where the library resides.
HOLIDAY PROGRAMS
As you can see from the upcoming schedule, we have a wonderful series of programs at
the M.A. Center this holiday season! For example, next Saturday the bookstore will be
open for your holiday shopping from 2:30 – 5:00 pm in the afternoon (along with being
open each evening after Saturday evening Satsang. The following day, next Sunday, we
will have an all-day Christmas meditation – a wonderful opportunity to align ourselves
with the true spirit of Christmas. Feel free to come for all or part of the day.
There will be programs on both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. On Christmas Day
itself, we will do caroling at the Casro Valley Healthcare Center. Everyone is warmly
welcome to join in, regardless of your singing expertise!
The Inaugural Amrita Yuva Dharma Dhara (AYUDH) Youth Retreat , ages 15-30
"Be the Change you want to see in the world" - Mahatma Gandhi
It is with great joy that we would like to announce the Inaugural Amrita Yuva Dharma
Dhara (AYUDH) youth retreat to take place December 27-30 here at the M.A. Center.
AYUDH is a movement of young people , ages 15-30, who aspire to lead a life based on
universal values. Starting with ourselves, we want to help generate a future of hope,
peace and social engagement while maintaining an awareness of spiritual principles. This
event will be an opportunity for Amma’s children across the country to meet, network,
and strengthen their connections with each other as well as with the Amma community.
This training will take place through workshops, discussion groups, satsang and
questions and answers with Dayamrita Swami, as well as other spiritual practices.
New Year’s Day Silent Retreat
This is an opportunity to deepen our spiritual practice and renew and strengthen our
connection to Amma, as we release the old year and embrace the possibilities inherent in
the New Year.
Br. Dayamrita Chaitanya & Bri. Ramaa Devi will lead us in chanting, bhajans, and
meditation throughout the day, as well as provide the time and space for personal
reflection.