quarterly report JULY-SEPTEMBER 2021
BHAKTI your
CENTER
spiritual
home
A Letter from the Executive Director More
than
taught
us
anything, the
power
this
pandemic
and
importance
has of
community. As COVID restrictions in NYC are lifting, we look forward to inviting you back into your spiritual home while continuing to offer high-quality online events to keep you nourished and inspired. We are here for you, and because of you.
We're
grateful
updates
with
to
you.
share
Please
the
reach
following out
if
you
have any questions, thoughts, or suggestions on
how
we
can
grow
and
improve.
Please
know that this is YOUR spiritual home. Our team
is
here
for
you
any
time–as
am
I,
personally. Thank you so much for continuing to
be
a
part
of
our
community
and
for
offering your generous support to the Bhakti Center.
yours in service,
Doyal Gauranga das DOYAL
GAURANGA
DAS
Weekly Kirtan
Weekly Soul Talks
Thursdays / 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Saturdays, 11:00am – 1:00pm
Jhulan Yatra 8/18- 8/22
Srila Prabhupada’s Appearance 8/31
Swing Festival Thursday 8/19 6:30-8:30 PM
Balaram Jayanti 8/22
Radhastami 9/13
Janmastami 8/30
Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Appearance 9/18
SNAPSHOT This Coming Month at The Bhakti Center
Community Care Many
studies
between
have
demonstrated
religion,
happiness,
a
correlation
and
longevity.
Wouldn’t make
people
be happier and live longer (“Do Religious People Live
frenetic
Longer” Time Magazine, February 2018). Anecdotally,
bring
one
feel
imagine
meditation, the
and
material
why:
the
philosophy
world.
Bhakti,
benefits
of
prayer,
explaining
the
while
technically
not
perils
of
be
amazing
everyone
According to these studies, religious people tend to
can
it
feel
naturally New
more
it
to
the
Bhakti
loved
and
forward?
City,
people
happily
so
pay
York
if
to
the
our
it
spirituality,
connected
cared
In
wouldn’t
Center
be
and
for
that
preciously
amazing
to
Divine,
could
help
to
them
through
our
exceptional care? That’s the vision.
a
for
We will start small. Congregation members will soon
everyone), has all of these ingredients. It includes a
receive a survey to help us identify the most pertinent
profoundly
mystical
care
suggested
daily
religion
(religion
implies
sectarianism;
yet
scientific
meditation
Bhakti
is
philosophy,
practice,
a
a
clear
needs
define
its
our
scope,
thereafter.
description of the Divine, and more.
in
As
community. and
Our
develop
Radhanath
a
Swami
care
team
roadmap,
has
said,
will
shortly
“Krishna,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all factors
causes, the controller and master of everyone, takes
contributing to longevity and happiness including “a
the greatest pleasure in caring for His devotees. This
network
concept
Time
Magazine
of
indicates
social
additional
support”
and
“like-minded
of
end.
for
(Lecture 2/8/14, Mayapur)
their
spiritual
communities,
happiness
and
the
care
association.” In other words, when people feel cared in
It’s
devotee
eternal
has
no
pastime
of
beginning Krishna
and
no
Himself.”
longevity prevail. Tulsi Rani dd is the Temple Care Coordinator at the Bhakti
To that end, the Bhakti Center is creating a new Care Team, led by Tulsi Rani dd. The team, while still in its infancy, has a big vision – to provide all Bhakti Center community members with a consistent, loving support
Center.
She
individual
This
childcare
could
support,
sky’s the limit.
include supper
mentorship,
on
a
busy
association,
workday
–
the
dedicated
and
collective
structured network
of
developing
system.
is
devotional nurturing and
to
supporting
spiritual
programs
teaching
development
and
relationships.
email at tulsi@bhakticenter.org.
by
She
courses
applications of Bhakti philosophy.
devotees
on
in
their
through
facilitating
also the
delights
a in
practical
She can be reached via
One who can see that all activities are performed by the body, which is created of material nature, and sees that the self does nothing, actually sees. Bhagavad Gita 13.30
New Team Members Our professional development continues to be a priority. We aim to create sustainable systems that allow us to serve
you,
our
ever-growing
global
community,
to
the
best of our abilities. As we enter a new chapter in our journey,
we
are
honored
and
fortunate
to
welcome
several new team members to our staff:
Sahar Ghavami - Fundraising and Volunteer Associate Minna Seibel - Program Administrator Barbara Sanchez - Program Manager Tulsi Rani dd - Temple Care Coordinator Sila van der Swaagh - Facilities Manager Braja Bijay das - Temple pujari
In Person Programs After
a
weekly
year-long Thursday
tremendously
hiatus,
Night
we
Kirtan
nourishing
and
finally in
opened
2021!
uplifting
It to
up
has
our
been
welcome
guests back into our space for singing and dancing together.
We
have
also
launched
a
brand
new
weekly
event,
Soul Talks, which is specifically catered to introduce new guests to the teachings and lifestyle of Bhakti. This
program
many
of
the
has
become
people
we
a
great
connect
destination
with
on
the
for
street
through Soul Spot, as well as online meetup groups.
Lastly, as city regulations are now allowing in-person gym and yoga classes to take place, we have brought a crew of dedicated teachers together to reopen our yoga studio with in-person classes. Gradually, we are planning
more
in-person
workshops,
events,
and
trainings. We hope to see you back home sometime soon!
Soul Spot
Our Bhakti Center outreach efforts officially kicked off two years ago this summer. At that time
our
program
consisted
of
weekly
Kirtan
and
book
distribution
in
Washington
Square
Park. Since that time, our program has expanded.
Through the pandemic and the winter months, we consistently hit the streets two days per week. When it got too cold to sit and chant, we performed walking Harinam on Thursday evenings, filling the gap left by the suspension of Thursday Night Kirtan.
As people started attending regularly, we developed "next steps" including home programs, Gita classes, and Soul Talks, one of the Bhakti Center’s first post-pandemic weekly in-person offerings.
Soul
Talks
allows
newcomers
to
explore
the
philosophy
of
Bhakti,
including
practical examples of how to apply ancient teachings into daily life.
Some
of
our
regulars
have
attended
weekend
Bhakti
retreats,
and
even
moved
into
our
ashram!
If you're in town, please join us on Sundays in the park.
For additional information on Soul Spot, please contact Brajarani Dasi. via email at Brajarani@bhakticenter.org.
She can be reached
Bhakti Center Staff July 2021
Doyal Gauranga Das - Executive Director Amrit Krishna Das - Cook Barbara Sanchez - Program Manager Bhima Prana Das - Cook Braja Bhijay Das - Pujari Brajarani Dasi - Human Resources Leader Gaura Sharan Das - Kitchen Manager Minna Seibel - Program Administrator Krishna Gor - Reception Manager Radha Bhakti Dasi - Mentoring Program Leader Rasika Gopi Dasi - Community Groups Leader Sahar Ghavami - Fundraising and Volunteer Associate Silas van der Swaagh - Facilities Manager Sri Rupa Charan Das - Pujari Sundarnath Das - Finance Director Tulsi Rani dd - Temple Care Coordinator Vasudeva Das - Head Pujari
We build on foundations we did not lay We warm ourselves by fires we did not light We sit in the shade of trees we did not plant We drink from wells we did not dig We profit from persons we did not know
This is as it should be. Together we are more than any one person could be. Together we can build across the generations. Together we can renew our hope and faith in the life that is yet to unfold. Together we can heed the call to a ministry of care and justice.
We are ever bound in community. May it always be so.
Rev. Peter Raible
As we welcome new team members at the Bhakti Center, we recognize and are eternally indebted to the countless dedicated souls who have built the foundation of where we are today and who continue to support this project from places around the world.
EMAIL info@bhakticenter.org with inquiries DONATE at our website bhakticenter.org
Authentic spiritual education, experience & community.
BHAK T I NYC
|
C E NT E R
BHAKTICENTER.ORG
