SingaSpeaks A PERIODIC NEWSLETTER FROM THE RAMAKRISHNA MISSION, SINGAPORE
ROAR 84 | SINGAPORE | SATURDAY | 6 January 2018
Spiritual Retreat on Christmas Day
The 3rd Spiritual Retreat for 2017 was held on Christmas Day. The first session of the Spiritual Retreat on 25 December 2017 began at 8:45 am at the Temple with opening prayers, chanting of Gita Chapter 12 and Sanskrit hymns led by Swami Natarajananda. He is the President of Ghatshila Ramakrishna Math, one of our six Jharkhand centres. Devotees then proceeded to the Sarada Hall keeping up the mood of silence for the rest of the Retreat. Swami Vimokshananda welcomed everyone at the Retreat. He invited 179 BARTLEY ROAD | SINGAPORE 539784
all to utilise well this half-day opportunity for delving deep into oneself. He added that this Retreat was happening on the happy occasion of the holy presence of Most Revered Swami Shivamayanandaji Maharaj, a Vice-President of the Ramakrishna Order who was pleased to visit Singapore bringing blessings from Belur Math. Swami Durgananda, the Secretary to Revered Vice-President Swami Shivamayanandaji Maharaj delivered an interesting lecture on “Science and Swami Vivekananda�.
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Spiritual Retreat on Christmas Day
Swami Natarajananda performed a “Bhajananjali” – singing of devotional songs. He was accompanied by Sri Rahul on Tabla and Sri Ramgopal from Malaysia on Tambourine. After a tea-break, the Second Session began at 11 am. Swami Kripatmananda read a few passages from “Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita” in the original Bengali language written by ‘M’. Thereafter, the woman Saint Mirabai’s poems were narrated by Swami Satyalokananda with a PowerPoint Presentation. He
179 BARTLEY ROAD | SINGAPORE 539784
brought out the intensity of her devotion and spiritual unfoldment. This was compared with the pining experience of Sri Ramakrishna. The Benedictory Address was delivered by the Revered VicePresident Srimat Swami Shivamayananda ji Maharaj on “Divinizing our Daily Life”. He elaborated the 5 questions put by ‘M’ the author of the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna during one of his meetings with the latter. He explained that the first three
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SATURDAY, 6 JANUARY 2018
Spiritual Retreat on Christmas Day
questions and the clarifications given by Sri Ramakrishna should be adopted by every spiritual seeker. Swami Jitamanasananda read out in Tamil a few passages from “Sri Ramakrishnarin Amudha Mozhigal”. A Question-Answer session moderated by Swami Vimokshananda followed it. 168 Registered devotees attended the Retreat which ended with a Lunch Prasad. The next Spiritual Retreat would be held on Good Friday holiday which falls on 30 March 2018. 179 BARTLEY ROAD | SINGAPORE 539784
PH: +65 6288 9077 | FAX: 6288 5798
singapore@rkmm.org
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SATURDAY, 6 JANUARY 2018
Support from the Comminuty Ms Jaslyn, Branch Director, one teacher and 9 K2 students from CHERIE HEARTS JUSTKIDZ PTE LTD, Jurong West visited WCC to make a donation of $1,200 which they raised from their Young Entrepreneurship Day in conjunction with the Children’s' Day Celebration. The cheque was presented to the WCC Chairman. Ms Jane Choy, General Manager (Business Operations) and Mrs Noorsiah Allaudeen, Head of Curriculum of G8 Education Singapore Pte Ltd visited WCC to make a donation of $2,563 for the funds raised by their centres during the quarter's fund raising events. The cheque was presented to the WCC Director. Ms Garima, President and Ms Anuradha Shroff, Treasurer from the Indian Women's Association (IWA) visited WCC to make a donation of $2,000 to be used for the non-funded programme called ‘Foreigners Support Programme’ targeted at the Indian expatriate community living in Singapore. The cheque was presented to the WCC Director. 179 BARTLEY ROAD | SINGAPORE 539784
PH: +65 6288 9077 | FAX: 6288 5798
singapore@rkmm.org