NewsLetter

General Announcements

  • The Raleigh Sai Center in person meetings are closed until further notice due to the Coronavirus.  Programs are migrated to virtual sessions.

     

     

    Aradhana Mahotsavam 2021 – Spiritual Practices and Regional celebrations (NEW!)

    Om Sri Sai Ram.
    We are blessed and fortunate to be part of the sacred, divine mission of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. We Raleigh Sai center devotees are blessed to observe ten days of Sadhana for 2021 Aradhana Mahotsavam and participate in serving older adults from Cumberland county with an offering of fruits  every month from Swami’s Aradhana day.  Please join Tapovanam sessions at in Zoom starting at 6:30 PM this week until Friday 
     
    Region 3 celebrations on Saturday 24th between 6:30 AM – 3 PM EST at: http://www.sairegion3youtube.org
     Let us pray to Swami to bless us all with devotion and dedication to love Him and serve Him forever.  
     

    SSE CHILDREN- SAI SAMARPAN (NEW!) 

    Sairam all!
    It’s the time of the year, where children do their offering to Swami in the form of an article to the *SSE Children’s Magazine* of our center, Sai Samarpan, Please read the instructions in this link for uploading and submit by *25th April:*

    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JZ0G9NJCuFVZgJfNA58gJHvI31SRZcmoYpnYlX8wK2E/edit?usp=sharing
    Please refer previous Sai Samarpan links here :  https://raleighsaicenter.org/sse/ (scroll down at the end of the page)

    Easwaramma day (NEW!):
    Sairam Everyone,
    With Swami’s immense grace, we are happy to inform you that the SSE team – students, teachers and parents – is coming together to offer our love and respect to our Beloved Bhagawan and Divine Mother Easwaramma. The virtual program will be relayed on the auspicious day, May 6th, 2021 from 6 – 8:15 pm. Please mark your calendars to tune in to the virtual program to watch the wonderful learnings from SSE, this year. Please see the flyer for additional details.

     

    Pediatric Clinic Food Distribution Project (NEW!):

    This project involves distributing grocery bags to Lincoln Community Health Center Pediatric Clinic’s families in need. Any identified family visiting the pediatric clinic who is facing food insecurity will be given a grocery bag filled with dry/canned goods as well as a list of local food resources in the Durham area.

    With Swami’s grace, this weekly Sunday service project currently supported by Pre-SSE and Group 1 is opening to all members of our Sai Center.

    Signup sheet has instructions and Grocery list.

     
    Parthi Pilgrimage program (NEW!) Starting on the 24th April on Aradhana day ending on Memorial day (Mandatory registration ends this Thursday the 22nd) Register before April 22nd by clicking here. No registrations will be accepted after April 22nd. By registering, you are making a commitment to walk, run or bike every day from April 24th – May 28th. Once we receive your registration, we will assign you to a team. Each team will jointly cover a distance of 317 miles (634,000 steps) per day.

    Starting April 24th, please log your steps or miles daily at https://www.challengerunner.com/Signin.

    We will combine the miles of all members in a team to track each team’s progress. Towards the end of the journey, if any team is lagging behind, other teams will donate their excess steps / miles to help all of us reach our destination. Remember this is not a race, it is a united offering of love to our dear Lord.

    For instructions on registration, click here.

    For questions, email parthi.pilgrimage@gmail.com or call 703-594-7568

     

    MULTI-REGIONAL RETREAT (MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!)
    Sairam, We will be having a combined Sai Regions 1,2,3,4 & 8 Memorial day weekend two day virtual retreat entitled “Why Fear When Sai is Here” on  May 29th and 30th 2021.  Please visit  Regional retreat for the flyer
     
     Recurrent Virtual Programs:
    • Saturdays at 11 a.m. ET – RSC Study Circle (via zoom). Details to be announced
    • Sundays at 6 pm ET – Region 3 weekly virtual devotional program at www.sairegion3youtube.org  

    RSC Library:

    • The Vahinis Online, written by Sri Sathya Sai Baba
    • See list of books available. If you would like to borrow a book, please contact Prabhakar at hpkamath11@gmail.com or text 919-561-3465, listing the name(s) of the Book(s) interested in borrowing and the time and date you would like to pick up. Address: 1961 Weaver Forest Way, Morrisville. Anyone wishing to return a currently borrowed book, can drop off the book at the front door box. Please write your full name on a piece paper and put it in back of the book. Sairam! 

    Power of Prayer
    It is good to remember Swami’s guidance to remain calm in all situations. We need to follow the guidance of our national and local medical and infectious disease experts. We should remember that prayers are very powerful. The Sai Gayatri mantra as well as the Gayatri mantra is being chanted by Sai devotees around the world for the welfare of humanity. Let us all be united and pray with intensity as often as possible. This is an important spiritual practice which can alleviate this global health threat due to the Coronavirus.  

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Devotion

  • Sunday Sai Center Activities Schedule
     

    The Raleigh Sai Center in person meetings are closed until further notice due to the Coronavirus.  Programs have been migrated to virtual sessions.

    Recurrent Virtual Programs

    • Saturdays at 11 a.m. ET – RSC Study Circle (No Study Circle on April 24th as we have Aradhana Mahotsavam regional event)
    • RSC Bhajans Every Other Saturday at 4:00 PM ( Next Session on May 1st)
    • Sundays at 6 pm ET – Region 3 weekly virtual devotional program at www.sairegion3youtube.org  
 
  • Bhajan of the week

    Deity: Rama
    Raag: Mishra Maand

    Taal: 8 Beat / Keherwa / Adi

    Lyrics:

    Yuga Avatara Sai Rama
    Rama Rama Ram ( Sai )
    Rama Rama Ram Sita Pathey Sri Ram (2) [ Yuga Avatara … ]
    Parama Niranjana Prashanthi Rama
    Sri Raghu Rama Sai Rama
    Rama Rama Ram ( Sai )

    Meaning:

    Oh Lord Sai Rama you are the incarnation of this KALI age, the consort of Sita, Oh Lord Rama of Prashanthi, you are eternally pure, you are the Lord Rama of the Raghu dynasty.

     

    Audio Link:
    yuga-avatara-sai-rama.mp3

     

     

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Service

  • RSC Service Activities
    NEW  ANNOUNCEMENT! :
     
    2021 Aradhana Day Service offering:
     
    On the occasion of 2021 Aradhana Day, with Swami’s Grace, we are planning to start new service activity monthly to support Cumberland County council on Older Adults with supplying Fresh fruit brown bags. Please see below link for the signup information.

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1o_tHDtqE-syggoJCG0jVnSvR2FDhfI8_iGy0pHvongs/edit?usp=sharing

     

    Pediatric Clinic Food Distribution Project:

    This project involves distributing grocery bags to Lincoln Community Health Center Pediatric Clinic’s families in need. Any identified family visiting the pediatric clinic who is facing food insecurity will be given a grocery bag filled with dry/canned goods as well as a list of local food resources in the Durham area.

    With Swami’s grace, this weekly Sunday service project currently supported by Pre-SSE and Group 1 is opening to all members of our Sai Center.

    Signup sheet has instructions and Grocery list.

     To participate in active service projects, please see list below.

     
    Service name and Date/time Service Activity Details Locations & Sign up
    IFC Sunday Food Service (Every alternate Sunday)   Preparing Dinner at Volunteer homes & Dropping it off at Inter-Faith Council for Social Service(IFC) at Carrboro, NC by 1 PM

     IFC address: 100 W. Main St. Carrboro, NC

    Please click here to sign up for Sunday.
    IFC Thursday Food Service (Every Thursday) Preparing Dinner at Volunteer homes & Dropping it off at Inter-Faith Council for Social Service(IFC) at Carrboro, NC by 3 PM.

    IFC address: 100 W. Main St. Carrboro, NC

    Please click here  to sign up for Thursday.

    Growing Sai’s Love – Garden project

     

    		 RSC’s pilot program Growing Sai’s Love to help our Sai Community members get more self-reliant by learning to grow their own fresh, healthy vegetables, fruits, flowers, in their backyard. Members can also use these for service and center activities.

     

    NOTE: Please contact service coordinator service@raleighsaicenter.org if you would like to participate in this service.

    Raleigh Men’s shelter Breakfast service – Supplies

     

    		 Monthly Breakfast service on 3rd Saturday to support Raleigh Men’s Shelter. Please drop off items at 719 McRae Rd, Cary on 3rd Friday of the month by 8pm so volunteers can deliver supplies at the shelter on Saturday morning.

     

    Please look out signup sheet for May Breakfast service supplies in the first week of May.

    NOTE: Due to COVID, at this time we are only supplying materials/ingredients.

    Recycling project

    		 Recycling project that involves used batteries, medication(s), small electronics and bulbs.  NOTE: Please contact service coordinator service@raleighsaicenter.org if you would like to participate in this service.
     Food drive for Inter-faith Food Shuttle, Durham by Group 3 SSE Students every month  Group 3 SSE students form leads in their communities and conduct food drive. Please contact Group 3 teachers for more information.

    Collected food will be delivered during first week of every month at 

     Inter-faith Food Shuttle

    2436 S. Miami Blvd, Suite 200-9

    Durham, NC
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SSE

  • Pre-SSE

    CLASS DATE: 04/18/2021 TEACHERS: Patti, Thatha,  Bhuvana, Saideepa, Mona
    SUMMARY:

     Appreciation for Nature

    		 ATTENDANCE: 22

    We started the class with 3 Oms and Gayatri. Today patti and Saideepa aunty talked to us about appreciating and enjoying the nature. We can connect with nature by planting a garden, observing the animals, and insects. We can keep our body healthy by playing outside, hiking on the trails and working in our flower and vegetable garden. We can invite the birds to our backyards by keeping bird feeders. We can build bird feeders with milk jugs, or cans and enjoy the beautiful colors of different birds. Swami says ‘I am the indweller of all the insects, birds and animals’. Swami also says ‘Nature is God and appreciate the beauty of nature. Saideepa aunty showed us how to draw a beautiful picture of nature’, We practiced our bhajan with Bhuvana aunty. Mona aunty played a few games with us. Thatha showed us couple of science experiments with papers and water. It was a busy  morning. 

    Summary from today’s (03/21/2021) parent discussion:

    Why is it important to talk softly and sweetly?  Because wounds inflicted by the tongue can never be healed. 

    Why is Silence important? Because silence is the only language of the realized. Practice moderation in speech.

    Parent homework:

    1. Swami’s Litmus test
    2. family coin jar

     

     
  • SSE group1

    CLASS DATE: 4/17/2021, 4/18/2021

    TEACHER(S): Aruna, Sunita, Jagruthi, Resmi 

    TOPIC:

    Prayer- Gayatri Mantra 

    SUB-TOPIC:

    Silence 

     

    		 CLASS Timings: The class meets every Saturday and Sunday at 11:00AM  on Google Meet until the current pandemic resolves. For  meeting details, please check our group Whatsapp or contact one of the teachers directly.

    Lesson Plan:

    This year we are focusing on Swami’s teaching of Unity is divinity, purity is enlightenment.

     Lesson of the day :

    We are almost toward the end of SSE school year and so in this class we decided to review our learnings from the entire year. We did this in the form of games and quizzes. Children enjoyed them thoroughly and the best part was they remembered every detail of what was taught several months ago. We also had a session of Q&A- where children could ask questions or doubts that they had while practicing the value. 

    Some of their questions were ( paraphrasing  the questions)- How does swami remove impurities from the food we eat? Why is the Gayatri Mantra named so? How can we control our thoughts with our breath? How old is swami? Does swami have any siblings? Have we (to teachers) seen swami? How do we talk to God? 

    Children also shared their favorite topics/stories /experiments that they learnt in class. 

    Life  Application :

    Practice silence sitting  by focusing on breath before chanting Gayathri Mantra. Set aside a particular time for everyday prayers, appointment with God

     Continue chanting the food prayer, track your screen time and green time with the time  tracker.

    Note to parents

    Please encourage children to work on their Sai Samarpan articles

    Click Here for Previous Class Notes 
     
  • SSE-Group2

    CLASS DATE: 4/18/2021
    TEACHERS:Hitha Raj, Senthil Kumar
    Summary: PURITY IS ENLIGHTENMENT
    ATTENDANCE: 23
     

    April 11th, 2021:

    “PURITY IS DIVINITY”  – MOTHER EASWARAMMA

    Attendance: 22

    OM, Gayathri Manthra, Light Meditation

    Swami’s parents – Mother: Easwaramma, Father: Pedda Venkamma Raju

    Life Application follow up :1) See God in Everyone 2) Easwaramma day roles 3) Gayathri beads of Love chanting 
     Swami’s quote: “Humility, purity of thought and manners, meekness, surrender to high ideals, sensitivity, sweetness of temper, the particular blend of all these qualities is modesty. The modest woman wields authority in the home and outside, in the community as well as in the world. Her attention will always be on the limits that she should not transgress. Honour and praise come to her unasked and unnoticed”

    Easwaramma day program sequence 

    Student assignment and service projects:

    Pressed flowers cards b) Women’s shelter c) Sprouts d) Mind map e) Being helpful at home f) Gayathri beads g) Tshirt as grocery bags h) Letters against isolation

    Please see google sheet: 

    Easwaramma day offering – Group2 SSE

     
    Closing prayers 
     
    Click Here for Previous Class Notes 
  • SSE-Group3

    CLASS DATE: 3/14/21 TEACHER(S):  Nalini, Gangadhar

    SUMMARY:  Experience Unity thru Service 

    		 ATTENDANCE:  23

    3/14/21

    We started with prayers. We had discussed earlier different ways to experiencing Unity, Service is one way that we all agreed. While Group 3 is participating in many service projects (Inter Faith Food Shuttle, SAI Tutoring, Group 1 buddy, Go Green & Recycle), one group 3 student came up with 2 more service projects for our group

    1. School Attire Initiative- This service is to gather new and gently used clothes and donate it to School going kids from underprivileged families and children living in low income communities.
    2. Sai Happy Readers: This service is about collecting books, which include story books, workbooks, text books, and School supplies and donating them to non profit organizations. These organizations are working towards providing maximum literacy resources to everyone including low income families and under funded schools. By doing this we are giving equal resources for most kids in those communities for learning.

    We reviewed eday program framework & student leads 

    3/7/21

    We started with prayers.

    Today’s class was dedicated to discuss eday drama ideas. We read thru compilation of Swami’s discourses.

    https://www.sathyasai.org/sites/default/files/pages/study-guides/studyguide-unity.pdf

    Click Here for Previous Class Notes 

    Note to Parents:

    Please encourage students to follow (virtual) class best practices.

    Students were asked to participate in their academic/extra curricular activities with enthusiasm to see the difference in learning process. If possible discuss this topic as a family.

    Do not give yourself too much importance. Be less self centered

    • Take time to socialize (in person)to identify oneness. Set goal for without digital device time.
    • Listen when people are talking, make an eye contact during a conversation and be respectful.
    • Get to know someone you don’t like. Try to guess why someone is the way they are. Be kind to someone who gets on your nerves.
    • Accept your mistakes 
    • Look out for service at home & community. Service starts at home.
    • Notice every time you are judging someone, this is a first step towards realizing oneness
    • Consciously remind yourself , the same Divinity is present in the person, bug, tree you come across.
    • Be confident, you are divine, same divinity is in you as well. Give this affirmation to yourself everyday morning, Turn on video in zoom, you are beautiful/handsome 🙂
    • Develop qualities of pure heart Karuna (compassion), Muditha (appreciation), Mytri(friendship), Upeksha (disinterestedness).
    • Do not raise voice against your parents to prove you are correct.

     

     

  • SSE-Group4

    CLASS DATE:  April 11th 2021
    		 TEACHER(S):  Mouli and Nirmala Aunty
    SUMMARY: 

    Group 4 Class Activities and Presentations

    ATTENDANCE:

    4

    Main topic:

    For the class on April 11th,  we provided a brief update and status of SAI Tutoring Project for Durham elementary schools, Women’s shelter Dinner service status for April, Aradhana Day slide request, Sai Samarpan Article request, Eshwaramma (EA) Day requirements, EA Day Flyer Request.  We also reviewed Sohum Bhatt our guest speaker from our last class’s Conflict Management & Resolution Presentation which included Swami’s quotes and perspectives on the subject.  We then conducted a workshop and joint discussion on Humility and Self Affirmation which included Swami’s quotes and perspectives on the subject.  The attending students participated actively in the workshop discussions. 

    Note to Parents:

    Sairam Parents –

    Group 4 will continue to do virtual classes and our next class, and final class for this SSE year is on Sunday, April 25th.

    -Group 4 Gurus

    Jai Sai Ram!

     

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Young Adults (YA) Updates

  • GAYATHRI BEADS BRACELET SERVICE

    SERVICE TO MAN IS SERVICE TO GOD

    Sairam,

    We will chant and energize beads using the power of Gayathri Mantra, make them into bracelets and offer it to people in need like hospital patients and people in senior care homes.

    Steps to follow:

    TAKE ONE BEAD IN YOUR HAND
    CHANT GAYATHRI MANTHRA 108 TIMES WHILE HOLDING THE BEAD
    AFTER CHANTING 108 TIMES, PRAY THIS BEAD HELP SOMEONE
    KEEP THIS ENERGIZED BEAD SAFELY IN A SEPARATE BAG FROM THE OTHER BEADS
    PRAY AND ENERGIZE AS MANY AS POSSIBLE
    ONCE READY, EMAIL  ya@raleighsaicenter.org  TO DELIVER AND RECEIVE MORE BEADS  
    BEADS WILL BE CONVERTED TO BRACELETS AND GIVEN TO HOSPITAL PATIENTS OR SENIOR CARE HOMES

 
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Seniors Corner

  • Seniors group (NEW!):

    Welcome to Seniors corner!

    With Swami’s grace we have started our Senior’s group with active participation from our seniors.  Meetings are held every Thursday in the afternoon.  Please email: seniors@raleighsaicenter.org if you would like to have our senior(s) join the group.

    Seniors are getting together virtually every Thursday for an hour and discussing topics related to Swami’s teachings.  Last Thursday, an in-person meeting was held at HSNC to start their first service project on “Beads”.  Beads are distributed to seniors for Gayathri chanting.  Later bracelets will be made with the chanted beads.  Rex Hospital has agreed to distribute the bracelets to their patients.

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Interest Groups Updates

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Regional Update

  • Parthi Pilgrimage program (NEW!) Starting on the 24th April on Aradhana day ending on Memorial day (Mandatory registration ends this Thursday the 22nd) Register before April 22nd by clicking here. No registrations will be accepted after April 22nd. By registering, you are making a commitment to walk, run or bike every day from April 24th – May 28th. Once we receive your registration, we will assign you to a team. Each team will jointly cover a distance of 317 miles (634,000 steps) per day.

    Starting April 24th, please log your steps or miles daily at https://www.challengerunner.com/Signin.

    We will combine the miles of all members in a team to track each team’s progress. Towards the end of the journey, if any team is lagging behind, other teams will donate their excess steps / miles to help all of us reach our destination. Remember this is not a race, it is a united offering of love to our dear Lord.

    For instructions on registration, click here.

    For questions, email parthi.pilgrimage@gmail.com or call 703-594-7568

     
    MULTI-REGIONAL RETREAT (MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!)
    Sairam, We will be having a combined Sai Regions 1,2,3,4 &8 Memorial day weekend two day virtual retreat entitled “Why Fear When Sai is Here” on  May 29th and 30th 2021.  Please visit  Regional retreat for the flyer
     

    SAICARES REGISTRATION

    To: Subburaj Narayanasamy <subburaj@gmail.com>
    Cc: Balu Karanam <bkaranam@sathyasai.us>
    Subject:SaiCares Registration infomation
    Good morning and Loving Sai Rams

    Please find the registration link for Skilled volunteers registration link and forward it to your center members

    1. Go to https://saicares.org
    2. Login with “sairam” as password (lowercase)
    3. Click on Register as a volunteer (Right-top corner)
    4. Follow the instructions (select all applicable)
    5. Happy volunteering

    BCC: All Center Presidents/Group Leaders/Service Coordinators

    Thanks

    Subburaj N

    Region 3 Service Coordinator

    Be! Do !! Tell !!!

    Please Call SAI CARES at(857) DIAL SAI [342-5724]

    http://sathyasaihumanitarianrelief.org/updates/

     
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Media Repository

  • The media repository for all past events is now available in our main page under this link. If you need the password, please email info@raleighsaicenter.org

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Sai Center Officers

  • Officer Role
    Name
    Email Address
    President
    Senthil Kumar
    president@raleighsaicenter.org
    Vice-President
    Gopal Somu
    vp@raleighsaicenter.org
    Education (SSE) Co-ordinator
    Aruna Shankar
    education@raleighsaicenter.org
    Devotional Co-ordinator
    Shubha Nagaraj
    devotion@raleighsaicenter.org
    Service Co-ordinator
    Param Dasana
    service@raleighsaicenter.org
    YA Co-ordinator
    Sayee Shruti Manickam
    ya@raleighsaicenter.org

    If you have any questions, please email the respective office bearer. Click here to access their phone numbers (password protected). 

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Thought for the Week

  • This day, the birth of Sri Rama is celebrated in all lands. Rama had His deed, word and thought, that is, body, speech and mind, ever pure and totally free from blemish. Really speaking, one ought to revere the story of Rama as a profound allegory. Every act and actor in that story attracts attention and gets imprinted on the memory because the allegory is personal to each of us. For example, consider Dasaratha. He represents the human body with the five senses of perception and the five sense-organs of action. He has three wives – the three Gunas or dispositions: Satwa, Rajas and Tamas – named Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi. He has four sons, who embody in themselves the four goals of human life – Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. Rama is the very embodiment of Dharma (Morality, Virtue, Right conduct). The other three goals can be achieved only by steady adherence to Dharma. We find, therefore, the brothers Lakshmana, Bharatha and Shatrughna following the footsteps of Rama.

    – Divine Discourse, Apr 18, 1986

    – BABA

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