Holy Pilgrimage - Hindu temples in USA -14





































Holy Pilgrimage - Hindu temples in USA






Amma New England Satsangs,  Boylston MA
245 Linden St, Boylston, MA 01505

Mata Amritanandamayi, or Amma, as she is affectionately known, is an inspirational example of selflessness. Her life is dedicated to serving others as an expression of her boundless love. Amma teaches that the Divine exists in every living being. She believes anyone can experience that divinity by expanding his or her love to embrace and serve all beings.
She has inspired millions around the world to practice her teachings, open their hearts to the experience of God as an inner presence of divine love and started innumerable humanitarian services. For her outstanding contributions to the world community she has earned international recognition and is recognized as an extraordinary spiritual leader by the United Nations and by the people all over the world. Here is a short video about Amma titled “Embracing the World.”
Planning a visit to Amritapuri?

International visitors are now requested to register in advance of their visit at www.amritapuri.org/visit. Advance registration will make your check-in process much faster upon arrival, and help to guarantee that space is available for you. You may also use the online form to order an ashram taxi to pick you up at an airport or hotel, and receive answers to FAQs.

Ashram Visiting Hours

Daily morning from 5:45 AM to 6:30 AM for Archana.
Daily evening from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM for Arati.

Regular Satsang Schedule on 1st Sunday of Each Month

11:00 AM Archana -Chanting of Lalita Sahasranamam
12:00 PM Satsang - Chants, Devotional singing, Mahishasura Mardini Stotram, Amma Stories, Concluding prayers and Arati
2:00 PM Lunch - A Vegetarian Meal

Regular Satsang Schedule on 3rd Saturday of Each Month

4:00 PM Archana -Chanting of Lalita Sahasranamam
5:00 PM Satsang - Chants, Devotional singing, Mahishasura Mardini Stotram, Amma Stories, Concluding prayers and Arati
7:00 PM Dinner - A Vegetarian Meal

 

Seva/Volunteer Opportunity at the New M A Center of New England

Seva is a Sadhana (spiritual practice). Amma also reminds us that Her ashram (spiritual center) is an extension of Her body. So here are some upcoming seva needs:
  SPRING SEVA RETREAT WEEKEND, April 20-21: Come spend a weekend or a day or even few hours putting Amma’s teaching into practice. Check this post for details. Aum Amriteshwaryai Namaha!
  PARKING ASSIST on Satsang Day: Volunteers will be trained in the management of parking and traffic entering the ashram grounds. Please arrive no later than 3PM. If interested, kindly RSVP Jeff at jeff.barone@gmail.com.
  POST Satsang CLEAN-UP: Please consider taking part in clean-up after Satsang this Saturday, if you can. Let us all share the responsibility and have fun! List of things to do will be provided.
  FOOD DRIVE IN THE COMMUNITY: Kindly consider bringing a non-perishable item such as a box of dry noodles, cereal, canned vegetables, etc. with you to the Satsang to contribute to the local food bank. Special request from the Boylston Food Ban
The Food Bank is very much in need of Tuna and Spaghetti Sauce. Other items we are running low on: canned peaches & pineapple, applesauce, soup (not tomato), toilet paper, napkins, paper towels, deodorant, razors, laundry detergent and dish soap. Even if it’s just one item, every donation is greatly appreciated and goes toward helping those in need.

Venue/Address


245 Linden St, Boylston, MA 01505
 
Directions from Boston Logan Airport to the Center using public transport. It takes us to Solomon Pond Mall in Boylston, MA using public transport. The last 7.5 miles it recommends car/taxi.

Contact

Parking

Since parking space is limited, kindly try your best to carpool. Please do not park at the top of the drive, it will be used for turn-arounds, drop-offs and handicap parking as needed. Instead self-parking should be done in the lower lot. In particular, sevites/volunteers coming earlier in the day please park in the lower lots. There will be parking volunteers to guide you.

Seva & Volunteering

Seva is the yoga of selfless service, a spiritual practice which Amma emphasizes above all.
“Don’t miss the opportunities you come across to perform unselfish actions…As you proceed with diligence, you will attain clarity of mind and a deeper understanding. This will finally lead you to the state of perfection, the state of Self-realization.” - Amma
There are a number of opportunities to participate in seva with the Amma community in the New England area…it is a wonderful way to feel Amma’s grace and do something for others. Please see the links listed on the top navigation bar.

Bread Distribution


For the past 7 years, I have been going to my local Whole Foods every Sunday morning to pick up 5-6 shopping carts brimming with good-quality/mostly organic loaves of bread, biscuits, baguettes muffins, bagels and pastries that would otherwise be thrown away. I drive the goods over to a local shelter, where it is distributed to women and their families.
Whole Foods, along with other stores/bakeries/etc, throw away mostly organic, day-old bread that hasn’t been purchased the day before. Unless this bread — which amounts to large quantities daily — is picked up by either an individual or organization, it goes into the trash.
There is so much hunger here in this country—far more than many would suspect. Many people go to bed hungry. Here is a situation where high quality food resources are being wasted on a daily basis. We can change this. For those of you who are blessed to own a car and can spare about 1 hour a week, here’s how you can help to be a part of the solution:
Contact your local market/bakery/etc. and ask to speak with the head of the Baked Good Department. Ask them if they throw bread away. Typically, the answer is yes, and there are organizations that come to pick up the excess on some days, but not on others. Those are the days when bread is thrown away. Explain to the person at the store that you’d like to bring the bread to your local shelter. Most store employees are relieved to know that the goods won’t be wasted.
Contact your local shelter(s) and find out if they supply meals. Most places that do are happy to receive extra baked goods. Set up a time with the store to pick up the bread. It’s important to be punctual with this, as most stores will throw the goods away if people don’t show up within the designated time frame. Bring the bread to your local shelter and share the Love!
It takes very little effort to set this up, and I’ve found that wonderful relationships develop as a result. The process is uplifting for everyone involved—at both the stores as well as shelters. The seva gives everyone the experience of working together towards a Higher Good.

Tell me about it

Circle of Love is an outreach project of M.A.Center New England where by Amma’s children i.e. devotees perform selfless services to local devotees.

Whom do we serve?

The aim of this is to promote selfless service and render help to individuals needing short term assistance.
Our goal is to meet the in-home, non-medical and transportation needs of Amma’s children on a short term basis.

What do we do?

Our volunteer sevites will provide practical assistance to all devotees. Some of these are:
  • Transportation for medical appointments
  • Help with household chores (laundry, grocery, meals, cleaning,)
  • Home and hospital visits
  • Telephone calls / Computer assistance
  • Writing small ‘get-well’ cards
  • General support (non-medical)

Volunteers needed

If you or someone you know would like to volunteer, please fill in this short form.

Know someone in need?

If you or anyone you know needs assistance, please submit some information about him/her. Submit as many times you need to for different people in need. All information provided will be strictly confidential and will only be shared with the service provider.

Contact

For more information, please contact any of the following devotees.

Disclaimer

M.A. Center New England is a non-profit spiritual organization of Amma. All services are provided on a voluntary basis by non professionals. M.A. Center is not liable for any injury or inconvenience caused inadvertently by voluntary service provider

IAM - Meditation


IAM meditation classes will be held on following days. Please bring a mat or blanket and a cushion.
Saturday, September 29, 2012 from 6pm-9pm
Sunday, September 30, 2012 from 10am-4pm

Participants must attend both days in order to complete the course. (The IAM refresher course will be on Sunday from 2pm to 4pm. Please arrive between 1:30 and 2pm.)
There is a possibility of more classes being offered in the future if there is a minimum of 6 people attending.

Note: On September 29 we shall also have a FREE spiritual retreat at same location. You are all welcome to participate in it. 
Contact
You may contact Prema Ford if you have any questions regarding the IAM classes or to confirm attendance as well as for registration.
Phone: 978-996-9109 Email: premaford@yahoo.com.

Venue
Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel and Trade Center at Marlborough, MA.
181 Boston Post Road West, Marlborough, MA. Phone: (508) 460-0700
If we have less than 12 people we will move the training to the M. A. Center.

What is the IAM Technique?
The IAM - Integrated Amrita Meditation TechniqueSM (IAM Technique) is a powerful way to reconnect with our real center, our inner Self, and thereby experience true joy and peace in life. By practicing this meditation every day, we can experience these benefits. Born out of Amma’s Divine inspiration, the IAM technique, when practiced with dedication, is designed to bring about integration in our lives - an integration of body, mind, intellect and heart; an integration of our True Self with God.

Who can practice the IAM Technique?
Anyone over 18 years of age who agrees to practice the technique for 30 minutes a day and guard the secrecy of the teaching can learn. It costs nothing, yet it is as precious as gold! The wisdom of the seers has always been passed on free to earnest disciples. Amma, in her compassion and following that great and ancient tradition, is giving this technique freely. Fees for the courses are only to cover any incidental costs incurred.

Schedule of IAM Classes
Classes will be held approximately every 3 months. Dates and venues are announced on this page periodically.


New England Shirdi Sai Temple, Chemlsford, MA

290 Littleton Road, Unit #4, Chelmsford, MA 01824   -   Tel: (978) 528 1985    -   Email: maildrop@nessp.org

Brief Introduction

Sai Baba first appeared as a young lad of about sixteen years around the year 1854 AD in the little known hamlet of Shirdi in AhmedNagar district of the western state of Maharashtra in India. He used to be seen sitting in deep meditation under a Neem (Margosa) tree or roaming freely in the woods, unmindful of the conditions of weather and time of the day. He did not interact much with the villagers and looked blissful in his solitude. Few people in the village like Mhalasapati, the priest of Khandoba temple and Baija Bai, mother of Tatya Kote Patil felt attracted by the divine spark that they noticed in him. Shortly afterwards the young boy disappeared and came back to Shirdi after 3-4 years along with a marriage procession.
Chand Patil from Dhoop village of Aurangabad district had lost his mare and was wandering in frustration in the woods when he heard his name being called out. He saw a saintly young man who was dressed in a Kafni (a long robe), carried a Satka (small stick) and looked like a Fakir - Sufi saint. He was busy preparing Chilim or a pipe for smoking. The young fakir struck the Satka on the ground and it created a fire with burning embers. Lighting his Chilim with the fire, he again dashed his Satka to the ground and water started flowing from the earth. This was used to wet a piece of cloth that was wrapped around the pipe. The fakir offered the pipe to Chand Patil for smoking. He then enquired Chand Patil why he looked perturbed. On learning about his lost mare the fakir pointed Chand Patil in the direction where he could find his mare. Chand Patil realizing that this was not an ordinary person invited him to accompany the marriage procession of his wife's nephew to Shirdi. When the marriage party reached the outskirts of Shirdi, the priest of the Khandoba temple - Mhalasapati was delighted on the return of the young fakir and called out Ya Sai or Welcome Sai. Thus the young saint came to be known as Sai and later as Sai Baba (father).

This was around the year 1858 AD. Mhalasapati suggested Baba to live in a dilapidated mosque at Shirdi which became his abode. Sai Baba called the mosque Dwarkamai the name of Shri Krishna's capital city. He lighted the sacred fire called Dhuni whose flame is still alive. He would sit in front of the fire in meditation and utter the words Allah Malik or God is the sole Master. For anyone visiting him, Baba used to give the sacred ash Udi from his Dhuni as a blessing. Many sick people got cured by applying the Udi on their forehead and people started coming to Baba in greater numbers.

Sai Baba remained a Fakir or mendicant throughout his life. He would go around the village and beg food from a few houses. This was shared with cats, dogs, crows and other people and he himself ate leftovers. Sai Baba was full of love for all the creatures alike. Sometimes he would himself cook and serve food to the people visiting him. People always found succour and relief from whatever problems they were facing when they approached Sai. They offered him money as Dakshina (sacred donation) that Baba freely distributed among others and remained penniless at the end of the day. He did not allow himself to be worshipped earlier but later on consented to it on the insistence of his devotees.
Baba was a repository of the knowledge of true Self. Seekers of spiritual knowledge thronged to him. His method of instruction as a Guru was unique. He would gently guide each individual according to their station and chosen methodology of worship. People from diverse backgrounds came to him and he provided guidance to each according to their individual belief systems. He did not establish a new ideology but reaffirmed the truth already stated in the scriptures by practical examples in a simplified manner. He shunned orthodox religious beliefs, but instead asked his devotees to have Shraddha (Faith) and Saburi (Patience) on Guru and God. Chanting the name of the Lord was very dear to him and he encouraged his devotees to recite the Vishnu Sahastranaam. When people posed some hard to understand spiritual questions to him he would often point them to religious scriptures like the Quran to the Muslims or Ramayana, Bhagvad Gita and Guru Charitra to the Hindus. Baba being the Perfect Master made his devotees get the real knowledge from their inner self. He spoke little but was instrumental in awakening the soul of his devotees to the Absolute Truth

People perceived Baba differently as a prophet, a saint, a Sadguru or God. In whatever manner they approached him they saw the glimpse of their own Soul or real Self in Sai. To us however Shri Sai Baba is the Sat (Absolute Truth), Chitta (Pure Consciousness) and Ananda (Pure Bliss) form of the eternal Brahma that is referred in the Vedas. Baba lived in Shirdi for 60 years and then out of his own free will left his body on the VijayaDashmi day, Oct 15th 1918 AD. His going away was as sudden as his first appearance. Shri Sai Baba fulfilled the promise made by Shri Krishna to Arjun that whenever there is a decline in righteousness, I myself appear in every age to protect the good from the evil and to establish Dharma. Baba continues to live in the hearts of his devotees till today and he is ever present to help anyone in need.

Shri Sachchidananda Sadguru Sainath Maharaj Ki Jai

Eleven Assurances given by Baba to his devotees
Whoever puts his feet on Shirdi soil, his sufferings would come to an end.
The wretched and miserable would rise into plenty of joy and happiness, as soon as they climb the steps of my Mosque.
I shall be ever active and vigorous even after leaving this earthly body.
My tomb shall bless and speak the needs of my devotees.
I shall be active and vigorous even from my tomb
My mortal remains would speak from my tomb
I am Ever living to help and guide all, who come to me, who surrender to me and who seek refuge in me.
If you look at me I look at you
If you cast your burden on me, I shall surely bear it.
If you seek my advice and help, it shall be given to you at once
There shall be no want in the house of my devotees.




Welcome to New England Shirdi Sai Parivaar. We are a community of Shirdi Sai Baba devotees serving the Boston area and beyond in the New England region on the east coast of USA. With his infinite blessings we had started Shirdi Sai temple in a leased hall at the Sadhu Vaswani Center untill recently (on May 16th, 2010) we moved to a new spacious premises at 290 Littleton Road in Chelmsford, MA and easily accessible from major highways. We are grateful to all the devotees for their kind support which has made this possible.
Mission
Our mission is to promote the philosophy of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba and to support religious, spiritual, cultural, educational and charitable activities in New England
Our purpose is to provide a medium and opportunity for all fellow beings to feel the grace and receive the blessings of Shri Sai Baba who looks at everybody with love, compassion and mercy. Towards the fulfillment of our mission we continue to organize different activities.
  Temple - Operate the temple and conduct worship services for Shri Sai Baba on a regular basis.
  Religious - Organize devotional programs on all major festival occasions like Mahashivratri, Ram Navmi etc.
  Spiritual - Conduct group reading of sacred texts like Shri Sai Satcharitra and Guru Charitra.
  Culture & Education - Involve the kids in special programs to foster cultural values in them.
  Charity - Help the community by raising funds for Children's Hospital, collecting winter clothes for the needy, food for the homeless etc.
Vision
As the momentum grows and we continue to receive the support of the community, we feel the need to establish an independent temple structure in the honor of Shri Sainath Maharaj of Shirdi in the Boston metropolitan area for the benefit of all the devotees. This is our long term vision and we are taking measured steps towards its realization with the blessings and guidance of Shri Sai Baba.
Background
New England Shirdi Sai Parivaar (NESSP) was formed by devotees who share the love and are inspired by the life and teachings of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba. NESSP was registered as a Non-profit organization in the year 2006. We organized our first public event - Ek Sham Shri Sai Ke Naam by Pandit Ajit Kadkade on the auspicious Ganesh Chaturthi day - Aug 27th 2006. We continued to organize monthly programs like Bhajan Sandhya, Naam Japa, Parayan of Shri Sai and Guru charitra etc. We have also been doing our annual Baba's Palki Yatra wherein Baba in his royal Palki visits different devotee homes. Finally with the infinite blessings of Shri Sai Baba, we started the current temple on Dec 23rd 2007 Datta Jayanti day in Hall #8 of Sadhu Vaswani Center in Dracut, MA.


Everyday Morning   - 8:30 AM till 1:00 PM
Weekdays Evening  - 6:30 PM till 9:30 PM (on Thursdays till 10:00 PM)
Weekend Evenings   - 4:00 PM till 8:00 PM



Aarti / Days
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Kakad
08:30 AM
08:30 AM
08:30 AM
08:30 AM
08:30 AM
08:30 AM
08:30 AM
Madhyan
12:00 PM
12:00 PM
12:00 PM
12:00 PM
12:00 PM
12:00 PM
12:00 PM
Dhoop
08:00 PM
08:00 PM
08:00 PM
08:00 PM
08:00 PM
06:00 PM
06:00 PM
Shej
09:00 PM
09:00 PM
09:00 PM
09:30 PM
09:00 PM
07:30 PM
07:30 PM
Sunday Baba Abhishek is from 4.30 to 6.00 PM

Yoga, Pranayam and Meditation Class every Saturday from 10.00 AM to 11.00 AM
Sign Up for Yoga classes 
Bhajan Sandhya from 5.00 PM to 7:00 PM on last Saturday of every Month

Location & Directions
We are located at 290 Littleton Road, Unit#4, Chelmsford MA 01824. The temple hall is approx 5800 sq.ft and is currently leased. The plan is to build an independent Sai Temple.
Note the directions to our current temple location
From the North
  • Route 495 South to Exit 34 (Route 110).
  • Turn right at the end of exit ramp.
  • Turn right at the third traffic light and then bear left, staying on route 110 (you will pass a Bertucci’s) for approximately 2 miles.
  • 290 Littleton Road is on the left before the Courtyard condominiums. There is a sign saying "Hawthorn Place" in front of the building.
  • At the entrance there is a sign board for Shridi Sai Temple.
  • Enter the parking lot, temple is situated in Suite #4 of the Hawthorn Complex.
From the South
  • Route 495 North to Exit 32 (Boston Road).
  • Bear right at the end of exit ramp.
  • Turn left at the first light onto Route 110.
  • Continue for 2 miles into Chelmsford.
  • 290 Littleton Road is on the left before the Courtyard condominiums. There is a sign saying "Hawthorn Place" in front of the building.
  • At the entrance there is a sign board for Shridi Sai Temple.
  • Enter the parking lot, temple is situated in Suite #4 of the Hawthorn Complex.
By Public Transportation
The closest Commuter rail comes to Lowell station. From there, you can take LRTA Route 15 bus and get down at Kidder Rd in Chelmsford, from this bus stop temple is about 5 min walk (0.2 miles). For the schedule for LRTA buses , please visit lrta.com or call (978) 452-6161 for more information.
Operations
The temple is solely operated by volunteers doing seva to Baba. Two volunteer families are responsible for opening, conducting the daily program and closing the temple.

Parking Regulations
Please be advised that the following NEW parking regulations around the temple have been introduced with immediate effect!
  No curb side parking will be allowed.
  No parking will be allowed in spots designated to other tenants.
  No parking will be allowed near marked fire lanes.
  Ensure there are no valuables in your vehicle.
  Kids are not allowed to play in the parking lot.
Additional parking is available at Chelmsford Elks on Thursdays and special event days. The address is 300 Littleton Road, Chelmsford, MA 01824
Chelmsford Police will be on patrol around the temple area. Vehicles parked illegally, or in spots assigned to other tenants are subject to ticket and towing at owner's expense. NESSP will not assume responsibility for loss or theft from your vehicle, nor will NESSP be responsible for any fines, violations, towing, or tickets.

Please drive safely and courteously, respect the temple's neighbors and obey all instructions from parking lot volunteer’s and police officers.

Call (978) 528 1985 or send email to maildrop@nessp.org if you have any questions / for more details.

Noho Bhakti Yoga, Northampton, MA

(International Society for Krishna Consciousness)


Bhakti Yoga is the path of  loving devotional union with the Divine Who is honored in the Vaishnava tradition as Krishna, the all-attractive. Through song, dance, philosophy, meditation, and cuisine we uncover our true nature as eternal souls composed of complete happiness and full awareness. We are here to share this tradition with you by offering a variety of cultural classes and workshops.
Explore mantra meditation, transcendental music, cooking with a higher consciousness and other devotional activities. The only qualification necessary for you to join us is your sincere desire to do so! We welcome anyone interested in adding a spiritual dimension to their daily activities.

Srila Prabhupada, under the direction of his spiritual teacher, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, left the comfort of a peaceful life in the Holy village of Vrindavan, India to bring the teachings of Bhakti Yoga to the West. He was 69 when he arrived in America in 1965 with only a few rupees in his pocket and some of his translations of various Vaishnava texts in the Bhakti tradition. He believed that a transformation of consciousness through loving devotion to the Divine could bring real peace and harmony to the world. With patience and unrivaled determination he set about his task with great compassion for the sufferings of humanity.
In 1966 he founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and with the help of his new followers opened over one hundred temples worldwide. He continued his translation and commentary work on important Vaishnava texts such as the Bhagavad-Gita, Bhagavat Purana, Sri Isopanisad and Bhaktirasamrita Sindhu. He circled the globe more than a dozen times spreading the teachings of Krishna consciousness and guiding his followers on the path of Bhakti Yoga.
Srila Prabhupada left the world in 1977 but is still present through his teachings. He is an acharya, one who teaches by example, and he comes in an authorized line of spiritual teachers and disciples in the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya lineage. In keeping with the tradition of carefully handing down knowledge from spiritual teacher to disciple in our lineage, our classes and workshops are based on Srila Prabhupada’s teachings and the teachings of his disciples.


Instructor


Nanda Dasi is a Vaishnava Brahmani – female priest in the Krishna-bhakti lineage – and teacher of the devotional path of Bhakti-yoga, the art of which she has been practicing for 20 years with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. She is a student of His Holiness Hridayananda das Goswami (Dr. Howard J. Resnik, PhD) coming in the line of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhuapda. Nanda has been teaching Bhakti-yoga for over ten years and is the author of two popular blogs: Modes of Life and Basic Vegetarian. She dedicates her free time to cooking spiritual vegetarian food for festivals and events, mentoring other practitioners on their path of Krishna-bhakti and studying sacred Vaishnava texts such as Shri Ishopanishad, Bhagavad-Gita, Bhaktirasamrita Sindhu and Bhagavata-Purana.

Philosophy/Meditation/Music

Introduction to Bhakti Yoga
For those who are unfamiliar or somewhat familiar with Bhakti Yoga and would like to explore the basic philosophy. This class takes place in the Arts & Industry building in Florence.

Fundamental Principles of Bhakti Yoga
Online six-week seminar for those who would like to dive deeper into their practice of Bhakti. It’s a great primer for those wishing to do Bhakti Sastri!

Passion in the Bhagavad-Gita
Explore your passions and harmonize them with your spiritual essence. This two-hour workshop delves into human emotions and how they can bring you into union with the Divine Absolute Truth. This class takes place in the Arts & Industry building in Florence and Ananda Yoga in Hadley.

Email: modesoflife@gmail.com
Located in Northampton, MA




Om Tat Sat
                                                        
(Continued...)                                                                                                                              



(My humble  salutations to the great devotees ,  wikisources  and Pilgrimage tourist guide for the collection )

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