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‘Convocation 2023’ – a blessed week-long event – live-streamed at our Vancouver chapel, has now ended.
SRF’s annual convocations offer us the innate privilege to usher in manifold spiritual blessings and gifts. In 2023, alongside our live-stream of major programmes, the Vancouver chapel was graced by the in-person presence in its midst, of Sr. Premamayee and Sr. Chetana – both of who exuded a unique charm, warmth, and divine magnanimity.
In 1950, at the first Convocation, Paramahansa Yogananda declared that participants in this special event “shall come from all parts of the world; thousands and thousands of them ….”
In 2023, this found fruition, more than ever before!
Soul memories encapsulating snippets of the joie-de-vivre, the love, the spirit of service, as well as the worldwide impact of this event, can be re-lived here.
The curtain was drawn, but a new dawn of inner awakening has been stirred. Blessed were the many who selflessly served to make this experience a resounding success. Our hearts bow in gratitude to the nuns and the monks – for their empathy, endless smiles and boundless wisdom – all exuded in meaningful anecdotes, patient guidance, and empowered meditations.
2023 Schedule – now ended
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Inspirations
THE EXPERIENCE OF CHANTING WITH MASTER
When Master went into a deep period of samadhi, he often came out with a new chant, giving expression in words to what he had perceived…he used to repeat them over and over again until, as he said, they would become “spiritualized.” What he meant was that he chanted them repeatedly, until he had realized through actual experience, the spiritual perception behind every word that he put into those chants. He chanted them not with just his voice, but with his heart and mind and especially his soul. And when we chanted with him, if we really threw ourselves into the chanting, his spiritualized perceptions overflowed from his consciousness into our own, giving us a glimpse of the wondrous, blissful communion he was experiencing. Master’s words are so inspiring and so deep. Just tune in with them as you chant. As Master used to say, “Those who tune in more, receive more.” So when you chant, do so with feeling, and you will receive what he found when he chanted.
from Chanting for Deep Meditation, Durga Mata.
“Don’t yearn for human love; it will vanish. Behind human love is the spiritual love of God. Seek that. Don’t pray for a home or for money or for love or for friendship. Don’t pray for anything of this world. Enjoy only what the Lord gives you. All else leads to delusion. Man has come on earth solely to learn to know God; he is here for no other reason. This is the true message of the Lord. To all those who seek and love Him, He tells of that great Life where there is no pain, no old age, no war, no death — only eternal assurance. In that Life nothing is destroyed. There is only ineffable happiness that will never grow stale — a happiness always new.” … Paramahansa Yogananda.
Copyright: Self-Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, U.S.A.
Sharing … Expanding … Loving
The scriptures encourage us to share. The more we give, the more we get, reflects a metaphysical law in nature. Selfless, all-encompassing giving with an open heart, expands our consciousness and draws into our lives, countless subtle and conscious blessings.
Our Chapel continues to prosper, flourish and serve, courtesy the blessings of the Divine and the great Masters – through whose munificence – our members volunteer time and financial offerings.
Over the years, an increase in the volume of attendees at our Chapel, confirms the solace and comfort absorbed within the sanctuary of our open doors.
To continue to proffer our many services and other activities, and to be a portal for aspiring souls, your donation will be a humbling succour.
Contributions can be made online by credit card, PayPal and/or e-transfers*.
*Steps for a successful e-transfer
- Log in to your online banking account
- Select: Interac e-Transfers
- Select: Send money
- Select: Add a new contact (payee/recipient) as indicated by your bank.
- Enter name as: Vancouver Yogoda Meditation Society
- Enter e-mail as: treasurer@vancouvermeditationgroup.org
- Enter Amount of your donation: $__________
- Enter Message: specify purpose of donation, e.g., Monthly / Annual pledge; General donation; Other.
- No security question/password required.
- Select: Send or Submit. The e-Transfer will auto-deposit immediately.
- INTERAC will send an e-mail notification to the Treasurer, showing name, amount and related message.
- NOTE: As we are not a registered charity, we do not issue tax-deductible receipts.
Donations by cheque and/or planned giving: please write to us either by mail (Vancouver Yogoda Meditation Society, 173 West 6th Ave., Vancouver, B.C. V5Y 1K3) or contact us and a Member of our Coordinating Committee will be happy to speak with you.
The rains of God’s mercy cannot gather on mountaintops of pride, but flow easily into valleys of humbleness. … … Yogananda.
caring … planning … all-encompassing …
Please write to us, either by mail (Vancouver Yogoda Meditation Society, 173 West 6th Ave., Vancouver. B.C. V5Y 1K3) or contact us and a Member of our Coordinating Committee will be happy to speak with you.
The Science of Kriya Yoga
The quickest and most effective approach to the goal of Yoga employs those methods of meditation that deal directly with energy and consciousness. It is this direct approach that characterizes Kriya Yoga, the particular system of meditation taught by Paramahansa Yogananda. Specifically, Kriya is an advanced Raja Yoga technique that reinforces and revitalizes subtle currents of life energy in the body, enabling the normal activities of heart and lungs to slow down naturally. As a result, the consciousness is drawn to higher levels of perception, gradually bringing about an inner awakening more blissful and more deeply satisfying than any of the experiences that the mind or the senses, or ordinary human emotions can give.
All scriptures declare an individual to be not a corruptible body, but a living soul. The ancient science of Kriya Yoga reveals a way to prove this scriptural truth.
Referring to the sure and methodical efficacy of devoted practice of the Kriya science, Paramahansa Yogananda declared: “It works like mathematics; it cannot fail.”
SRF Lessons for Home Study
The Self-Realization Fellowship Lessons are unique among Paramahansa Yogananda’s published writings in that they give his step-by-step instructions in the yoga techniques of meditation, concentration, and energization that he taught; including Kriya Yoga
The goal of these simple yet highly effective yoga techniques is to teach you to deal directly with energy and consciousness, enabling you to recharge your body with energy, to awaken the mind’s unlimited power, and to experience a deepening awareness of the Divine in your life.
The Lessons were compiled under Paramahansa Yogananda’s direction from his writings and the many classes and lectures he gave. In addition to his comprehensive instructions in meditation, the Lessons offer practical guidance for every aspect of spiritual living — how to live joyfully and successfully, amidst the unceasing challenges and opportunities in this world of change.
The Lessons are divided into six steps of thirty lessons each, and two lessons are mailed every other week. It takes about 3½ years to receive all of them. All of the basic meditation techniques that are preparatory to Kriya Yoga are mailed during the first 6 months.
It was Paramahansa Yogananda’s wish that the Self-Realization Fellowship Lessons be easily available to all who sincerely desire to know God. To this end, the Lessons have always been offered for only a nominal fee to help cover printing and postage costs — currently about 70 cents per lesson. Full details and subscription/mailing plans are outlined in the Lessons application form.
Please allow 4–6 weeks for your first lessons to reach you. Lessons by e-mail are not available at this time.
Sunday Service: 10:30 - 11:30 AM
Join us every Sunday, 10:30 – 11:30 AM for one hour of uplifting readings from Yogananda’s writings, three ten-minute meditations, and a few chants. We also send healing prayers to all in need, during the service.
Paramahansa ji averred: “Everything else can wait, but our search for God cannot wait.”
A voluntary donation is taken at this service.
Tuesday Meditation: 6:00 - 9:00 PM
For new and experienced meditators.
Stay for 45 minutes! Stay for 3 hours! If you are not able to attend the entire meditation, you are welcome to arrive or leave at any time during one of the chants.
These meditations on Tuesdays are three hours long.
Tuesday format:
6.00 pm First period – opening prayer, instruction, short inspirational reading; then a chant followed by a period of meditation.
6.45 pm Second period – chant, followed by a period of meditation.
7.25 pm Third period (longest) – chant, followed by a 60-minute meditation.
8.30 pm Fourth period – chant and period of meditation.
9.00 pm Closing prayer.
Please note that all times are approximate (except the start and the finish) and can vary either way by 10 minutes.
If you arrive during a period of meditation, please use the seats provided outside the chapel door, and enter only when the usher opens the door on the chant.
No donation is asked for at this meditation.
Thursday Meditation: 7:00 - 8:20 PM
Our ‘Inspirational and Prayer Service’ at 7.00 PM every Thursday, is both relaxing and inspirational – ideal for a mid-week spiritual revitalizer.
During the service we have a few chants, two periods of meditation of approximately 10-15 minutes each and an inspirational reading. The inspirational service ends at 8.00 PM and is immediately followed by a 20 minute SRF Prayer Service where we pray for others and practice the healing technique as taught by Paramahansa Yogananda.
A voluntary donation is taken at this meditation.
Saturday Meditation 6:00 - 9:00 PM - (TEMPORARILY CANCELLED)
PLEASE NOTE: This Service is temporarily suspended. Please re-visit this page to confirm the date of commencement or contact us for information.
Stay for 45 minutes! Stay for 3 hours! If you are not able to attend the whole meditation, you are welcome to arrive or leave at any time during one of the chants.
Saturday format:
6.00 pm: First period – opening prayer, instruction, short inspirational reading, then a chant followed by a period of meditation.
6.45 pm: Second period – chant followed by a period of meditation.
7.25 pm: Third period (longest) – chant followed by a 60-minute meditation.
8.30 pm: Fourth period – chant and period of meditation.
9.00 pm: Closing prayer.
Please note: All times are approximate (except the start and finish) and can vary either way, by 10 minutes. *** In preparation for our All-Day Christmas meditation on Dec. 12, 2020; meditations on Saturdays – November – 14, 21, 28 and Dec. 05, will all be FOUR hours long, from 6.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m.
If you arrive during a period of meditation, please use the seats provided outside the chapel door, until the usher opens the door on the chant.
No donation is asked for at this meditation.
Sunday School - 1st/3rd Sundays
Our format involves a craft, prayer, offering, energization exercise, chanting, meditation (very brief), and a story or talk.