General Announcements

• A) Jan. 2022 Fresh Fruit brown bag service to Cumberland county seniors: Sairam, Please use the link below to sign up for our monthly Fresh Fruit brown bag service to support Cumberland county council of older adults in Fayetteville . Please drop off fruits  by  Sunday January 30th, 2022 by 12 pm at 719 McRae Rd, Cary.

  Click here to signup for January 2022 Fresh Fruit brown bag service

   

  B) SSSVVIE – Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vahini Inclusive Education Project: 

  Sairam Sisters and Brothers, By the Divine Grace of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust has launched Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vahini Inclusive Education Project on the auspicious occasion of Sankranti, the 14th of Jan 2022. You can participate in this seva with your time, skills and efforts from the comfort of your own homes as this is a digital yagna. To participate, please fill in the volunteer enrollment form by visiting the link:

  https://forms.gle/LkQVbgthQziY3kzr9   Or email at: volunteer.iep@sssvv.org

  If you missed watching the launch program live and would like to know more about the Inclusive Education Project or wish to relive those divine moments, please visit:

  Jan 14, 2022 | Morning |Vidya Vahini Program and Sankranthi Divine Discourse | Prasanthi Nilayam 

  C) No In-person bhajans in January 2022 Sairam Due to COVID related surge we are hosting bhajans and study circle programs virtually in January.  Kindly look for a separate announcement for link on bhajans and study circle for each week.  Study circle will be from 10 AM to 11 AM followed by bhajans from 11 AM to 12 Noon.  

  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84622481038?pwd=TXpuZDFqU1FqcDJxRzk5ZmxVa0tQQT09

  Meeting ID: 846 2248 1038

  Pass code to be emailed separately

   

  D) Harmonius  Homes – Human values parenting sessions:  With Swami’s grace we are excited to announce the launch of this series by the National SSSSE team.  Sessions will be held monthly every 4th Friday from 8:30 PM till 9:30 PM via zoom.  Kindly block your calendar while specifics on the zoom link and materials are sent by email.    The first session will be on Friday the 28th January from 8:30 PM.

   

  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.  

Devotion

• Sai Center Activities Schedule

  Study Circle and Weekly Bhajans on Zoom on Saturdays in January

  • Study Circle from 10:00 am to 11:00 am (Current Topic: “The Spiritual behind the Ritual”)
  • Bhajans from 11:00 am to Noon
  • Zoom Information

  Raleigh Sai Center is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

  Topic: Weekly Study Circle and Bhajans
  Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

  Join Zoom Meeting
  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84622481038?pwd=TXpuZDFqU1FqcDJxRzk5ZmxVa0tQQT09

  Meeting ID: 846 2248 1038
  Passcode: Sairam
  One tap mobile
  +16465588656,,84622481038#,,,,*314066# US (New York)
  +13017158592,,84622481038#,,,,*314066# US (Washington DC)

   

   

Service

• RSC Service Activities
  NEW  ANNOUNCEMENT(S)! :

   

   Jan. 2022 Fresh Fruit brown bag service to Cumberland county seniors:

         Use the link below to sign up for our monthly Fresh Fruit brown bag service to support Cumberland county council of older adults in Fayetteville . Please drop off fruits  by  Sunday January 30th, 2022 by 12 pm at 719 McRae Rd, Cary.

   

   Click here to signup for January 2022 Fresh Fruit brown bag service

    

  Update on Holiday Gifts for Children in need at REX Hospitals and Lincoln Community Health Center:

  Thank you for participating in Holiday gifts service projects for REX hospitals and Lincoln Community health center. Gifts have been delivered on Tuesday Dec 21st at both facilities. Happy Holidays!

   

  Update on November month service projects:

   

   With Swami’s Grace, during the month of Swami’s birthday, successfully completed the following service projects with our members support. Thank you for all the members who participated in these service projects. 

   

  1. Household and personal hygiene support for Refugee and Immigrants moved recently to RTP area.
  2. Puzzle/word books and Hygiene kits for Cumberland county seniors.
  3. Raleigh Men’s shelter monthly breakfast service.
  4. Monthly fresh fruit brown bag service to support Cumberland county seniors.

  Below are some of the pictures related to above service projects. Thank you all for the volunteers who supported these projects. 

   

    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.
  SAI Tutoring Program	Volunteers provide weekly one to one tutoring via Zoom to an underserved elementary school student from the Durham Public School district. The focus is on ELA and math enrichment and also providing mentorship.	NOTE: Please contact service@raleighsaicenter.org if you are interested in getting involved.
  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 7pm so volunteers can deliver supplies at the shelter on Saturday morning.	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.
  Pediatric Clinic Food Distribution Project	This bi-weekly 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.	Signup sheet has instructions and Grocery list
  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

SSE

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

Regional Update

• A) COPYRIGHT CLARIFICATIONS

  From: Axay Kalathia
  Sent: Monday, January 17, 2022 9:40 PM
  To: arunasuvendran@rogers.com; Krishna Ramoutar; Balu Karanam
  Subject: Copyright Clarification

  Sai Ram Dear National Presidents,

  Please forward the following clarification to members:

  Sai Ram Dear Sai Family, 

  Since forwarding the announcement from the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, of which the Sri Sathya Sai Media Center is a division, regarding the public notice on copyrights published on the 12th of January 2022, we have received many questions.  The following are frequently asked questions:

   Why was this action taken?

  • • Protection of the integrity of the presentation of Swami’s life, works, and teachings is an important obligation. The Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, via its Media Center is the most appropriate entity in the world to take responsibility for this task.

  • Can you provide examples of inappropriate use of material?

  • • Editing clips of Swami’s videos, and/or discourses and presenting them out of context to distort the message being conveyed

  • • Individuals and outside groups monetarily profiting from Swami’s material

  • • Downloading material and then reloading onto a private site and claiming ownership

  • • Outside groups/individuals claiming copyright and causing legitimate Sri Sathya Sai Global Council programs to be taken down on multiple occasions

  • • Threats of legal action against SSSGC centers for use of discourse, musical programs, devotional songs 

  • Our center wants to have access to this material to spread joy and love to devotees, how can we gain access?

  • • Fill out this registration form which we will review and help facilitate clearance for your center moving forward

  • What about private or governmental TV and radio stations that provide segments on spirituality and wish to use the material?

  • • They can send an email to our Zonal Media Chair stating their request and for what purpose the material will be used and then given clearance.

  • How can anyone claim a copyright on Swami’s material, isn’t it meant for all of humanity?

  • • The intent of the copyright is to prevent misuse, not use. Those individuals and organizations that agree to use the material in a legitimate manner, without distortion of the message and mission of Sri Sathya Sai Baba and His organizations will be granted full access. Swami’s teachings are of course freely available to all.  The Sri Sathya Sai Media Center always has and will continue to offer high quality inspirational programs freely available to all. All of Swami’s writings and discourses are freely available on line.

   If you have any further questions, please request your center presidents to communicate with your regional or national president. Questions can also be directly sent to our Zonal Media Committee. 

  In the Service of Sai,

  Dr. Axay Shanti Kalathia

  SSSGC Zone 1, Chair

  B) International Medical camp at Prasanthi Nilayam from July 10 to 13th of 2022:

  Sai Ram Dear All,

  With Swami’s grace, the SSSGC is blessed with an opportunity to conduct an International Medical camp at Prasanthi Nilayam from July 10 to 13th of 2022.

  Please fill out the following form if you are a medical professional and willing to participate in the medical camp:  https://forms.gle/BifowNBpLQ8LDbMd6 

  Sai Ram,
  Dr. Geetha Kamath
  Chair, SSSGC Zone 1 Medical Committee

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

Sai Center Officers

• Officer Role	Name	Email Address
  President	Senthil Kumar	president@raleighsaicenter.org
  Vice-President	Gopal Somu	vp@raleighsaicenter.org
  Education (SSSE) 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). 

Thought for the Week

• Man has to pay attention to three basic duties in his quest for happiness: (1) He should forget what he has to forget, namely, the world around him and its tantalising pleasures. (2) He has to reach where he has to reach, namely, the goal of the Divine, the Presence of the Almighty and (3) He has to give up what he has to give up, namely, material desires and pursuits. The Vedic prayer Asato ma sat gamaya, Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, Mrutyor ma amritam gamaya (Lead me from untruth to truth, lead me from darkness to light, lead me from death to immortality) summarizes these aspirations very nicely. Strive to move away from untruth towards truth; attempt to acquire knowledge of yourself and of the origin of all Selves and thus shed your fundamental ignorance. Move away from thoughts and anxieties about this body which is subject to decay and death, and become aware of the Immortal Soul, which you really are!  – Divine Discourse, Mar 17, 1973

  BABA

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