“I know that if I had nothing, in you all I possess friends who would do everything for me. And you know that in me you possess a friend who will help you in every way. We are looking at God in each other. It is the most beautiful relationship.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
Dear Divine Atman,
Pranam and loving greetings to you from the sannyasis and sevaks in Guruji’s Ashrams! We hope and pray that you and your loved ones are doing well — physically, mentally, and spiritually.
The past year has been challenging, and the lives of many of our worldwide spiritual family members have been affected. And yet, despite the mounting challenges on several fronts, the spiritual takeaways were immense and uplifting. Foremost was realising that lasting peace and healing can be found only through our inner attunement with God and Guru. It taught us to turn within, to re-energize our will, and overcome negative influences by immersing ourselves in Gurudeva’s sublime teachings and anchoring in the light, love, and protection of the Great Ones.
The year showed us great hope in humanity, in compassion, and in the solidarity expressed by kind-hearted souls like you who stepped up to help with your time, prayers, goodwill, and material aid. We are very grateful for your generous support so selflessly given in these times of adversity. Please know that we deeply cherish and honour your support and divine friendship.
With Guruji’s grace, and your generous support and dedication, we were able to embark on and complete several ventures over the past year, to serve our Gurubhais and Gurubahans, and to render humanitarian service. We utilized this time of reduced activity in the ashram to complete some long-pending projects and take up new service activities benefiting our devotees.
New Edition of Yogoda Satsanga Lessons
- We were able to successfully release the Supplement Lessons in English for those who completed the Basic Series.
- We are working with teams of devotee-translators across the country to complete the translation of the new Basic Series Lessons into Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, and Telugu.
- The first-ever Online Sadhana Sangam in Hindi was successfully organized on the YSS Online Dhyana Kendra recently, with Sangams in other Indian languages coming up in the coming weeks and months. We hope that you too have participated and benefitted from these online offerings: day-long retreats, commemorative and weekly meditations, Sadhana Sangams, etc.
- Nine discourses of Gurudeva Paramahansa Yogananda, and sixteen talks of Sri Daya Mata, previously offered in CD format, were made available as MP3s.
Seva Activities
- Charity begins at home:
- A majority of the staff working in the various YSS ashrams and dhyana kendras belong to the lower economic strata, where income loss can cause tremendous hardships. Your contribution made it possible for us to retain our staff and pay their salaries uninterruptedly and on time.
- Charitable activities across the country:
- Your contribution helped us to carry out charitable activities not just around our Ashrams but in several cities across India. During the lockdown period, volunteers from YSS ashrams and dhyana kendras reached out to supply the poor and daily wage earners, who had lost their means of livelihood, with essentials such as ration and sanitary items.
- Among the Natural Calamities Relief effort, YSS contributed to flood and cyclone relief in Assam, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. During beloved Gurudeva’s Janmotsav, we could serve the poor and needy by distributing blankets, supplying food and rations to old age homes, orphanages, leprosy colonies, etc.
Maintenance and Upkeep of YSS Ashrams and Dhyana Kendras
Your unwavering support enabled us to maintain and run the YSS ashrams without hindrance, keeping them ready for you all when you visit us after circumstances permit.
We were also able to work on the infrastructure enhancement project for Sevak facilities and completed the conversion of three dormitories in Gurusevadham at Ranchi into 27 furnished rooms for Sevaks who serve in various capacities at Guruji’s Ranchi ashram.
Your Support Is Deeply Appreciated
Please receive the deepest gratitude from all of us at YSS ashrams for your generous financial support. Be assured that your donation will be prudently utilised in taking forward Gurudeva’s mission, publishing his teachings, offering spiritual programmes, running the Ashrams, and doing charitable works. If you are able and desire to contribute further to this sacred mission of spreading our Gurudeva’s liberating and soul-solacing teachings, please consider making a year-end donation which will be particularly helpful as we plan ahead for the coming months. If it is more convenient for you, please consider the newly added facility of monthly recurring donations, which is available on the YSS website: https://donateyss.org/
When you assist Gurudeva’s divine work through your devotional offerings, be it through prayers or material support or by practising spiritual discipline, know that what you send out will inevitably return to you manifold and manifest as a blessing in your life.
May you always be surrounded by the grace and omnipresent blessings of the Great Ones. May your zeal on this path be undiminished, and may you find the divine love you are seeking by the soul-awakening science of Kriya Yoga.
In divine friendship,
Yogoda Satsanga Society of India
