February 2021
The important point, as scriptures teach us, is that you must give yourself to God unconditionally. Unconditionally means: "It doesn't matter, Lord, how long it takes. I only know that I'm on my way." But it is not just the commitment of seeking Him as long as it takes that is required. There must also be a spirit of devotion behind your spiritual practices and routine. A devotee may sit and pray for hours, but if his mind is not wholly on God--even if only one percent of his attention is upon other things--he will not consistently feel God's response. So long as the devotee holds back anything for himself, the Lord will not completely surrender Himself. The devotee who is one hundred percent on fire for God and completely absorbed in Him will, the moment he turns to the Lord, feel His divine presence. That was what we observed in Master. When he was communing with God, we could see by the inward gaze of his eyes that he was beholding the Infinite. I remember how at times he used only one word in speaking to the Divine: "You, You, You." HIs intoxication with God was so uplifting that I found myself just bursting with that devotion.

It is the spirit of your sadhana, what you feel in your heart as you deepen your relationship with God, that ultimately brings divine union--as well as regular practice of the techniques. We begin by practicing the techniques, and gradually devotion grows as we start to feel God's presence within. Ultimately the feeling of love and devotion to God, born of actual perception, takes over--the techniques having prepared the consciousness for this realization.

Sri Daya Mata
"The Spirit of Seeking God"
SRF magazine Fall 2004, pp. 19-21
Greetings!

We hope you and your families were able to participate in the online commemorative services and long meditation for our beloved Guru Paramahansa Yogananda during the month of January. These were a welcomed blessing from the SRF Online Meditation Center. We learned in January that the SRF 2021 Convocation will be held again online. SRF had to cancel all Convocation activities at the Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles due to the COVID-19 uncertainties.

The DC Center held its first virtual online fellowship meeting last month and based on the feedback we received during this event we will continue to hold more events virtually. Thank you to all that participated and shared your 2020 experiences.

There is a special blessing one receives when you support Paramahansa Yogananda’s work, and the Washington DC Center during this challenging time. The Council wants you to know that we are grateful for your continuing donations that have been helpful for the DC Center to cover its ongoing fixed costs. Please see below for more information about how to donate to our Center or SRF directly. 

In Master’s Service,
 
Wayne T. Lavallee
Coordinator
Staying Connected

We encourage all to stay remotely connected to the worldwide SRF family:
Suggestion Box

Due to the fact we no longer are physically present at the DC Center we thought we would add a feature called the “Suggestion Box” in which we invite your suggestions or comments. Much like the suggestion box at the DC Center, if you have a constructive idea or suggestion for our Center please send it by replying to this email. We can then review them monthly at our Council meetings. Someone will reply to each suggestion after each monthly Council meeting.
Caring Friends Team

The Caring Friends Team provides support and outreach to members who are experiencing illness, hardships, and personal crisis. For more information please contact Stacey Hawkins at 301-395-9541, callingcardevents@comcast.net.
Online Donations Available

You can make online donations to the Washington DC Center of SRF by clicking on the yellow Donate button below. You will have the option of designating whether the donation is for the General Fund or the Building Fund. Please note that donations made using this button are not tax deductible.

While services are suspended, you can also make donations to the Center by check, mailed to: Washington DC Center, 4911 Niagara Road, College Park, MD 20740. If you wish your donation to go toward the Building Fund, please note this in the memo field.

Tax deductible Building Fund donations may be made online here, or by making the check payable to Self-Realization Fellowship, noting Washington DC Building Fund in the memo field, and mailing it to the Center. Full details concerning donations are explained on the Center's website Donate page.
Donations made using the above yellow Donate button are not tax deductible. For other donation options use the Donate Website button below, including tax deductible building fund donations.
Washington DC Center of Self-Realization Fellowship
4911 Niagara Road College Park MD 20740
washington.dc.srf@gmail.com
DCcentersrf.org