"O devotee, a time will come when your Self will lose all its earthliness and become eternal light, ever-burning radium, emanating infinite joy and understanding."

Paramahansa Yogananda in Wine of the Mystic (quatrain 75),

a spiritual interpretation of The Rubaiyat by Omar Khayyam

Warm greetings from Portland Center!

Among Portland Center's upcoming seasonal highlights will be a visit by two monks from Self-Realization Fellowship Mother Center, who will be joining us in December to conduct services – including the All-Day Christmas Meditation on December 16. More information about this and other events will be found below.

Highlights from our Schedule for the Coming Months:

Sunday Mornings: 

9:40 Group practice of the SRF Energization Exercises

10:00 - 10:45 Inspirational Meditation Service.

11:00 - 12 noon Reading Service. The first Sunday of each month will feature a recorded video service given by an SRF monk or nun.

Kirtan: Portland Center's kirtan group leads the morning meditation on the last Sunday of each month, beginning with practice of the Energization Exercises at 8:00. You may also enter during periods of chanting at 9:00 or 10:00.

Tuesday Evenings: Our chapel is open for individual silent meditation. Stay for as long as you like between 6:30 and 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, November 19: Thanksgiving Potluck at noon, following the 11:00 Reading Service.

Thursday, December 14: Brother Kalyanananda and Brother Keshavananda arrive. Satsanga from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m., followed by an opportunity to meet and greet the monks, 7:30 to 7:50.

Friday, December 15: Outing with monastics, details to be announced.

Saturday, December 16: All-day Christmas Meditation led by SRF monks, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. with a 30 minute break at 1:30 p.m. If you are unable to attend the entire day, we ask that you come for the morning session only.

Sunday, December 17: Christmas Potluck at noon, with Brother Keshavananda and Brother Kalyanananda, following the monastic-led morning services.

Sunday, December 31: New Year's Eve. Although we will not hold a group meditation service at the Center, Paramahansa Yogananda encouraged devotees to meditate during the time of transition into the new year, contemplating lessons learned in the past and affirming new directions for the year to come. Self-Realization Fellowship will again offer a special online meditation through the SRF Online Meditation Center.

Friday, January 5: Birthday Commemorative Service for Paramahansa Yogananda

Saturday, January 13: All-Day Meditation dedicated to Paramahansa Yogananda, in honor of his birthday, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. with a 30 minute break at 1:00 p.m.

ॐ

For a complete schedule of Portland Center events, please visit our website.

Nominations for Managing Council Positions

The Portland Center has two positions available on the Managing Council for the coming 2024 year. Nominations are open for Secretary and Member-at-Large. Three Council members will continue for another year: Shikha Misra, Mike O’Brien and Paulette Fritsch.

Those serving on the Council are required to be SRF Kriyabans, as well as Portland Center voting members who maintain regular attendance at the Portland Center.

The nomination period is November 1-30. Names will be submitted to Brother Devananda in December and the results provided in January. 

You may submit your nominations in a drop box at the Portland Center or at this email address: pcsrfnominations@gmail.com You may of course nominate yourself! To view the position descriptions, click here.

If you are not a Voting Member but would like to be, please see the registration form here.

Thank you for your support of our Center!

Thanksgiving and Christmas Potlucks

We invite you to be with us as we share food and fellowship at noon on Sunday November 19 and Sunday December 17, immediately following the 11:00 Reading Service. Please bring a vegetarian dish for eight to ten people that does not need to be heated; preheated foods can be brought in a crockpot. All are welcome!

“Make every day a day of thanksgiving, and continuous contentment

will sparkle in your body, mind, and soul.”

Paramahansa Yogananda

All-Day Christmas Meditation

Many years ago, Paramahansa Yogananda began the tradition of honoring Jesus Christ during this holy season through setting aside an entire day for meditation on him.

Many devotees find this occasion to be one of the spiritual highlights of the year, and we are glad that Portland Center will once again offer an in-person All- Day Christmas Meditation on Saturday December 16, led by visiting Self-Realization Fellowship monks. This will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. with a 30 minute break at 1:30. As an expression of your reverence and devotion, please bring an offering of a fruit and a monetary donation in a plain white envelope. As with all long meditations, if you are only able to attend for part of the day we ask that you come for the morning session.

If you are ill or think you may be contagious, out of consideration for others please meditate at home with the livestream provided by the SRF Online Meditation Center. We also ask that you wear clothing and jewelry that do not make noise when you move, to avoid disturbing the profound meditative silence we are striving for during this special time.

"The idea of an all-day Christmas meditation was really given to me by Christ, that he might do something for you. He wants to bless you, but his hands are tied if you are not receptive....Yet if you meditate long and deeply, and call to Christ with all the love of your soul, removing all barriers of restlessness and doubt, you will find him willingly entering in. You will know the real meaning and joy of Christmas."

Paramahansa Yogananda,

in The Second Coming of Christ

Birthday of Paramahansa Yogananda

The anniversary of Paramahansa Yogananda's birth will be observed in a special service on Friday January 5, beginning at 8:00 p.m. This will be preceded by an optional meditation from 7:00-7:45 p.m. After the service, we will gather in the Sunday School room to celebrate with tea and traditional birthday cake.  

Also, an All-Day meditation in honor of our Guru will be held on Saturday January 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a short break at 1:00 p.m. Be sure to arrive a little early, so you will be settled and calm before the meditation begins. Please bring an offering of a fruit as an expression of your devotion. 

If you are unable to attend the entire meditation, plan to come for the morning half only. 

Silent Retreat in Eagle Creek

Members and friends of Portland Center enjoyed a day of inspiration and peaceful silence during our one-day retreat on October 14, held at the Alton Collins retreat center. Group meditation, chanting, and solitary woodland walks were deeply renewing for all who attended.

We hope to offer a similar retreat next year, and will keep everyone informed!

Portland Center Meditation Garden

News from Self-Realization Fellowship 

If you're not yet feeling in a holiday mood, a virtual visit to the Christmas Open House at Mother Center might be just what you need to awaken the Christmas spirit! Through this video released last year, you will experience a close-up tour of the beautifully decorated Administration Building – including Paramahansa Yogananda's shrine rooms – along with meditation in the chapel, an inspiring message from Brother Chidananda, and concluding with the voice of our great Guru offering his Christmas blessings.

News from Managing Council

As we enter the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, the Managing Council is increasingly grateful for each person who attends services and meditates at Portland Center. The group energy fuels an ongoing positive cycle of devotion and service. Some examples are pictured in this newsletter.

Note the photo of the beautiful Stewartia tree, the focal point of our meditation garden. It was only three years ago that a group of members had a vision to transform the back yard. Through tireless efforts by the Landscaping Committee team and the generous donations of funds from many – the Stewartia tree itself was donated by a local business – their vision is alive. The garden is blossoming and helping to spread peace, joy, and our Guru’s blessings.

The recent one-day, silent retreat at Alton Collins provided deep benefits for more than two dozen Portland Center members and friends. We are grateful to the two longtime members, already active volunteers, who agreed to take on more responsibility and coordinate the effort. Now, there is enthusiasm about another retreat in 2024 and we are in the process of finalizing the date. There is an opportunity for new volunteers to help lead the way.    

For the second time in 2023 SRF Monastics will be visiting us, December 14-17, to conduct the All-Day Christmas Meditation. Their visit is also directly related to devotion and service: Volunteers do a deep clean of the Monastics quarters, others prepare home-cooked meals for them, and many others get the chapel and grounds in top shape during a Day of Service. Monastics tell us the Portland meditations are “deep and still,” a sure recipe for maximum benefit.

Thank you everyone, for your continued devotion and service!

“The deeper you meditate and the more willingly you serve,

the happier you will be.”

Paramahansa Yogananda

In divine friendship,

Kripa Raguram, Mike O'Brien, Paulette Fritsch,

Rebecca Field and Shikha Misra

How to Make a Financial Contribution



Portland Center of SRF is solely supported by financial contributions from members and friends, and by volunteers who offer their time and skills. We deeply appreciate your ongoing donations to help us meet recurring expenses to sustain our Center. Our Center is officially a non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible.  

If you write a check to the group, please know that checks payable to "Portland Center" will be deposited locally and used to support our Center's activities, pay utility bills etc. Checks payable to "Self-Realization Fellowship" are sent to SRF headquarters in Los Angeles, to support SRF's worldwide activities.

For those members who choose to make regular donations to our Center, you might want to consider setting up an automatic bill pay through your bank.

You can also donate to the Portland Center using Zelle through our special email address: portlandcenterdonations@gmail.com

For those who prefer, checks may be mailed to

356 NE 80th Avenue, Portland 97213.

Thank you for your support!

"All nature lies in darkness soft,

the star divine is seen aloft"



Paramahansa Yogananda, from "Om Song" in Cosmic Chants

ॐ

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