Announcements 6th October 2018

"I am alone on this dais; you are thousands in front of Me. What has brought you all, in this vast number, from your homes and villages to this place? It is the love you have for Me, and the love I have for you. The reason for your presence is not any force or authority or temptation to earn material profit or gain. Ponder over the things I have told you out of My Love and try to cleanse your minds through repentance for wrongs done or contemplated and through a firm resolve to shape your lives anew, according to the Divine Plan, by which each can stand revealed as fully Divine."  Sathya Sai Baba

Dear Vinod

Jai Sai Ram!  In October we celebrate Avatar Declaration Day - when Swami announced the purpose of His mission and the unique role of this Avatar.  All our activities are inspired by the words and actions of this Avatar and we hope you can join us in participating in some of these activities. As always, please send us any feedback about this email or our events by emailing us at info@leicestersaicentre.org.

Navratri Celebrations

Devi Navaratri or the Sharad Navaratri is one of the most important festivals observed in the Bharatiya tradition. Different regions of the Indian subcontinent celebrate it in their own unique ways, but it goes without saying that this indeed is an auspicious nine-day period for all which ends on the tenth day of Dasara.  Since the early 1940s, Navratri has been observed with much reverence in the presence of Bhagawan too. For devotees of Bhagawan, this festival is an occasion to adore Swami as the Divine Mother Principle.

Join us Sunday 14th October at Soar Valley College between 9am - 12pm where we too will be paying our respects to the Divine Mother Principle with special Maa bhajans and garba afterwards.

Homeless Health Awareness Day - Optics

We have been conducting Health Awareness Days for the Homeless Guests of The Bridge for the last three years.  This year our team of healthcare professionals have evolved these into quarterly specialist clinics with a specific theme each quarter.  On Sunday 28th October we will be conducting a specialist eye clinic and this time we will also be able to provide prescription spectacles for those who require them. Homeless people have 7 times more visual impairment than the general population so this is a much needed service. In addition to this, at every clinic we also have consultant psychiatrists to help with mental health issues, GPs to answer any general health questions and pharmacists who will conduct basic health checks. If you would like to find out more please speak to one of our service coordinators or email us on info@leicestersaicentre.org

Avatar Declaration Day

20 October is a historic and momentous day. Bhagawan would often refer to this day as ‘the day the change happened’.  As Swami recollects:

"It was the 20th of October (1940)--a Monday. This is what I declared on that day:
Know I am verily Sai
Give up your attachments and attempts;
The old relationships are at an end.
No one, however eminent, can alter My resolve."

Join us on Sunday 21st October, between 9:00am - 11:30am at Soar Valley College, where we will be marking Avatar Declaration Day.  We are fortunate to have a guest speaker on that Day - Mr Krishna Subramaniam, an alumni from Swami's University who will talk on the theme of "Manasa Bhajore".

National Swami's Birthday Programme

We are pleased to announce that registration for Bhagawan’s National Birthday Celebration is now open.

Date:     Saturday 3rd November 2018

Time:    10:30am – 4:30pm

Venue: The Bushey Academy, London Road, Bushey WD23 3AA

Please note it is important that you register for the event for Health & Safety reasons as well as helping the catering team.

The programme will consist of Bhajans, musical items and a beautiful drama enacted by the SSE Children entitled “Episodes from the Ramayana”.

We are also extremely fortunate to have joining us this year, a special guest speaker to grace our programme, Sri Sai Shravanam. Sri Sai Shravanam is a talented young adult and former Bal-Vikas student from Chennai, India. Sri Sai Shravanam, is a renowned musician, sound designer and producer. Sri Sai Shravanam is an extremely dedicated and humble servant of our Lord, who has abundantly blessed him with great proximity.

We hope you will join devotees from all over the country in celebrating Swami's Birthday.

Taking Swami's Birthday to the Homeless

This year, our committee has decided to celebrate Swami's Birthday with a special Birthday Party for the guests of The Bridge. Many homeless people or people in need do not celebrate their Birthday and it is often forgotten.  So on Sunday 18th November at The Bridge we will be hosting a Birthday Party to celebrate all the forgotten Birthday's of the guests of The Bridge. On the day we will have a special meal, games and of course cake for all the guests.  We are also planning on giving each guest a Birthday present and if you would like to contribute towards that please see one of our service coordinators or email us at info@leicestersaicentre.org

Sunday Workshops and Speakers

Every Sunday after bhajans we try to organise a workshop, study circle or have a guest speaker  (when we don't have a special programme planned as listed above).  These normally take place in the main hall. Here are the dates for some of these:

• Sunday 7th October - Vedam Practice
• Sunday 14th October - Parent's Study Circle
• Sunday 28th October - Arunbhai Gohil talk on Aquacare Projects