Rajanaka Newsletter February 3, 2024
Sessions & Why Keeping It Real Is the Better Call
Saturday, February 3, 2024
Aho’ Rajanaka,
I hope this finds you well. The sun, well at least I think it’s the sun, has peeked through this wintry morning in Bristol. My first reaction was “what’s that big orange thing in the sky.” Then I remembered, oh yeah, there is a sun just not much ‘round here. That’s cool, I say. Short of catastrophe, every day has got its longs and shorts. I really do want every day to be its blessing, even out here in the cold cloudy nowhere sane people would move to and mostly filled with rednecks wtf am I doing here Great Lakes. It has its charms. Living with yourself will be the hardest and the most important thing you ever do. Lord knows, others will appreciate your efforts. Well, maybe
.
Good to keep it real, I say. I am no optimist by nature. I think looking for the bright side too much wishful thinking. But the cynic or pessimist won’t do either because, if you think about it some, those attitudes create the same deficiency as optimism.
To wit, beginning with either optimism or pessimism you will risk losing the real value of looking honestly for virtue and value and vice; some arguments hold up well, but you only know that if you’re willing to rip them to shreds to find out. And some things you might have valued don’t add up because you have the courage and determination to keep your eyes open. This kind of mediation with open eyes can make all the difference because keeping closer to truth gives you more opportunity to appreciate a circumstance, deal with a situation, stay in relationship and connection.
Appa used to say that cultivating our critical skills, particularly when aimed at things we prefer or cherish or want to support will give us more appreciation, better reasons, and deeper connections. It's hard to be critical and not come across “negatively” but this “don’t judge” nonsense isn’t the better answer. It’s all in how we learn to express our critical awareness. Would that help? Land there as much as you can but remember that a good landing is called landing. Crashing, not so much.
Here's all good stuff you might want to know.
· Thanks for the kindness shown about the Pilgimage Diaries. There are still a few more coming. India was quite the time and we hope to do it again. IF you are thinking you would like to go on the Rajanaka Pilgrimage next December-January, drop me a note. I need to know if there is serious and sincere interest. It’s not too early to plan. Think after Christmas departure, back in the middle of January, temples, darshan, pilgrimage not tourism.
· We will have SUMMER CAMP in Bristol, NY. Dates are July 11th-July 15th. That’s the weekend after the 4th. More about this soon. Put is on your calendar. We’re going to have a topic and a plan to make this fly. Worth your effort. There’s nothing like it.
· BUDDHISM BEGINS TODAY, SATURDAY FEBRUARY 3RD 5PM EASTERN
DETAILS:
1. The Saturday Conversation for Winter Semester: January-April 2024.
Buddhism: Origins & Evolution, Philosophies and Practices
For 12 Weeks we will study the origins and development of Buddhism in south Asia. This course will give you a solid foundation in how the Buddhist tradition began its journey into a world religion. We’ll focus on Indian Buddhism and cover the development of early traditions, the sources of the Pali Canon that form the core of “early” mythology, theory, and practice, and the evolution that brought about the Mahayana or Greater Vehicle, and at last Tantric Buddhism. (After this course, we’ll look further into Buddhism’s development in southeast Asia, Tibet, China, and Japan. But first we need a solid groundwork.) If you took a class like this in college, then it’s probably been a long time since. If you never had that opportunity, I think you’ll find this kind of study deeply satisfying both intellectually and personally. We’ll do the facts, naturally, we’ll take history and the resources of learning seriously---what is the deep background, how do the stories and texts, the earliest artifacts, and the philosophies of practice evolve? And we’ll take to heart what Buddhism in its core traditions have to say to us. There will be a syllabus and readings, or you can just listen along and take it in as you please.
Buddhism will begin on Saturday, February 3rd. There will be 12 Sessions, each about 90 minutes.
All Sessions are at 5pm Eastern and will use the same Zoom link (the same as all Saturdays past).
A downloadable Archive of recordings will also be available each week. If you can’t make the Sessions live on Zoom, this is a good option, you can listen anytime.7
Tuition for all Sessions in advance is $120. This includes access to the Archive and all study materials. Otherwise, tuition for individual Sessions will be $12. Please use the usual methods: Venmo (douglas-brooks-8 or svcourses@gmail.com) or PayPal (svcourses@gmail.com). If you can’t afford tuition, please let me know because you are always welcome.
Scheduled Dates:, Feb. 3, Feb. 10, Feb. 17, Feb. 24, March 2, March 9, March 23, March 30, April 6, April 13, April 20.
Zoom Link requires no special codes, just come! https://rochester.zoom.us/j/95057662268
The Dropbox Archive will include all lectures and handouts here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/yted2ht281tfrn74ig0c2/h?rlkey=8j5bvomcf9ate80us41n2vj25&dl=0
(To listen to any Dropbox you must download the file to get the entire recording. No risk, no cost.)
· THURSDAY PRACTICUM IS UNDERWAY! JOIN US! LAST WEEK IS IN THE ARCHIVE AND SO MUCH TO COME!! ENOUGH FUN TO WARRANT CAPITAL LETTERS, HA!!
2. Thursday Evenings at 7pm Eastern for Winter Semester: February-April 2024
Practicum: Ten Tantric Ganeshas with Visualization, Mantra, & Meditation Practice
Each week we will study a particular form of the elephant-headed Ganapati with particular reference to his nuanced expression and spiritual purpose. Who is this Ganesha? How do we visualize him? What is his mantra and what does it mean? What is his purpose within a spiritual practice? In Tantric practice, there are dozens of forms of Ganesha, each associated with different kinds of insight and empowerment. We’ll take up ten and see them as a kula, a collective, such that the practice can focus on any one of these forms or as a group. We have studied Tantric Ganapati before but have not considered the work as a practicum: this means we’ll be looking through the lens of practice in ritual and meditation with a particular focus on the subtle mantra body. No prerequisites, just bring your open heart!
The Practicum will begin on Thursday, February 1st. There will be 10 Sessions, each about 90 minutes.
All Sessions are at 7pm Eastern and will use the same Zoom link (the same as all Thursdays past).
A downloadable Archive of recordings will also be available each week. If you can’t make the Sessions live on Zoom, this is a good option, you can listen anytime.
Tuition for all Sessions in advance is $100. This includes access to the Archive and all study materials. Otherwise, tuition for individual Sessions will be $12. Please use the usual methods: Venmo (douglas-brooks-8 or svcourses@gmail.com) or PayPal (svcourses@gmail.com). If you can’t afford tuition, please let me know because you are always welcome.
Scheduled Dates: Feb. 1, Feb. 8, Feb. 15, Feb. 22, Feb. 29, March 7, March 21, March 28, April 6, April 13.
Zoom Link requires no special codes, just come!
https://rochester.zoom.us/j/98183733328
The Dropbox Archive will include all lectures and handouts here:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/aj2q0pqv6k62vaxy2h810/h?rlkey=ag6ijieez888x4yi9kjggthq2&dl=0
· MAHABHARATA RESUMES TOMORROW! SUNDAYS AT 5pm. COME ANYTIME!
3. Sunday Mahabharata, 5pm Eastern for Winter Semester: February-May 2024
For those of you who have been with us (or at least some of the time during these last two years), we carry on! Every week there is a complete story, a Session that stands on its own. You’ll have context and a way in each week even if this is your first time or you just like to drop in now and then. There is nothing better than Mahabharata. And I rarely speak in absolutes.
We begin on Sunday, February 4th. For this Semester we’ll have 15 Sessions, each about 90 minutes.
All Sessions are at 5pm Eastern and will use the same Zoom link (the same as all Sundays past).
A downloadable Archive of recordings will also be available each week. If you can’t make the Sessions live on Zoom, this is a good option, you can listen anytime.
Tuition for all 12 Sessions in advance is $120. This includes access to the Archive and all study materials. Otherwise, tuition for individual Sessions will be $12. Please use the usual methods: Venmo (douglas-brooks-8 or svcourses@gmail.com) or PayPal (svcourses@gmail.com). If you can’t afford tuition, please let me know because you are always welcome.
Scheduled Dates: Feb. 4, Feb. 11, Feb. 18, Feb. 25, March 3, March 10, March 24, April 7, April 14, April 21, April 28, May 5.
Zoom Link requires no special codes, just come! https://rochester.zoom.us/j/314987250
The entire Mahabharata Archive is here ANYTIME: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/wn3icbb418qcsrjqhk6ke/h?rlkey=nzdh43ld5xitb96duffoflhlg&dl=0
I want to end here with one of those annoying Facebook posts where people ask to copy or reply to the post to test who’s reading or who’s your real pal. Who has time to read anything? It depends on what you want to do with the time you have, and of course so much of that is spoken for by our responsibilities and what the world steals. So if you’re still reading, know that I’m here still wanting to be here, to not lose the plot. There will be no Powerpoint presentations, no smoke machines, or light shows. There’s conversation and community whenever you can make it. No hassles, no pressures, you are always, always welcome. Drop me a line, douglas@rajanaka.com And in the meantime, take care. Enjoy the weather, inside and out.
Saprema, Douglas
P.S. Big Archive usually follows here but I’ll spare you this time. More again soon.
Well I made it to the end. One day I will join. I look forward to that 🙏🏻