Celebrations
Swami Satchidananda - Swami Satchidananda
"Lord, You are the Light of Lights. You are the source of all lights. You are the Sun of Suns, Moon of Moons, Star of stars. You are the Light within and without. You are the Light of the enlightened. Kindly lead us from the darkness of ignorance to the light of understanding to realize the truth behind all these names and forms.’ This is my prayer on his holy occasion. Every holy day should remind us of our inherent divine nature." - Swami Satchidananda
Please call ARC 1-800-858-9642 for information about these celebrations. Or, sign up for our mailing list and opt-in to the special events and satsangs newsletter.
Often it is necessary to make a reservation in advance if you plan on taking meals while you are here for a celebration/observance. These programs are free of charge, but there is usually a fee for meals.
Mahasivaratri
March 5, 2011 (Observed, at SAYVA)
Mahasivaratri is a special all-night vigil in honor of Lord Siva, celebrated when the moon is at its darkest phase.
We will offer four pujas (worship services) to Lord Siva during the night, tell stories, chant his holy mantras, visit the Nataraj Shrine and more.
Guru Poornima – One In Spirit LOTUS 25th Anniversary Gala Celebration
July 15 - 18, 2011
On the annual sacred occasion of Guru Poornima, devotees worldwide pay homage to their Guru. Over the weekend we will honor our Gurudeva, His Holiness Sri Swami Satchidananda, and celebrate the Divine Light at the heart of all spiritual traditions. We will begin the weekend with chanting of the Guru Gita on Friday evening. On Saturday, we will have a Light of Truth Universal Service in the morning and an interfaith program in the afternoon. In the evening we will have heartfelt offerings from the sangha. On Sunday morning we will have a special puja honoring Sri Gurudev followed by a blessing of LOTUS in honor of the 25th Anniversary of this shrine dedicated to promoting peace and understanding amongst all faiths. For more information on this event click here.
Mahasamadhi & Mahagururatri Commemoration
August 20,2011
On this auspicious day we will observe the 8th Anniversary Memorial of the Mahasamadhi of Sri Gurudev with a special puja at Chidambaram in the morning. Come evening, we will enjoy an all-night vigil, Mahagururatri, during which four pujas to our beloved Gurudev will be offered at Sivananda Hall, along with Guru chants and stories of our experiences with him. Gururatri will give us a wonderful opportunity to tune into Sri Gurudev’s Divine Presence and stay “tuned” while we live our lives in the world.
Navaratri
Begins Septemeber 28, 2011
Celebrating the Divine Mother over nine nights with pujas and chanting.
Master Sivananda Jayanthi (Sept. 8)
September 10, 2011 (Observed, at SAYVA during Saturday evening satsang)
Sri Swami Satchidananda Maharaj Jayanthi (Dec 21)
December 17, observed at SAYVA
with a special program of morning puja and an evening program
Other Annual Celebrations -
- Passover Seder, April 18
- Easter Worship Service, April 24
- Mother’s Day Worship Service Sunday Morning, May 8
- Father’s Day/Nataraj Shrine Anniversary Puja Sunday Morning, June 19
- Rosh Hoshana, September 27
- Navaratri - the nine nights of the Mother, September 28
- Yom Kippur, October 7
- Deepavali, Hindu Festival of Lights (Oct 26) October 29, observed at SAYVA
- All Saints Day/Halloween (Oct 31) October 30, observed at SAYVA
- Thanksgiving, November 24
- Hanukkah, December 20
- Christmas Eve, December 24
- New Year's Eve, December 31