Toronto Centre of Self-Realization Fellowship

Monastics’ Visit and Kriya Ceremony – May 11-13th, 2012

We are pleased to announce an upcoming SRF Monastics’ visit and Kriya Ceremony in Toronto. On May 11-13, 2012, monastics from SRF Mother Centre will be conducting classes on the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, in addition to an introductory lecture for newcomers, which will also be open to the public. The detailed schedule of events will be published as soon as it is available. The venue for the October Monastics’ Visit and Kriya Ceremony will be the Toronto Marriott Bloor Yorkville hotel, located at 90 Bloor Street East, downtown Toronto, which is directly accessible from the Yonge and Bloor Subway Lines.

As many of you know, the Monastics’ Visit & Kriya Ceremony offers a wonderful opportunity for our Centre to assist the SRF Mother Center in spreading Paramahansa Yogananda’s teachings by bringing together hundreds of devotees and friends to study and practice his meditation techniques, receive initiation into Kriya Yoga, and make many new friends and acquaintances.

We anticipate that the total cost of the May 2012 visit will be around $15000, including airfare and hotel accommodation. The Toronto Centre has around $1000 in its monastics visit fund, and we will therefore need to raise an additional $14000. We would very much appreciate your support and any donations that you could provide. There is a monastics’ visit donation box placed in the bookroom. Donations of any amount may be made by cash, cheque or by credit card. If you wish to speak directly with our Treasurer, please leave a message on the Toronto Centre telephone line at (647) 435-9946. The monastics’ visits are funded by donations, and we would like to thank everyone for your generous support. Please be assured that, regardless of whether you are able to provide a donation at this time, your prayers, service and spriritual support are greatly appreciated and are an important contribution to helping us successfully reach our goal.

We believe that this goal is readily attainable through the support of the many members and friends of the Toronto Meditation Centre, united in our devotion and dedication to God and Guru. After speaking with the SRF Mother Centre, in order to raise the funds necessary to cover the expenses for the visit, we plan to undertake the following initiatives at our Centre.

I Will Campaign:
Our “I will” campaign is an affirmation of the kind of success that can materialize when spiritual effort is continued with practical initiative. We would like to ask if your are able, to make a suggested pledge of $20 per month to the SRF Monastics’ Visit fund, from May 2011 to May 2012. The kind of support of those who can offer more or make a one-time donation is also greatly appreciated. All pledges are voluntary and non-binding should your ability to donate change between now and May 2012. If we all will and act together, the spiritual blessings in helping to spread Master’s work in the Toronto area will be tangible.

If it is not within your means to pledge at the suggested level, any amount you can pledge or donate, and any month you can begin, will only help bring us closer to realizing our goal.

You will find attached a fundraising letter and pledge form attached to this bulletin. These are also available to download from our website at www.srftorontocentre.org. You may place your completed pledges in the donation boxes placed in our bookroom.

Prestamped Donation Envelopes:
We have prepared pre-stamped donation envelopes with the title “Donation towards the Monastics’ visit and Kriya Ceremony, May 11-13th, 2012. These envelopes are placed near our Donation Boxes at the back of the Chapel where they can serve as reminders to newcomers and our members who wish to contribute towards the Monastics visit and Kriya Ceremony.

Movie Fund Raiser:
In the light of the success we have had in our previous Movie Fund Raisers, we plan to hold another Movie Fund Raiser at our Centre after the Inspirational Service on Sunday ,17th July. We plan to show the Movie “The Reluctant Saint” which is a 104 min long movie on the life of Saint Joseph of Cupertino. Paramahansa Yogananda mentions of the ecstatic state of communion of St. Joseph in Autobiography of a Yogi in the chapter “The Levitating Saint”.

Everyone is invited to attend and light refreshments will be served. If you would like to make a donation, the suggested donation is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 years and under, but this is not a requirement to attend. Donations will go toward covering the Centre’s costs for the SRF Monastics’ Visit and Kriya Ceremony, October 15-17, 2010. Your support is deeply appreciated.

Bake Sale:
In order to help us march toward our goal of raising sufficient funds for the visit, we plan to conduct a bake sale at our Centre. The dates and further details of this event will be published as soon as they are available. We hope you can join us.

If you have any additional ideas or thoughts for our fund raising, we welcome you to approach the Managing Team. We will be happy to explore together, further means of raising funds for this special event, in keeping with the ideals laid by Paramahansa Yogananda.

Please also know that, regardless of whether or not you are able to provide a pledge or donation at this time, your prayers, service and spiritual support are greatly appreciated and are an important contribution to helping us successfully reach our goal.

Coordinator for the Monastics’ Visit and Kriya Ceremony
While we are in the process of discussing with SRF Centre Department, about the organizing aspects of the Monastics Visit, we welcome you to approach the Managing Team, if you are interested in serving closely with the Managing Team, as the Overall Coordinator for this visit. We deeply appreciate your help and support in this way.