Sharad Sangam 2014
November 5 – 10
Ranchi :
&
November 16 – 21
E
very day you should increase the strength of your body, the
strength of your mind, and awareness of your omnipotent soul by
meditation, right thinking, and right activity.
— Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda
D
ear Divine Atman,
To all of you, our beloved Gurudeva’s family, we extend a
loving invitation to join us for the Sharad Sangam which
will be held in November at Ranchi. In order to accommodate the growing number of devotees interested in attending
the Sangam at Ranchi, this year we are conducting two Sharad
Sangams at Ranchi. Sangam-I will be held from November 5th
to 10th and Sangam-II will be held from November 16th to 21st.
However a devotee may attend only one Sangam.
The happiness, peace, and all fulfilling love for which every human being yearns must be sought within, by cultivating a personal
relationship with God, in the depths of silent communion. Yet amidst
the many demands of daily life, it is not always easy to keep the mind
divinely centred. Sangam offers a unique opportunity to reinforce
our spiritual efforts, feel the presence and blessings of God and Gurus, and uplift our consciousness through meditation, prayer, and
spiritual fellowship.
Please note that only YSS devotees may attend the Sangam.
Relatives of YSS devotees and children under 15 years of age are
not eligible to attend the Sangam. Also, owing to the Sangam’s
concentrated schedule of activities, we request devotees with fragile
health or debilitating conditions not to apply.
The procedure for registering for the Sangam is given on
pages 5 and 6. Kindly read it carefully before filling in the
Registration Form on pages 7 and 8.
All devotees intending to participate in the Sangam may please
prepare themselves well in advance, by regularly studying and
practising Gurudeva’s teachings and meditation techniques. When
2
each of us makes the individual effort to be in tune with God and
Guruji, it pleases the Great Ones and brings the blessings we seek.
Gurudeva said, “Lasting comfort ceaselessly flows into the pail
of your life when you squeeze the honeycomb of meditation and
peace with the eager, powerful hands of will, and with ever deeper
concentration.”
Our prayers are with you for ever-increasing success on the
spiritual path.
In divine friendship,
Yogoda Satsanga Society of India
3
Sangam Overview
Gurudeva said, “By deep concentration in union with other
seekers, a devotee transmutes his will into God’s will. Remembering
his identity with God, he recovers his divine heritage of God
perception.” The schedule at the Sangam will include group
meditations, discourses, explanation of the meditation techniques,
Kriya Yoga diksha, bhajan sessions, and video shows. The schedule
will provide opportunities for personal spiritual counselling with
the sannyasis and also time for rest and relaxation.
Meditations
Sannyasis will lead group meditations twice daily throughout the
Sangam. Dhyana Mandir, Smriti Mandir, and Matri Mandir will be
open for individual meditations.
Yogoda Satsanga Meditation Techniques
The techniques of concentration and meditation and also the
Energization Exercises will be thoroughly explained and demonstrated. Classes will be conducted in English and Hindi.
Discourses
We endeavour to select topics that are of benefit to devotees for
their threefold development of body, mind, and soul. Sannyasis will
give talks on these topics based on the teachings of Gurudeva, to help
devotees gain deeper insights and progress on the spiritual path.
Kriya Yoga Diksha
All Kriyabans attending the Sangam will have the opportunity
to participate in the Kriya Yoga diksha ceremony along with new
devotees receiving Kriya Yoga diksha. The Kriya Yoga diksha
ceremony will be held on November 9th and 20th.
Eligibility For Receiving Kriya Yoga
Devotees who have completed the study of the first 52 Yogoda
Satsanga Lessons are eligible to apply for Kriya Yoga diksha. If you
4
are one such, please send your answers to the questionnaires at the
end of Steps I and II of the Lessons (enclosed with Lessons 26 and 52,
respectively) to Yogoda Satsanga Sakha Math, Ranchi, before August
5, 2014. If your answers are found satisfactory, you will be informed
of your suitability for the diksha.
If you are eligible by the time of your attending the Sangam, you
may submit, for consideration, answers to the questionnaires on your
arrival.
Volunteers
Many of you have so enthusiastically served in different areas
in previous years. Your devoted service helps to make the Sangam
a success. As on earlier occasions, many devotee-volunteers will be
needed this time too. Some of the areas where you can help are :
Registration office, accommodation arrangements, audio-visuals,
stage-arrangement, bookstall, decorations, kitchen, maintenance,
medical, sanitation, security, ushering, etc. In some of these areas a
few volunteers will be required one week before the function and a few
volunteers may have to stay up to 3 days after the function.
If you would like to volunteer, please fill in the Registration
Form accordingly. After receiving this information, we will select
volunteers for various areas of work and guide them.
Registration Information
Programme
The Sangam will begin in the morning of the opening day and
end in the after-noon of the closing day. You may plan your arrival
and departure accordingly. Except for volunteers, devotees are
requested not to arrive earlier than one day before start of the
programme, nor stay beyond one day after the closing.
Accommodation
Dormitory-style accommodation will be provided to ladies and
gents separately. The accommodation will be within or near the
Ashram. Family members may please plan and pack accordingly.
5
Devotees with special needs for accommodation or diet may
please make their own arrangements. A list of nearby hotels will be
provided on request.
Allocation
We will try to register the devotees as per their preferences. If
the number of requests for registration is more than what we can
accommodate, preference will be given to those who are attending
the Sharad Sangam for the first time.
Also, if the number of devotees applying for a particular Sangam
is more than the number we can accommodate, we will try to
register them for the other Sangam.
Devotees who will make their own arrangements for accommodation may participate in any one of the Sangams as per their
choice.
Remittances
The Registration Form along with a registration fee of ` 500
per person should reach Ranchi on or before August 5, 2014. A
letter confirming your registration for participation in the Sangam
will be mailed in the third week of August. We request you not to
come without proper confirmation.
Remittances should be made only by a Bank Draft on a Ranchi
bank or by an At-Par Cheque or by I.P.O., payable to Yogoda Satsanga
Society of India. Please do not pay by Money Order. Devotees visiting
Ranchi, Dakshineswar, or Noida may submit their payment at any of
these Ashrams.
Please do not club any other remittances with the Sangam remittance. Please send your remittance along with your Registration
Form, not separately.
Meals
Contribution for all meals will be `150 per person per day. This
should be given on arrival at the Reception Office.
6

Registration form for Sharad SANGAM 2014
Please read the Registration Guidelines and other details before filling this form, and send it to the Ranchi address
(see below) along with a registration fee of ` 500 per person, to reach us not later than August 5, 2014. (Incomplete forms may
not be processed.)
Name
Lessons
Gender Age
Volunteer
Date and Time
Reg.
No.
(M/F)
Yes/No
of Arrival
1.
2.
3.
4.
Registration fee of `
by crossed Bank Draft / At-Par Cheque / I.P.O. / deposited in cash.
Dated
Bank Draft / At-Par Cheque / I.P.O. No.
Bank
(Please do not send remittance by Money Order. Payment should be in the name of YOGODA
SATSANGA SOCIETY OF INDIA.) This form, together with the payment should be sent to Yogoda Satsanga Society of India,
Paramahansa Yogananda Path, Ranchi 834 001, Jharkhand.
If for some reason, I cannot be registered for Sangam, kindly allocate the above-mentioned registration amount to : (Please tick [  ] one of
the following) The registration fee is not refundable or transferable after you are registered for the Sangam and if you are not able to attend.
 Renew my magazine subscription (English / Hindi / Bengali). (Balance amount, if any, may be treated as donation.)

Return the amount to me by Cheque/Demand Draft.

Send me the books/devotional articles listed separately. (Balance amount, if any, may be treated as donation.)
7
SANGAM OPTIONS
I/We wish to attend the Sangam as per the following preference :
(Please tick [  ] against the desired option)
• 1st Preference :  Sangam-I

Sangam-II
• 2nd Preference :  Sangam-I

Sangam-II
 I/We would like to stay at the accommodation provided by the Ashram.
 I/We would like to stay in a hotel. Please send a list of nearby hotels. (Bookings, etc., are devotee(s)’ responsibility.)
DEVOTEES WHO WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER (If you cancel your programme, please intimate us immediately.)
/
/ 2014 to
/
/ 2014.
I/We shall be available from
I / We would like to volunteer for the following: (Please tick [  ] one of the following)

Preparation for the Sangam (to plan to arrive around one week before the Sangam).

During the Sangam (to plan to arrive one or two days before the Sangam).
Previous experience as a volunteer (if any):
(Medical doctors may mention their area of specialization.)
Name
:
Address :
Signature
Tel./Mobile No.
E-mail