Special Services at NYCC

October 31 : Please join us for a day of fellowship and karma yoga on Saturday,
October 31, from 10:00 am-2:00 pm. The day will begin with a short
period of meditation followed by time for Seva (service) during which
we will undertake several small, light, cleaning projects to beautify
our spiritual home. The day will end with another short period of
meditation followed by a delicious vegetarian lunch. This is a
wonderful opportunity to help out and make new friends! All are
welcome!

November 1- December 20: We are collecting food for distribution to people in need in NY City this Thanksgiving season. A list of appropriate non-perishable food items will be posted at the information table in the lobby. All contributions may be brought to the Center and left in a designated area in the lower level.Thinking of the needs of others in our greater human family is a wonderful way to begin the holiday season.

November 8: The Young Adults Group will meet on Sunday, November 8, at 12:15 pm in the third floor social area. All young adults, ages 18-40, are invited to join in this hour of fellowship and discussion, followed by a our Guru's ever loving presence and abiding guidance in our lives. 

November 14: A One-Day Retreat will be held on Saturday, November 14 from 12:00- 6:00 pm. The theme, Deepening Your Attunement With the Guru, will be aligned with a previous Voluntary League retreat led by Sister Ranjana. During this retreat, we will learn how to deepen our experience of the Guru's ever abiding presence and loving guidance in our lives.

November 22: A recorded monastic talk by Sister Brahmani entitled, Living With Gratitude, will be shown on Sunday, November 22, from 11:00-12:00 pm. In this talk, Sister Brahmani explains how being grateful for everything in our lives, including our challenges, can bring us into a closer and more loving relationship with God.

Afterward, please join us on the third floor after the service from 12:00-1:00 pm for our Thanksgiving Potluck Social. If you are able, please bring a vegetarian dish, salad, or dessert to share. All are welcome to come and enjoy the warm glow of love, friendship, giving thanks, and a special lunch!

November 26: Our regular Thursday evening Inspirational Service has been cancelled, due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

December 5: Please join us on Saturday, December 5, for the Annual Clean and Decorate the Center for Christmas event from 10:00- 3:00 pm. We will start with a short meditation and then begin the Christmas season by brightening up our Center and decorating for Christmas. A light lunch will be served. It's a beautiful day of service, and also lots of fun.

December 6: The Young Adults Group will meet on Sunday, December 6, at 12:15 pm in the third floor social area. All young adults, ages 18-40, are invited to join in this hour of fellowship and discussion, followed by a vegetarian lunch.

December 12: In preparation for the All-Day Christmas Meditation, there will be a Four-Hour Meditation on Saturday, December 12, from 2:00-6:00 pm. Please try to arrive on time. After the first chant and meditation has begun, those newly arriving will be directed to the second floor chapel until the next period of chanting when they can go to the main chapel. Those arriving after 4:00 pm are welcome to meditate in the second floor chapel so as not to disturb the peace established by those already meditating.

December 13: We will be holding a Chanting Service in the main chapel on Sunday, December 13, from 12:30-1:30 pm. The service consists of chants alternating with brief periods of meditative silence. Paramahansa Yogananda encouraged the practice of devotional chanting as an aid to Divine perceptions. He wrote, "Sound or vibration is the most powerful force in the universe." Many devotees find these longer chanting sessions helpful in deepening their meditations. If you plan to attend, please be seated in the chapel by 12:25 pm.

December 17: The Thursday evening Inspirational Service on December 17 will be monastic-led.

December 18: The 3-Hour Meditation on Friday, December 18 has been cancelled, due to the All-Day Christmas Meditation the following day.

December 19: We warmly welcome you to join us for our All-Day Monastic-Led Christmas Meditation on Saturday, December 19, from 10:00 am-6:00 pm. Please bring a fruit and a donation. Please plan on arriving early, as there will be no admittance to the main chapel once the meditation has begun. If you can not be present for the entire
day, please plan to attend the first half (10 am-2 pm). Additional guidelines will be available in the lobby.

December 20: The Sunday morning Meditation and Inspirational Service on December 20 will be led by our visiting monastics. Afterward, please join us on the third floor for our

Christmas Social, from 12:00-1:00 pm. A vegetarian lunch will be served. All are welcome!

December 24: Our Christmas Eve Service will be held from 8:00-10:00 pm on Thursday, December 24. Due to this holiday service, the regular Thursday evening Inspirational Service has been cancelled.

December 25: The 3-Hour Meditation on Friday, December 25 has been cancelled, due to the Christmas holiday.

December 31: Our New Year’s Eve Meditation will be held on Thursday, December 31 from 11:00 pm-12:15 am. The Center will open at 10:30 pm. Our beloved Daya Mata has said, "By meditating during this transition from the old year to the new, and praying earnestly to God that He might bless us, guide us, and be with us, our loved ones, and the world throughout the coming year, we welcome the New Year with renewed enthusiasm and refreshed faith in the future." 

Due to this holiday service, the regular Thursday evening Inspirational Service has been cancelled.

January 1: The 3-Hour Meditation on Friday, January 1 has been cancelled, due to the New Year’s Day holiday.