Hindu Students Council

Report 2005-2006

http://hindu.stanford.edu

Science and Spirituality

• Modern religion must incorporate science and must be open to questioning

• Create opportunities for scientific exploration of spirituality and religion

Universalism

• We accept all – right, left, middle, center, etc..

• We focus on spiritual events that bring people closer

Interfaith

Leadership role in organizing interfaith events

GANDHI JAYANTIOct 2, 2005

Interfaith event. We presented a montage on Gandhi’s life and times, followed by songs, dances, talks on Gandhi and Social Reform, Gandhi and Buddhism, Gandhi and Baha’i,

Gandhi and Christianity, Gandhi and Non-Coercive Societies (Prof Ron Howard) and Gandhi’s Legacy.

Program Slides: http://www.stanford.edu/group/hsc/gandhi/Gandhi%20Jayanti%20-%20Sunday%20-%20final.ppt

Stanford Daily covered the event

http://daily.stanford.org/tempo?page=content&id=17937&repository=0001_article

Gandhi Jayanti 2006

Coverage by Stanford DailySwami from SF’s Vendanta Society speaks on forging unity

among faithsApril 17, 2006

By Amna Aziz

“Mankind ought to be taught that religions are but the varied expressions of The Religion, which is Oneness, so that each may choose the path that suits him best.” These words, thundered by Swami Vivekananda at the 1893 World Parliament of Religions in Chicago, paralleled the atmosphere of a multi-faith event at Stanford on Saturday celebrating his life. Swami Vivekananda is universally regarded as a patriot saint of modern India.

Coverage by Stanford DailySwami from SF’s Vendanta Society speaks on forging unity

among faithsApril 17, 2006

By Amna Aziz

Saturday’s event featured music, dancing and lectures to promote awareness about Swami Vivekananda’s life. The speakers, including Swami Vedananda from the Vedanta Society of San Francisco, focused mainly on the concepts of detachment and unity within faith. Religions represented include the Baha’i faith, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism.

Diwali Puja

Oct 7, 2005

Prabha Durneja, a scholar in Hinduism, led the community through Diwali Puja. The worship was inclusive with the audience participating, and the scholar explained each step in English.

A Bharatnatyam dance specially choreographed for the festival was performed.

Overhaul of HSC Activities

Brainstorm on our relevance to the community

1. Started Satsangs – regular weekly community worship sessions at the Prayer Room (each Saturday)

2. Redesigned our website to be simple and easily navigable – http://hindu.stanford.edu

3. Continued and redesigned classes on

i. Practical Spirituality

ii. Hatha Yoga

SHIVRATRI SATSANG

Mar 05, 2006

VIVEKANANDA JAYANTI

Apr 15, 2006

Vivekananda Jayanti

• Interfaith event to celebrate Swami Vivekananda’s contribution at the World Parliament of Religions, Chicago, 1893

• Speakers from most major traditions – Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Baha’i and Buddhism – on the theme “How does spirituality translate into action in our tradition?”

• Song and Dance performance• Swami Vedananda from the Vedanta society gave the

keynote address• Coverage in the Stanford Dailyhttp://daily.stanford.edu/tempo?page=content&id=20065&repository=0001_article

OLEMA RETREAT

@ Vedanta Society

Organized by the Stanford Hindu Students Council

Apr 28-Apr 30, 2006

SPRING SPEAKER SERIES

Lessons from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata

Chinna Jeeyar Swami, head of the

Vishishtadvaita tradition of Hinduism, gave

us a talk. Format provided for an hour of

Q&A.

Our Classes

The HSC now offers two classes regularly each quarter.

Practical Spirituality focuses on one yoga each quarter – Karma, Gyana and Raja. Swami Vedananda of the Vedanta Society leads us in a group study and discussion.

Ashtanga Yoga used to be a part of Practical Spirituality and has been extracted into it’s own class due to popular demand. We now have two experienced instructors and a growing community of practitioners, and are indebted to the Jewish community for giving us a space.