Retreat Theme: Expansion Through Love - The Sai Way
You wear coloured glasses and see every-thing through those glasses. Correct your vision; the world will get corrected. Reform yourselves; the world will get reformed. You create the world of your choice. You see many, because you seek the many, not the One. Try to subsume the many in the One; the physical bodies of yourselves and others, the family, the village, the community, the state, the nation, the world. Thus progressively march on towards more and more inclusive loyalities and reach the stage of Unity, in thought, word and deed. This is the Sadhana of Love for, Love is expansion, inclusion, mutualisation. The individual has to be Universalised, expanded into-Vishwa-swaruupa!” -Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 15, April 13 th, 1981
What is Expansion looking through the“Sai- lens”? It is about opening our minds and thoughts, to be inclusive, to Everyone! It is about embedding into our daily life the universal teaching- Brotherhood of Man and Fatherhood of GOD, which includes and treats All as One. It encapsulates the principles of inclusivity, diversity of race, religion, caste, economic diversity and teaches man to Love All and Serve All!
Our goal during this Regional Retreat is to tune our minds to see and treat all with the same love and respect we have for Swami and His devotees. To practice this thought repeatedly and to incorporate and assimilate this mindful tactic or muscle memory into our system.
Guest Speakers
Sri S S Naganand lives in Bengaluru and is the second son of the Late Sri S G Sundaraswamy, an eminent Senior Advocate and former Advocate General of Karnataka who was a long-standing devotee of Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba as well as a member of the Council of Management of Sri Sathya Sai Trust Karnataka.
He completed his BCom degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce and obtained a Diplôme in French language and Civilization from Alliance Française in 1977. He passed LLB with three gold medals from Renukacharya College in 1980, and in the same year, qualified as a Chartered Accountant with a national merit rank to his credit.
He started practice as a Chartered Accountant in 1981 and later the same year as an advocate in his father’s chambers. He was designated Senior Advocate by the High Court of Karnataka in 2003. He appears regularly at the Supreme Court of India, International Arbitrations, in the High Courts of India, and in many tribunals in the areas of arbitration, constitutional law, infrastructure law, intellectual property law, company law, and taxation. In 2008 Mr. Naganand founded a law firm called Justlaw, which has offices in Bengaluru and New Delhi.
He is currently a Vice President of the Bar Association of India and LAWASIA. He was President of the Karnataka Section of the International Commission of Jurists. He is the Chairman of Maharani Lakshmi Ammani College Trust and a Trustee of Vedanta Bharati which publishes many books on Hindu philosophy and Samskruta Bharathi which propagates spoken Sanskrit. He is also a founder trustee of Sri Shankaracharya Vangmaya Seva Parishat, Ayodhya, and Ananda Jyana Vigyana Parishat Trust.
His first Darshan of Swami was in 1965. He was the youngest trustee appointed by Swami on the Sri Sathya Sai Medical Trust in the year 2000 and later a member of the Council of Management of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust. He is also a Trustee of Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust and Sri Sathya Sai Media Foundation and Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning Trust and a member of the Board of Management of SSSIHL.
Widely traveled and a linguist who is fluent in nine languages, he wrote an English commentary on Adi Shankaracharya’s Prashnottara Rathna Malika which was released in October 2017 in Bengaluru during the Soundarya Lahari Maha Samarpan graced by PM Sri Narendra Modi. He then wrote an English commentary on a concise version entitled Viveeka Deepinee which has been translated into ten Indian Languages and was released by the VP of India, Sri Venkaiah Naidu, in July 2019 in Delhi. He has also authored in 2021 a family story titled Story of the Clan – a legacy untold.
He has been happily married to Madhuri now for 43 years and the couple have been blessed with three daughters, all lawyers, and has 4 grandchildren. He was conferred with a special honor as a Living Legend in Law by the Bar Association Of India in December 2020. He is currently a member of the Executive Committee of Sri Sathya Sai Global Council as a nominee of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust.
Br.Shitu Chudasama has been a devotee of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba for over 40 years. He read History at London University and graduated in 1993 with a BA Honors degree. He went on to gain a Master’s degree and a postgraduate Law degree. He has worked in Asset management for the past 20 years and is a regular speaker and panelist at various Management conferences around the world.
He completed the Bal Vikas Program from Group 1 to Pre-Sevadal as it was called then, in the United Kingdom. In 1992, he was awarded the prestigious Frank Denning Scholarship by the London Borough to undertake research in Prasanti Nilayam on SSEHV. He spent a whole summer at Bhagawan’s Secondary School in Puttaparthi. He has been a frequent visitor to Prasanthi since the late 1980s when devotees used to sit on the sands.
Over the years, he has held numerous posts within the Sai Organisation in the UK and internationally. He was appointed by Bhagawan directly as the first International Youth Coordinator in 2007. Bhagawan instructed Shitu to travel around the world and conduct Zonal Youth Conferences and gave him one year to complete this mammoth task!
In UK, Shitu has held several senior National positions over the years and was appointed by Bhagawan directly as the National Council President in 2010. He was again appointed as National Council President in 2018. Shitu was also the National Youth Coordinator from 2003-2006.
Shitu has led several National Youth Pilgrimages to Prasanthi and in 2010, took 1,555 devotees from the UK to Prasanthi. He is also a former UK Trustee of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust of the United Kingdom.
In November 2005, he was invited to St James’s Palace to have a private audience with the late HRH Prince Philip to receive the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Certificate on behalf of the Sai Organisation and projects undertaken by the Sai Youth. In the Summer of 2006, Shitu and his wife Rita were invited by the late Queen Elizabeth II to attend the Queens’ Garden party at Buckingham in recognition of their services to the Youth in Great Britain.
In 2022, Shitu was appointed as the Central Coordinator for Zone 6 Europe.
Nishikant Barodekar was born in the Sai family & his Grandmother, the famous Vocalist Padmabhushan HIRABAI BARODEKAR had met SHIRDI BABA when she was a young girl. Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba had visited their home when Nishikant was a young boy & he has been visiting Puttaparthi since his birth. He started playing Tabla with Swamys guidance for BalVikas & other progs in His Immediate presence in Mumbai, Pune, Puttaparthi. He was most fortunate to get the supreme guidance of Tabla training from Ustad Allarakha & Ustad Zakir Hussain.
He started performing professionally from 1990 & has toured USA,CANADA, GERMANY, JAPAN, MIDDLE EAST, UK, FRANCE, SPAIN, MALAYSIA, HOLLAND, RUSSIA etc & at PUTTAPARTHI since 1994. He was very fortunate to perform for SWAMI in Private & public audiences numerous times. Besides performing and touring many top artists of our country, Swami personally instructed him to organise Music programmes & invite Artists for several occasions & Birthday Festivals at Puttaparthi for more than 2 decades.
He has served as a Sevadal & Prashanti Security personnel for more than 14 yrs & was blessed to receive many personal, family & group interviews with Bhagwan. He has been an active participant in the Prashanthi Bhajan Group since 1995. With Swami’S command he shifted to Puttaparthi in 2006 & was appointed as a Professor at the SSSIHL, Music College Puttapatthi. He has travelled, performed & has delivered speeches along with Swami, several times at Kodai Kanal, Chennai, Pune, Mumbai, Delhi, Shimla etc.
Ananth Srinivas joined the Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School in 2009 and after completing bachelors, masters, working as faculty for one year and then a Ph.D. (Mathematics), He came to US in 2022.
He was fortunate to join the Prasanthi Mandir Bhajan group under the Divine guidance in 2010, and have sung in the Sai Kulwant Hall since then. He was also blessed with opportunities to offer Harikatha, Burrakatha performances, and be a part of many music programs in the Divine Presence.
Currently, He is currently working as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, in the area of Computational Neurosciences.
Retreat Details
Please review the retreat information on the website before starting the registration.
- Every one attending the retreat must pre-register. There will be no walk-ins or onsite registration.
- Please use this form to register members of a single family. There are no charges for children below the age of 6, and discounted charges for SSSE children. However, ALL children must be registered.
- Payment for the registration can be made by a check or electronically using Zelle which is offered by most banks.
- For Zelle payments, the recipient name is “FORSAIINC”, payable email address is “rscnpo@gmail.com”. Make sure to add “SSSGC R3 Retreat”, your name, email address and phone number in the memo section of check or Zelle payment.
- If you are paying with a check, it should be made out to “Sri Sathya Sai Baba Center of Atlanta” and mailed the check to “4965 Tidewater Way, Alpharetta, GA – 30005.
- There is no refund for cancellation by devotees. Your funds will be used to support retreat expenses and regional Sai activities. However, if retreat is canceled because of COVID or other reasons, registration payment will be refunded.
- Early Registration deadline is May 6th and Final Registration closes on 15th May 2024. Your Registration is not complete until your payment has been received.
- Retreat Registration Fee:
- Adults (Ages 36 & above) – Before May 6th 2024 ($145) | After May 6th 2024 ($150)
- Young Adults (Ages 18 – 35) – Before May 6th 2024 ($108) | After May 6th 2024 ($115)
- SSSE Children (Ages 6-17) – Before May 6th 2024 ($92) | After May 6th 2024 ($100)
Retreat Program Schedule Timelines:
Friday May 24th 2024 – 05:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Saturday May 25th 2024 – 06:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Sunday May 26th 2024 – 06:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Monday May 27th 2024 – 06:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Morning
The morning Devotional Program starts at 6 a.m with Omkar (the chanting of Om 21 times) in the Devotion Hall followed by Suprabhatam (invoking the Lord of Parthi). A small group of selected devotees circumambulate the temple and Sai Baba’s room chanting Vedic verses, starting from Swami’s room. Simultaneously, Nagarsankeertan takes place: ladies and gents, in separate groups, walk around, almost following the Vedic chanters, singing devotional songs (Bhajans). After a warm and nourishing breakfast, the morning devotional program will continue with group Bhajans in the main hall, followed by inspirational discourses from our keynote speakers.
Afternoon
Spiritual workshops on topics related to the retreat theme and Swami’s teachings.
Evening
The evening devotional program will begin with group Bhajans in the main hall, followed by evening cultural program(s). We retire for the night with dinner
The Young Adult program will have special sessions with guest speakers, who will share their experience along with relevant topics that will captivate young adults. Additionally, there will be a bhajan jam session, interactive workshops as well as games/activities.
**Glimpses of Divinity – A beautiful skit by SSSE children to immerse all in the Divine Bliss.
**Pibare Rama Rasam – A melodious and soulful medley of songs and Bhajans of Shri Rama by SSSE children.
Engaging and Interactive Sai Value Based workshops for all groups.
1. Arts and Crafts
2. Rangoli and Garland making
3. Trivia and Games
4. My Sai and I workshop
5. Journey Back to Future- Creating Future leaders
6. Outdoor games such as Treasure hunt, beach volleyball, etc
7. Interactive discussions and Q & A with Guest speakers
8. Food serving Service opportunities
As part of Sri Sathya Sai Global Council Organization, we are committed to strengthening our community through service activities. Below are a list of service activities devotees attending the regional retreat can participate in.
Service Opportunity 1: Blood Donation Drive
We will host a blood drive with the American Red Cross on 5/25/24 from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the retreat location.
Blood is a perishable product that can only come from volunteer blood donors. With someone in the U.S. needing blood every two seconds, blood products must be constantly replenished. We urge devotees to donate blood and help ensure that patients in local hospitals have a supply of blood ready and waiting before an emergency occurs. There is no better feeling than knowing that your blood donation may give someone a second chance at life.
According to Red Cross, donors with all blood types are needed, especially those with types O (positive & negative), A negative and B negative. They will be termed as Power Red donors where only Red Blood Cells will be extracted.
We have 28 total open spots with 5 for Power Red donation and 23 for whole blood donation. In this blood drive, 16/17 year olds can also donate with a signed parent consent form. This blood drive is our way of giving Sai brothers and sisters an opportunity to help save lives. To determine if you are eligible to donate blood or for any questions regarding blood donation, you can reach out to the Red Cross directly at 1 800 RED CROSS (1 800 733 2767) and for FAQ, please refer to https://www.redcrossblood.org/faq.html.
Please sign up for blood donation directly by clicking the link.
Service Opportunity 2: Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity brings us together to build homes, communities and hope. For more information about the Habitat for Humanity mission and vision, please visit: https://www.habitatwake.org/about
Raleigh Sai Center has been volunteering with Habitat in Wake County for almost 10 years. On a typical volunteering day, our inter-faith group assembles at the home construction site at 8am on weekend mornings. Volunteers complete an orientation and safety overview and each group will be assigned to a manager who will lead them to their work site. The manager will explain to the work group the home building tasks to complete and train them as required. If a volunteer feels uncomfortable with a task or tool, they can ask for help or ask to be re-assigned for a different task. For more information about volunteering and FAQs, refer: https://www.habitatwake.org/volunteer-build-habitat-wake
Some feedback from Raleigh Sai Center Volunteers who have participated with Habitat for Humanity service projects:
“Volunteering with Habitat has been a wonderful experience. I have had the opportunity to work with dedicated volunteers from various faith groups and contribute towards building homes for low-income families in need. I had very little experience working with tools, installing fixtures like wall sidings or painting walls, but our manager explained the tasks with great detail and working together as a group made them fun and easy at the same time. It has also given me the confidence and the know-how to deal with any small-scale issues in my home if I am ever faced with one.
Moreover, I have been inspired by the sense of community fostered by the staff, volunteers and the eventual home-owners. I have worked with a couple of Habitat built home-owners who volunteered with us once. It was incredible to hear the gratitude, joy and enthusiasm they showed towards building other homes for the community. Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity has not only enriched my own life but has also reinforced my belief in the power of collective action to create positive change in the world.”
We’ll have two opportunities to be part of Habitat for Humanity service –
A – At the construction site – to assist with home construction.
B – At their ReStore location – to assist with stocking the shelves, unloading trucks, organizing the warehouse etc.
Devotees can sign up in the below form –
Construction site – https://habitatwake.volunteerhub.com/vv2/lp/SaiCenter/event/27898578-d70f-4c53-82ca-55bbe14ed987
ReStore location – https://habitatwake.volunteerhub.com/vv2/lp/SaiCenter/event/449309cd-a862-4a30-87f9-5d54823764fe
Please fill the below form once you’ve registered at the Habitat site. A member of Sai Service team will contact you for logistics.
Service Opportunity 3: Cary VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars)
We’ve got a section of property at the Cary Veterans of Foreign Wars post ( https://caryvfw7383.org/) that is covered in invasive species, which we plan to remove and chipped into mulch in the hopes of installing a tool shed and a tree storage area (these will be done at a later time). It’ll take a lot of manpower to trim and remove all of the vines and shrubs in the 1/2 acre property area. This project will require 30+ volunteers. All tools will be provided by VFW. You can sign up for this seva in the form below: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MVwhBNnoJubKoNQjQeb5woFmeJ4hOGIB66grdy0BiBg/edit#gid=1667559647
Service Opportunity 4: Fresh Fruit Brown Bag Service
The Cumberland County Council on Older Adults (https://www.ccccooa.org/) is a non-profit organization that support the needs of their county’s local aging population. They have partnered with Meals on Wheels who provide meals to homebound older adults who are unable to prepare meals for themselves nor have anyone able to provide meals for them. Though nutritious, the recipients get packaged food from this service. So the organization requested us to supply them with fresh fruits. As part of the service, we will pack 2 apples, 2 oranges and 1 pear in a brown bag and supply them along with packaged food. During the regional retreat, we are planning to provide 150 brown bags. We’ll do this service in the retreat location and deliver the bags later in the day. For this seva activity, we’ll need volunteers to sign up for bringing fruits as well as bag the fruits in a brown bag. Please sign up in the below form: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MVwhBNnoJubKoNQjQeb5woFmeJ4hOGIB66grdy0BiBg/edit#gid=2127405497
Service Opportunity 5: Park Cleanup
Raleigh Sai Center adopted Thomas Brook Park in Cary and performs park cleanup every quarter. As part of the service, we will get supplies from Town of Cary and collect trash and recyclables across park. Please sign up in the below form –
Service Opportunity 6: Baby Blankets
The mission of Baby Bundles NC is to offer a package of essential baby items and clothing to families facing financial difficulties in the Charlotte area, thereby contributing to a more positive start for their newborns. Baby Bundles collaborates with fifteen community agencies to identify eligible families, curates the bundles, and partners with agencies to distribute them to those in need.
Charlotte Sai center received about 100 fleece blankets which need to be prepared.
Volunteers will craft attractive designs on all four sides of the blankets by delicately cutting the fabric with scissors; sewing will not be required. More information about Baby Bundles can be found at https://www.babybundlesnc.org/ . Please sign up in the below form –
Smaller and interactive study circle style workshops are planned based on the retreat theme and covering areas of devotion, education and service.
Please click below:
We have the following accommodation options:
- Local Devotee accommodation (first come first serve, no cost)
- Hotel (negotiated rates + non negotiated hotel choices)
- Will arrange ourselves
Below are some Hotel Options if you would like to book:
Quality Inn & Suites RDU Airport
1001 Aerial Center Pkwy, Morrisville, NC 27560
Tel : 1-919-481-3600
https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/VC80F9
$75 Plus Tax per night
Airport pickup and drop offs are available.
Airports Nearby:
Raleigh, NC (5 Miles)
Greensboro, NC (85 Miles)
Charlotte, NC (162 Miles)
Coming Soon !!!!
Retreat Rules
The restrictions, rules and self-control are the royal roads leading to that goal of self- realization. They are not just to bind you, to limit or control you – Sathya Sai Baba.
This is a spiritual retreat. To ensure that all attendees can spiritually benefit from the Retreat, we require that everyone observe the following basic rules:
General Rules
Park only in the designated areas. Men and women will be seated separately for all activities. Do not undertake any independent workshops or group activity. Engaging in any commercial transaction is prohibited. Please note that pets are not allowed in the premises.
Dress Code Rules
Modest clothing, suitable for an Ashram, is required at all times. No shorts, miniskirts, or tight fitting clothes are allowed. Early morning and evenings can be cold so please come prepared with sweaters and shawls.
As children will take part in outdoor play activities, sneakers and comfortable play clothes are encouraged.
Behavior Rules
Smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages and possession of firearms, fireworks, and illegal substances are strictly prohibited.