“Dare to be free, dare to go as far as your thought leads, and dare to carry that out in your life. ”
“God is everywhere but He is most manifest in man. So serve man as God. That is as good as worshipping God.”
"As clouds are blown away by the wind, the thirst for material pleasures will be driven away by the utterance of the Lord's name."
The Vedanta Society of Portland, Oregon is an affiliated branch of the Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math, Howrah, India. The Center offers encouragement and guidance to spiritual seekers through lectures, readings, discussions, publications, rituals, Karma-yoga, and personal guidance based on Universal teachings of various scriptures and teachers by cultivating Self-knowledge building character. Yoga is promoted for physical well-being and the study of Sanskrit and Hindi is promoted for intellectual expansion.
Vedanta Society of Portland is maintaining a 289-acre beautiful forest sanctuary in Scappoose. It is dedicated to promoting Interfaith activities by maintaining shrines of various religions and by organizing Interfaith meetings inviting religious leaders from various streams. This beautiful, pristine forest was developed by a band of dedicated volunteers on a parcel of clear-cut land of 120 acres. It is open to the general public to enjoy the peace and beauty of this hallowed place. It takes a lot of resources to maintain its trails and shrines. Support from generous public and benevolent institutions will be appreciated and acknowledged. We are happy to inform that the adjacent 169 acres landed property has also been added to the Vedanta Retreat on March 17, 2020.
The city of Portland is situated between snow-clad Mt. Hood and the Pacific Ocean and at the confluence of two perennial rivers - the Willamette and the Columbia. It is the largest city in the state of Oregon, the seat of Multnomah County in the Pacific Northwest, and situated at about 45.52 latitude and - 122.68 longitude.
The Center was established in the year 1925 by Swami Prabhavananda and gradually developed into its present stature by the efforts of many illustrious monks and devotees such as Swamis Devatmananda and Aseshananda.
The Center offers encouragement and guidance to spiritual seekers through lectures, readings, discussions, publications, and personal interviews.
What is Vedanta?
Vedanta is the essence or the gist of knowledge enshrined in the Vedas, the sacred and the most ancient scriptures of India. These scriptures were revealed to pure-hearted seers (Rishis). It is the broadest religious philosophy and universal way of living.
Vedanta and Hinduism: Vedanta is the philosophical foundation of Hinduism. While Hinduism includes aspects of Indian culture, Vedanta is universal in its application and is equally relevant to all countries, all cultures, and all religious backgrounds. Vedanta affirms-
1. The unity of Existence,
2. The divinity of all individual Selves (Souls),
3. The harmony of all religions and the basis of all ways of life.
4. The Ultimate Reality is the source and cause of the whole existence.
5. This Reality is all-pervading, Uncreated, self-luminous, eternal, and the final cause of the universe. It is the only Truth behind all tangible and intangible, sentient and non-sentient, animate and inanimate. Does it mean it is beyond our reach? No. He is present within our hearts.
Essential Teachings: According to Swami Vivekananda - "Each soul is potentially divine, the goal is to manifest this divinity within by controlling nature: external and internal. Do this either by work, or worship, or psychic control, or philosophy -- by one, or more, or all these -- and be free. This is the whole of religion. Doctrines, or dogmas, or rituals, or books, or temples, or forms, are but secondary details."
Our birthright: Everyone can and should experience God as tangibly as ‘a fruit lying on the palm of one's own hand’ because that is his Real identity. To be perfect, one’s higher nature is to be manifested by conquering the lower nature borne out of one’s desires for worldly objects. By getting rid of these desires which cling to one’s heart, a mortal becomes immortal in this very life. Through the experience of God, one's doubts about oneself disappear totally, the 'knots of the heart are cut asunder’ and he achieves immortality. The attainment of immortality is not the prerogative of a chosen few, but the birthright of all. This is the conviction of every follower of Vedanta.
Realization is essential: From the religious standpoint Advaita Vedanta is monotheistic and from the philosophical standpoint it is Non-dualistic. Additionally, it admits all other views such as Qualified Non-dualism, Dualism, etc. According to Vedanta, religion is experiential and not mere acceptance of certain time-honored dogmas, doctrines, or creeds. To know God is to be one with Him. One may study scriptures, engage in rituals, perform social services, or pray with regularity, yet, unless one is lifted to the Divine awareness in one’s own heart, he/she is still a phenomenal being and a victim of distorted identity.
Unity in diversity: The Vedanta philosophy asserts that God, the individual Self, and this seemingly diverse universe are essentially one. The apparent distinctions are being created by names and forms which do not exist when seen from the Ultimate standpoint. According to Vedanta, Existence is non-dual and Truth is universal. Therefore, all religions and all isms (Dualism, Qualified non-dualism, and Non-dualism) are so many paths to reach the Supreme Goal and are true. Accordingly, various deities of the different faiths are in fact diverse manifestations of the same God. In modern times Sri Ramakrishna, a God-Man from India realized these truths in His own life by practicing various paths one by one and taught the world through His disciples.
The following services will be available at the Vedanta Temple, Portland
in person and online at https://tinyurl.com/vedantaPdxZoom.
Sundays at 11 a.m. Bhagavad-Gita
Thursdays at 7:35 p.m. Vivekachudamani
Fridays at 7:35 p.m. Sri Ramakrishna and His Divine Play
No Class on September 29, 30 and October 2, 2022 due to Durga Puja (worship of the Divine Mother)
Youth Programs
Sundays: 8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Veda Chanting and singing of Bhajans
Upcoming Special Events
Sri Durga Puja: October 2 2022 at 9 am,
Sri Lakshmi Puja: October 9 2022 at 9 am
Sri Kali Puja: October 24 2022 at 6 pm
All are welcome (Musk required)
Daily Hours 7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Morning Worship and Meditation Every day from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Evening prayers, and Meditation: Everyday from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
(Singing songs, readings from the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, and meditation)
Sundays: singing Rama-Nama after Vesper
Other Weekly Programs
1st Saturday - 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. (April - October) Karma Yoga by the Friends of Vedanta Retreat
2nd Saturday - 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Karma Yoga Vedanta Temple, Portland
3rd Saturday - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (TBA) Antar Yoga at the Vedanta Retreat, Scappoose
4th Saturday - 10 a.m. to 1 pm - Awakening Vedantin
5th Saturday* - 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. (TBA) Open Devotional Music session in Holy Mother's House Other functions
*occasional/to be announced
The Vedanta Temple of Harmony at Vedanta Retreat, 23000 Gilkison Rd, Scappoose OR
Midday service: 11 a.m. - 12:00 noon. Performed on Mondays and Wednesdays
First Saturdays: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. (April - October) Karma Yoga by the Friends of Vedanta Retreat
The Vedanta Retreat is open from dawn to dusk. There is no need to obtain prior permission to visit it. Please browse the Retreat section for your other questions and important information. If you are visiting the Retreat, please park your vehicle on Gilkison Road. Please do not block the two gated fire lanes at any time. Please be contemplative and do not bring pets.
Please click and watch a video of various trails and shrines.
All sincere seekers are cordially welcome to participate in our programs. There is no need of obtaining prior permission to attend our programs.
A newcomer who is interested to know more about Vedantic way of life should seek an appointment with the minister between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. or between 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., on weekdays. Please write an email and give 2/3 options.
Please park your vehicle at the SW side of the Vedanta Temple.
Please visit the following websites
For Audio lectures of Swami Aseshananda Maharaj
https://soundcloud.com/user-350874388
For Videos https://www.vedanta-portland.org/video
For Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/vedantasocietyportland/ https://www.facebook.com/vedantaretreatscappoose/
http://www.vedantawritings.com/SwAseshananda.htm.
Swami Chandrashekharananda and Swami Aparananda
The Vedanta Society of Portland, Oregon is an affiliated branch of the Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math, Howrah, India. The Center offers encouragement and guidance to spiritual seekers through lectures, readings, discussions, publications, rituals, Karma yoga, and personal guidance based on Universal teachings of various scriptures and teachers by cultivating Self-knowledge building character.
What is Vedanta?
Vedanta is the essence or the gist of knowledge enshrined in the Vedas, the sacred and the most ancient scriptures of India. These scriptures were revealed to pure hearted seers (Rishis). It is the broadest religious philosophy and universal way of living.
Method: Whatever we are today it is due to the effect of our past actions and accumulated impressions about us. Our actions were inspired by our thoughts and beliefs.
The Vedanta Society of Portland, Oregon is an affiliated branch of the Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math, Howrah, India. The Center offers encouragement and guidance to spiritual seekers through lectures, readings, discussions, publications, rituals, Karma yoga, and personal guidance based on Universal teachings of various scriptures and teachers by cultivating Self-knowledge building character
From Belur Math
Blooming Lotus of Humanity: Documentary on Ramakrishna Mission