CTW: Vedic Perspective on Gender Differences

Having understood in the previous sessions about gender differences at the physical and psychological level, we will attempt to understand through the philosophical world of the Vedas and the cultural world that is based upon it .At the end of this session we will be able to appreciate how the difference in the psycho-physical natures of men and women is thoroughly understood and acknowledged in the Vedic Culture. We will go through the following topics:

• What is the Vedic definition of intelligence?
• Purusha and Prakriti and its Imitation in the Material world
• Different egos, different bodies, different psychophysical natures- strengths and weaknesses
• The Breakdown of Dharma and how it impacts women
• A Woman's Spiritual Nature 

Taking into account the differences- the society is designed to engage men and women in their areas of strength in a manner in which they can complement each other.

• Varnashrama - the culture of protection and inclusion for the growth of spiritual consciousness

Also, many times we have read in the Bhagavatam and Bhagavad Gita that "Women are less intelligent" at the same time we read several examples right from the Bhagavatam about how a "Good wife means Good intelligence" and she increases the family's engagement in devotional service.Understanding the points above will also help us reconcile these opposites.

CTW: Appreciating Gender Differences

Today we will go through various studies to understand and appreciate Gender Differences between men and women. Our Creator - Lord Sri Krishna is Supremely wonderful. Understanding Gender differences is a great way to appreciate His creation and the thought behind it as well.

Men and Women have been created differently right from their physiology, to how they process information, to how they experience and express emotions all perfectly created to suit the role of being a man for men and for being a woman for women.

We will go through the data present in these links below:

CTW: Appreciating Gender Differences: Physiology

CTW: Appreciating Gender Differences: Social Behavior and Abilities

CTW: Appreciating Gender Differences: Emotions

CTW: Appreciating Gender Differences: Strengths and Weaknesses for men and women

We will also discuss how this difference in physiology affects decision making - we will see this from examples in shastra of Sita Devi, Sati and some other examples.

Celebrating True Womanhood(CTW)First Things First

Thank you all for making the choice to participate in this engaging discussion of "Celebrating True Womanhood". We are engaging in this dialog amongst the woman devotees of the seattle congregation- together we can understand these things, share our views and inculcate together the qualities of womanhood for ourselves and for the future generations.

As participants to the conference call we all are in agreement with the following:

• I am going to hear with an open mind

• Some of us may have had very difficult experiences at the hands of male authority or female authority in our lives- they may have abused their power and used the tenets of vedic wisdom about woman in a way that suits them. That would have brought about great anger in our minds and hearts . Some of us may still have vestiges of the same in our hearts. Every time we hear anything about "Women are subservient to men", "woman need to be protected" etc "woman must serve the husband, inlaws" our difficult past experiences come to haunt us, the anger comes forth. We are so overtaken by our experience that we block any good new information coming our way.
• We may criticize the standards - we push back, because we do not want to go through those difficult experiences again.. we either criticize the standards or never fully accept them
• From acceptance comes transformation
• I accept my conditioning
• On the other hand some of us maybe very attracted to standards- we hear and we want to immediately apply. some of us maye absolutely fine in picking up and applying new information while for some others there may can be sheer fatigue of acting at a platform they we are not at.
• In order to make progress towards the goal it is important to be compassionately aware of our conditioning and how far we are from the ideal state. This enables us to take a stepwise approach towards growth for the latter category.
• I am only competing with myself - my own last victory to become more in sync with my unique psychophysical nature and be of greater service to Lord Krishna. 
• I will work only on myself without having the expectation that someone else will change
• This call is not a place for male bashing, in laws bashing and feminists :)

Celebrating True Womanhood- starting Thursday Oct 17th over Conf/SKYPE 11:30am to 12:30pm

What it is to be a woman was not something we learned in a formal setting. It was something we picked up from observing our mothers, aunts and other ladies who touched our lives. They had picked their lessons from their mothers and aunts. In course of time the treasure of true womanhood has fast vaporized as the culture of all societies is changing from spiritual to material. Certain feminine virtues that were upheld even as close to a decade ago are now considered backward, orthodox and archaic. It can be very confusing to be a spiritual woman in these times as the spiritual and material cultures are diametrically opposite for they are based on opposite ideals. 

It is with great pleasure we invite all women to transforming discussions on the topic "Celebrating True Womanhood" . We will discuss over 9 to 10 sessions every thursday 11:30am to 12:30pm:

*The Nature of a Woman
*Appreciating Gender Differences
*The Vedic Society -Spiritual Culture- The Goal
*The Vedic Society -The Four Social Orders and the Four Social Classes
*The Vedic Society - The purpose of Marriage
*Women as Worshipable Mothers
*Other Aspects of a Woman's Role
*Understanding what other religions have to say about womanhood
*Functioning in Kali Yuga as a woman in the Bhakti tradition - bridging the gap between sastra and reality
*The gap between my consciousness and the consciousness of true womanhood
*Raising our boys and girls

It is important that we reconnect with the spiritual culture explained by the Gurus and acaryas, through the Bhagavad Gita As it Is and Srimad Bhagavatam. When we understand the goal and values of such a culture and how each person's individuality was properly engaged so that they could advance spiritually, we will come to appreciate a woman's role in the spiritual sense.

Each one of you is important to your family and society. Please join us, to deepen our understanding of the importance our role as a woman and Celebrate True Womanhood!!!

Please register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1FF6Sz-d90hciRSXCeyPFDpXVcjv3gKA2D2Hbjigp_BY/viewform

Conf call details:
Dial-in Number: 1-213-342-3000 (West Coast)
Organizer Access Code: *2094581 (you must include the leading star key)
Participant Access Code 8016560

Skype Details:
Call me on navkishori.rns - I will add you.

The other Gopis want to know what it is about Smt Radharani that makes her so dear to Krishna

Sakhi Sanga Weekly Meetings

Vedic University Presents

SakhiSanga

Weekly ladies mid-day meetings:

- 9 session Discover Yourself course

- fun games - self care

- yoga - henna

- kirtans, devotional arts and lots of warmth!

 

Monday mid-day sessions , January 28th, Timings: 11:00am to 12:30pm
Venue:Bellevue@Foothill Commons
Note slight change in Venue:

852 136th Ave NE Apt 5-101
Bellevue, WA -98005
from the leasing office go west towards the dead end of the complex and you will see BLDG 5 around the corner

13702 ne 9th place Apt 11307,Bellevue WA 98075

Let us know if you need free child care.

Questions? info@vedicuniversity.net ,Follow us on : sakhisanga.blogspot.com
Ekta Gupta: 425 947 5724(H),425 753 3656(C)
Navakishori dd: 425 996 7079(H),425 894 2140(C)