The Center Of Rational Spirituality

EDUCATION - TO HELP PEOPLE IN TODAY'S SOCIETY AWAKEN TO THEIR INHERENT SPIRITUALITY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY TEACHING PROPER MEDITATION AND INTEGRATING ANCIENT SPIRITUAL WISDOM WITH MODERN RATIONAL THOUGHT.

WE PROVIDED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, INSTRUCTION, GUIDANCE, AND OVERSIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING: REMOTE COURSES AND RETREATS. VISITORS TO THE VISITOR CENTER: APPROX. 13,000 VISITS TO OUR WEBSITES AVERAGED 5,000 PER MONTH VISITS TO MICHAEL MAMAS' BLOG AVERAGED 280 PER MONTH VISITS TO MEDITATION INSTRUCTION PAGE AVERAGED 220 PER MONTH

DR. MAMAS CONTINUED HIS SECOND YEAR OF WEEKLY PODCASTS. PANDIT PRASAD WAS ABLE TO REOPEN THE TEMPLE TO THE PUBLIC. HE CONTINUED HIS DAILY, WEEKLY, MONTHLY AND ANNUAL CEREMONIES ON THE SAME SCHEDULE AS USUAL THOUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, KEEPING THE PUBLIC AT BAY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS. THE STUDENT UNION WAS INVOLVED IN RESTRUCTURING OF PERSONEL FROM AN ALL VOLUNTEER STAFF TO ALMOST ALL PAID STAFF FOLLOWING THE COVID PANDEMIC. IT WAS A DIFFICULT TRANSITION TO ACQUIRE HELP THAT WAS IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR FOCUS, VISION, AND PURPOSE. THE TRANSITION REQUIRED ADDITIONAL EFFORT AND TIME AROUND TRAINING OF NEW STAFF. THE MAINTENANCE CREW KEPT UP WITH THE LANDSCAPING AND STAINING NEEDS FOR THE DECKS AT THE STUDENT UNION AND YAGYASHALA, MAINTAINING THE STUDENT UNION, UPPER AND LOWER LEVELS, THE VISITOR CENTER, COTTAGES AND TEMPLE. WE STARTED THE PROCESS OF LOOKING INTO AN ONLINE RESERVATION SYSTEM. THE MOUNTAIN VIEW ROOM AT THE VISITOR CENTER WAS TURNED INTO A HOSPITALITY SUITE FOR THE VISITORS. IT IS OPEN FROM 9:00 TO 5:00 EVERY DAY AND IS NOT STAFFED. VISITORS ARE NOW ABLE TO HAVE A SPACE TO THEMSELVES OUT OF THE ELEMENTS TO PICNIC, SOCIALIZE AND REST ON COUCHES. ALSO AN INTERNET AREA WITH DESK FOR THEIR CONVENIENCE. WE CONTINUED MEETING WITH HAYWOOD COUNTY AND INITIATED STEPS TO QUALIFY OUR ROAD SYSTEM TO BE TURNED OVER TO THE COUNTY FORM MAINTENANCE. A VARIETY OF EVENTS WERE CARRIED OUT BY THE TEMPLE WHICH SUPPORTED CULTURAL INTEGRITY AND HARMONY, INCLUDING ANNUAL EVENTS SUCH AS MAHASHIVARATRI, TOLI EKADASHI, GURU PURNIMA, SHRAVAN MAAS, KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI, GANESH CHATURTHI, SHARAD NAVARATRI-DUSSEHRA, DIWALI, ANNAKOOT, KAARTHIKA MAAS, TO NAME A FEW. MONTHLY EVENTS SUCH AS GOWRI TRITIYA, HAVAN FOR SARVADEVATAS, KARTHIKEYA PUJA, PRADOSHAM, SANKATAHARA CHATURTHI AND SATYANARAYANA PUJA ALONG WITH THE DAILY EVENTS, ARCHANA, RUDRABHISHEKAM AND AARATHI.