Sangha Shantivanam
of Santa Cruz
Sangha meetings take place online or in person with an online option, according to the schedule below. It is updated regularly to add speakers or changes in topics, so please check back to confirm. The Zoom link and details for in-person locations are provided after the most recent schedule. It’s also helpful to download a copy of our prayer service, Word into Silence so that you can follow along with the chants and prayers. We look forward to having you join us!
Spring Schedule 2024
Book: Universal Wisdom: A Journey through the Sacred Wisdom of the World. Bede Griffiths.
(Available through Thrift Books, Abe, Amazon for under $7
January 21
Lectio-- Steven leader (Hybrid)
February 18
The Vedic Religion (pp 16 - 19)
March 10
The Wisdom of the Upanishads (pp 20 - 22)
Guest Teacher: Annapurna Pandey (Click button for details)
(Date changed from regular meeting on first Sunday of each month for this session)
Time: 3p - 4:30p
Liturgy: Ziggy
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March 17
The Revelation of a Personal God (pp 22 - 23)
Liturgy: Mary Sue
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April 7
No Sangha Meeting
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April 13
Sangha Shantivanam Santa Cruz Retreat
19th Ave and East Cliff Dr.
10 am - 3pm
Cost: $45.00
Checks to: Sangha Shantivanam
Send to
Radha Vignola
P.O. Box 1471
Santa Cruz, CA 95061
April 21
The Challenge of Buddhism (pp 23 - 25) and The Chinese Way (pp 25 - 28)
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May 5
The Monotheism of India (pp 28 - 30)
Liturgy: Mary Sue
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May 19
Semitic Monotheism (pp 30 - 31)
Jewish Mysticism-The Kabbala (pp 33 - 35)
Guest Teacher TBA
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June 2
Islam and Sufism (pp 31 - 33)
Liturgy: Sylvia
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June 23
The Holy Trinity and the Body of Christ (pp 35 - 43)
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July
No Scheduled Book Study or Liturgy Meetings
Fall Book Study will Resume in August
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July 27
Celebration Pot Luck
Appreciation and Gratitude for Long Term Members
Location: Sylvia and Jerry Deck Home
Time: 1 - 3 pm
For more info: contact marysue.babb@gmail.com
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Our events and meetings are zoom or hybrid. The Zoom link access is below: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84606443323?pwd=YXRud0I5UG80ZWVwV1pNNjFOOURGZz09
Meeting ID: 846 0644 3323
In Person gatherings are in the Holy Cross Parish Administration Building, in the Sangha Room and Room 106. The address is at 210 High Street in Santa Cruz, CA. Contact us (click on Donation button for contact information), and you will be added to the email list with instructions on accessing the rooms.)
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Please click on the PDF icon to download the Sangha prayer service.
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Fall Schedule 2023
Book Study: A Short History of Myth
by Karen Armstrong
September
September 17-
2:30 pm- Service Committee Meeting
4 pm- Chapter 1 and 2 ("What is a Myth" and "The Paleolithic Period) (Leader: Jane Dawson)
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October
October 1- Chapter 3 ("The Neolithic Period")
Leader and Liturgy: Mary Sue Babb
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October 15- Book Study topic deferred to November 5.
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November
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November 5- Chapter 4 and 5 ("The Axial Age" and
"The Early Civilizations")
Leader and Liturgy: Steven Hendrickson
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November 19- Chapter 6 ("The Abrahamic Religions"- "The Post Axial Age.")
Guest Speaker- Akindele Akiva Bankole
Liturgy- Ziggy Rendler-Bregman
**Meeting in Parish Hall or Room 106 (if Hall is needed)
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December
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December 3- Chapter 7 ("The Great Western Transformation.")
Leader- Mary Camille Thomas
Liturgy- Sylvia Deck
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December 17-- Potluck in Sangha Room
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December 31-- "20th Annual Interfaith Peace Vigil"
The Zoom link to the event is below.
Event flyer can be accessed here
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Summer Schedule 2023
July Schedule
July 9- Service Committee Meeting 2 pm (Zoom)
July 16 - Lectio Zoom (Elbina)
July 30- Lectio Zoom (Jane)
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August Schedule
August 4-6 New Camaldoli Hermitage Annual Retreat with Oblates and Friends
Aug 13- Lectio Zoom (Steven)
Aug 27- Lectio Zoom
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**Book Study resumes in September when we begin to study the Axial Consciousness with
Karen Armstrong's "A Short History of Myth"
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Spring and Early Summer
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February Book Study:
Eknath Easwaran translation The Bhagavagad Gita (1985)
February 5—Introduction to Bhavagad Gita Guest Speaker: Satyam Choudhuri (Zoom Meeting).
February 12- No Lectio
February 19- Chapters 1 and 2: Elbina Rafizadeh (Zoom meeting)
Themes: Detachment, Unitive Consciousness (Seeing self in others)
February 26- Lectio on Buddhist Sacred Text: Radha Vignola
Eight Verses Trail, Verse 5. (Land of Medicine Buddha.)
"When out of envy, others mistreat me with abuse, insults, or the like, I shall accept defeat and offer the victory to others."
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March Schedule
Easwaran: The Bhagavagad Gita
March 5- Chapters 3 and 4 Mary Thomas (Zoom)
March 12- Lectio TBD
March 19- Chapters 5 and 6 Guest Speaker: Premdas Rohan (Zoom)
Speaker Bio: Premdas Rohan teaches the Bhagavagad Gita and Yoga at Mt. Madonna Center. His background includes teaching Math and holds an M.A. in secondary education science from San Jose State University, a California clear teaching credential in mathematics, elementary (multiple subjects) and high school (single subject); and a B.A. with honors in mathematics from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
March 26: Lectio on Bhagavagad Gita (Steven Hendrickson: Leader)
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April Schedule
Easwaran The Bhagavagad Gita
April 2- Chapters 7 and 8 Jane Dawson (Zoom)
April 9- Easter Sunday
April 16- Chapters 9 and 10: Steven Hendrickson (Hybrid, Holy Cross Parish Administration Bldg, Sangha Room)
April 23- Lectio- No leader scheduled.
April 30- No meeting.
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May Schedule
Easwaran The Bhagavagad Gita
May 7- 2:30- Liturgy training offered by Ziggy Rendler-Bregman (Sangha room) .
3:30- Chapters 11 and 12 Premdas Rohan (Hybrid Sangha room)
May 21- Chapters 13 and 14 Guest Speaker: Tim Walsh (Hybrid Sangha room)
May 28- Lectio hybrid: Steven Hendrickson (Hybrid Sangha Room)
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June Schedule
Easwaran The Bhagavagad Gita
June 4- Chapters 15 and 16: Satyam Choudhuri (Zoom)
June 18- Chapters 17 and 18: Jane Dawson (Zoom-Final Study)
June 25- Lectio (Zoom)
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