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In This Issue:   Join our mailing list and receive a free copy of our "Transformation" newsletter, and periodic information about retreats and classes. *privacy guaranteed Click button to: Monthly Essay: "I am The Gambling of the Gambler"     New - Transformation: "Archives"     New - Yoga Science In Brief How American Meditation Benefits You Sages Speak AMI Yearly Memberships 2004 Weekend Retreats Classes, Workshops & Special Events Important Messages Questions and Answers Tell a Friend About Meditation Sign-up for this newsletter YOGA SCIENCE        IN BRIEF   Tina Turner to Star as Shakti--The Creative Feminine Energy Singer and long-time meditator Tina Turner has signed to play the lead role of Shakti in the new Merchant-Ivory movie entitled, The Goddess (to be filmed in 2005). "The cosmic energy of Shakti attracted me to this film. To me, it signifies new energy, new abilities and new beginnings." With this film, the 64-year-old Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock), returns to acting and to a new beginning of her own. Merchant knew Turner was the best choice for Shakti after seeing one of her performances at Radio City Music Hall in New York. "She was suspended over the audience and had them totally mesmerized. I immediately felt the spiritual connection: that's Shakti," says Merchant. "There will be no high heels or short skirts in this film," jokes Turner. "I want to reinvent myself, and this movie will help me do that. The Goddess is about truth, knowledge, energy and spirituality." A Really Weil Prediction Meditate for College Credit This fall, the College of St. Rose will become one of the few visionary institutions of higher learning to offer a credit course on Yoga and Meditation. The idea for the class came from associate professor of philosophy, Laura Weed, and will be taught by AMI founder Leonard Perlmutter. High Flying Meditators The Indian airliner, Air Sahara, has recently introduced meditation classes on flights to help passengers use their flight time to relieve stress. The 20-minute meditation sessions will be held on flights between major Indian cities.         Richard Gere on Meditation Actor Richard Gere has been meditating for almost 30 years. For him, "Meditation has been a gradual process that teaches the mind to become familiar with another way of seeing things. Through daily meditation you see a gradual opening of the heart and loosening of the bonds of egocentricity and a gradual movement towards altruism. The world you see changes as your mind changes and that sweet taste begins to intoxicate your being, your mind, your actions, your thoughts and your feelings." Mind-Body Pioneer in Albany Dr. Herbert Benson, a Harvard University professor and president of the Mind/Body Medical Institute in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, spoke recently in Albany. Dr. Benson claims that in his clinical experience, about 60 to 70 percent of those who begin a meditation practice primarily for medical reasons (sometimes at the recommendation of their doctor) are able to maintain an ongoing practice. In his pioneering book, The Relaxation Response, Dr. Benson maintains that ten minutes of meditation a day could counteract the harmful effects of stress, such as high blood pressure and strokes.       Practice, Practice, Practice The benefits of a regular meditation practice can be compared to the process of boiling water. To boil water, you need to fill a kettle with water, place the kettle on a stove and turn on the heat. If, for whatever reason, the heat is alternately turned "off" and "on," the water will never boil. In the same way, if you are not consistent with your daily meditation practice, your mind will not become one-pointed. Only a concentrated mind can experience the full range of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual benefits from meditation. In his new book, "Breathing: The Master Key to Self Healing," Dr. Andrew Weil claims that breathing exercises can lead to increased energy, lower blood pressure, improved circulation and reduced anxiety. "I think that the integrative medicine movement is poised to become mainstream," Dr. Weil claims. As for meditation, he "would love to see meditation taught from kindergarten on up." Meditation in Hospitals According to the Chicago Daily Herald, Marianjoy Rehabilitati- on Hospital in Wheaton, Illinois, regularly uses both meditation and hatha yoga to accelerate patient recovery. Under the guidance of Dr. Gouri Chaudhuri, stroke patients who meditate have shortened their hospital stay by four days and reduced sleep medication by 45 percent. Functions such as bladder control, speech and muscle movement also improved.   More Men Doing Yoga According to Newsweek magazine, men now make up 23 percent of America's 15 million yoga enthusiasts. Men are discovering that hatha yoga builds strength-not the brute strength of a power lifter but the tensile strength of a martial-arts master. Professional football player Eddie George credits yoga for his endurance. "As a running back I end up being pinned in some awkward positions. I thought if yoga makes me more flexible, I'd be less likely to get hurt." And the strategy is working: he hasn't missed a game due to injury in his seven seasons.  Top   I AM THE GAMBLING OF THE GAMBLER Seeing the Oneness Underlying the Many   Actor Walter Matthau, a self-professed compulsive gambler, once admitted that "the charm of gambling is neither in the winning nor the losing. The real rush," he claimed, "is in the gamble." And of course he was right. Yoga science would say that people don't go to Saratoga or Las Vegas to make money or even to enjoy the thrill of winning. Rather, in surrendering to the gamble they are, in truth, seeking the unbounded happiness that is the Supreme Reality. That's why in the Bhagavad Gita, the Lord--in the form of Krishna--states to his beloved disciple Arjuna that, "I am the gambling of the gambler." For the Lord to make such a statement may at first seem to be at odds with our notion of what is spiritual. But upon closer examination it's like a story we once heard. One night a man was seen crawling on his hands and knees under a streetlight looking for his lost ring. A passerby offered to help, then asked the man if this were the right spot. The answer was "No. I actually lost the ring farther down the street." Why then was the man looking under the corner streetlight for a ring he had lost somewhere down the block? His answer was quite revealing: "Because the light is better here." Every human being wants to find lasting happiness in life, but until we direct the search within ourselves, every external promise will continue to leave us unfulfilled and continually chasing after rainbows. This perennial search for happiness is especially poignant now, in these uncertain times. With each passing day, the evidence mounts: 9-11 has changed our world. The stream of wartime images and news of unthinkable atrocities that bombard us everyday can sadden, anger and exhaust us. So how can we not only cope, but actually find true peace and lasting happiness? Like the sages, we need to find a quiet refuge--one that both gives us relief in the moment and also provides us the wisdom from which to act skillfully so that we can appreciate, enjoy and creatively contribute to life. For many people, the historic racecourse in Saratoga Springs is the summer place to be. For just an afternoon visit or a week-long pilgrimage, Saratoga provides a great vacation spot: bright sunny days, elegant dining, well-manicured golf courses, therapeutic spas, the finest thoroughbred horses and a who's who of celebrities from around the world. But, as enjoyable as the time away may be, the weight of the world comes rushing back when we return home. No doubt, this kind of vacation is fun and relaxing, but it's limited in what it can offer. For that reason, and because these times have become so challenging, Jenness and I feel increasingly grateful for our meditation practice. Instead of climbing out of bed and running headlong into the whirlpool of whatever life is handing out, we sit down for a half hour or so of meditation to get a good start on the day. In meditation we take a daily vacation from the powerful thoughts, emotions, memories, imaginations, expectations and judgments constantly vying for our attention. And that experience changes our entire outlook. As concentration on the mantra deepens, the body and mind miraculously seem to fall away. In that stillness we experience the unity of all life and a peacefulness that is beyond the descriptive power of words. Then, as a result of our meditation, we are prepared to go out into the world--centered in the fullness of the Divine Reality within and equipped with all the energy, security and creativity the day is likely to demand of us. Without some direct experience of the unity of all life, we condemn ourselves to remaining separate from everything and everyone we perceive. This dualistic delusion of "other-ness" assures an unbreakable bondage to our likes and dislikes. Eventually this divisiveness invites fear, and fear always invites danger. Ordinary human beings see many diverse forms of the Divine--such as the sun, moon and stars, and all the earthly aspects of manifestation. Unfortunately, most do not yet see the Oneness underlying the many names and forms. Why is it so important to be aware of the infinite nature of the Supreme Reality? By seeing the unity in the apparent diversity, we become free of our personal limitations and skillful in dealing with the limitations of "others." We learn to be patient, sympathetic and loving with our neighbors instead of being angry, selfish and resentful. Why does this happen? Because we come to recognize our neighbors as our Self--an integral part of the One Divine Reality. The heart and science of yoga™ comes down to this: transforming our old debilitating habits and viewpoints into new, healthy ones. As St. Teresa of Avila puts it, it means living in a world without darkness. When we become aware of the unity of all life and see nothing but the Divine Reality wherever we look--even in the gambling of the gambler--our patience and respect naturally embrace those who take our side, as well as those who are against us. When we separate ourselves from the whole by allowing our likes and dislikes, expectations and judgments, to rule our actions, however, we miss the instructive teaching of this life, lose our footing and postpone the happiness we seek. Only by swimming against the tide of our unexamined habits can we truly grow as human beings and fully enjoy life. Our daily meditation practice shows us clearly that while we have no control over what comes to us, we always have control over how we respond. When we recognize our own true Self as none other than the Divine One, we gain the courage to gamble our lives on Its intuitive, perfect wisdom. Once freed of our own limitations, every relationship and circumstance--whether pleasant or unpleasant--is seen as an opportunity for happiness. By serving our own perfect wisdom in thought, word and deed, every relationship becomes a means to end our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual dis-ease. Of course the sages know through personal experience that gambling on your Self represents no gamble at all. On the contrary, the sages promise, "it's really a sure thing."   In service - with Love Leonard and Jenness Perlmutter In service - with love, Leonard Perlmutter & Jenness Cortez Perlmutter.   Top Sages Speak   The supreme Spirit, unlimited by time and space, of His own will and by the power of His omnipotence, takes upon Himself the limited forms of time and space. Know that the world, although appearing as substantial, has nothing substantial in it. It is a void, being merely an appearance created by the images and vagaries of the mind. Know the world to be an enchanted scene, presented by the magic of maya. Yoga Vasishtha He is a knower of the Self to whom the ideas of "me" and "mine" have become quite meaningless. Shankaracharya The Self is never born, nor does it die, nor after once having been, does it go into non-being. The Self is unborn, eternal and changeless. It is never destroyed even when the body is destroyed. Bhagavad Gita All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts and made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him like a shadow that never leaves him. Compassionate Buddha God is the vast Self-awareness, or consciousness, that is the subtle essence of all things. The whole universe is an expression of the vitality of this consciousness, a subtle pulsation that interacts with itself. Through various stages of increasing contraction and density, this pure, undifferentiated awareness expresses itself as individual conscious events. It is here that the sense of "I" begins. Each "I," like a spiral current in the energy of Life, becomes conscious of itself, or self-aware. It comes to perceive itself as separate and distinct from the surrounding atmosphere and becomes aware of the other "I"s around it. Here begins our sense of ego. Swami Chetanananda   The ego is nothing but memory, a set of definitions which are limiting. You strongly believe in these patterns you have yourself brought about and you mechanically repeat them. It is only habit that maintains them, makes them seem permanent. Let them go once and for all. Jean Klein   We sit in the ego with all its limitations as in a prison and we do not know that we are prisoners, for we identify ourselves with it and bind ourselves by those very limitations. It is there and it has to be there, but it need not be there to imprison us or to narrow our outlook. The ego imprisons us, for instance, with its memories which keep us steeped in the past when the wisdom of the spirit is to live in the eternal now--which is all we have in reality and which alone is real, for neither past nor future possess any reality. Paul Brunton   I don't think any sensitive person can be satisfied with having fun, no matter how much of it we may cram into our lives. Our need is not for pleasure but for joy--a deep sense of fulfillment that not only never leaves us but actually increases with the passage of time. Fun is living for ourselves; joy comes from living for others, giving our time and love to a purpose greater than ourselves. Eknath Easwaran   Meditation is the eye that sees the Truth, the heart that feels the Truth and the soul that realizes the Truth. Sri Chinmoy Top AMI YEARLY MEMBERSHIPS Dear Fellow Seeker, Since its founding in 1996, the American Meditation Institute has been able to serve over 1,500 students--teaching practical skills to enhance personal, professional and spiritual growth. During this past year,  AMI has hosted such notable visiting speakers as 115 year-old Swami Bua, Vedic scholar Swami Veda Bharati, Vedic astrology author Linda Johnsen, Ayurvedic physician Dr. Abbas Qutab and Swami Hariharananda. In addition to its annual Guru Purnima celebration and bi-weekly dinner and movie series last winter, the Institute has offered weekly courses and retreats on meditation, hatha yoga, the Bhagavad Gita, chakras, Yoga Sutras and Katha Upanishad. As you can clearly see, Leonard and Jenness's vision of building a spiritual community has become a reality.  Now it is our turn to support this sacred teaching. We are currently asking for your financial support for the American Meditation Institute.  Won't you please take time from your busy schedule to become an active member of our AMI family?  Whatever membership level is comfortable for you will help immensely. If you are in a financial position to make a contribution beyond the basic membership rate, many people will benefit. But no amount is too small.  And the love, prayers and good wishes accompanying your membership will be just as important. The mission of AMI is simple: to help uncomplicate modern American life.  If you have personally benefited by reading the Transformation newsletters or by attending any of our classes or workshops, we humbly ask for your support now--to keep the teaching of yoga science alive in our community. With love and respect, Mary Balsam, Dan Beer, Kathie Carroll, Melanie Gloeckner and Jim Whiting, Membership Committee for the American Meditation Institute CLICK HERE TO BECOME A MEMBER AMI Membership Benefits • 10% Discount on all books, tapes and Meditation Supplies • 10% discount on all classes, seminars and retreats • Use of the Institute library of books and video tape lectures • Complimentary Individualized Self-Therapy Counseling • Subscription to the AMI newsletter, Transformation Your Membership Supports A 6,000 year-old tradition The perennial knowledge as taught by Leonard and Jenness Perlmutter AMI newsletter, Transformation A variety of classes, seminars and retreats Special seminars with visiting national and international teachers An authentic spiritual perspective in the midst of our busy, modern lives A unique environment to enhance your personal meditation practice The new AMI Home Center and teaching facility The production of instructional videotapes on various aspects of Yoga Science Essential office supplies and equipment Classes for corporate, government and religious organizations AMI Speakers' Bureau The Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust, which serves the rural poor of the Himalayan Mountain region of India CLICK HERE TO BECOME A MEMBER Top   How American Meditation Benefits You If you did not desire your present situation, you would not be doing everything possible to maintain it. Leo Tolstoy Namaste. We pray to the Divinity in you. In March, 1775, a group of patriots convened at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia. At that convention a thirty-nine year old man rose to his feet to deliver one of the most inspiring speeches in world history. Although he spoke about the desire to be free from the tyranny and oppression of the British Crown, Patrick Henry’s words could very well apply to the stressful, complicated and uncertain nature of modern American life and our own personal desire for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. “They tell us that we are weak, unable to cope. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week or the next year? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction---by lying supinely on our backs hugging the delusive phantom of hope---until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak---if we make a proper use of those means which the God of Nature has placed in our power.” Names and forms have changed dramatically since Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty or give me death” speech, but most human beings are no less plagued today by the painful stress of daily life, the desire for freedom from worry and the endless search for happiness. In addition to our own personal duties and responsibilities, the world around us presents many challenging uncertainties. With apologies to Thomas Paine, “These (too) are the times that try men’s souls.” With history as our guide, it’s easy to conclude that the desire to end pain, misery and bondage is universal and timeless. How to fulfill that desire---in the midst of every circumstance and relationship---is the essence of American Meditation. Concerning such provocative questions, Henry David Thoreau offers some helpful insight. “I went to the woods,” Thoreau explains, “because I wished to live life deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” Unlike Thoreau, American Meditation does not require that we “go to the woods . . . to front the essential facts of life.” True freedom and happiness can only be experienced from within our own constellation of relationships. Toward that goal, life itself is the greatest of all teachers---if we can develop an ear to hear and an eye to see. American Meditation provides the framework to experience the peace of mind and happiness we seek. Unlike the physical sciences which investigate the laws of the external universe, American Meditation is a tool for knowing our internal landscape, the nature of our consciousness. The sages teach that we are citizens of two worlds---the outer world of names and forms and the inner world of thoughts, desires and emotions. To be free, we must learn to act skillfully according to our objective knowledge of both worlds. American Meditation provides step-by-step instruction on how to create a bridge between these two worlds. By employing scientific techniques, American Meditation teaches how to access the wisdom of the inner world, and how to employ that knowledge skillfully in our relationships through mind, action and speech. American Meditation teaches how to control, conserve and transform our greatest human resource---the energy of the mind---to attain our most deeply held desires. As we learn to master our internal states through regular meditation practice, the vast, hidden, habitual power of the unconscious mind is slowly transformed into healthy, creative, loving, nurtured and rewarding relationships and experiences. This bridge between the inner and outer worlds coordinates all our assets by harmonizing the body and mind with the Divine wisdom of the spirit. Though the basis of American Meditation is the ancient Himalayan tradition of India, its truth is echoed in every major religion and indigenous tradition: Hebrew, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim and Native American. But American Meditation is not a religion. It is an educational body of knowledge that does not interfere with any religious or cultural belief. On the contrary, American Meditation enhances the understanding of, and appreciation for, every religion and culture. In practical terms, American Meditation provides the technology for creating new mental software that empowers us to make conscious, discriminating choices---choices which unerringly lead us for our highest and greatest good. The basic American Meditation instruction is found in Psalms: “Be still and know that I am God.” This is accomplished through the practice of seated meditation. The root of the word meditation is related to the root word for medical and medicate. It means attending to or paying attention to something. In seated meditation, you pay attention to inner dimensions of yourself that are seldom observed or known. Meditation involves an inner attention that is concentrated, quiet and relaxed. There is nothing strenuous or difficult about creating this inner attention. In seated meditation, we try to let go of all the many mental distractions, preoccupations, and the fleeting thoughts and associations of our normal waking experience. We do this, not by attempting to stop or repress our thoughts, but by encouraging the mind to focus on one subtle element or object in the present moment. This internal focus of attention helps the mind cease its other constant and stressful mental processes. In seated meditation, you are fully alert, but the mind is not thinking about a problem nor analyzing a situation. Instead, the mind is asked to slow down its usual chatter by letting go of its everyday tendencies to solve problems, analyze, remember or focus on the memories of the past or concerns the future. American Meditation is not letting the mind wander aimlessly, nor having an internal conversation with yourself. American Meditation is simply a quiet, effortless, one-pointed focus of attention and awareness. The skills we gain in seated meditation---to witness and transform the power of our thoughts, desires and emotions, can then be employed in all our relationships throughout the day through the practice of meditation in action. Instead of always reacting impulsively to our fears, anger and desires, we learn through meditation how to observe and transform their energy into thoughts, words and deeds which bring us to a level of greater happiness and contentment. For individuals recuperating from any kind of surgical procedure or emotional trauma, meditation is therapeutic from the very beginning. Meditation helps relax the tension of the gross and subtle muscles and the autonomic nervous system, and it provides freedom from mental stress. Individuals who meditate attain a tranquil mind, and this helps the immune system by limiting its reaction to worry and anxiety. After just a few days of sincere efforts, meditation will begin to establish new, healthy, habit patterns. These skills increase individual willpower and help a person to make beneficial choices in life. Sound decisions concerning a beneficial diet, daily exercise, diaphragmatic breathing and lifestyle selection all become possible when the mind is not controlled by habit. In life everything is constantly changing, and yet the habits of the mind resist that change. To facilitate positive change, American Meditation practices have one singular goal: to know the true Self in every circumstance and relationship. After all, if you don’t know your true essence; if you don’t know who you are, it's impossible to make reliably beneficial choices. To put an end to stress and dis-ease we must begin the earnest exploration of the frontier that lies within. To find true joy and contentment, we acknowledge and serve the wisdom of our spiritual core by learning to steward the power of our thoughts, desires and emotions. American Meditation is a roadmap for this inward journey. American Meditation is a program of holistic practices and time-honored techniques to improve mental, emotional and physical well being. The only two requirements for benefiting from its use are your own personal determination and earnestness. In service - with love, Leonard Perlmutter & Jenness Cortez Perlmutter. Top Click to view our 2004 Weekend Retreats Schedule   Important Messages Internal Revenue Service Approval Received On February 5, 1999, the IRS officially recognized the American Meditation Institute as a tax exempt 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. This means that individual and corporate donations to the Institute are now tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. If you would like to know more about how this ruling can positively impact the growth of our teaching efforts, please feel free to contact Jenness or Leonard at the Institute.  Guided Meditation Audio Tape: A 17 minute Guided Meditation Audio Tape is now available. The cost is $12.95. If you are interested, please call the Institute at (518) 674-8714. Should I Take the Meditation Class Again? Several of our students have taken our American Meditation class more than once. With each class, new material is covered, but more importantly, you are now a different person. It's interesting that we hear different messages at different times. Perhaps now, with the preliminary information already assimilated, you might benefit greatly from a second go 'round. If you or someone you know is interested, send us their name and address and we'll mail them a schedule of upcoming classes and registration information. Top Questions & Answers Q: I have just completed your six week "American Meditation" class. Is there some additional advanced course you now offer? A: Yes. Throughout the year we offer numerous one-day wellness seminars on various subjects in addition to a new "Intermediate Meditation" class. As the dates for one-day seminars get closer, you will be notified by the newsletter and through the mail. Additionally, you might want to consider two very real options. First, take the six-week class again. Many of our students have found that having taken the course once before, they were better prepared to assimilate more of the knowledge. Remember, with each day of practice, your personality is transformed and your negative attachment to fears, anger and self-willed desires is diminished. By taking our "American Meditation" course a second or third time, you'll be more focused and one-pointed in your attention and the information presented will be of even greater value to you. Secondly, as we've so often mentioned in our classes, the post-graduate course which will be of greatest benefit to you is how you react to your next thought. If you have been conscientious in your practice, when a thought comes into your awareness, the power of your mantra will come forward to supply you the necessary amount of love, fearlessness and strength either to withdraw your attention from the preya or, to give your attention to the shreya. That process is called "meditation in action," and it is an ongoing process, occurring moment by moment by moment. Q: I am often angry at people. Sometimes I'm angry at those with whom I share close, personal relations and sometimes I just feel angry at politicians who do stupid things. I know that being angry will only cause me more pain, yet at the moment of anger, it is very difficult for me to withdraw my attention from the emotion. Could you make a specific recommendation? A: Anger, like fear and selfish desire, is a root cause of illness and dis-ease. When you give your attention to an angry thought, a torrent of hormones is released which, in turn, harm the body. The time to begin dealing with your anger samskara is not in the midst of an angry reaction, however. Practice japa (repetition of the mantra) continuously every day. The action of repeating your mantra will generate love, fearlessness and strength to help you deal with the anger when it surfaces. Think of this practice the same way you think about putting money away in your IRA. You're banking energy now to be used at a later date when you'll need it. Second, when you do find yourself aware of a thought which evokes an angry response, seek the good counsel of your buddhi. Remember, every thought is only a suggestion of what to give your attention to. If your discriminatory capacity advises that the angry thought you're attracted to is a preya (short-term ego or sense gratification), then lovingly, but firmly take hold of that subtle object and humbly offer it back to the Divine Reality from which it has been manifest. You can accomplish this by visualization. Simply imagine taking the angry thought and offering it into a fire in the "cave of your heart." As you do this, fashion a little personal prayer: "O, Inner Dweller, right now I feel so angry because of this thought. But I hear the advice of my buddhi and I know this anger is not leading me for my highest and greatest good. Please, Dear Lord, accept this offering which I give to you lovingly, earnestly and humbly. Please consume it in the fire of your light and lead me for my highest and greatest good." Then, after you've given the thought back to the Divine Reality from which it has come, repeat your mantra for all you're worth. If you can, go for a brisk fifteen minute walk, repeating your mantra. By freely and consciously giving up the thought of anger, that samskara is weakened and some of its energy is transformed into positive, useable energy which can be accessed later in service to the shreya. But don't take our word for it. As a yoga scientist, begin to experiment for yourself and mentally record your experiences. That's the only way you'll ever begin to know the truth of the knowledge of yoga. Top Tell a Friend about Meditation If you know someone who might benefit from our American Meditation class, let them know about the AMI program or call us with their name and address and we'll send them a brochure with our current class schedule. Can you help grow the teaching with "Karma Yoga?" Karma Yoga --- the practice of selfless and skillful action If, as part of your practice, you have a few extra hours during the week and are interested in helping grow the American Meditation Institute, we need your dedicated, volunteer energy. As a student of yoga science, you are already familiar with the kinds of practical services the Institute provides. Each month we write, edit and publish this newsletter, teach an average of thirty new meditation students and present stress-reduction seminars to various businesses and organizations. We also invite visiting speakers of interest to our area, organize seminars on yoga science and do continuing personal counseling. Our immediate needs include press relations, seminar management, clerical assistance and general delivery work. Remember, whatever time or talents you possess will be put to meaningful, productive use. If you have the time, please call the Institute at (518) 674-8714. Top