Study the lives of our great women, who were models of patience, fortitude, compassion and sacrifice. I desire that you should take the reins of leadership and bring peace and prosperity to the nation by leading ideal lives. – Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Our spiritual teacher Sri Sathya Sai Baba has formally dedicated 19 November as Ladies Day in honor of women to emphasize the ideals and greatness of womanhood. He describes women as being the repositories of truth and culture. Additionally, Sai Baba elaborates on the significant roles women play in shaping individual and national character. He underscores their great potential to restore value-based living, peace and harmony in the world through leadership roles. Women have the capacity and fortitude to lead in all aspects of society, from the individual and family to community, country and beyond. The whole world can become sacred through the transformative power of women.
I have been fortunate to take part in several community service projects. It has been a privilege to serve alongside many outstanding and inspiring women, observing their dedicated and tireless work for the community. This year, I have the pleasure of sharing with you, beloved reader, a few examples of their ongoing and service-oriented commitments, such as : conducting mindfulness classes, meditation retreats, rendering medical services, teaching communication and language skills to international students, teaching love of reading and developing research skills in students, afterschool tutoring to children who live in homeless shelters, delivering meals for VNA Meals on Wheels, volunteering at battered women’s shelters, spending time with seniors in nursing homes, offering healing and solace, and many more activities.
I am honored to know all these incredible women and am grateful for their inspiring and authentic presence. They are undoubtedly our everyday heroes and the pillars that courageously support our communities.
I am excited to share more information regarding the background and community work of these great women. As I could only reach out to a few in my limited time, please know that I am forever thankful to every single one of you and to those who continue to inspire me.
Personal / Favorite Quote: “Once we feel complete from within we do not seek outer validation.” -Sarojini Kanagala
Namaste and a big shout out to all the marvelous women on this Ladies Day! Please scroll down, read along and be inspired by some of the remarkable women I am privileged to know. Enjoy!
Jiun Hosen Osho has been in residence and training at the Bodhi Manda Zen Center in Jemez Springs, New Mexico, since 1980, and was appointed as Abbess to the Bodhi in 1989. The Board of Trustees reaffirmed her position of Abbess and Director of the Bodhi in 2015.
With her warm, compassionate nature, child-like joy and impish sense of humor, Hosen has made lasting and vibrant relationships with the local communities of Jemez Springs and Jemez Pueblo. Hosen is known for her gracious welcome to guests who come to the Bodhi from all over the world.
Along with her primary focus of manifesting and teaching the practice of her own Buddhist tradition, Hosen has opened the Bodhi to hosting retreats for sincere seekers, students and groups from many diverse paths, which has endeared her to the hearts of many. She has welcomed and hosted the Sathya Sai Baba Organization retreats annually since 1983. Hosen honors and respects Sri Sathya Sai Baba as a great teacher.
In 2020, Hosen celebrates her 40th year at the Bodhi Manda as its Abbess, guardian, and spiritual teacher.
Personal / Favorite Quote: “When one realizes that we live in relationship with everyone and everything, the profound sense of separateness from everyone and everything will dissolve and personal suffering from our life will disappear, allowing our True nature and True Love to appear and be manifested with all.” – Jiun Hosen Osho
Bobbie Perkins is Executive Director of the Dallas Meditation Center. She began working at Dallas Meditation Center in 2011 as Personal Assistant to the founder, Brother ChiSing, and became the Executive Director in 2016 after Brother ChiSing’s passing. When the Meditation Center was forced to relocate, Bobbie managed the successful renovation and relocation to its new space in 2017.
Bobbie teaches a monthly Beginner’s Meditation Workshop which offers tools and techniques that are essential for establishing a meditation practice. She has led classes and workshops at various businesses and corporate events, teaching methods to reduce stress and anxiety while developing mindfulness and presence. Bobbie leads Interbeing Sangha, (a meditation group that meets weekly at the Dallas Meditation Center), facilitates other meditation gatherings and oversees planning of special events.
Bobbie is an ordained member of the Order of Interbeing, having attained ordination after two years of study and work with several mentors. The Order of Interbeing is an organization established by Zen Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh in 1963, during the Vietnamese War. His aim was to create a community of monks, nuns and laypeople who would work to create peace, love and compassion in our fractured world. The Order now includes thousands of people from all walks of life and all parts of the globe.
Bobbie is a retired public-school teacher and an amateur musician who enjoys singing, writing haiku poems, drawing mandalas and reading. She is dedicated to living in harmony with the vows of the Order of Interbeing to promote peace, love and compassion within herself so that she can share those qualities with others.
Personal / Favorite Quote: ” This is a wonderful day. I’ve never seen this one before.” – Maya Angelou
Maribel McCormack is an experienced, native speaker of English, and teacher for 22 years, teaching second language acquisition, and accent modification to intermediate and advanced students.
She started teaching in 1999 for Team 97 in Milan, Italy. She moved to Milan in 2000 and opened the linguistics branch of her visa sponsor, Team 97. She continued to work for Wall Street Institute, Oxford Institute, and Teach In, one-to-one to corporate clients.
She has continued teaching after returning to America and has owned and operated Fluency Circle for 5 years. She lives in Dallas, Texas, and has clients locally, nationally, and internationally.
Maribel uses speech pathology methods to help in pronunciation and accent modification. She uses all methods available to her for her students. She quickly assesses the students’ particular needs and writes lesson plans accordingly. Her style is personalized and customized. She is certified in Compton Speech Pathology, TEFOL.CELTA, and DELTA certified, and trained in American Accent Training. “You can do this!” She believes this wholeheartedly.
Personal / Favorite Quote: ” Two most important days in your life are the day you were born, and the day you find out why.” – Mark Twain
Nirupama Madduri lives in Los Angeles, California, by way of Houston, Texas, and Nashville, Tennessee. She is currently a pediatrician with a background in development and behavior, and she has her own practice in the Los Angeles area.
Niru has had the blessing of being called to Bhagavan Sathya Sai Baba’s fold when she was a child, after seeing Bhagavan’s photos decorating her grandparents’ home in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. Bhagavan has given her the opportunity to serve in the medical camps in Prasanthi Nilayam, India as well as regional medical camps in Texas and Southern California.
Bhagavan has also guided her on the Karma Yoga path working with nonprofit organizations in her community, specifically Club 21 Learning and Resource Center, serving individuals with Down syndrome and School on Wheels, and providing afterschool tutoring to children who live in homeless shelters.
Bhagavan has a presence in her life taking on many forms, most notably, her amazing family and friends, inspiring her to always work hard, seize opportunities, and have faith.
Personal / Favorite Quote: “At the end of every storm, find the rainbow. At the end of every journey, find the home to rest. At the end of every breath, find the stillness.” – Nirupama Madduri
Hina Patel, lives in Plano, Texas with her husband and two children in a joint family. She is a Medical Technologist by profession and is currently working at Parkland Hospital, Dallas.
Hina is a member of the Dallas Sai Center. She is an ardent and humble devotee of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba following His teaching of “Love All, Serve All.”
She enjoys listening to Sai devotional songs and getting immersed into it. She herself is a wonderful singer too!
She enjoys traveling and loves to cook and bake and try new healthy recipes. These interests of hers also serve her well when it comes to rendering community service through the Sai Baba center, of which cooking for Austin Street shelter is one of her favorites. Hina also takes part in several service activities, such as delivering meals for the VNA Meals on Wheels, serving the Senior Citizens, cooking for the Family Gateway Shelter and many more.
Personal / Favorite Quote: “Once we surrender our mind to God completely, He will take care of us in every way.” – Sathya Sai Baba.
MaryLou Coleman has a BS in Education and a Master’s in School Library and Information Science. She teaches the love of reading and developing research skills in search for information and truth to children of all ages. She is currently semi-retired and guides college students in their research endeavors as Adjunct Faculty Research Librarian.
The previous honor of holding the Sathya Sai Baba U.S. Region 5 Devotional Coordinator position taught her more in this lifetime than she could ever imagine! Despite her avowed inability to effectively carry a tune, every cell of her body comes alive when she listens to any and all types of spiritual music. Additionally, she feels that the study of spiritual scriptures is a most blessed, life-long, never-ending endeavor for a happy soul!
She is a student of Therapeutic Breathwork, Presence Awareness and a “Course in Miracles.” MaryLou is certified in the Phyllis Krystal Method of healing. Through divine intervention, Sri Sathya Sai Baba entered her spiritual life in her early 20s. She is beyond grateful for walking hand and hand with her beloved Swami through every step of her journey from that moment on and henceforth.
She delights herself and carries on her devotion by continually loving, blessing, and consciously raising the vibration of our beloved Mother Earth. She literally does this by spending hours meditating and also trekking immersed in nature’s glory and ALL that lives and breathes within Mother Earth’s energy. As she rightly points out though many in the world live by themselves, we are never alone, and we have an obligation to consider the well-being of ALL just as we focus on our own
Personal / Favorite Quote: “I am in you, around you, above you, beside you, with you ALWAYS!” – Sri Sathya Sai Baba
