Ladies Wing

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In this infinite universe, among the myriads of living beings, humanity is eminent. Among human beings, it is a privilege to be born as a woman….All the greater sages, and saints, heroes and warriors were born to women "who made them great”. Woman is the Goddess of Nature. Gayathri, which enshrines the essence of the Vedas, is a goddess, venerated as Veda Matha (the mother of the Vedas). It is obvious that feminine birth is estimable, adorable and sublime. The Veda also adores the feminine principle in various ways. Vedhik rituals and practices accord a high place to women.

Sathya Sai Baba, Vol 28, Ch 33, 1995

Mission

The mission of the newly-established Zone 1 Ladies Wing is to understand, embrace and share the teachings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba to empower women to blossom to their full potential in all aspects of life and in the multitude of roles that they fulfill.

Vision

To inspire and empower women to cultivate awareness of their innate divinity and to practice and model the inborn human values of truth, right action, peace, love and non-violence in all their roles.

In 1969, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba began the Mahila Vibhag or Ladies Wing of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization in India with the goal of engaging women as Bal Vikas gurus, to lead societal transformation through the restructuring of education with a goal of nurturing the expression of human values in children, and to encourage women’s participation in devotional and service activities. He awakened all devotees to the special character qualities and attributes that women possess – love, compassion, sacrifice, patience, strength, forbearance, determination, to name a few – and constantly emphasized the critical role of women in society and of mothers in the upbringing of children and the creation of harmonious homes. In 1995, Swami declared that November 19th would be celebrated each year as Ladies Day as a constant reminder of the central role of women in all arenas of life.

With the formation of the SSSGC in July 2021, the creation of a Ladies Wing in Zone 1 was envisioned. With Swami’s grace, and with great enthusiasm, the Zone 1 Ladies Wing Committee (ZLWC) began work in October 2021 by discussing Swami’s vision for women and the Ladies Wing, researching best practices from existing Sri Sathya Sai Ladies Wings in different countries through one-on-one conversations, and brainstorming ideas for our Zone. The ZLWC has been tasked with providing input and guidance to the Zone 1 Leadership regarding the set up and functioning of the Ladies Wing throughout the Zone. This input will in turn, be provided to the National, Regional and Center leadership and is envisioned to be implemented at the Center level.

The Ladies Wing is a body of women devotees within the greater body of Sri Sathya Sai Center members who enjoy the sisterhood and camaraderie encompassed by sharing satsangs, experiences, learnings and practical application of Swami’s teachings. The Ladies Wing is envisioned, as in other regions of the world, to encompass devotional, seva and educational activities within the existing Center. Thus, the Wing is a subset of the Center body, and members take part in Center activities as well as regular meetings and activities organized by and for women. It should be noted that establishment of a Ladies Wing at the Center level should be considered optional, rather than compulsory.

Figure 1 shows the placement of the Zonal Ladies Wing Committee and the Ladies Wing itself within the framework of the SSSGC Organizational structure.

Whom is the Ladies Wing meant to serve?

The Center Ladies Wing will be open to women of all ages from YA’s to seniors (18 years and above). Within this broad age range, we envision that there will be opportunities to include activities and discuss issues that are directly relevant to different age groups, e.g. seniors, young mothers, etc.

How often would the Ladies Wing at the Center level meet?

The frequency of meetings may be decided by the lady members – once a month or once a quarter may be reasonable.

What is the Ladies Wing NOT meant to be?

The Ladies Wing is not meant to function as a parallel Center; rather, its members will continue to be active participants in general Center activities with additional events and activities organized by, and for women of all ages. A Ladies Wing Lead will be appointed by the Center Committee to serve at the Center level, and will rotate at 1-2 year intervals.

What is the response to the idea of a Ladies Wing among ladies of Zone 1?

A survey was circulated last year to seek ideas from our sisters throughout the Zone, on how best this initiative can support the practice of Swami’s teaching in all our myriad roles, the spread of love and compassion through service activities, and our spiritual growth through devotional activities. Almost 70 ladies from all over Zone 1 responded to our survey (thank you!) and 83% were interested in a Ladies Wing at the Center level. Here’s what we learned from the survey:

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Zone 1 Virtual Ladies Wing Retreat
April 15th - 16th, 2023

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SSSGC ZONE 1

Center Ladies Wing

SSSGC Zone 1 Ladies Wing

The following proposal may be utilized by the National and Regional leadership teams to review with the Centers, who can choose to establish a Ladies Wing depending on the needs and wishes of their membership.

We hope that this document provides the basic structure of the Ladies Wing in Zone 1 and indication of interest for the National and Regional leadership teams to disseminate to the Centers.

Establish

Consideration of the establishment of an optional Ladies Wing by every Center is encouraged.

Lead

A Ladies Wing Lead can be appointed by the Center Committee to serve at the Center level for a period of 1-2 years.

Frequency

The frequency of Ladies Wing meetings at the Center level will depend on the logistics of the Center, and should be guided by the ladies of the Center.

Activities

Organization of activities based on the survey data shared above.

IMPORTANT

RESOURCES

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Need more info or share ideas? Please contact: zlwc@gmail.com

Ladies Wing

Mission

Vision

Join Our Event

Zone 1 Virtual Ladies Wing Retreat
April 15th - 16th, 2023

SSSGC ZONE 1

Center Ladies Wing