Yoga and Self-Realization

How Yoga Can Help You In Your Quest For Self-Realization

Dear Friends,

Whether it’s the beginning of the New Year, or any other time, it’s always a good time to set new goals of self improvement.

For many of us, the goal of greater spirituality is at the top of our list.

So, I’m including this article in my blog as a good example of how deeply I have been influenced by the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda and how important those teachings are for my own spirituality.

About Paramahansa Yogananda

Born in 1893, the great guru came to the United States in 1920, and traveled throughout America on Spiritual Campaigns. I first read his book, “Autobiography of a Yogi” in 1974, and immediately thereafter started the practice of meditation.

Through Yogananda’s teachings and through the practice of yoga and meditation, I was initiated into the sacred art of Kriya and became Kriya ban. Eventually, after many years of meditative practice and deep devotion to Omnipresence, I found Self-realization.

Getting in Touch with Your Soul’s Yearning

Everyone’s soul’s yearning is to be fully linked with God. Yet most people are not aware of their soul, and thus are not in touch with their soul’s yearning. Still, however, there are a few who are in touch, and for these people, the deepest desire of their heart is to increase their spiritual awareness until they blissfully experience God directly in two-way dialogue.

Although many people have been indoctrinated by their churches and religions to believe that God is accessible through prayer, but that He/She will virtually never answer you back. In reality God is, as the great Indian guru Paramahansa Yogananda proclaimed,

“the nearest of the near, the dearest of the dear”

Through a combination of deep, one-pointed meditation, mixed with the intense seeking and yearning of a heart filled with love, you can directly experience God. You can commune with Him/Her more intimately than you would ever have guessed was possible.

Have you ever thought about experiencing God directly and actually communicating with Him/Her? Did you realize that such a thing is possible?

Many people will never realize the possibility of contacting God directly because they have been conditioned by their churches and religions that such a thing can never happen. Nevertheless, from the stated experiences of many great sages and masters who have come before, two-way communication with God is possible to those who are one-minded about their desire to reach God. They have a total commitment to achieving this most important goal.

The keys are commitment and meditation

A word on commitment by W.H. Murray…
(These words can be applied to your commitment to developing a two-way communication with God.)

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness, concerning all acts of initiative (and creation). There is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. 

A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. 

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now!”

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