Regarding which Guru...

Lately, I've been looking at some books by Swami Kriyananda on Amazon.com.  Several times I have come across individuals who evidently have made it their life's purpose to slander or discredit Kriyananda in their reviews (or in comments to positive reviews.)  Their comments are not about the books in question, but point to slander websites or state incorrect information about Kriyananda and Ananda.

The individuals I'm referring to, represent SRF (as they state in their posts), as either students of SRF or otherwise.  I realize delusion and mistakes of individuals do not represent the whole of an organization...So I can't say "SRF wrote that" but rather, people who are attached to SRF wrote that.

One individual reports that Kriyananda set himself up as the new Guru, after Yogananda passed.  To clarify this, I was reading in Swami Kriyananda's book on Discipleship quite the opposite.  Swami Kriyananda put in writing his point that he asks people to see him only as a channel for Yogananda - not as the substitute for Yogananda. 

I don't normally belabor points like this... and I ended up replying to these negative comments on Amazon.  I really shouldn't get drawn into it.  That was my mistake.  But for those who are earnestly seeking, I offer the quote below from Swami Kriyananda's book on Discipleship, which explains clearly how he feels about his relationship - not as a Guru - but as a channel for the Guru (Yogananda.)

Several people have told me, or have written to say, that, as I feel toward Master, so they
feel toward me. I had a dream last night which may help to clarify that thought. I won’t
relate the dream itself, as it was personal, but I took it as a warning from Master to pass
on to all of you.

The essential difference between attunement with Master and attunement with me is that
Master lives eternally in cosmic consciousness, whereas I am still struggling to reach that
state. What he channels to us is the Infinite Lord Himself. What I am able to channel to
you is whatever I have succeeded so far in experiencing within myself of Master’s
consciousness. That I feel his bliss is a cause of deep gratitude for myself. But I feel it is
very important for everyone to realize that whatever I have to give anyone is not, and
must never become, personal. To the extent that anyone takes it as such it can be binding
not only for that person, but also, potentially, for me.

Therefore I plead with you—for my own sake quite as much as for yours: “See me only
as a channel for our Guru.” I try my best to serve you in that capacity, and am grateful if,
to any extent, I succeed in that effort. If, however, I seem to be for some of you—if only
by default!—the best instrument you’ve found during your search, please always
remember for what, and for whom, this instrument lives. I have no other desire than to
bring you closer to God by bringing you into deeper spiritual attunement with my Guru.
He is our actual, ever-living channel to God.

Attune: Finding Unity with Others

Today, I had a spiritual experience at work.

I had a conversation with someone at work.  In conversation, I found I was judging them. 

At some point in the afternoon, I took a walk outside in the cold air.  Few people were walking around, so I took a seat somewhere secluded.

I sat and meditated on Yogananda.  I came to realize in this state, that the person I was juding came to my mind and I felt this thought: Do you realize you are one with this person?  What do you get by judging him?

I realized that judging this other person, was solidifing my eronious belief that I am seperate from others.  It divides one from another.  This division makes the ego feel "superior" and "better" than the other. 


On a gross level, I realized that I and this fellow shared similar desires, issues with the ego, frustrations, fears and so forth.  In that regard, we were the same.

In a more refined way, I contemplated that my spirit is not my body.  My consciousness is not just in the body.  If the expansion of my consciousness is infinite, then that of other people - including this person I judged, is also infinate in expansion.  As such, at some point, our consciousness' would be one.

I felt better connected to this person and others around me and went back to work feeling much better in general.

Meditation on Yogananda

After some Yoga postures, I sit in meditation.  In this state I first do measured breathing.  Then I do Hong Sau for some time - I mentally hear "Hong" on the breath inhale and follow each inhale from the nostril to the third eye. As I exhale I hear "Sau" and follow the exhalation from the third eye. After that, I exhale 3 times, to signify the end of Hong Sau.  At this point, I hold the image of a golden circle encasing a blue area at the third eye.  In the center of the blue is a 5 pointed star of light, shinning outwards.  I call Paramhansa Yogananda.  I see his image in the light and focus on his eyes.  As I send messages through the 3rd eye, I listen receptively at the heart center.

More on this can be learned at the online Discipleship Course held by www.anandaonlineclasses.org

Feeling and Emotion

According to the teachings of Yogananda - Feeling and Emotion are NOT the same.

Emotion is a grasping to what's outside of you - It is the use of feelings, pushed downward.

Feeling is like fuel. It can propel motion downward or upwards. By directing feelings inward and up - feelings can conquer emotions.

It's important to feel... Repression is not the teaching here. Sometimes people mistake the spiritual life as a life of repression. But we are not to repress. In fact it's better to express an emotion then to repress it.

Again - the way to overcome emotion is not to repress it, but to direct feeling upwards and inwards.

From the Inner Peace course at Ananda:

Emotions are what bind us to this world. If you learn to handle and use emotions in the right way, you can get out of emotionalism, and into calm feeling. Through calm feeling you can release yourself from the bondage of materialistic desire.

Karma

The meat of this post, was taken from:
http://www.anandaclaritymagazine.com/2011/06/karma-novak-god-yogananda/

The first premise is to recall that we are here for a reason.  This reason isn't to find bliss in the physical life.  The reason is to grow to God.  To bring others to God.  I do not mean to suggest this as a indoctrination, or door knocking crusade.  I mean bringing others to God, by smiling, sending positive energy, loving them, and if asked - giving advice.  But our reason for living is not to reproduce.  It is to learn, grow and share.

So why do bad things happen?

What makes something "good" or "bad"?  Our perception.  The more we identify with the body, the more anything that "takes away" from the body is "bad" - but for those who are identified with the spirit, little "bad" occurs to them.

That said, we all have committed actions that will bear fruit for us.  Each action we do, plants a seed.  The result we will interpret as either "good" or "bad" depending on our perception.  But if our perception is mainly physical, then we know that harming another will harm us.  Loving another will bring love to us.

When I was a Buddhist, my Lama (Lama Marut of Asian Classics Institute) used to talk about "Our Enlightened Self Interest."  This was a concept of doing those acts that will return in such a way to help us with our path towards self liberation.

We can think of it as the Golden Rule.  Do Unto Others as We Would Have Done Unto Us.  But it goes deeper.  It's not about "I want to get rich, so I'll give money away" (which works actually), but this is about "I want to be enlightened - so I will do those things to return to me in such a way to achieve that result."  Gaining money is nice.  It may help our spiritual path - or it might kill it.

I recall a time, I gained a large sum of money, by giving my money away.  This large sum of money was so distracting, I forgot about the spiritual path for quite awhile.  We, like children, do not always know what's best for us.

But to change Karma, we can devote equal time and energy of the "bad" action, to a "good" action(s) to neutralize the result.

But what about the Karma coming?  Results from actions in this life or from before?

The advice from the Article I linked to at the top, is this:

Detach yourself, control the reactive process, and live the teachings

Detaching:
The first thing we usually do when something bad happens, is identify with it - and blame the source of the negativity.  I went through this last week.  Someone talked down to me, I blamed him for his actions.  But, why was he there blaming me?  Go deeper.  It wasn't about my job.  EVERYTHING IN LIFE IS A LESSON.  This is true ESPECIALLY if you see a pattern.  If you've had 5 bosses all do the same negative thing to you - there's some lesson you need to get through to end this cycle.

Again, taken from that link from Crystal Clarity:

Suppose you were obeying the traffic laws, and someone ran a red light and collided with your car. If you blame that person, you’ve done absolutely nothing to change your karma. But if you detach yourself and think: “There’s something for me to learn from this experience,” you bring a positive reaction to it.  Your positive reaction will help expiate the karma.

So the first step in detaching ourselves is: Don’t blame people or circumstances. Nor does it particularly help to blame yourself. Just accept what’s happening as coming from God for your own spiritual freedom.

Detachment also means, being grateful for whatever comes.  This is a hard thing to accept some times.  I lost my first child in divorce... my ex-wife relocated to Europe with my child (when she was 1 year old.)  My daughter is now 10 years old.  I see her a few weeks each year.  I haven't been able to afford seeing her the past 2 years.  It's very hard sometimes... but there is a reason and a lesson.  I'm grateful to God for the lessons He is giving me, to help me towards union with the Divine.

This is of course, the lesson Jesus gave in Turning the Other Cheek.  When everything is seen as "from/of God" then there's less bite to it.  It becomes lessons for our best enlightened interest.  Rather then punishment, or random cruelty.

The goal is to stop our reaction in the moment.  To be so tuned to PRESENT TIME that we don't loose control.  For me, this is the hardest part.  I return to my senses after hours, or days - but I need to catch the moment and not react at all.

Live The Teachings:
Whatever your spiritual teachings are - live them daily.  Embrace them and keep them close to your heart and mind. 

I posted a few days ago, that last Friday I had this negative run in with someone at work.  At first I did what everyone else did - I was angry with the negativity.  Upset with the boss.  Then I turned on Ananda Radio and listened to a rebroadcast from the Gita.  It hit me:

Am I just someone who listens to spiritual advice? Or do I take it to heart?  Do I live it?

I LIVE IT.

And so, at that moment I let go of my ego's desire for resentment.

Inner Peace - Stay Inside

Want inner peace?

Stay inside.

No, not inside your house... inside your soul.

After going through the wonderful course on Inner Peace at ananda.org (click here for more info), I came to understand some real deep truths about peace and stability. I also see similar teachings radiating in Yogananda's teachings found in the book, "How to achieve Courage, Calmness and Confidence."

Inner Peace is being centered. When we think of ourselves as a tree, the branches radiating out are various desires and aspects of our life. Some branches are family, jobs, finances... others can be drinking, smoking, lust, desire. When we live in the branches, we loose our center. Branches break and snap. The strength of the tree is it's center.

According to the teachings of Yogananda - Nature has it's ebbs and flows. It's ups and downs. It's unavoidable. The crest of a hill, has a trough on the other side. But, the GOOD NEWS is that, by going inward, we are not effected by the ups and downs of nature - why?

BECAUSE THE SOUL IS NOT SUBJECT TO THIS.

Joy experienced in the soul, has no opposite. Whereas, emotional joy is a branch.. you're reaching out to the branches for that. that causes off center movement, which has it's own reverberation. Back and forth we go... emotional joy - then emotional frustration - then emotional joy... back and forth. BUT in the soul, there is no reaction.

From the Inner Peace course's teachings:

When joy is experienced in the soul, then there is no opposite to it. This is true joy. Emotional joy, on the other hand, involves reaching outside of yourself. When you reach out into the world to grab your joy, you will find that it will always be followed by a sadness or depression. There always has to be some kind of compensation. We think that if we push further and further, it will become more real and permanent —that in pushing the limit of our joy as far as we can, we'll break away from the whole pattern of unhappiness and get into total joy. We keep hoping and trying but none of it ends up lasting. The more you push towards finding joy outside yourself, the more you have to experience just as intensely the opposite pain.

The natural world is dualistic. As it's taught in the course, and quite interestingly true - every poisonous plant has it's own antidote growing nearby. But the soul doesn't have this dualistic nature.

Keep flowing
Keep that energy flowing upwards. Be aware of the energy inside, and keep moving it up.

From the Inner Peace course at Ananda.org:

When the thought of self-indulgence in sense pleasures and taking for oneself
predominates, the energy moves downward rather than upward. The more sense-oriented
and selfish an experience, the more it deadens one’s spiritual sensitivity.

The Bible, Revelation & Reincarnation

In reading Crystal Clarity's publication "Karma & Reincarnation" (Yogananda's teachings), he has a passage about the Bible. He quotes Revelation thusly:

Revelation 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

His commentary is very interesting. He suggests this is about reincarnation - that the overcoming person is the one who overcomes their desires, and ends the cycle of reincarnation - and that they become a pillar in the temple of God (meaning fixed) and they no more go out (reincarnate.)

I find this very spot on.

Many will quote the Bible as saying, "it is appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgement." They use this to say the Bible is not about reincarnation as a viable reality. But really that doesn't say reincarnation doesn't exist. That says that each person dies. Yes we die once in each lifetime. Upon dieing our Karmic seeds ripen and we are reborn in a spiritual realm, physical realm, etc.

The Land of No Desire Part II

I consulted my good friend and teacher, David Shoemaker. He's a great student of Thelema. I asked him about this passage from Liber LXV Chapter III. He sent me a quote from Crowley's own commentary.

"CHAPTER III

This chapter is attributed to Water; it deals with the preliminary reflections of Truth as apprehended by intuition, beyond any intellectual apprehension; and with the nature of the Understanding and the sexual instinct.

1 - 2

The sea is the Sensorium of the Soul, and the currents his tendencies -- those activities in which he finds pleasure. Until one has passed through the totality of possible experience (as divined by estimation of the actualities available in one's own case) one cannot reach the state in which all Desire is recognized as futile. Only when this is fixed can one perceive the Unicorn -- de Astris -- the single pure Purpose (it is white) whose name is written in the way now to be explained.

The collar represents completeness -- the ``infinity'' or ``eternity'' symbolized by a ring. It is round the neck, i.e., the seat of knowledge (Death -- the Visuddhi cakkra) and made of silver -- the metal of the Virgin Isis-Urania, who informs Pure Aspirations.

The name of this Unicorn (whose horn signifies the creative power) is ``The Green Line winds about the Universe.'' Note the etymology of Viridis, connected with vir and vis; also the idea of gyrat, reminding one of the aphorism ``God is He with the Head of the Hawk, having a spiral force.''

The Green Line, here chosen to connote the Limit of the Universe, suggests the Girdle of Venus. The boundary of Existence is thus not a fixed idea, but an ever-growing Vegetable Principle of Life, of the nature of Love. Summing up the doctrine, one may say that the intelligible expression of the pure creative Idea is the omniform principle of Growth."

It seems Crowley's commentary on the inspired writing is that one must travel the ocean of their own pleasures and fettishes until they are of no more power over them.

Personally - I disagree. I respect Crowley's view, but there are many examples in many different traditions where the participant overcomes pleasure to great degrees through the use of meditation. The Dalai Lama, Paramhansa Yoganada, my friend Lama Marut, and many others.

Crowley's methodology seemed to work for him - despite the naysayers he didn't die of a drug overdose. he was a heroin addict but overcame his addictions prior to his death. But how many people can do that? it's a match to gasoline. There's a much safer approach, that's tried and true for 3 thousand years - the path of Meditation.

Yogananda spent a lot of effort to get to a point of non desire and non attachment through a) Affirmations b) meditation c) yoga.

Either way, Crowley was also in the the same vein that Desire and Attachment MUST be overcome.

The Land Of No Desire

I've been waking up with this phrase in my mind. It goes back to a fellow, who's image is rotating on this blog. Aliester Crowley. I haven't written much about him, and in deed I think he's been mostly misunderstood.

But in looking up this passage via Google, i found the exact reference. It comes from Liber LXV - which was an "inspired work" (meaning it is not attributed as Crowley's own writing, but the spiritual inspiration working through him to write it) and it comes from Chapter III:

1. Verily and Amen! I passed through the deep sea, and by the rivers of running water that abound therein, and I came unto the Land of No Desire.

Yogananda states that ego is the Identification with a Physical Body - it is eternal and thus attaches to body after body, upon death. It is fueled by desires, fears, etc.

The Kabbalah Center states a similar idea of the ego:

2. Awareness of the ego is important: It is a voice inside all of us that directs us to be selfish, narrow-minded, limited, addicted, hurtful, irresponsible, negative, angry, and hateful. It is the force that tells us to do things that feel good in the short term, but in the long term brings us down. The ego is the source of all of our problems because it allows, even encourages, us to believe that others are separate from us. It is the opposite of humility.

When reading this passage, from that point of view, it seems the doctrine here is about overcoming the ego. The Land of No Desire.

Ananda's Online Classes

After taking Ananda's Online Meditation course and being part of their Virtual Community... I was sold on their services.

They have a list of classes offered here:
http://www.anandaonlineclasses.org/

I've studied a lot of different perspectives on meditation... having been a Buddhist, studied with the Golden Dawn, studied with Thelemic groups, Rosicrucian Orders and a variety of others.

But Ananda's course really connected with me. What's surprising, it connected so deeply with me, and it was remote (online, not a physical course I attended.) Perhaps I just am in tune with Yogananda's teachings... or perhaps it's the personal teachers Ananda has - who are supportive, caring and helpful. But this online 6 week course got me into a daily routine of meditation. A focus on the spiritual aspects of life. I learned techniques I hadn't heard of before, to move energy to refocus the mind and mental states to the higher. I also learned techniques to work the body (energy exercises) that prepare someone for longer and more refined meditation.

After finishing the meditation course, I picked up the course on Raja Yoga and a course on Inner Peace. Each course has it's own flavor, but each is run by dedicated teachers who really care and are very responsive to their students.

If you're interested in the Hindu or Spiritual path of Yogananda check out:
http://www.anandaonlineclasses.org/

Ananda Online Community (Review)

I started with Ananda Online Community a few months ago. I went through a course (Meditation) and started a few others. Since I've gone through one full course, I felt I got a good enough vibe to give a brief review for anyone who might be considering joining their Online Community.

Ananda has this page that gives details of their services offered:
http://www.anandaonlineclasses.org/mod/resource/view.php?id=768

I'm quite impressed with Ananda Online Community. I've participated in many online communities of a spiritual focus (including Ram Dass's group, Eckhart Tolle's, Yogiraj, and a variety of others.) What separates Ananda from the rest is the following:
+ it's inexpensive (for less then the price of a pizza each month, you get full access to all their content) You don't need to pay for old content. Being a member gives a lot of access.
+ They have vast amounts of weekly content (sometimes 3 or 4 events a week)
+ Live events are interactive and very useful
+ It's a "community" - meaning people communicate. Many online "communities" forget this, and perhaps due to abuse, they turn off people's ability to communicate with one another. Ananda's community is very uplifting and positive. I've never seen anything negative between members.
+ Teachers are amazing: The teachers are very encouraging, supportive and very attentive to their students.
+ Huge selection of audio mp3's, and videos. Users are given the ability to download the audio or stream it.
+ Once classes are finished you can refer back to the coursework later (it's still available.)
+ Your progress is tracked with certifications of courses you've taken

All in all it's well worth the price. For $20 a month (or $180 a year), you have access to so much material, real people (who are there for you and answer your questions in a quick, responsive and caring way) and tons of weekly live events... I've seen nothing like it.

I think if you are in tune with Yogananda's teachings, the Aannda Online Community is a great place to plug into. At $20/month, it's not that much money to try it out for yourself and it may just transform your life. How's that for an investment...

Types of Darkness

In Yogananda's book, "The Second Coming of Christ: The Resurrection of Christ Within You" Yogananda mentions the two main types of Darkness. Darkness as he defines it is delusion. The two types are:
Maya (Illusion)
Avidya (Ignorance)

Maya is a global or mass hallucination - that we often call "reality."
Avidya gives an individual illusion or ignorance. It's a support for the Ego.

Darkness is a confinement - a limitation.

All aspects of the physical world (Maya) are part of this darkness - including (but not limited to) the light of our Sun. The true Light - is the Spiritual Divine Light of God that is ever shinning - and glimpsed with eyes closed in meditation.

Today, on a break, I walked to a window in a small kitchen in the office I work in. I stood there, with a cup of coffee, staring out at the trees outside. Where once I saw a bird that flew to me.

This time I noticed the trees were blowing somewhat violently in the wind. It was such a contrast to the stillness in the kitchen. Then I thought about Yogananda. I stood there for a few moments and had a realization:

What causes me to be safe and still, from the wind blowing the trees? The wall, the windows, the building. It's an allegory for the internal problem. Internal gusts could be likened to Desire. To remain untouched from desire, one must be in a proverbial building. The internal building could be will, it could be practice (meditation) and it can also be Love for Others (service, helping, loving others.)

With those elements in place, one would be untouched from the gusts and winds of Desire.

Lifetrons

What are lifetrons?

Yogananda mentions them in his Diary of a Yogi. But what are they?

I was reading his massive work, "The Second Coming of Christ: The resurrection of the Christ within you," he gives a brief definition:

on page 14 of Volume 1, he says that "These causal ideas emit a magnetic force of light and intelligent energy, which I have called lifetrons, that form the astral body of man."

Meditation Exercise on cutting Attachments and Desires

Meditation Exercise from Ananda's Online Course on Inner Peace:

"Experiential Exercise
Mentally review your heart every night. Polish it and see it glow with golden energy.
With a laser beam of light cut the cords of any attachments you see connected to your
heart. You are cutting the attachment but not the love you feel in your heart. Rather, you are freeing yourself to love the object of your attachment unconditionally. Make a mental bonfire, and cast into it any unwanted desires along with the bonds of your attachments.

Burn them up and watch them disappear."

Ananda: Karma is an Expression of Divine Love

Nayaswamis Bharat and Anandi from Ananda (A Yogananda based spiritual center, which can be found at www.ananda.org) provided a meditation/visualization to help deal with hard situations. Below is Nayaswamis Bharat and Anandi's meditation/visualization - more can be found at www.ananda.org:

"Karma is an expression of divine love.

Everything that comes to us is made especially for us by God—to free us from all limitation.

Visualize God as the Divine Mother, standing before you.
(You can visualize Yogananda or another saint if you prefer.)

See Her eyes gazing deeply into your own, filling you with Her love.
Know that She is with you, always.

Think now of a karma that is challenging for you.

See Divine Mother holding before you this karmic test. See Her smile as she reaches out and offers this test to you with loving kindness.
Reach out your arms and take hold of this karma.
Bring this karmic challenge into your heart.

Accept this precious gift—sent from the Wisdom of the Universe.
Know that it is a perfect gift, sent by Divine Mother, to help your soul become free.

In your heart embrace this karmic test fully, with gratitude and trust.
This karma can help you raise your energy level and consciousness to where your Godly nature resides.

Focus now at the point between the eyebrows.
See yourself rising to meet this karmic test and transcending its limitations.

See yourself becoming free in God.
Feel the bliss of being united with Spirit."

Ananda Online Virtual Community is Great

To anyone looking for an online community of spiritual people, I highly recommend the Ananda Online Virtual Community (www.anandaonlineclasses.org)

I've found the people to be really friendly. The lessons to be rich and valuable. Video streams of all their events. It's great.

A lot of online spiritual communities stopped interaction between members. Online communication sometimes is problematic. But something special happens here. People are so positive here.

First Week with Ananda Online Virtual Community

I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with the Ananda Online Virtual Community (www.anandaonlineclasses.org.)

They have a very active presence. Everything is video streamed over the internet. They offer a lot of Live content in the form of classes and lectures. Like three or more live streaming classes and events a week.

The teachings are sound and it's a very positive place.

I'm taking the Meditation Course to see how it goes. I'm on the first week. It's good. I've been doing many forms of meditation for many years. What's interesting, is their form has most of the meditation actions I've enjoyed in the past. I also picked up new things as well.

I've really enjoyed it. I'm not cut out to go live in a physical spiritual community - so having a virtual one, is for me, the next best thing. If you're interested in taking some classes, hearing more of Yogananda's philosophy, or want to associate with open minded spiritual believers, I think it's well worth the small fee.

Meditation on Yogananda

In meditation tonight, I visualized Yogananda and my Ajna center. I felt these words, "Keep your heart open and your mind aware."

seems like good advice!