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April 22nd, 2007 by Marlea
It occurred to me to elaborate (very simply) on the background of the Hindu teachings I have received and my connection to the teachings.
Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952) is my guru. Yogananda came to the U.S., from India, in 1920 and established Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) to disseminate his teachings. The philosophy of the teachings can be traced back to the ancient Hindu scriptures, the Vedic Upanishads (800 B.C.), the Bhagavad Gita (500-200 B.C.), and the Yoga Sutras of the sage Patanjali (200 B.C.).
The Upanishads primarily discuss philosophy, meditation, and the nature of God. They hold information on basic Hindu beliefs, including belief in a universal spirit, Brahman, and an individual soul, Atman.
The Upanishads are summed up in one phrase “Thou Art That” and they believe that in the end, the ultimate, formless, inconceivable Brahman is the same as our soul, Atman. We only have to realize it through discrimination.
The Bhagavad Gita (Hindu Bible) is a concise guide to Hindu philosophy and an instructional guide to realization of Brahman (absolute reality). Krishna (incarnation of God) describes the yogic paths of devotional service (Bhakti Yoga), action (Karma Yoga), meditation (Dhyana Yoga), and knowledge (Jnana Yoga), to the devotee Arjuna.
Raja Yoga, the “royal” yoga, is the system of yoga outlined by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras. The sutras are a compilation of the earlier Hindu scriptures. Raja Yoga concentrates on control of all thought-waves or mental modifications through meditation.
The science of Raja Yoga is an eightfold path to Self-realization. The eight steps form the basis of the SRF teachings, they are as follows:
1. yama – the moral rules of don’ts.
2. niyama - the moral rules of do’s.
3. asana – right posture
4. pranayama – control of prana, subtle life currents
5. pratyahara – withdrawal of the mind from the senses
6. dharana – concentration
7. dhyana – meditation
8. Samadhi – union with God
Paramahansa Yogananda was chosen by his guru, Swami Sri Yukteswar, to go to the West and spread the liberating message of Raja Yoga and Kriya Yoga. Kriya Yoga (as defined by Yogananda) is a form of pranayama.
Kriya Yoga withdraws life energy (prana) from the senses, and then circulates the energy around the six spinal centers of consciousness. The mind withdraws from the senses and becomes centered or concentrated on the spine. From there the yogi moves onto step six: concentration on one thought, and then, step seven: meditation or concentration on God.
After climbing the previous seven steps the yogi arrives at the top of the stairs; Samadhi, oneness with God. The meditator, meditation, and the thing meditated upon become one.
The path of the yogi is not mysterious; it is an exact and practical science. The mysterious part is how a thirty-something, late 20th century woman, was led to the ancient science of yoga.
In my early thirties, I was reeling from a disastrous decade of alcoholic binging and blackouts, broken relationships, and general malaise. I picked up a book on yoga that I still have to this day, “The American Yoga Association Beginner’s Manual” by Alice Christensen. I started practicing the yoga routines and basic breathing and meditation exercises.
The further along I got with the routines, the more distasteful alcohol became. I eventually stopped drinking by doing yoga - this was yoga’s first miracle in my life.
Not long after becoming sober, while browsing a used bookstore shelf, I was drawn to a worn, orange paperback by the eyes on the front of the cover. The eyes were instantly familiar; those eyes belonged to Paramahansa Yogananda. Another yoga miracle, I was led to my guru.
Reading “Autobiography of a Yogi” was a turning point in my life. I became a disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda in 1989, studying the SRF lessons for four years and culminating in my Kriya Yoga initiation during my retreat at the *Encinitas hermitage in March 2007.
The guru/disciple relationship is an eternal bond. The guru, sent by God, helps the disciple to final liberation in God through as many lifetimes as needed. By devotion and by tuning into the divine consciousness of the guru, the devotee is led, step-by-step to Self-realization.
I haven’t been the ideal disciple, many times straying from the path. But, my guru never abandoned me; he had been waiting for me all along.
I am eternally grateful. Jai Guru.
*The seaside hermitage of Encinitas was built in 1936 by Yogananda’s foremost disciple James Lynn. Paramahansa Yogananda wrote “Autobiography of a Yogi”, among other works at the hermitage. Today the hermitage functions as a retreat and shrine for seekers around the world. The site is infused with the spiritual vibrations of the God-realized Master and is especially helpful to the devotees who come to attune to their guru in silent worship of God.