Sean, when introducing Swami Kriyananda to the audience of 1150 people called this event “The Miracle Show”.
Swamiji has been dealing with considerable fatigue and a fall (which happened the week after SRW) that resulted in an injured hip and all the pain and debility that can accompany something like that.
He had many very uncomfortable days which forced him to cancel two events in LA and until the last minute his attendance at the Ford Theater very questionable. However, not being one to give in to pain or hard times, Swamiji bravely rallied and on Sunday boarded a plane (preceded by a two drive to the airport) and arrived in LA at 4, just in time to make the 6:00 show at the Ford. Upon his arrival to the theater in a wheel chair, he was greeted with a standing ovation. The crowd appreciated Swami’s monumental effort to be part of this wonderful event at the Ford Theater, and his desire to share the love and teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda
The evening began with beautiful music from our Ananda choir, Brook and Sean introduced both Ananda LA and Swamiji with eloquence and heart. Brook also introduced Neale Donald Walsch, and shared a bit of Neale’s journey which was fascinating. He gave a thought provoking and lovely talk and then introduced Swamiji. It was an honor for me to be backstage to photograph them together and the see the high regard they held for one another.
Swami spoke from his heart about his life as a disciple. And the at the end the choir joined him and performed the song, Peace.
Catherine Kairavi also gave a presentation of the book, Two Souls, Four Lives. This is a newly released and fascinating book which presents a clear and compelling case for Yogananda’s statement that in a past life he was William the Conquerer. In addition, she makes the case that Swamiji was King Henry, William’s son. I highly recommend the book. It is the culmination of 13 years of research.
Ozro, Sean and Brook did an amazing job organizing this event.
They were assisted by scores of volunteers, who were cheerful and serviceful and helped create an event that will be remembered by many. I got to fold programs before the event with this fun group and had a great time.
The day before this big event there was a tea at a local hotel hosted by members of Ananda LA, it was a delightful gathering of people. We were treated to some delicious tea sandwiches and amazing little tarts and a selection of tea. Sean and Brook talked about the work happening in LA and introduced the team of teachers who will be coming to Southern California.
Asha gave a wonderful talk about Swami Kriyananda and this new phase of Ananda’s outreach. Very exciting!
There was music from the choir and the yet to be named quartet of singers who will be moving to Los Angeles to help with the work there. Ramesha, Peter, Bhagavati and Laurie will spread Master’s love through song. For being a newly formed group, they sound wonderful together.
Again, many people were involved in making this special day happen.
Many lovely people stayed and visited and I especially enjoyed connecting with friends from the LA area again.
There was lots of laughter!
I want to thank all the great souls in Southern California, especially Brook and Sean who hosted this great weekend. We felt supported and uplifted by your work and we are thrilled for you all and the next phase of the work there.
And especially, thank you to Swami Kriyananda, who has given his life to spreading the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda. His has been a guiding light to so many.
And now that Swami Kriyananda is now in residence in LA and a small army of amazing teachers and singers are on their way to making LA their home the work of spreading Yogananda’s teachings is going to be very exciting indeed!
Often I tell Kriya Yogis, particularly those who are math-challenged, that there are only two ‘mathematical equations’ one needs to memorize in order to achieve success on the path of Kriya.
“Twenty-five percent of spiritual success comes by the devotee’s effort.
“Twenty-five percent comes by the Guru’s effort on his behalf.
“And fifty percent comes by the grace of God.”
—Paramhansa Yogananda
Whenever I see myself or others bogging down spiritually, this formula will invariably help me get back on track.
Keep in mind that the devotee’s 25% part means 100% of his or her effort. How we apply that effort will determine results we get from Kriya Yoga, or from any spiritual practice.
I had a very interesting experience several years ago that served as an analogy for Yogananda’s formula for spiritual success. I was on pilgrimage in India with a good friend.
One morning we went to a remote bank of the Ganges to practice Kriya Yoga. We had a wonderful meditation in a quiet setting. There wasn’t another soul around – very unusual in India!
After meditating, I slowly walked into the Ganges to bathe, remembering that it is a very sacred river with the power to wash away one’s sins.
(I also remembered Yogananda’s wry comment that, for many people, their sins are awaiting when they come out of the river, much like their clothes hanging in the trees on the river’s bank!)
I had gone about twenty feet into the water, which was flowing very calmly at that place, when suddenly I stepped into quicksand.
The reason I’m not using an exclamation point here is because these types of nature experiences seem to happen all too often to me. I’ve been rescued by helicopter from a mountain-climbing accident, caught in a tornado, struck by lightning, etc., etc. In fact, this was the second time in my life that I’ve dealt with quicksand.
Because of that, my experience-based reaction was simply, “So, Divine Mother, what fun are you going to have with me today?”
As it often happens with quicksand, my feet struck solid ground after sinking about thigh deep. The water was up to my chest, lapping gently. I was in no immediate danger, but anyone with a quicksand experience would know that I was very, very stuck.
No matter how hard I tried to move, my legs and feet refused to budge.
It’s a very good analogy as to what brings most people onto the spiritual path.
People will sometimes face impossible long-term obstacles, only to be moved to utter despair, when at the end they fail in spite of their very best efforts. Often that is what turns them toward seeking God and the help of a Guru.
Fortunately, I had a ‘guru’ in the form of my dear friend Vidura, who was standing safely on the solid bank, free from the ‘delusion’ in which I was completely stuck.
I called him over, showed him a safe spot to stand, and asked him to reach over and help me.
Even with Vidura pulling on my hand with all his might, it still took my best effort and cooperation with my ‘guru’ to get me out.
If I had casually laid out my hand for Vidura and said lazily, “I’m ready, guruji (to continue the analogy), you can now save me,” or if I had struggled merely on my own, I would still be stuck in that quicksand.
It is the very same for success on any spiritual path, but especially the path of Kriya Yoga.
It takes our very best effort, and the help of a Guru who is on safe ground and on very good terms with God. And also, importantly, it takes our willing cooperation with the Guru’s efforts to get out of our delusions.
This cooperation takes the form of following the discipline and practices the Guru gives us, and doing them just as he teaches.
It also means attunement and devotion to the Guru, which make us receptive to his grace, love, and help.
And it takes our deep devotion and self-offering to God.
Any time you feel yourself bogging down spiritually, practice introspection and apply Yogananda’s mathematical equation for spiritual success.
Ask yourself:
“Am I making enough effort to get out of my trouble? Is it the right kind of effort?
“Am I following the teachings of my Guru to the best of my ability, and am I cooperating with his efforts on my behalf?
“Am I depending too much on my own efforts, and not opening myself enough to the grace of God and the help of the Guru?”
Then remember Yogananda’s other important ‘equation:’
“Kriya Yoga plus devotion works like mathematics. It cannot fail.”
Then ask yourself again:
“Am I doing everything in my life with a sense of devotion and self-offering to God?”
When you remember to apply Yogananda’s two simple equations, you will inevitably find the ultimate success: Self-realization and freedom in God.
——————
On another subject: We are trying to help one of our Ananda members from Mexico City to visit Ananda this summer. He’s a very fine man who teaches music at a school in Mexico City, and isn’t able to afford the air fare to California. If anyone would like to donate their frequent flyer miles to help bring Allejandro to Ananda Village this summer, please contact me by clicking on the “Email Devarshi” link at the top right of this page. Thank you!
Note from the editor: May 22 marked the launch of a newly published original edition of the Autobiography of a Yogi in Italian. The event took place in Milan.
Swami Kriyananda addressed a full room of 500 avid listeners, after having given a number of magazine and television interviews the previous days, and a private donors’ dinner at the hotel.
The event seemed to be happening in an astral heaven, with every little detail full of brilliant light and colors: the flowers, the musicians, the choir, the new Autobiography and other books, including the Italian publication of the New Renunciate Order.
Entrance to the Hotel Brun where the launch took place
As people came into the hall, Ananda musicians were chanting Wave of the Sea (devotional chant by Yogananda), creating an uplifting atmosphere. Narya Tossetto, one of Ananda Europa leaders, introduced the evening. Then the choir sang songs in Italian and English, with Door of My Heart in Bengali as well.
Chanting
Two well-known Italian authors spoke briefly about the importance of the Autobiography in their lives, and about Swami Kriyananda as a magnificent channel for Yogananda’s presence and love. A known television personality gave his testimony, and then there was a brief slide show of images and quotations from Yogananda.
Swami Kriyananda speaking
Swami Kriyananda spoke for over an hour, most of it while standing, and the entire audience was rapt in their attention and wrapped in an aura of bliss.
It seemed that no one was breathing. Many in the audience were new to Ananda, and everyone left with light in their eyes. Swami Kriyananda told the story of his meeting with Yogananda and other stories, transmitting the experience that Yogananda is the nearest of the near and the dearest of the dear.
Autobiography of a Yogi
He urged people to get the book in its new translation of the original edition, the version which changed his own life and consciousness, and that of countless thousands, even millions, of other truth seekers.
A part of the success of the Autobiography, he said, actually traces back to him. In the early years, the book didn’t sell well. In fact it was offered to many publishers, but none of them were interested. Only the Philosophical Library press took it on. It did not sell well for them, so SRF, the organization Yogananda founded, was able to get the publishing rights back.
At this time Swami Kriyananda was in charge of correspondence and the Lessons, Yogananda’s home-study course. He noticed that most people dropped out after a year, and almost all, after two years. But those who stayed were those who had read the Autobiography. So he suggested that instead of promoting the Lessons, they should promote the book. His proposal was accepted, and from that time the book’s distribution began to grow.
Swami Kriyananda singing with the choir
To date, nearly the entire printing of 5000 Italian copies has been sold or placed in bookstores all over Italy through our distributor, which is the second or perhaps by now the largest, distributor in the country. We will be reprinting soon.
The talk will soon be posted on internet, in Italian of course. No translation is available at this time.
Swami Kriyananda
Swami Kriyananda then left for a few days of vacation, and then on May 27 he flies to Seville, Spain, where he will be joined by about devotees from Ananda Assisi and hundreds of Spanish devotees, to launch the Spanish translation of the original Autobiography.
He returns to Assisi on May 31, and after a few days of rest, goes on to Rome where on June 5 he will be one of the keynote speakers at the Rome Yoga Festival, speaking to hundreds, perhaps over a thousand people, in the vast park grounds of an ancient Roman Villa. After that, he will inaugurate the new Ananda Yoga and Meditation Center of Rome.
I don’t know how many times people have come to me commiserating over thwarted good intentions of meditation or some other aspect of their own spiritual practice, only to have fallen short in their discipline in some way.
When I offer support I have been met on more than one occasion with, “Oh but it’s alright for you. You’re disciplined. You’ve got this… you can do that”!
I remember reading of Yogananda speaking with one of his devotees who, in a similar circumstance said to him, “Oh, but it’s alright for you, Sir, you’re a Master”.
Yogananda’s stern retort bellowed, “And what do you think MADE me a master?”
How do these people think I became disciplined? Sheer will, hard work, and determination, until it is not perceived as hard work any more.
Making statements like the examples above are actually just a ‘cop out’. Anyone making such a claim is really denying responsibility for their own actions, or inaction, justifying to their reason/ego that they are somehow not to blame for the inadequacy.
“It’s not my fault I’m not as good as you… you’re better equipped than I…I’ll get there…eventually… I’ll try harder…I will, but…”
All humans are equally equipped with the same fundamental: divinity. There is no favouritism in Creation. No human has an advantage over another. We just think they have. Our true natures are disciplined and perfectly attuned to the Divine already. It is only maya’s (creation) cunning veil of illusion that leads us to believe our bad, undisciplined habits are inherent in our nature. They are not, but we have nurtured these habits for such an inconceivably long time that they are deeply embedded in our subconscious.
We have to UNLEARN all that we think we are and remember our true nature. If we feel inadequate before one who is perceived as an advanced devotee just know that we too have exactly the same potential as they. An important note here is that only a true master would know how advanced a particular devotee is anyway. Outward appearances of great discipline do not necessarily mirror spiritual advancement.
I view the disciplines of Yoga as an essential investment in the bank of Self realization and actually look forward to and carry out my practice in joy consciousness of self-offering. It is then not perceived as a chore but appreciated as a delightful privilege, of having been given the grace of this sacred knowledge of the ancient practice of Yoga in this life.
There is no way of putting this but bluntly. Spiritual advancement is dependent on 3 things, neutralization of karma (past and present), divine grace and OUR OWN EFFORT. Master taught that the disciple has to put in 25% of the effort required to attain liberation in this life. Guru will provide a further 25% and the remaining 50% will be given as God’s grace, via the guru. But the 25% that must come from each one of us must be 110% of what we think we are capable of. We must always go that bit more and push our self-fabricated boundaries. Each week we can aspire to sit that bit longer and go that bit deeper into our practice. We won’t get anywhere by being passive; for waiting for Realization to come to us. God helps him who helps himself!
We owe it to ourselves to take ownership of the fact that it is our own effort that is lacking, not the grace that is assuredly ours if sincere and consistent in our endeavours. Our technique may not be as good as we would like, but don’t think that qualifies us to lay blame elsewhere and give up. If we are truly sincere then we must carry on as best we can, all the while praying for the guidance and strength to improve. If we are falling short in some way and are looking for an excuse to divert away from our goal we must look to ourselves and answer these two questions honestly, “Just how badly do I want Realization?” And, “How much am I willing to change in pursuit of that goal?”
If we offer our practice up to God, by acknowledging Him as the Doer in all things, we can let go of any expectations of a desired outcome, leaving it to Him to sort out. What a huge burden taken immediately from our shoulders, but we must never become complacent or smug in our expectations of faith. We need to regularly turn up, offer ourselves in habitual devotional practice, and wait as children who have complete and utter trust they will receive what they need from a loving parent. The child doesn’t know what it needs, but it knows the parent does.
Nayaswami Kriyananda often quotes the invaluable and beautiful words from a passage of Sir Edwin Arnold’s translation of ‘The Song Celestial’. “But if, in this, thy faint heart fails, bring Me thy failure!” As long as our perceived failures are given to Him, then we transmute our perceived failure into ‘not yet succeeded’.
We can be ever heartened knowing that by sincere and uninterrupted efforts, we WILL be noticed by the Guru and help WILL be forthcoming, however badly we think our practice. Nayaswami Kriyananda speaks of a disciple who, try as he might, was not practicing Kriya correctly. Swamiji, not feeling comfortable in telling the disciple directly of his shortcomings, took it to Master who smiled. He knew of the problem and of the unerring devotion of the disciple in question and told Swamiji that he was doing the kriyas for him…
I Will…
O Lord, my heart’s love I will give unto Thee,
My ardent desire is my soul to be free.
I will move mountains, and rivers will ford,
For my soul to unite in One Gracious Accord.
But I’ll just wait a bit, for time is aplenty,
It’s alright for others, but I’m not quite ready.
“All in good time, Thou wilt come when Thou’st meant”,
I won’t put myself out…
Though perhaps during Lent.
To Thee I do chatter, my thought Thou’st behold,
So no need to work on this burdensome load,
Smug in the knowledge that some day I’ll find
That place I much read of, that Kingdom sublime.
Lord I’ll try harder, but I’m sure I’ll be given
All that required to succeed in my mission.
I won’t have to do much, sure faith is enough
To carry me through when the going gets tough.
But I promise I’ll sit more than minimum dues,
I will eat healthier food and this weight I will lose,
I will make it my business not to pry ‘to affairs
That do not concern me; I’ll keep to my prayers.
I will look unto heaven, the moon and the stars
And longingly wish for a place in Thine arms.
I’ll no longer be passive; I will act for the Good,
I will strive so much harder than I thought that I should.
I’ll no longer expect Thy gifts, undeserved,
And wonder why progress decidedly turbid.
My world will transform with the happiness I’ll get,
When I go that bit further…
I will… but not yet!
I lost the battle last night. Yogananda said that life is a “battle for joy” – and I lose more often than I like to admit. When you find a true teaching, a true guru, and a spiritual family who reflect and support your ideals, it is a major victory, and life seems infinitely more doable. But the real work has just begun!
There is something else Yogananda said – that we should be able to “stand unshaken amidst the crash of breaking worlds”. That brought to mind images of Yogananda standing calmly while all around him volcanoes erupted and earthquakes raged and whole worlds exploded. Then one day, while trying to hold onto joy and reason in the midst of some trivial life event, I realized that “crashing worlds” didn’t necessarily mean galactic cataclysms. Little teeny, tiny worlds crash when the car runs out of gas, or your children don’t do the dishes, or you don’t meet the deadline. So then, that understanding translated into pictures (my visual learning style is showing) of miniature little worlds exploding around me during those small, but challenging, life events that come to us daily.
But I continued to believe that I had to tackle life in big chunks. I struggled with being who I wanted to be at work, at home, being a mom, and being a friend, in this circumstance or that. I worked on defining myself as a disciple under all circumstances, and that was another step in understanding. But life is hard, and I kept working with all the tools Yogananda has given us, to do life better – with more joy and awareness.
Gradually, (so gradually!) I broke up life into smaller and smaller pieces. I worked on being joyful for this day, for this morning, for this task. I tried to be a channel for joy with this person, or while confronted with that challenge. But it was, too often, more than I could do.
I’m not sure when it happened, but a new level of understanding came clear. The battle became for each moment, each breath and each heartbeat. The battlefield is not outward circumstance, it is in the spine – where energy moves and consciousness is the territory. Now I ask Master, “How do I meet this moment with the highest consciousness?” And gradually (why does it have to take so long?), it becomes just one question and one answer, for each moment and each thought.
I lost last night because I stopped asking the question, and the slope down to lower consciousness is steep – an easy, fast ride down to the bottom. I felt the failure this morning and I didn’t want to get out of bed and face the battle again. But the battle wasn’t waiting for me when I got out of bed; it was there in bed with me! In my thoughts. Laying there meant more territory lost, and the battle wasn’t going to end because I didn’t like it. So I asked the question, “Master, how do I meet this moment with the highest consciousness?” And I got out of bed and asked again. By the time I hit the shower I felt a glimmer of victory.
Yesterday devotees around the world celebrated the anniversary of the mahasamadhi of Paramhansa Yogananda. Peter Goering gave the talk at Sunday Service and read God’s Boatman from Whisper’s from Eternity, by Paramhansa Yogananda. An excerpt from that poem is on the photo of the stars at the end of this post. I am always deeply moved when I hear or read that poem. To imagine a love so great that the guru would return for us if need be a trillion times…
The day was lovely here. We have been having alot of rain and a little snow. But, it was sunny so walking across the meadow to and from The Expanding Light was a real treat. The meadow is green and the light was very pleasing and warm. Peter’s talk focused on the life of Yogananda, but he began with the story of the miracles that surrounded Master’s conscious exit from his body. There were stories of his meeting with his first disciple in America, Dr. Lewis, and of his mission to bring the practical and timeless teachings of the East to the West. The whole talk was delightful and I hope you can listen to it.
After service there was an Indian Banquet hosted by The Expanding Light and created by Julius Dass and Jyoti Spearin. They were assisted by some very happy helpers. And the food? Amazing!! I want the recipe. Everyone seemed to completely enjoy visiting and lingering over the satisfying meal.
Later in the evening, again at The Expanding Light, we prayed and chanted: Sri Guru Deva Aum, Sri Guru Deva Amen. The chant has been in my head the whole day.
Swami Kriyananda’s play, Jewel in the Lotus, was performed and the temple walls seemed to melt away as we were transported to the future. The play is set 200 years from now at the time Master said he would return to the Himalayas and gather up his disciples to meditate and find liberation in the mountains. I was not alone in wiping away tears as the actors brought their roles to life and were transformed by the main character, The Storyteller. Swamiji wrote this play with a perfect blend of humor, timeless wisdom and depth and made the journey we are all on toward liberation seem so real. The vibration of the room at the end of the play is always so high - I am pretty sure everyone there was ready to leave everything to go live on Lotus Mountain with the Master.
When I got home, I noticed that the stars were so brilliant in the sky. I set up my camera to take a photo. I had to leave the shutter open for about a minute or two to get the stars to register, and even in that amount of time you can see that the “stars moved” and appeared as little streaks. It was very quiet while I waited and I thought back over the day.
Peter talked about the yugas. And I tried to feel that even in the amount of time it took me to take my star picture the earth was rotating very steadily toward a new dawn, and also within our solar system the earth is moving steadily toward the center of the universe and a higher age. Yogananda’s life coincided with the transition of a lower age toward a higher age. And guess what? We are all a part of this steady progression toward higher consciousness and light. It is not always easy. But, we have the great good fortune to have a God Realized guru to lead the way, and he will never give up on us. He will come back for us a trillion times, but we have been blessed with teachings that will help us to quicken our journey. We have the great good fortune to be here and part of this great adventure that will take us toward liberation.
Jai Guru! May the Master Bless us all. I am posting a teeny video with an excerpt from one of my favorite songs, O Master. It was sung at Sunday Service.
This article covers a technique, Khechari Mudra, that is one of the most unusual in yoga and therefore a bit too strange for some people. I’m posting it here because there is quite a lot of confusion around this technique, and what Paramhansa Yogananda taught about it.
Khechari Mudra (also spelled Khecari or Kechari) is an ancient yoga technique that is used in the practice of Kriya Yoga as taught by Yogananda and his lineage of Kriya gurus. It has also been practiced by yogis and meditators for perhaps thousands of years, due to its wonderful benefits.
Yogananda privately recommended Khechari Mudra to some of his disciples, but only occasionally mentioned it publicly. He explained that he was teaching in a country where yoga was already strange enough — without also telling people about a yoga technique where the tongue is turned upward and placed into the nasal cavity, above the soft palate!
It’s important to remember that techniques alone can’t give one enlightenment or liberation. Yogananda said about Kriya Yoga:
Kriya plus devotion works like mathematics. It cannot fail.
Right attitude, devotion, and attunement to the Guru are more important than an over-reliance on exotic techniques such as Khechari Mudra. However, Khechari can be an aid to deeper meditation when done with the right attitude.
Yogananda didn’t fully describe the technique in his writings and lectures — it is explained in The Art and Science of Raja Yoga, by Swami Kriyananda.
In the ninety years since Yogananda began teaching in the West, unusual yoga practices, such as Khechari Mudra, have become more well known. Many people are confused about whether Yogananda even recommended Khechari. In fact, Yogananda both wrote and spoke about Khechari Mudra.
Yogananda wrote about Khechari in an early version of his home study course, published in 1926. The “little tongue” that he mentions below is the uvula, the soft tissue that hangs from the roof of the mouth, at the back of the throat:
This Kundalini moving brainwards, and helped by the union of nerves in the tip of the tongue and the “little tongue,” and certain centers in the nasal cavity, brings about the secretion of a fluid with union of the Life Energy and Cosmic Energy.
This secretion of nectar and union of energies do not involve any loss, but mean immense spiritual realization.
He also gave a similar explanation once to Swami Kriyananda:
Sex seems pleasant to you now, but when you discover the joy of real inner union, you will see how much more wonderful that is.
This union can be achieved physically also, by what is known in yoga as kechari mudra—touching the tip of the tongue to nerves in the nasal passage, or to the uvula at the back of the mouth.
—Conversations with Yogananda by Swami Kriyananda
In an early article Yogananda described one of the benefits of practicing Khechari Mudra:
It draws energy from the cerebrum and medulla by connecting the tip of the big tongue with the little tongue (uvula).
He gave a more esoteric explanation in a lecture in India during his visit there in 1935-6:
While practicing Kriya… a divine nectar-like current flows from the sahasrara (chakra, or spinal center, at the top of the head).
Through the performance of Kechari Mudra, touching the tip of the tongue to the uvula, or “little tongue,” (or placing it in the nasal cavity behind the uvula), that divine life-current draws the prana from the senses into the spine and draws it up through the chakras to Vaishnavara (Universal Spirit), uniting the consciousness with spirit.
The entire body is thereby spiritualized and energized. As a result, a perceptible glow may emanate from the body. —Mejda: The Family and the Early Life of Paramahansa Yogananda by Sananda Lal Ghosh, pp. 279-28
As you can see in Yogananda’s lectures and writings, he described the different stages of Khechari: first touching the tongue to the uvula, or “little tongue” at the back of the mouth, and then placing the tongue into the nasal cavity above the soft palate.
In The Art and Science of Raja Yoga, Swami Kriyananda gives a more complete explanation of Khechari:
Kechari Mudra, “the tongue-swallowing” technique that I taught in Step Five, creates a cycle of energy in the head that generates enough magnetism to draw great amounts of energy from the universe around you.
This energy is actually experienced in the mouth as a slightly sweet, and very pleasant, taste that has been described (accurately, in my experience) as resembling a mixture of ghee (clarified butter) and honey.
This is what is known in various mystical writings as “the nectar of the gods.”
Kriyananda goes on to explain:
The positive and negative energies in the tongue and nasal passages (or uvula), when joined together, create a cycle of energy in the head which, instead of allowing the energy to flow outward to the body, generates a magnetic field that draws energy upward from the body and from the base of the spine to the brain.
It is said that the tongue turns back of itself in samadhi. The assumption of this mudra helps to hasten the advent of deep spiritual states of consciousness.
The difficulty for most people is that the frenulum, the membrane under the tongue, isn’t flexible enough to allow the tongue to reach so far back and up. Over time the frenulum can be gently stretched to enable one to practice Khechari Mudra.
Yogananda was extremely vocal with his disciples that under no circumstance should one try to cut the frenulum, as some unscientific and ill-advised “teachers” recommended.
It is possibly out of such concern that certain teachers in Yogananda’s lineage are afraid of discussing Khechari Mudra. But there are some very simple exercises which enable one to gently stretch the frenulum and tongue enough to practice Khechari.
How did Yogananda recommend adding the practice of Khechari to one’s meditation and Kriya practice? Gradually, as Swami Kriyananda has explained:
He (Yogananda) didn’t talk about (kechari) much, but when he found somebody who could do it, he was very glad and urged them to do it.
One time he said to Dr. Lewis, “You’re not doing Kriya right.”
And doctor said, “What do you mean, sir?”
And Master said, “You should be doing kechari mudra.”
After Doctor told me, I asked Master, “Should I be doing kechari while practicing Kriya?” And he said, “Not yet.”
He didn’t emphasize this a lot. I think it was because he was teaching thousands and thousands of people in America who weren’t ready for this kind of thing. All Master did was bring people into the technique step-by-step rather than giving them everything all at once.
Khechari Mudra clearly isn’t for everyone — but it is extremely helpful for all meditation practices, including Kriya Yoga. And again, right attitude, devotion, and attunement to the Guru are more important than technique alone.
I’ve been practicing Kriya and meditation with Khechari for about thirty years. Because of the wonderful benefits it has for meditation, I would suggest that all Kriya Yogis, and any serious meditator, at least consider learning Khechari Mudra.
Again, many people were involved in making this special day happen.
