Ananda recently held its second International Kriya Yoga Retreat in Gurgaon, India. You can watch and listen to all the talks here. I would like to expand on something I mentioned in one of my classes there.

There is a great deal of talk in modern times about investing wisely for a hoped-for future retirement. Most people invest their most valuable resources—money, time, and energy—into feeding, clothing, and sheltering the body, stimulating the senses, and feeling comfortable. What people don’t understand is that they are investing everything in a “rapidly depreciating asset”—since the human body is guaranteed to decrease in value until it is “pushing up daisies” in the end.

On the other hand, when we put our time and energy into feeding the soul, spiritually changing ourselves, and dedicating to a practice such as Kriya Yoga, we are putting our resources into an asset that will continue to appreciate over time—even over many lifetimes.

What if you don’t believe in reincarnation? You can compare the end of life of a worldly person who has lived selfishly, to the lives of saints. Saints’ bodies have ‘depreciated’ just like everyone else’s, but they are living in a state of divine joy, and are able to share that joy with others.

I have seen this truth proven in the lives of many Kriya Yogis, even those who may not have yet reached the most exalted spiritual states. Compared to people who have lived selfish or worldly lives, I can say unequivocally that dedication to spiritual practices is the best investment of time and energy one can possibly make.

People sometimes think, “It’s too late. I should have begun practicing Kriya Yoga when I was young. Now my worldly life is all I have, so I guess I’ll just keep living like this.” This is called “throwing good money after the bad.” It is similar to a homeowner who keeps throwing more and more of his hard-earned money to put a new roof on a house with a completely rotten foundation.

It is never too late! Paramhansa Yogananda told the story of a woman who took up his teachings late in life:

I once met a lady in the state of Washington. She was 80 years old, and all her life she’d been an atheist. By God’s grace, at our meeting she became converted to this path. Thereafter she sought God intensely. For the better part of every day, whenever she wasn’t meditating, she would play a recording of my poem “God! God! God!” She lived only a few years longer, but in that short time she attained liberation.

It is never too soon or too late to dedicate yourself to living a spiritual life. It is the greatest investment we can make for our future, and in the end, it is the only thing we can take with us when we leave this world.

One of the great joys of my work with Kriya Yogis is the frequent emails I receive from them, describing the positive effects of Kriya practice. These testimonials come from long-time Kriyabans, and from people who have been practicing Kriya less than a year.

Many times the practice of Kriya brings what I call ‘unintended consequences’ — all of them positive! A recent email from a new Kriyaban described how they had stopped eating meat, were eating half as much as they used to (good in their case, apparently!) – all of this even though they weren’t trying to make these particular changes in their life.

Because Kriya changes one deeply from the inside, the changes can and do manifest outwardly in many ways. In a sense, the Kriya Yogi changes himself from the inside out, rather than in the typical modern approach of changing one’s looks, clothing, or personality.

Here are some of the comments I’ve received from Kriya Yogis:

“My heartfelt thanks to you for giving me the Kriya Technique earlier in the year. It was the greatest gift I have ever received. Words cannot describe the taste of the daily ‘kriya nectar.’”

“I found intense joy, happiness and peace in my life. Kriya and devotion light up my life, and best of all I have daily guidance from the Masters. Since I started my daily practice I became a vegetarian and celibate and living a quiet life, looking at the external world as an expression of God, with compassion and love. I am very happy to be spiritually awakening.”

“My inner and outer life have changed in ways I never thought possible.”

“Kriya is truly a sacred art that has a profound and life changing effect on one’s thought pattern, and a feeling of great joy and bliss.”

How can the practice of Kriya cause so many positive changes? In his Autobiography of a Yogi, Yogananda promised:

“One-half minute of revolution of energy around the sensitive spinal cord of man effects subtle progress in his evolution; that half-minute of Kriya equals one year of natural spiritual unfoldment.”

Yogananda went even further in a discussion with Swami Kriyananda, which he recounts in his book The Essence of Self-Realization:

“I can take a few young men of the most restless sort, and let them practice Kriya for two hours every day in the way I tell them, and, without question, in four or five years I can make saints out of them.

“I won’t preach a single sermon to them. I will simply tell them to practice Kriya for two hours a day, and they will see the difference in their lives. That is a good challenge.

“Of course, they must practice in the way that I tell them. That won’t be easy. But it is surely worth the effort.”

People often make resolutions to change their lives - typically at the start of the new year. Often, these resolutions have little effect, perhaps a little lost weight or a few better habits. Imagine making just one change that will have benefits for every aspect of your life!

Yogananda did not say that his “young men of the most restless sort” would have to change this bad habit or that. He didn’t say that they would have go to church every Sunday. All they would need to do is “practice Kriya for two hours every day in the way I tell them,” and they would become saints in 4 or 5 years.

I can honestly say, based on my own 30-year experience of daily Kriya practice, and on my interactions with hundreds of other Kriya Yogis, that Kriya effectively changes people’s lives out of all proportion to the self-effort required.

If you are interested in learning Kriya Yoga, feel free to email me. If you already practice Kriya, consider dedicating 2008 to a deeper and more devoted practice of it. You may well be surprised at the many “unintended” positive consequences resulting from your deep, sincere practice.
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Recently Swami Kriyananda gave two extraordinary talks on Kriya Yoga in Daily Life in Pune and Mumbai, India. You can listen to both talks on the Ananda website.

People who are interested in receiving initiation into Kriya are often interested in what Kriya will do to deepen their meditation, and what kind of spiritual experiences they can expect through Kriya practice. Meditation is typically made deeper through Kriya practice, and people do have various experiences as a result of Kriya.

But these experiences are different for each person, and don’t always come immediately. As Paramhansa Yogananda said:

“Do not be anxious if you don’t have meditative experiences. The path to God is not a circus! Don’t even be anxious about such fruits of meditation as inner joy and peace. Everything will come in God’s time.”

In thirty years of Kriya practice, and in observing thousands of Kriya Yogis, I’ve seen the most tangible result of Kriya practice to be the effect that it has on ‘Daily Life’. Long time practitioners of Kriya invariably become more bright, devotional, and clear-minded.

That is why Lahiri Mahasaya described Kriya “as a practical technique of liberation” — the technique itself is scientific and practical — and Kriya practice produces very real and practical results in people’s lives. I believe that much of the extraordinary success of Ananda communities all over the world is due to the practice of Kriya Yoga by Ananda members.

Kriya bears these practical ‘fruits’ because it gives one control over the life force, or pranayama. Daily finger exercises give the musician control over their fingers, so they can play complex and inspiring pieces of music. In the same way, daily Kriya practice gives the Kriya Yogi control over their inner life force, enabling them to deal with the complex world of business, relationships, emotions, etc.

Of course, Kriya does much more than that. Over time it gives the experience of bliss and divine realization. Those inner fruits, as Yogananda said, will come in God’s time.

As Yogananda promised in his Autobiography of a Yogi, regarding the state of samadhi, or cosmic consciousness:

“It comes with a natural inevitability to the sincere devotee.”

Listen to Swami Kriyananda speaking about Kriya Yoga in Daily Life.

Over 200 Ananda members traveled to Southern California last week for 5 days of events. The highlight was the official launch of Swami Kriyananda’s new book, Revelations of Chirst. It was held at the Wadsworth Theatre in Los Angeles, and was attended by over 1,000 people. You can listen to Swami Kriyananda’s talk and view slideshows by following the links at the bottom of the page.

The Jewel in the Lotus
The first event was a performance of Jewel in the Lotus, a beautiful play written by Swami Kriyananda many years ago. It was performed in front of about 150 people at the Seaside Church of Religious Science in Encinitas on Wednesday, July 18. The following evening we performed the play again, before another large audience at a beautiful auditorium in Malibu.

Both audiences were extremely receptive to the story that takes place 200 years in the future. That is when Paramhansa Yogananda said he would have his next incarnation. The play is a mixture of humor, inspiration, insight, and deep spiritual teaching that ends very poignantly (I won’t give away the ending here!). The play has been performed numerous times, on three continents - testimony to its universal impact.

Gala Evening with Swami Kriyananda
On Friday evening, a dinner was held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Century City to raise money for promoting the new book and to help launch Ananda’s new center in Los Angeles. Swami Kriyananda gave an inspiring talk about the book, Ananda musicians performed beautifully, and the food was exceptional!

Launch of Revelations of Christ
This special event on Saturday evening at the Wadsworth Theatre was truly extraordinary. Swami Kriyananda spoke for one and a half hours to about 1,200 extremely attentive souls. I can’t recommend this talk highly enough – please take the time to watch it on the Ananda website.

He covered many topics relating to the book. The common thread throughout his talk was the soul’s unique relationship to God – one that is beyond the power or control of religious institutions.

Religious organizations and churches have misinterpreted the teachings of the Masters throughout history, in order to boost their own importance. Swamiji’s new book brings back the original meaning of Christ’s teachings – unfettered by ‘churchianity’, as Yogananda used to call the church’s misinterpretations of Christ’s words.

Swami Kriyananda spoke beautifully, humorously, and devotionally about our search for divine realization. Everyone I could see around me was deeply moved by his presence and his words. He received several standing ovations before and after his very uplifting presentation.

At the conclusion of the evening Swamiji was presented with two awards. The first was the “2007 Pioneer in Yoga” award, given by the Los Angeles Yoga Fellowship for “blazing a spiritual trail which leads to the highest goal – yoga: scientific union with Spirit.”

The second was the “Beacon of Light Lifetime Achievement Award” presented by the National InterFaith Council for “outstanding and tireless spiritual work for mankind across our planet.”

Launch of Ananda Los Angeles
Ananda has a new center in Los Angeles! They are still looking for a permanent home, but Ananda ministers Krishna Das and Mantra Devi LoCicero have moved to Santa Monica, and begun giving satsangs and classes. About 250 people came to the Roosevelt High School auditorium on Sunday morning to inaugurate Ananda’s newest center. Swami Kriyananda spoke yet again, and stayed long afterwards, greeting everyone who wanted to talk to him.

Video and audio of Swami Kriyananda’s talks in Los Angeles
Ananda Los Angeles
Revelations of Christ home page

Students of yoga often believe that yoga techniques alone can give one spiritual liberation, or moksha. But Paramhansa Yogananda taught that right attitude, discipleship to a true Guru, and deep devotion are just as important as yoga techniques, if not more so.

Yogananda told a disciple, “Kriya Yoga plus devotion works like mathematics. It cannot fail.” I often tell people that it’s the only mathematical equation the Kriya Yogi needs to know, and it’s as fundamentally true as “one plus one equals two.” Even advanced yogis fall into the delusion that they can achieve liberation through self-effort alone, without the assistance and divine grace that one receives through devotion to the Guru.

In his new book Revelations of Christ, Swami Kriyananda mentions Kriya Yoga several times in the context of Christ’s teachings. I highly recommend this brand new book to all practicing Kriya Yogis, and anyone interested in Kriya.

In one passage, Kriyananda states that it is “universally true that the ‘son of man’—every son of man—must lift his consciousness, through kundalini awakening, in order to know God.” He goes on to explain how this is done:

A vitally important technique for this awakening is Kriya Yoga. A principle effect of Kriya Yoga is the circulation of energy around the spine, magnetizing it. It is also important, however, that Kriya Yoga be practiced with devotion, and with high spiritual aspiration.

Too much has been made in the yoga teachings of the importance of raising the kundalini by merely mechanical methods. Many misguided students have, in consequence, turned an important spiritual teaching into a mere exercise. This, obviously, is wrong. Even without any such method, but with exalted devotion, many have experienced, during meditation, an awakening of their kundalini power.

On the other hand, when kundalini awakening is accomplished by mechanical means alone, and without devotional aspiration, the energy may rise temporarily, but it will soon fall again. Until the heart has been completely cleansed of all worldly attachments and desires, the increased focus of energy in the spinal centers may stimulate any one of those centers in such a way as to flow outward, and to reawaken latent delusive tendencies.

In a book of mine, Conversations with Yogananda, I included an account of one time when our Guru said to us, “When one thinks good thoughts, the Kundalini automatically starts moving upward. When one thinks evil thoughts, it moves downward. When one hates others, or has wrong thoughts about them, it moves down. And when one loves others, or thinks kindly about them, it moves up.

“Kundalini is not awakened by yoga techniques alone.”

Learn more about Revelations of Christ, and the official launch of the book in Los Angeles in July. Swami Kriyananda will be appearing in person to speak about this new “Revelation.”

Last weekend we celebrated Swami Kriyananda’s 81st birthday at Ananda Village. He spoke for over three hours during several occasions, covering many topics. I am quoting a few of his words here, but I urge you to listen to his talks on the Ananda website.

Swamiji shared a lifetime’s worth of spiritual insight from the perspective of someone who has overcome the tests given to those who seek final freedom in God. He has mentioned a few times during the last weeks that after a lifetime of those tests — and of grateful service to his Guru — he feels divine bliss all the time now.

In one of his talks, he said with deep feeling in his voice, “The joy of God is beyond imagination of expectancy. All those little ups and downs, they didn’t mean a thing. I see what it’s all for now, all the wandering.”

Of God’s unconditional love, and the right attitude toward our faults, he said:

“Don’t worry about your faults. If you work on them, you will become purified. The Masters are perfectly willing to wait, because they know that it takes time. It may take a long time. In fact Master told me that it takes a long time. But it doesn’t have to. You can find God in this life if you will make the effort….

“No matter who you are, no matter your limitations, no matter how many times you fall, or how many mistakes you make, He’s always there waiting for you.

“There is a picture on the altar of the Sistine Chapel, where God is condemning the damned. All his energy is directed toward condemning those poor damned. What a picture! Art it may be, but what a philosophy! God loves you. He knows that the dice are loaded. Is God going to get angry with you for falling into a pit he himself had dug for you?”

On attunement to the Guru, and the practice of Kriya Yoga and devotion, Swamiji remarked:

“The process of being in tune with the Guru is not just being around a good guy. He’s working on your mind!

“Yogananda used to say that the spiritual path consists of 25% your own effort, 25% the Guru’s effort on your behalf, and 50% the grace of God

“Where is your effort? There are two things. You can try to be close to the guru, to attune your mind to him.

“But you also have to make your own effort, and this is where Kriya Yoga comes in. Kriya aligns the [subtle] molecules in your spine. It helps to raise up the samskars [desires and inclinations that reside in the astral spine]. As you practice Kriya Yoga, the samskars that were buried in the spine are lifted up to the brain, and released.

“This is a very, very important technique. [You can find freedom through it] as long as you don’t develop the kind of ego that many yogis develop. They think, ‘I’m the one that’s doing it’….

“I’ve met many yogis who are so arrogant. They’ll never find God that way. They’ll fall again and again. People that practice tantra [a certain type of yogic practice] often rise very quickly, but then fall very hard.

“No, freedom comes from devotion. You have to have devotion. Devotion is not a sentiment. Devotion is an absolute longing for the Truth. It must be a longing of the heart. The more we long for it and for God, the more we find that He is there. He wants you to come back.”

The underlying feeling of the weekend was conveyed best by Swami Kriyananda himself, when he said this about the fruit of the spiritual life:

“It’s a blissful life. There’s nothing but joy underneath everything.”

Please take the time to listen to his talks. Along with those of us who were present at Ananda Village, you may find that your life will be transformed.

I have a favorite chant that was frequently sung by Sri Yukteswar, Paramhansa Yogananda’s guru. It’s titled Desire, My Great Enemy:

Desire, my great enemy,
With his soldiers surrounded me,
Is giving me lots of trouble, oh my Lord,
Is giving me lots of trouble, oh my Lord.

That enemy, I will deceive,
Remaining in the Castle of Peace,
Night and Day in Thy joy, oh my Lord,
Night and Day in Thy joy, oh my Lord.

What will be my fate?
Oh Lord, tell me.
Pranayam be thy religion,
Pranayam will give thee salvation,
Pranayam is the Wishing Tree,
Pranayam is the Wishing Tree.

Pranayam is Beloved God,
Pranayam is Creator Lord,
Pranayam is the Cosmic World,
Pranayam is the Cosmic World.

Control the little pranayam,
Become all-pervading pranayam,
You won’t have to fear anything anymore,
You won’t have to fear anything anymore.

Pranayama (or pranayam) means in Sanskrit, “control of one’s life force, or energy.”

Most people think that pranayama describes various breathing exercises and yoga techniques. Yogananda explained that “pranayama is a condition, not a technique.” The very purpose of pranayama exercises is to give us complete control of the inner life force. This is the true meaning of pranayama.

Paramhansa Yogananda said that the author of the chant took poetic license by saying, “pranayam is Beloved God” and “pranayam be thy religion.” Even so, he emphasized that the words of the chant do describe the only way to union with God, through control of one’s energy.

What does control of one’s energy have to do with union with God? Yogananda said:

God answers all prayers, but restless prayers He answers only a little bit. If you try to give someone something that doesn’t belong to you, your gift won’t mean much to him, will it? However touching the gesture, it will be lacking in substance!

So is it when your mind is not your own. You may want to give it to God, but you can’t. Your prayers, then, are hardly more than a gesture.

Get control over your mind. When you can pray with concentration, the Lord will know that you mean what you are saying. He will answer you, then, in wonderful ways.

The Kriya yogi, through ever- deepening practice of Kriya, controls his life force to the extent that he can withdraw the energy that would otherwise go into restless thoughts and desires. As a result of that control, he can achieve final union with the divine in deep samadhi meditation.

Even if the Kriya Yogi falls short of the ultimate goal, he finds over the years that his meditations become ever deeper, and that God answers his prayers “in wonderful ways.” This has been true in my own life, and in the lives of countless other Kriya yogis.

P.S. The chant, Desire, My Great Enemy, is beautifully performed on the chanting CD titled Power Chants, available from Crystal Clarity Publishers.