Religion, Spirituality & Self Realization-- Key messages from Paramhansa Yogananda

Entire universe is God's cosmic motion picture and the individuals are merely actors in the divine play, who changes roles through reincarnation--- Yogananda

Paramhans Yogananda,a direct disciple of Shri Yukteshwar Giri, conveyed powerful messages on India's spirituality in foreign shores for close to 30 years. Although he lived a short life of around 59 yrs ( 5th Jan 1893 to 7th March 1952), his messages. helped changing lives of millions across the world. To quote him on Religion,

 " The true basis of religion is not belief, but intuitive experience. Intuition is the soul's power of knowing God. To know what religion is really all about, one must know God."

Amazing!, he had a strong conviction on the subject of Religion and God Realization. Moreover, his initiatives on Self Realization Fellowship founded by him in 1920 & enormous work undertaken by both of its Indian and International links, Yogoda Sat-Sang  and many more provided a platform for both Indian and Western nationals to get a deeper understanding of these subjects in illuminating their lives. He promoted Universal Brotherhood and Respect towards all Religions.

 Let me share a few key messages, relevant to my theme from one of the best spiritual book of 20th century," Autobiography of a Yogi" written by him and his spiritual  talks and discourses.

• Self Realization is the knowing---- in body, mind and soul; that we are one with omnipresence of God, that we do not have to pray & that it comes to us.Further,a realization that we are not merely near to it all the times, but that God's omnipresence is our own omnipresence. We are just as much a part of Him now as we ever will be. All we have to do is to improve our knowing.
• A Master bestows the divine experience of Cosmic Consciousness to a disciple, who has strengthened his mind by meditation and devotional discipline to a degree where the vast vistas would not overwhelm him, where his mind can absorb the liberating shock of omnipresence and his intense craving begins to pull at God with an irresistible force.
• The greatest romance is with the infinite. You have no idea how beautiful life can be. When you suddenly find God everywhere, when He connects and talks to you and guides you, the romance of Divine Love has begun.
• Divine Love is without condition, without boundary and without changes.
• The soul is bound to the body by chain of desires, temptations, troubles and worries and it is always trying to free itself.
• Being spiritual is to have an open mind, understand and forgive, and be friends with everyone.
• I am a spark from the infinite. I am not flesh and bones. I am light. In the welfare of others, I shall find my own well- being. I am space-less. I am timeless. I am beyond body, thought, and utterance, beyond all matter and mind. I am endless bliss.
• Most of the world is a mental hospital. Some persons are sick with jealousy, others with anger, hatred, passion and so on. They are victims of their habits and emotions. Making our homes a place of peace depends on us.
• Be kind to others, so that you may learn the secret art of being kind to yourself.
• If you want to be loved, start loving others who need your love.If you want others to sympathize with you, start showing sympathy to those around you; if you want to be respected, you must learn to be respectful to everyone. Whatever you want to be, first be that yourself.
• When we serve others, we serve ourselves. Do not think," I will help others"; think rather," I will help my own, my world", because I can not otherwise be happy.
• A good habit is your greatest friend; a bad habit your mortal enemy.
• Praise does not make you better, nor blame worse than what you are.Then why heed these too? Do not pay attention when they praise you, but survey yourself carefully when they blame you. If you are in fault, free yourself from error quickly, but if you are not guilty, forget it. Truth will speak for you. 

Yogananda taught Kriya Yoga and other meditation practices to help people achieve deeper understanding of " Self " As per his teachings, Kriya Yoga leads to union with the  infinite through certain actions. A Yogi, who faithfully follows its technique is gradually freed from KARMA or universal chain of causation. Consistent practice of Kriya Yoga enables the devotee to switch off and on, at will, life current from five senses and finally leads to uniting his mind at will with Divine.
 He advocated the need for direct exposure of TRUTH as opposed to blind belief. Some of his viewpoints focusing on Dharma & Ethical Practices can be visualized from the aims and ideals nurtured by him for his spiritual offspring's, Yogoda sat-sang society and/ or Self Realization Fellowship. To quote,

• To convey that the purpose of life is Evolution thru Self Effort.
• To reveal the complete harmony and basic oneness of original Christianity as taught by Christ and original Yoga as taught by Lord Krishna and to show that these principles of Truth are the common scientific foundations of all true religions.
• To point out the one Divine Highway to which all paths of true religious beliefs eventually lead; the highway of scientific & devotional meditation on God.
• To encourage plain living and high thinking and to spread a spirit of brotherhood among all people by conveying the eternal basis of their unity and kinship with God.
• To overcome evil by good, sorrow by joy, cruelty by kindness and ignorance by wisdom.
• To serve mankind as one's larger self.

Stressing on Ethical Living, Yogananda conveyed several powerful messages to masses, some of which are shared below.

" Every day in New Year must become an altar for the God of new living, new achievements in wisdom & new joy. Every day in New Year must bring hope and cheer to yourself and all humanity. Cast off the coil of decayed thoughts of the past year and be reincarnated into vital living of the New Year."--------- Yogananda, New Year message, Jan 1937.

" The truth of Yogoda is marching steadily on through the territories of dark ignorance. New regions have been conquered by the armies of divine love. Soldiers of superstition, narrowness, misunderstanding & dogmatism are on the run.Wake, soldiers of Yogoda. Train yourselves in the art of Self Control. Drill yourselves by regular meditation. Let us make the coming Christmas season by disciplining ourselves, conquering the Satan of ignorance and establishing peace within us. Let us learn to love those who love us not. Let us meet religious bigotry by our inner conviction won by realization. Let us break all our mental boundaries of color, creed and nationality and receive all in the endless, all embracing arms of Christ Consciousness".--------- Yogananda,1928, on Christmas Season.

Each and every message, writing or activity propagated by Yogananda had an everlasting impact on people or society in general, whether on Religion, Narrowness and Superstitious Beliefs,Ethical practices to achieve purity and Self Realization efforts. The simplicity and purity, which he preached was visible everywhere.
Once again, quoting from Chapter 24 of Autobiography of A Yogi, Yogananda shares his feelings on becoming Monk of Swami Order by singing these verses from famous spiritual saint, Shankara.

" Mind, nor intellect, nor ego, feeling,

Sky, nor earth, nor metals am I;

I am He, I am He, Blessed spirit, I am He !

No birth, No death, No caste Have I,

Father, Mother, have I none;

I am He, I am He, Blessed spirit, I am He !"

Quoting yet another of his thoughts expressed in one of his writing" Samadhi", he conveys the glory of its cosmic state;

" I live without the cosmic shadow, but it is not bereft of me;

As the sea exists without the waves, but they breathe, not without the sea !"

"Dreams, wakings, states of deep sleep, Present, Past, Future, no more for me;

But ever- present, all flowing I, I everywhere!"

"Thou art I, I art thou, Knowing, Know-er, Known, as one;

Tranquilled, unbroken thrill, eternally living, ever- new peace;

Enjoyable beyond imagination of expectancy, Samadhi, bliss!"

"Not an unconscious state, or mental chloroform without willful return,

Samadhi, but extends my conscious realm, beyond limits of mortal frame;

To farthest boundary of eternity, where I, the cosmic sea, watch the little ego, floating in me."

Endless are lessons and messages from the life of Paramhans Yogananda and it is extremely difficult for me to put down in this blog, though limited to my area of concern-- Dharma and Ethical living. I would like to conclude the blog by another quote from Yogananda.

"If you want to be sad, no one in the world can make you happy. But if you make up your mind to be happy, no one and nothing on earth can take that happiness from you."