Ask Ananda’s Experts
Questions and answers about meditation, yoga, the spiritual life, and more

Nayaswami Diksha

Ananda Village

Answer

Dear Peter,

The time to meditate is when you can do it regularly.

Recommended are dawn (just after awakening), twilight, high noon, and midnight. Another time is in the evening, just before bedtime. It’s also easier to meditate on an empty stomach 2 – 3 hours after meals. So set aside the same time or times each day for your meditation.

Nayaswami Diksha

Ananda Village

Answer

Dear Roberto,

Paramhansa Yogananda taught that, when we practice Hong-Sau, although we fix our gaze at the Christ center, between the eyebrows, we focus our attention on the breath.

The Christ center is the sixth chakra, the center of enlightenment. Only after all our energy has been brought to that center will a doorway open from the sixth chakra to the seventh, the crown chakra, the center of liberation. If you focus prematurely at the crown chakra, however, it’s quite possible to become ungrounded and restless, perhaps even mentally unbalanced. Stay at the spiritual eye.

Nayaswami Diksha

Ananda Village

Answer

Dear Bina,

Paramhansa Yoganada said that in a relationship between a man and a woman, a man should see the woman as a manifestation of Divine Mother, while the woman should see the man as a manifestation of the Heavenly Father. Equality. Their relationship should be based on mutual respect, inspiring each other, and serving each other with love and respect.

Nayaswami Diksha

Ananda Village

Answer

Dear Mike,

You have experienced God, in the form of Krishna. This is a great blessing. God is always waiting for us to come back to Him—no matter how far we have strayed away from Him.

We all have times when we lose inspiration or direction, but instead of dwelling on what has gone wrong, go back and start meditating again. Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita: "Even a little practice of meditation will free one from dire fears and colossal suffering." Pray sincerely to God to help you. Listen for His answer in your meditation as well as during outward activity. When you seek God and act in dharmic ways, to the best of your ability, things will get better.

Nayaswami Diksha

Ananda Village

Answer

Dear Nirja,

In the practice of meditation, when you experience “hurting eyes,” it is generally caused by tension or eyestrain, from trying to position the eyes awkwardly. Avoid straining the muscles of your eyes, trying to look between your eyes brows.

Nayaswami Diksha

Ananda Village

Answer

Dear Nirja,

A person can go through a phase, in his meditation practice, of becoming very sensitive, but usually it is accompanied by inner strength too. The meditation practice helps a peson to become sensitive to the world around him, without been overly focused on himself.

Nayaswami Diksha

Ananda Village

Answer

Dear Sweety,

Not all people who are lazy are new to the human body. People can develop wrong habits and evil qualities through many incarnations, as they continue to follow the wrong path, away from God.

People can change in one incarnation, and make great progress, if they turn towards God whole heartedly. Of couse the degree of change depend on how much energy and will they put into transforming themselves and purifying their actions. It says in the Bhagavad Gita: "Even the worst of sinners, by steadfast meditation on Me, speedily comes to Me!"

Nayaswami Diksha

Ananda Village

Answer

Dear Tina,

Marriage is a sacred bond and loyalty is the foundation for building trust and love between two people.

I am glad that you have gone to counseling to clarify and understand what happened.

If both of you are willing and committed to re-build the marriage with loyalty and trust, then there is a chance to restore the marriage. Both of you need to do your best, and to communicate your feelings and needs with each other with respect and support.

Nayaswami Diksha

Ananda Village

Answer

Dear Sam,

I am glad you have reached this realization. This is the battle of life, that we are all fighting. When you reach this realization and really want freedom, you are ready to embrace the spiritual path, and use the weapons of the meditation techniques to free yourself from the bondage of desires.

Nayaswami Diksha

Ananda Village

Answer

Dear Truthseeker,

There are different things that you can try to remedy this situation. Please be patient and keep experimenting until you find the right position that will work for your body, when you sit to meditate.

1. Before you sit to meditate, practice the Energization Exercises. This will help loosen up the energy in the spine.