The goal of all yoga practice is to bring the life force into the spine, the altar of Spirit, where one worships God as ever-new joy. When we are fully in control of the mind, Paramhansa Yogananda said, “it will be like the coat you hang on a peg: it will stay there” in God consciousness.

Unfortunately, as every meditator knows, the mind during meditation often jumps around like a grasshopper. A story encouraging to every meditator took place one day in Sri Yukteswar’s sitting room, where the young Yogananda was trying to meditate. His thoughts, however, were “scattered like birds before the hunter.”

In Autobiography of a Yogi, Yogananda recounts how his guru kept calling him, using his childhood name:

“Mukunda!” Sri Yukteswar’s voice sounded from a distant inner balcony.

I felt as rebellious as my thoughts. “Master always urges me to meditate,” I muttered to myself. “He should not disturb me when he knows why I came to his room.”

He summoned me again; I remained obstinately silent. The third time his tone held rebuke.

“Sir, I am meditating,” I shouted protestingly.

“I know how you are meditating,” my guru called out, “with your mind distributed like leaves in a storm! Come here to me.”

Exposed, I made my way sadly to his side.

Sri Yukteswar then said, “Poor boy…. Your heart’s desire shall be fulfilled.” Then he struck Mukunda gently on his chest… his breath was drawn out of his lungs, and Mukunda was blessed with Cosmic Consciousness.

One might say, “But Yogananda was an avatar and he’d already achieved Cosmic Consciousness.” The avatars, however, incarnate to show us how we, too, can find God. The great Kriya Masters have given each of us a sacred promise. On their behalf, Yogananda conveyed their holy pledge:

You must be true to yourself and to us. We are in earnest and are resolved to show you that Cosmic Consciousness is attainable in one life, if you properly and continuously cooperate in this Divine endeavor.

The Masters have offered us their God-attuned power, and given us meditation practices that dynamically draw our consciousness toward Spirit. We’ve been blessed with everything we need to attain the divine goal. Let us continuously cooperate with the Great Ones and help them fulfill their promise.

Because the spiritual path is often potholed with challenges, one must be like a tractor that moves easily over the ups and downs of life. One doesn’t have to be outwardly perfect to be worthy of God; he just needs to keep moving toward Him. When you approach God with love and self-offering, He promises that “I will make good your deficiencies and render permanent your gains” (words of Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita.)

A few years ago in the Swedish Archipelago, I was giving a nature awareness program on an island nature preserve. My body was ill with a fever, and after a full day of teaching outdoors, I tried to meditate to prepare for the following day. However, due to the fever I could only meditate a few minutes.

During my short meditation, I prayed to God to help me be able to teach well the next day, because the program was an important one, with leaders coming from all over Sweden. That night while I was asleep, I tangibly felt God’s loving touch; it was so palpable and thrilling that I immediately woke up. I felt as if I had had a deep and long meditation.

Although my body was still unwell, the joy of God’s presence carried me throughout the day. He had made good my deficiency.

All that God and the Masters want from us—is that we try.

In divine friendship,
Nayaswami Bharat

46 Comments

  1. Starting today 2015 my desire is to become deeper in my spirituality life through living more balanced and at peace with JOY through my being. Thank you, I will be looking forward to the Newsletter :)

  2. This reading was a very welcome way to start the New Year. I felt attuned to the Masters while reading. Thank you.

  3. Thank you for this post. It’s very consoling and encouraging and a perfect start to a new year!

  4. Thank you for the powerful reminder that all we have to do is to do our best. God will unfailingly do the rest. I’m looking forward to the Daily Meditator in 2015. Also, thank you, thank you for Aum, The Melody of Love. Reading it is like having God whisper in your ear.

  5. Thank you for sharing that article, it was powerful for me today and I am grateful. Namaste Kundi

  6. With Thanks for this message, with Greetings from Laurelwood, OR. where kind souls do try, and where try-outs, and trails are aided by the Masters. Dedication to the Highest is the secret.

  7. Very beautiful,informative and encouraging article! Loved it.Good start of New Year!

    Thank you.

  8. In spite of best efforts I never reach to a position to meditate. My mind runs away towards numberless objects. Thoughts never become still. Not able to reach tranquilly. Always feel tired, restless, dissatisfied and start disbelieving in meditation process. I need your guidance sincerely. I have no money to pay fee for the classes. If some can guide me through e mail I shall feel obliged for the same.

    1. Dear Y. N., thank you for your comment — Nayaswami Premdas will send you an email soon. I’m sorry we took so long to reply!

  9. It’s so reassuring to hear this, though I’ve heard it many times. I will say every day of 2015 right before I meditate—I am trying to think of only YOU, with every breath I take. This is my prayer. Hear my prayer!

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    Beautiful newsletter and stories. Thank you for pointing out the real lesson behind them.

  11. This was very nice to read. I was already floating in the clouds seeing the beautiful painting given in the beginning. The rest helped me stay there :) I wish everyone at Ananda a blissful New Year.

  12. Thank you for sharing your inspiring personal spiritual experience! So often we think we know the answer to our prayer but by putting it in God’s hands, the answer comes about in a way we could not have imagined. When I lost my job in 2003 and was denied health insurance by all the major companies due to preexisting condifions, I prayed and surrendered the lack of health insurance and put it in God’s hands. With hindsight I realize that my learning about eatting a primarily raw food diet kept me well for seven years. After that time, I was able to get health insurance. I think that the raw food diet was the prayer answer I could not have anticipated to keep me healthy.

    Is this a newsletter to subscribe to?

    Carol Bezin

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    Dearest Bharat, Thank you so very much for this inspiring article! I like the part where you point out

    :”One doesn’t have to be outwardly perfect to be worthy of God; he just needs to keep moving toward Him”.

    And thank you for sharing your personal experience. We do need to know that these things happen and that we can and will feel Him too….if we never give up!

    Thank you friend!
    In Master,
    Brindey

  14. When I look at this picture I am amazed that Master welcomed Swami, and Mr. and Mrs. Sen and their gifts when I would have thought to say, I AM GOING TO LEAVE MY BODY SOON, CAN’T YOU ALL STOP BOTHERING ME? But no, Master received Swami’s gift and the basket from the Sens. Amazing. When we keep on keeping on, we are rewarded. Good for you, Bharat!

  15. thank you so much..I needed to hear that perfection is not required as long as we try..Om Guru

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    Thank you so much Bharat for this inspiring reminder! That quote from Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita will stay with me now. In truth this is the experience of God in our lives.

    May God and our Beloved Guru’s continue to “do the rest” in your exemplary life!

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