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I’m thrilled to share with you a technique of energy control (pranayama) that Paramhansa Yogananda created in 1916. He said that if you were stranded on a desert island and could have only one yogic technique, you should choose this one, because through it you would eventually discover the entire science of yoga. This technique, called the Energization Exercises, is a marvelous tool for recharging the body with energy at will, thereby driving away fatigue and disease. More importantly, it is an invaluable tool for developing divine awareness in its most subtle aspects.
Energy is the key to success in meditation and in every human endeavor. Have you ever noticed how your practice of meditation reflects your energy level? When you’re tired or sleepy, don’t you find your mind wandering all over the place, or — even worse — in a drowsy fog? It takes tremendous energy to meditate effectively. Our level of awareness is determined by the amount of energy we have at our command.
Both science and yoga tell us that our physical bodies are made of energy, so potentially, we have vast reserves of energy we can draw on. Yogananda said, “There is enough energy in one gram of flesh to keep the city of Chicago supplied with electricity for a week.” Through your practice of the Energization Exercises, you will learn to become aware of the flow energy within you, and how to direct that flow.
The more aware you are of the flow of energy, the more you can direct that energy by will power not only to the body, but toward anything that you do — toward your work, toward creative inspiration, toward God in meditation, and in every aspect of your life.
All success depends ultimately on energy. Energy is really the differentiating factor between genius and mediocrity. So these exercises are much more than just physical. They’re the cornerstone of Yogananda’s whole system of teaching, and, in fact, of all spiritual progress.
—Swami Kriyananda
© Ananda Church of Self-Realization 1995 – 2010
