Hi! Paramhansa Yogananda repeatedly told us to create a protective aura around us to negate negative magnetism. How do we build a positive aura apart from meditating and praying. Is there any book on that?
—Bina, UK
Dear Bina,
There isn’t a book dedicated to that subject, but Paramhansa Yogananda and Swami Kriyananda have touched on it many times, including giving us specific techniques and practices.
An aura is simply a way to see someone’s magnetism in visual form. Some people see them easily, while people who perceive more on the feeling level, rather than the visual one, can “feel” people’s magnetism. When our aura and magnetism are stronger, then we are less susceptible to negativity in others, and even to the influence of own karma.
For example, when our magnetism is very strong, some karma may come to us that could have killed us. If the aura is strong, then perhaps we get away with a few bruises. A good analogy is that when our immune system is weak, perhaps because we are tired from overwork and lack of sleep, we are more susceptible to catching a cold virus that is going around.
Perhaps the greatest and easiest way to increase our aura and magnetism is the simplest: thinking of the Guru. One way to do that is a practice that Yogananda and Swami Kriyananda taught: to mentally chant “AUM Guru” throughout the day. At the end of a visit to see Swami Kriyananda in India, I asked him “How can I continue to feel the joy and inspiration that I feel in your presence?” He replied:
I have found that mentally chanting “AUM Guru” is a wonderful practice. If you keep that consciousness day and night, it is amazing how you can change. You feel more and more desire for God, more and more purity of heart, more and more dedication.
An Ananda member who can test people’s auras did an interesting experiment to learn the effects that different actions had on our aura. Yogananda’s energization exercises increased the size and strength of the aura. So did the wearing of the astrological bangle recommended by Yogananda and Sri Yukteswar. Those bangles help reduce the effects of our negative karma, much like a lightening rod protects a home from lightening strikes. You can order a bangle, or learn more about them here.
Not surprisingly, the aura experiment discovered that sitting in front of a computer decreased the size of one’s aura. But most interesting, the one action that had the greatest positive influence of all was simply to think of the Guru!
In the The Art and Science of Raja Yoga, Swami Kriyananda explains that having more energy will strengthen our aura and protect us. He gives a specific technique to practice when you find yourself going into a situation where you especially need a stronger aura. That could be if you are going into an environment that is negative or unhealthy in some way. Or it could be if you are having to deal with a difficult family member or boss. He describes the technique thus:
To practice this technique, join your hands before you, then bring them out to the side and behind you to form a large circle, joining them again at the back. Keep swinging them forward, outward, and backward in a large circle, joining them in front and behind, while reciting this mantra: “AUM Tat Sat.” At night, when you go to bed, write AUM three times on your pillow with your forefinger, and feel as you go to sleep that you are resting in AUM. (AUM, as I have said before, is the highest vibration. Nothing can touch you if you remain always in the consciousness of this holy vibration, or even if you simply chant AUM deeply at the point between the eyebrows.)
There are many more ways to strengthen your aura, but now that you see the principles behind the practices I described, you can come up with some of your own.
blessings and joy to you,
Devarshi
Note: This is one of a series of three questions relating to auras and the effects of astrological bangles and gemstones:
Follow-up Question on Astrological Bangles
