My problem is with the OM technique. I've been practicing regular for months now I can't seem to to get away from my restlessness, my other practice of energizing excercise, and hong sau are going well. I feel great benefit through their practice, but the practice of the OM just leaves me frustrated. I don't know what my problem is.
—Barry DeStein, USA
Dear Barry,
Frustration with any meditation technique is not uncommon. Often people really resonate with one technique, while another technique doesn’t seem to suit them well. Perhaps this is why we have more than one technique!
But the truth is that on Yogananda’s path of Kriya Yoga, each technique holds a special and unique function – together they make an extremely efficient and scientific approach to self-realization. Each one helps the other ones:
- Energization helps you to gather the needed prana (life force) to make the journey to self-realization.
- Hong-Sau helps you to focus that energy into a beam of concentration instead of letting it be scattered in restless thoughts.
- AUM gives you something to concentrate on deeply (the sound or vibration of Creation/God).
With absorption in AUM, we quit vibrating so much on a human level and begin to vibrate on a Divine Level. We become that which we concentrate on.
My suggestion to you would be to give yourself a little pep talk about this technique. Review the instructions to be sure you are doing it correctly. Pray to Master to guide you. Ask him to do it for you and with you. Whenever frustration sets in, simply say, “Well, I may not like it, but it is part of my path, so I’m going to do it anyway.” Put in the time no matter what.
Yogananda says that “discipline brings grace.” This means doing as he guides us and having the faith to hang on, even if we don’t like it or feel that nothing is happening. Something is happening even if it is not evident to you right now. Have no expectations. Just do it for love and with respect for your Gurus’ wise guidance.
Swami Kriyananda says about the AUM technique, “It can be a slow starter, but it is a very BIG finisher.” He also calls it “the bridge between human consciousness and Divine Consciousness.”
Inspiring words and very true!
