The word “food” is usually used in connection with material nourishment, but there are other kinds of food, namely, mental energy (or concentration) and divine wisdom. Material food recharges the body battery; concentration the mind battery; and divine wisdom the soul battery. What distilled water is to a wet battery, food is to the body battery. The life energy in … Read More
Transcending Suffering
Have you ever gotten food poisoning? After eating out the other week, I was feeling sick to my stomach. When we got home Dharmadevi gave me some Goldenseal tincture which is a healing herb. I’ll spare you the unpleasant details. Suffice it to say even though my soul wanted to march on, my body went down for the count! I hammed up my role as the sick person and jokingly started to seek self-pity. I asked Dharmadevi, “Did you tell …
Reclaiming our Wholeness with Flower Essences
The Three Qualities of the Universe The ancient yoga teachings stated that the food a person eats affects his state of consciousness. Paramhansa Yogananda (author of the world-renowned Autobiography of a Yogi), in his wide range of teachings, explained that specific spiritual influences are inherent in certain foods. Such influences include cereal for strength of character; beets for martial vigor; … Read More
Guided Healing Meditation
Mary Kretzmann leads a 36-minute guided meditation for healing. She is a long time meditator and Ananda teacher and guides its healing ministry.
Peace and Harmony for the U.S. Elections
As I was leaving my house on Saturday to go for a walk around the pond near my home, I spoke briefly with my landlord. He was sharing his anxiety around the upcoming elections and the “ugliness” that has become more visible in our country as a result. He and his wife were leaving town to assist with a campaign … Read More
My Name is Gratitude
If I were to choose a spiritual name for myself, it would have to be Gratitude. I started drinking in my early teens. Drugs came later, in the ’60s, just before I turned twenty. All my friends drank, and everything that happened after sundown involved drugs and alcohol. So we were more inclined to play loud music than to play … Read More
Healing with AUM, the Teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda
Learn the three-part healing AUM chant as taught by Paramhansa Yogananda.
Yogananda’s Peace and Harmony Prayer
Yogananda’s Peace and Harmony Prayer Visualize the world or someone you have conflict with in divine light, and pray — out loud or inwardly — from your heart: “Lord, fill [this world / your friend’s name] with peace and harmony, peace and harmony.” Repeat this for about a minute (10 repetitions). Then visualize yourself in divine light, and for 15 … Read More
Energization: The Wishing Tree
Some time ago, I attended a class on the Energization Exercises which was being taught to new students. A very brief introduction from the part of the teachers was finalized with the statement: “Remember, these are spiritual, not physical, exercises. We do them in order to meditate better, but they can’t in any way take the place of physical workout.” … Read More
