Though it humbly poses as a “beginner’s meditation technique,” the Hong-Sau Technique packs quite a punch in the quest for freedom. Anyone who walks in the door at Ananda can learn this technique in five to ten minutes. It is simple and profoundly effective. However, as we continue to practice meditation and receive other techniques, this one can sometimes seem … Read More
Paramhansa Yogananda writes in his book, How to Have Courage, Calmness, and Confidence: As a devotee on the spiritual path, give little weight to the trials that beset you. Be even minded. Walk with courage. Go forward from day to day with calm, inner faith. Eventually, you will pass beyond every shadow of bad karma, beyond all tests and difficulties, … Read More
Once upon a time, long, long ago, there traveled three wise kings across barren, unknown lands, in search of a holy child, a son of God. Guided by a star that shone both day and night, they undertook this journey with great hope, born of a deep faith that we are all one in God. In some traditions their arrival … Read More
In 2003, a man named Dave Bailsford became the performance director of British Cycling. The team had never won more than one gold medal in a single Olympic competition since 1908. But Bailsford had an idea about how to change that: the team could look at everything that affected their performance and improve each of those things by just one … Read More
Dear Daily Meditator, One of Swami Kriyananda’s secrets of meditation deserves special attention, because it has the potential to become a great inspiration for our practice: The Secret of meditation is… to feel SPACE in the body, and gradually expand that feeling from the body outward, into infinite SPACE. Here is a proposal: this week let’s use this Secret as a … Read More
Swami Kriyananda offered a number of “secrets of meditation.” This one has recently been very helpful to me: “Pray not as an outsider to heaven, but as one whose true home is heaven.” Especially when life is busy and it’s easy to become identified with the projects and the to-do lists, I have been trying to use this secret. If … Read More
Brahmachari Devendra shares the reasons that he meditates. He co-directs Ananda’s activities in Gurgaon, practicing and spreading the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda. Transcript Devendra: Meditating Brings Joy to Life I think one of the greatest benefits of meditation to me is that it opens the heart. And I could connect with other people much more easily. The other thing about … Read More
Madhureeta, an Ananda Gurgaon devotee, film director, writer, and producer, talks about why she meditates. Transcript Madhureeta: Why Meditate? A Better Question Might Be, Why NOT Meditate? The question of why I meditate would be something that maybe would have been better for me to answer before I started meditating. Now, you know, the answer… the question is, “Why not … Read More
Mickey, a gemstone specialist, astrologer, and social activist, years ago made meditation part of his life. Transcript Mickey: Meditating Makes Life Complete It’s part of my life. Now that I’m here, it’s like you got something very good, you know. It’s very difficult to explain why I do meditate. I meditate because I’m enjoying enjoy meditations. And I think I … Read More
Jayeeta, an Ananda Gurgaon devotee, shares what happened for her after starting to meditate during an emotional struggle. People find joy, love, and focus in their lives by establishing a meditation practice. Transcript Jayeeta: Namaskar. I’m Jayeeta. What Can Happen in Emotional Times Meditation started with me when I was in a very turbulent emotional phase of my life. That … Read More
