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Balancing Self-Effort with Receptivity to Divine Grace (With Swami Kriyananda)

Swami Kriyananda
February 28, 2023

Where does God’s grace end and your efforts begin? Swami Kriyananda shares some pertinent stories and answers this question, emphasizing the need for self-effort.

We are essentially in partnership with God and need to have the courage, will, and energy to do our part and act accordingly. It does not serve us to criticize the work and dharma of others. We have to find our own way to participate in this collaboration.

Is it any wonder that those who are close to God are individuals who possess great willpower, endurance, and strength? The spiritual path is not a path for weaklings.

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ABOUT SWAMI KRIYANANDA

In 1948 at the age of twenty-two, Swami Kriyananda (J. Donald Walters) became a disciple of the Indian yoga master, Paramhansa Yogananda.

Yogananda is best known for his spiritual classic, Autobiography of a Yogi. In his book he recalls his experiences growing up in India and his life in America. He writes of meeting the great spiritual master Babaji, and how Babaji reintroduced the life changing meditation technique of Kriya Yoga. He tells of his life with his guru, Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri, of his guru Lahiri Mahasaya, and his meeting with Anandamayi Ma. Yogananda moved to America and developed the Energization Exercises and taught the meditation techniques of Hatha Yoga and especially Kriya Yoga.

At Yogananda’s request, Swami Kriyananda devoted his life to lecturing and writing, helping others to experience the living presence of God within. He taught on four continents in seven languages over the course of 65 years. His talks, his music, and his many books have touched the lives of millions. An advocate of simple living and high thinking, his 150 books emphasize the need to live wisely by one’s own experience of life, and not by abstract theories or dogmas. A composer since 1964, Walters has written over 400 musical works. His music is inspiring, soothing, and uplifting.

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