Spiritual Surrender
Paramhansa Yogananda explained that spiritual surrender means self-offering of one’s will to God. It is not passive, but an active offering of oneself into the will of God. Experience the power of self-offering of oneself to God, through this guided meditation, sounds of ocean waves and soothing music.
Transcript
Nayaswami Diksha:
[The chant “I Am the Bubble” is playing softly in the background.]
What is Spiritual Surrender and How Do We Do It?
Paramahansa Yogananda explained that spiritual surrender means self-offering of one's will to God. It is not passive. It's an active offering of oneself into the will of God.
How does one do it? Swami Kriyananda’s answer was that the only way that we can cross the vast chasm that separates the ego from Infinity is by mental attunement to the Consciousness of an already liberated Guru. By offering our hearts and our minds to the Guru with an attitude of deep love, and receptivity, the Guru can transform our consciousness. The Guru works primarily on a level of Consciousness from within to change disciples’ feelings, and thoughts once we are able to offer ourselves, without any reservation, to God, releasing any sense of ego that our consciousness can expand and merge with Infinity.
Finding a Comfortable Position for Meditation
Sit upright with the spine erect, and body relaxed.
Turn the palms upward, place them at the junction of the thighs and abdomen.
Lift your chest and roll your shoulders back.
Close your eyes. Lift your gaze slightly above the horizon line without strain.
Praying to the Guru for Help
Let’s begin with a prayer.
Beloved Guru, help me to feel your living presence within me. As I offer myself fully into your care, guide me that through my efforts and through your grace, I will find freedom and merge with God.
AUM, peace, amen
Relaxing the Body for Meditation
And now, let's begin by relaxing the body. We’ll tense and relax the body with the double breath.
And now, let's begin by relaxing the body. We’ll tense and relax the body with the double breath.
Double inhale and tense, [the sound of a double inhaling breath and holding the breath in]
Double exhale and relax [the sound of a double exhaling breath]
Again, [the sound of a double inhaling breath, holding the breath in and then the sound of a double exhaling breath]
Once more [the sound of a long single inhaling breath, holding the breath in and then the sound of a double exhaling breath]
Allow the body to relax completely.
Preparing the Mind Using Hong Sau Breathing Techniques
To calm and interiorize the mind, we’ll practice equal-count breathing. I will use the count of eight. You can follow me or choose a count that works for you.
Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, [Pause]
Hold the breath, [Pause]
Exhale through your nose, [Pause]
Inhale, hold [Pause]
Exhale [Pause]
Once more, [Pause]
Inhale, [Pause]
Hold [Pause]
Exhale [Pause]
And relax [Pause]
Consciously withdraw your energy and awareness inward, away from the periphery of the body, into your inner center. [Pause]
Take a regular breath in and out, and from now on, let go of the breath and become an impartial observer of your own breath. [Pause] Don’t control it in any way. [Pause]
Watch the flow of air in and out your nostrils. [Pause] Notice where in the nose you can feel the flow of the breath most clearly. [Pause] Concentrate on the flow of the breath as it passes that point. [Pause] As you watch the breath without control, it will gradually slow down. [Pause]
And now, to deepen your concentration, we’ll accompany the natural flow of the breath with the mantra Hong Sau, which means I AM Spirit. When the breath flows in naturally, mentally chant H O N G. [Pause] When the breath flows out naturally, mentally chant S A U. [Pause]
Practice with reverence and respect as you offer the Hong, the little eye, into the Soul, into the Spirit.
And now, we’ll add the movement of the right index finger
As the breath flows in, naturally, mentally chant HONG and curl the right index finger slightly towards your palm. [Pause, waiting for the breath to flow in naturally.]
As the breath flows out naturally, mentally chant SAU and relax the finger back out. [Pause, waiting for the breath to flow out naturally.]
As you watch the breath without control, the breath will be calm, and you will experience pauses between breaths. Enjoy the pauses of peace and stillness between breaths.
Gradually, as you watch the breath without control, you will feel it higher and higher in your nose, [Pause to become aware] until you might feel it at the point between the eyebrows, feeling the breath coming in through the point between the eyebrows, stimulating and awakening your higher consciousness.
And now we'll release the technique.
Gentle inhale, then exhale in quick succession [sound of two short and one long exhaling breaths through the mouth, exhaling completely]
Release the technique.
Sit in the Stillness After Hong Sau
Sit in the stillness. [Pause]
Gaze lifted, feel the Divine Presence as peace or love or joy within you. [Pause]
Absorb yourself in that Presence.
Finding the Center of Ego and Lifting Up to the Spiritual Eye
And now, bring your awareness to the base of your skull, the medulla, the center of ego.
Concentrate there and feel your sense of self. [Pause]
Then, open a channel from the medulla up to the point between the eyebrows. Willingly offer yourself up from the medulla to the spiritual eye. [Pause] Offer all that you are, all that you desire, into your Guru, into God.
You can mentally affirm:
I offer myself fully into the flow of grace [Pause]
I offer myself fully into the flow of grace. [Pause]
[Soft chant playing in the background – I Am the Bubble]
Now visualize your Guru in front of you, gazing at you with deep love.
Offer yourself completely into that love. [Long pause]
Closing the Practice of Meditation
Now, we'll end the practice.
Take a deep breath, [Soft sound of one long and slow breath]
Feel yourself back into your body [Pause] and gently open your eyes.
AUM, peace, amen.
