Spiritual Q&A

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Coping with Family Disharmony

Dear Friend, What a sad situation, indeed. Let’s start with the admission that we can’t, by will power, change another person if he or she doesn’t wish to change. Right? Those of us who subscribe to the perennial wisdom of

How Do I Reach Self-Realization

Dear Vivek, Indeed that metaphor is valid because our nature is “Tat twam asi.” “Thou art THAT.” We and all people and things are manifestations of God. It has been said that God is with us as much now as

Why Are Spiritual Practices Necessary? Isn’t Asking God from the Heart Enough?

Dear Vivekji, For ages this question has been discussed. Bhaktas (devotional people) often say that grace alone saves you, that there is only a need for prayer, devotion, self-surrender — “asking”, as you say, and all will be given —

Can I Experience the Highest Spiritual Attainment Now? Or Are Many Years Necessary?

Dear Seeker, You are quite right. It could indeed happen in this very moment. Samadhi, the highest state, is yours already. The trouble is, there are mental and karmic cross-currents which tell you “I am not yet there,” “reality is

Can I Achieve My Spiritual Goals?

Dear Reddy, Lahiri Mahasaya of Benares would say to students: “Banat, banat ban jai!” Doing, doing, soon…done! Think of body building or sports training: you just have to keep up the routine and not try to second guess the consequences.

Advaita and Yoga

Dear Surya, You ask a very important question. I know what you mean about the response to Advaita (non-dual) philosophy. What inevitably happens, though, is that minutes after our reading is finished, we revert to dualistic actions. It is a

How Can the Astral Body Heal the Physical Body?

Dear Michelle, I too had Lyme disease and dealt with it. Of course, ask a physician what you should do, it’s no joke. But indeed a strong astral body heals the physical body. What you need to do is recharge

Awakening Kundalina with Asanas

Dear Vivek, Kundalini is not primarily physical, so Kundalini is only indirectly affected by asanas. Kundalini is prana in the locked form. It is true that aggressive application of asanas can sometimes awaken Kundalini energy, but to do so is

Yoga for Autism, ADD, ADHD

Dear Friend, It seems so hurtful that children should be so afflicted. In some ways, our entire world is afflicted with aspects of ADD, ADHD, and Autism. I think the birth of children with these challenges reflects the karma and

Is It Okay to Pray for Our Needs? Or Should We Just Surrender and Accept Whatever God Gives Us?

Dear Nandhini, Yogananda answers your question in this way: “It is all right to pray to God for things. It is better still, however, to ask that His will be done in your life. He knows what you need, and

Correct Posture for Deep Breathing

Dear Victor, Thank you for your note. Isn’t it odd that something like breathing which we do generally without thought or awareness should have to be re-learned! Indeed: breath is life and we have much to learn in living, so

I Need Spiritual Help Coping with My Mother-in-Law

Dear AL, Let me make a few assumptions before I respond: your mother-in-law lives with you and your husband in the same house? You do research but can’t leave the house? So I assume you have a paid job doing

Were Jesus and Krishna Avatars or Spiritual Masters?

Dear Sam, Ramakrishna and Yogananda are saying exactly the same thing. It just appears to be different. Both explained that Krishna and Jesus were incarnations of God, or avatars. An avatar is a soul like you and me, who, after

Do the Masters Differ in Their Teachings?

Dear Sam, The quotes you have offered give us an excellent example of how differences can appear to arise between gurus or between different scriptural authorities. Any time we utter a sentence, a noun, verb, and object is required! This,

Law of Success

Dear LA, There is a story in the annals of life with Paramhansa Yogananda where he de-jinxed a relative of a disciple so that the relative could finally be successful in business. Another story involves a person who found that

The Love I Give to My Family and Friends Is Being Taken for Granted

Dear Pavithra, These issues are always a question of: “Honestly speaking, where am I right now, how far can I go with where am? And where does it become too much and is counter-productive?” Most of us mortals have limits

Where Do Souls Come From?

Dear Philippe, Many have pondered this question. While the answer, if any, won’t change our lives in any meaningful way, it is a curious one nonetheless. Paramhansa Yogananda commented, as others have in various ways, that the universe is peopled

Is Even-Mindedness Possible?

Dear SS, It is true that emotional reactivity causes karma because emotional reactivity is a function of the ego. The ego is the soul attached to the body. We need an ego to act in this world, to work out

Is the Process of Kriya Yoga a Decompressing of Compressed Energy?

DearAasheesh, Yes, Yogananda emphasized that through Kriya Yoga you can reach liberation in this lifetime. Your question is an interesting way of looking at the process of Kriya Yoga. Our inner energy is compressed, so to speak, by countless small

What Is Spiritual Pride?

Dear SS, The spiritual path is a long road that requires deep attunement with God and the guru to avoid wandering into the ego’s traps and reach Self-realization. There are many pitfalls along the way, one of which is spiritual

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