Tools to Stand Unshaken Amidst Life’s Challenges
CONVERT ADVERSITY INTO OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE WISDOM OF PARAMHANSA YOGANANDA
Spiritual Q&A
I Saw a Circle of Daggers in Meditation. What Does That Mean?
Dear Ato, Meditation, as Yogananda teaches it, is a process of becoming silent. In that state we become able, gradually, to perceive the presence of God, and our soul, which is a spark of God. In that process images can ... Read More
How Can I Invoke Sri Yukteswar to Bless My Life?
Dear Rubin, This is wonderful that you feel that inner connection. You can use the japa “Om Guru,” repeating it mentally while thinking of Sri Yukteswar. Or just using the name of a Master works wonderfully. In that case your ... Read More
Visual Images During Meditation: Good and Bad
Dear Pradnya, Visual images sometimes come in meditation. If we are deep in meditative stillness and bliss, we may see images connected with the spiritual eye or with saints. These come because we have entered into higher consciousness, which is ... Read More
Where Did Jesus Go When He Was Dead for Three Days?
Dear Oakes, According to Yogananda these three days are highly meaningful: “The resurrection of Jesus in three days has special significance. He was advanced enough to reincarnate his soul from the physical to the astral, and from there to the ... Read More
Meditation and Mental Imbalances
Dear Raja, I am very sorry to hear of your illness, and that you had to cease your meditation practices. I believe your question is whether you can practice Kriya Yoga? First let me say that there is a period ... Read More
Strange Experience During Root Chakra Meditation
Dear Vanessa, In our tradition here at Ananda, which is based on the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, the focus of our meditation practice is the spiritual eye — the point between the eyebrows — the positive pole of the 6th ... Read More
Why Did My Husband Die Suddenly?
Dear Vijayalashmi, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. It is difficult to understand what appears to be a senseless loss of a loved one. Losing a husband in this surprising manner is particularly difficult. The “why” behind ... Read More
Are There Self-Realized Masters Living in India?
Dear one, Yes, certainly. Yogananda writes in his Autobiography of a Yogi: “India has proved herself not witless against the thousand cunnings of time. Self-realized masters in every century have hallowed her soil.” In this new century too, they are ... Read More
To Progress Spiritually, How Do I Get Past Likes and Dislikes?
Dear Friend, There is certainly a difference between not having an interest in a given activity and being unwilling to do it when the opportunity or obligation to do so arises. Since you used the example of dancing and partying, ... Read More
What Can We Do With the Help of Our Third Eye?
Dear Suhail, With the third eye, the point between the eyebrows, we can… contact God. It is the point that transcends this world and leads us to Divine union. Yogananda writes in his Autobiography of a Yogi: “Long concentration on ... Read More
Global Economic Depression
Dear Rush, [I wrote an article on this subject a while back: www.Hrimananda.org] For all of the fifty-plus years that Ananda has existed, Swami Kriyananda warned us of impending financial collapse, based on statements made by Paramhansa Yogananda before his ... Read More
I Bought Some Stones and Candle, and They Moved on Their Own!
Dear Yasmin, Sometimes objects (even furniture) can indeed move through the agency of disembodied beings. Yogananda calls them “tramp souls” who are so attached to the material plane that they don’t leave for the higher realms at death. We had ... Read More
I Think I Opened My Spiritual Eye
Dear Luz, What you are seeing is not the spiritual eye but a visual image that is probably coming from your subconscious. It sounds as though you saw this under some circumstances where your consciousness was forced into this state. ... Read More
What Would Yogananda Have Thought of Plastic Surgery?
Dear Tina, Yogananda came to teach people Self-realization, telling them: you are not the body; identify instead with your soul! Plastic surgery goes in the very opposite direction: it increases one’s identification with the body. Hardly ever would he have ... Read More
Spiritual Growth and Duties to Family Members
Dear Friend, You are right to say, “Can I love and appreciate those close family members but leave them behind?” That is exactly the best thing to do. It is only one lifetime that we are with particular souls as ... Read More
Dealing With an Abusive Friendship
Dear Natalie, Let’s approach this from several points of view. Yes, of course, it’s hurtful to be treated that way. But it’s also hurtful to her own soul, her own self-respect to behave in that way. A friend would want ... Read More
In Meditation I Feel a Disturbing Sensation in My Head
Dear Girish, As I am not trained in Vipasana meditation I will need to answer your question with some general principles about meditation. In meditation we seek to still our mind and uplift our awareness that we might experience oneness ... Read More
How to Achieve Peace and Clarity
Dear Tristan, Why indeed must we struggle? I recall the frustration, even a bit of anger, over that realization long ago. It seems so unfair. One finally gets to the stage where he wants peace and wisdom, yet life remains ... Read More
When Spiritual Teachers Disagree …
Dear Tom, Yes, it can be confusing when saintly people contradict one another. We need to keep in mind, however, that not all saintly people who make these statements have attained the highest level of wisdom. Until one has reached ... Read More
Hungry During Meditation
Dear Chloe, It is not ideal to eat just before meditating as it tends to bring the energy to the digestive system. Meditation is trying to bring this energy up to the spiritual eye. However, hunger during meditation is a ... Read More
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