Special event on May 2, 2020 to mark centenary of arrival of Yogananda in USA
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Next Year (2020) marks the centenary of the arrival of Paramahansa Yogananda arrival in the USA to introduce Kriya Yoga to the West.
While not as familiar to the Indian audience as elsewhere, Yogananda is a Spiritual teacher of renown internationally; his spiritual classic ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’ having now sold over 10 million copies.
Kriya Yoga groups through the world are celebrating the occasion and no less so than here in Auckland.
Kriya Yoga New Zealand welcomes the divine presence of its current head, Paramahamsa Prajnanananda to commemorate this event on May 2, 2020.
The specialty of Kriya Yoga
Kriya Yoga is an authentic yogic practice that unfolds a sure path to enlightenment.
It is an ancient method of living and meditation that cultivates body, mind, intellect, and awareness of the soul using powerful meditative and yogic disciplines.
Importantly, it helps the practitioner experience the three divine qualities of light, vibration, and sound by using techniques of concentration, posture, and breathing.
This develops a one-pointed mind, which enables penetration of the deepest levels of consciousness.
One is initiated into the technique by an approved and advanced spiritual teacher. Students learn how to dive deep into their own Self and realise their innate nature of pure existence, consciousness and bliss.
They also learn how to sustain this perception or state of realisation throughout their daily activities, bringing sense of peace and happiness to their lives.
Non-Sectarian Discipline
Kriya Yoga is a universal and non-sectarian spiritual discipline that crosses all divisions and boundaries. Its simple technique causes no hardship, requires no austerities, and is suitable for aspiring householders.
Kriya Yoga is the very Yoga spoken of in the acclaimed Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and has been taught since time immemorial.
This powerful yogic technique is also referred to in the Bhagavat Gita and includes all three main arms of the yogic path, Karma Yoga, Janana Yoga and Bhakti Yoga.
It is said to have been ‘lost’ during the dark age (Kali Yuga) when most people are ignorant of the Self, and revived in recent times by Mahavatar Babaji when he initiated Lahiri Mahasaya in 1861.
Mahavatar Babaji told Lahiri Mahasaya, “The Kriya Yoga that I am giving to the world through you in this 19th Century, is a revival of the same science that Krishna gave millenniums ago to Arjuna; and was later known to Patanjali, and to Christ, Saint John, Saint Paul and other disciples.”
The Science of Breath
The specialty of the Kriya Yoga technique is that it affects the simultaneous development of body, mind, and Soul in the shortest possible time.
Kriya Yoga is a relatively quick and easy non-sectarian path to reach higher states of consciousness and change your life by developing mind, body, intellect, and awareness of the soul. Based on the science of breath, it provides a very powerful technique of meditation that greatly enhances all spiritual practice.
Kriya Yoga techniques are engineered for better living and are scientifically proven to increase vital life-force energies in the practitioner’s body.
Kriya Yoga enables one to develop a healthy brain, a keen mind, and a prompt understanding. It assists daily activities in a profound way leading to a more healthy and successful life, with longevity.
Accessible Technique
This technique can be practiced without any restriction of religion, ethnicity, creed or sex. Any boy or girl above 13 years of age can practice Kriya Yoga; even an elderly person of 75 years or more can derive a good deal of benefit from it.
Kriya Yoga is the essence and synthesis of all yogic techniques taught in the world. However, the meticulous austerities and painful processes, which are associated with many traditional Yogas, are totally absent in the Kriya Yoga technique.
It is accessible and suitable for householders.
No dietary restrictions are required for this technique.
Understanding Kriya
The word Kriya signifies that you live your life as directed from within through your perception of the soul, directing you through your brain to your proper activities.
Without a soul, your brain cannot function. Without a soul, we would not get any thought or mood, and our body would be a dead body. So, it is necessary to remember that every thought comes from the invisible body, the soul within.
If you perceive that the indwelling Self is the sole doer in you, that God is activating and functioning within your whole-body system, then Self-realisation is attained.
Conscious realisation of one’s unity with the spirit is the goal of life, and, consciously or unconsciously, every person is trying to advance towards that end. When we realise our unity with the universal Self – our own spiritual existence – we become one with the universe.
The science of Kriya Yoga is that knowledge which, when it is applied to the internals of man, allows him to realise his ever-present unity with God and perceive that whatever he is doing is done only by the power of God, activating his whole system and directing all of his activities.
Panel Discussion
The 2020 Yogananda celebration event will feature a panel discussion with several esteemed guests including Dr Giresh Kanji, author of recent bestseller, ‘Brain Connections: How to Sleep Better, Worry Less and Feel Happier.’
For more information, please visit www.Yogananda2020nz.org
The above article was sent by Kriya Yoga Association of New Zealand
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Photo Caption:
- Paramahansa Yogananda
- Lineage of Masters
