With Swami Kriyananda

How does one overcome loneliness?

Any negative emotion cannot be overcome by passivity. Putting out energy is vital, even if it is to begin making friends with yourself. To achieve a calm mind and calmness within oneself, the first thing needed is to get rid of distractions. Making a habit of television is a terrible thing.

A meditation technique to help bringing calmness is to watch one's breath with the bija mantra Hong Sau. A mantra is a word of power which has effect in the physical world. (The Hong Sau technique is explained). In the Western world, the word Amen can be taken as a mantra.

Among hurtful emotions is anger. How do we overcome it? If we learn to relax when we are tense or angry. In relaxation is acceptance. How to overcome hatred against someone who has caused you hurt? Accepting that it is and surrendering to that. This can happen if we realize that in the greater law of karma everything balances out. Learn to accept and not lash out. Anything you hate draws you to it. Love and hate both have an attraction. So learn to accept life and people.

To conquer any negative emotion, we must have energy. Meditation techniques can be very helpful, and Swami Kriyananda discusses how to meditate, as well as the use of mantras.

Questions include:

You mentioned a way of dealing with loneliness which was to go out and be really alone — to confront your loneliness with energy. Could you talk more about that?

Could you share a mantra or meditation technique that would help one to become calm?

Are there mantras in any Western tradition that you know of?

When we say that we are not a sinner, it doesn't mean that we haven't sinned, it just means...?

What could a person do about other negative emotions, like anger?

With Swami Kriyananda

(Please ignore the video's opening title that mistakenly says this took place in Bangalore on Dec 7, 2012.)

With Swami Kriyananda

Love everyone equally and see God in everyone, and no one will be able to hurt you. Love people for themselves and not what you can get out of them. Learn to be content in yourself by feeling the presence of God in your own being.

Questions include:

Isn't getting rid of negative and positive emotions the same as apathy?

What does "impersonal" mean?

Can you tell us how to deal with specific emotions? How do we deal with loneliness?

What is the difference between belief and faith?

Listening to rock music is harmful because it emphasizes the ego and lowers your vibration. In order to raise it, listen to soothing music, such as Bach and Mozart.

Questions include:

Can you elaborate on the detrimental effect of rock music?

What is good music to listen to?

If you could pick a melody from your music that best expresses upliftment, what would it be?

When melodies come to you, do they come fully formed, and do you hear harmonies as well?

What music inspired you before you began writing music?

Explore the impact of music on consciousness and spiritual well-being. Swami Kriyananda discusses how different types of music resonate with different chakras and levels of vibration, ultimately affecting our emotional and spiritual state.

He argues that rock music, with its emphasis on rhythm and lower chakras, can reinforce the ego and connect us to lower astral realms. In contrast, uplifting music, particularly classical music, and especially his own compositions, can harmonize and elevate our consciousness.

Kriyananda emphasizes the importance of choosing music that promotes inner peace and aligns with a higher sense of self, rather than music that agitates the mind or reinforces negative emotions. He touches on the idea that true music reflects human life in its higher octave, and that it is important to have a refined taste in music.

Swami Kriyananda talks about reality as we perceive it, and how real it really is (and isn't!), and about dreams. Should we look to our dreams for guidance?

He also talks about the best way to pray to God, for ourselves or others, and tells us what he himself does in situations of extreme pain or personal trial.

The Indian scriptures talk about the dream-nature of this world. Can you talk about that?

We all dream at night. Is this reflection of that?

Can people who are highly developed, spiritually, control their dreams?

How would we know what is true or not in a dream?

What if a saint comes to us in a dream?

(Implied) Should we look to our dreams for meaning, or guidance?

Does a master sleep?

I've often wondered about the best way to pray. Can you talk about that?

Emotions are disturbed feelings. "Positive and negative emotions alternate constantly; we have to go beyond emotions", says Swami Kriyananda. To go beyond emotions, concentrate the feeling in the heart, then direct it to the brain. Give up your suffering to God and you will find you can endure anything.

Questions include:

How do we transform emotions?

When does feeling become an emotion?

Is the breath the key to working with emotions?

Does our spirit still breathe after we die?

Is it possible to overcome an emotional state by consciously slowing the breath?

Can you describe the superconscious state?

What makes our feeling go outward and become emotion?

Is it possible to feel joy while you are suffering?

With Swami Kriyananda