Yogananda Podcast

* This episode had to be republished due to Spotify instructed copyright removal of small snippet used from John Lennon music, for full version you may see it on youtube at ~12mins *

Our second guest of the show Carolina from Brazil joins us to discuss what the word "Guru" means to her and the impact of yoga to the world. 

00:00 Meet Carolina;

04:00 Minute summary;

04:38 Yoga and brotherhood;

20:50 Being a guru;

38:37 Gloria Schultz and Yogic powers;

51:00 Aarti and YSS;

01:00:11 Unravelling and intrigue.

* This episode had to be republished due to Spotify instructed copyright removal of small snippet used from George Harrison music, for full version you may see it on youtube at ~48mins *

This minute starts with a profound prayer then more from Krishna Das about Paramahansa Yogananda's impactful voice. We discuss Guruji's voice in some detail. George Harrison has had a profound impact on each of the hosts and this is discussed in detail along with his music and famous dialogue from the film. 

03:42 - Minute summary;

04:34 - Hearing Guruji’s voice for the first time;

11:13 - What is your favourite prayer?;

23:10 - SRF Monastic robes;

28:49 - Guruji singing and using chants for meditation;  

34:52 - Krishna Das singing;

39:19 - Cosmic Chants;

48:07 - George Harrison & Ravi Shankar;

59:38 - Final Reflections.

This episode covers on the next part of chapter 24 from:  
"As I knelt before Sri Yukteswar, and for the first time heard...” 
to 
“... a manifest need exists for yoga: the science of mind control.” 

Summary: 
Mark and Reva from the London centre join us to discuss Mukunda's initiation ceremony into the Swami order, the historical significance of Shankaracharya in reorganizing Hinduism, and the distinctions between monastic traditions. The group explores the deeper meaning behind monastic names, vows, and symbols while emphasizing that true spiritual practice involves maintaining divine awareness regardless of one's life circumstances. Paramahansa Yogananda clarifies in this section that while Swamis are monks connected to religious orders, Yoga represents a universal scientific method for spiritual realization available to everyone regardless of background. 

0:00 Previous episode;  
2:20 Mukunda becomes a Swami; 
26:35 The Swami Order; 
32:43 Monastic Name; 
50:35 Goals and ideals; 
55:10 Yogis and Swamis; 
1:07:17 Looking Ahead and Bhaja Govinda. 

Links discussed in the episode:  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6f20Fob44A 
https://hindupedia.com/en/Anandagiri 
https://www.wisdomlib.org/concept/anandagiri 
https://youtu.be/KRzka46U_wc?si=RaDidafggFbFIX6u 
https://yogananda.org/blog/yoga-teaches-to-seek-the-divine-first-and-find-balance-in-everything-by-paramahansa-yogananda 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNVwHeMVeQU 
 

Homework for next episode— Read, absorb and make notes on the next part of chapter 24 from:  
" The ancient rishi Patanjali defines yoga as “neutralisation of the alternating waves in...” 
to 
“...with egotistical desires and plays his part in life as a willing instrument of the Divine.” 

#autobiographyofayogi  #autobiographylinebyline  #paramahansayogananda 
Autobiography of a Yogi awake.minute Self-Realization Fellowship Yogoda Satsanga Society of India 
#SRF #YSS 

This episode covers on the start of chapter 24 to:  
"...such as: “This atma is Brahma” or “Thou art That” or “I am He.”. 

Summary: 
This section is all about Mukunda’s journey to becoming Swami Yogananda. We reflect on our own Kriya initiation experiences and the need to balance spiritual life with family responsibilities. Paramahansa Yogananda quotes of John Ruskin, we take a closer look at the life of the great man, who was an English polymath known for his contributions to art, literature, and social reform. The we also discuss the blessings of having spiritually inclined peers, the significance of rituals (or Sri Yukteswar’s lack thereof, traditional cloth dyeing methods, and the proper pronunciation of spiritual names. 

0:33 Expectations for the chapter; 
4:50 Initiation to the Swami Order; 
16:33 One Sensitive Desire; 
35:28 The Most Memorable Day; 
53:40 Initiation Begins; 
1:07:57 Looking Ahead. 

Links discussed in the episode:  
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ruskin 
http://www.dbooth.org/guat2000/small/teresa.htm 
https://yogananda.org/monasticorder 
https://yssofindia.org/about/the-four-stages-of-monastic-life 

Homework for next episode— Read, absorb and make notes on the next part of chapter 24 from:  
"As I knelt before Sri Yukteswar, and for the first time heard...” 
to 
“... a manifest need exists for yoga: the science of mind control.” 

#autobiographyofayogi  #autobiographylinebyline  #paramahansayogananda 
Autobiography of a Yogi awake.minute Self-Realization Fellowship Yogoda Satsanga Society of India 
#SRF #YSS 

Title:  

Autobiography Chapter 23, Part 4: Dear Guruji, you inspire me because... 

 
Description: 

This episode covers on the last part of chapter 23 from:  
" The second instruction on the sheet read...”  
to the end of the chapter. 

Summary: 
As Mukunda answers the easiest of exam questions (how his Guru inspired him), we share how we would answer that critical question on guru-disciple relationships. Some things would be quite universal, such as experiences of transformation and gratitude for spiritual guidance, but what would you write? We also discussed educational perspectives and the impact of caring teachers, examining the importance of empathy and continuity in student-teacher relationships. The discussion covered various spiritual concepts including yoga, enlightenment, and the teachings of saints and enlightened rulers, while also touching on academic achievements and their relationship to spiritual growth. 

0:00 Prior Episode; 
1:37 Ode to your guru; 
14:33 Romesh and father; 
28:23 Brother Sun, Sister Moon; 
33:10 Footnote; 
56:18 Reflections on the chapter. 

Links discussed in the episode:  
https://www.rudrameditation.com/sutra-3-23-patanjalis-yoga-sutras/ 
https://www.literaryboston.com/history/divinity-school-address 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashtavakra 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janaka 

Homework for next episode— Read, absorb and make notes of the start of chapter 24 to:  
"...such as: “This atma is Brahma” or “Thou art That” or “I am He.”. 

#autobiographyofayogi  #autobiographylinebyline  #paramahansayogananda 
Autobiography of a Yogi awake.minute 
Self-Realization Fellowship Yogoda Satsanga Society of India 
#SRF #YSS 

This episode covers the next part of chapter 23 from:  
" Thinking over the examination in English literature, I realized...”  
to 
“...I could not have passed the Bengali examination.” 

Summary: 
As Mukunda expounds spiritual and educational themes, we share our own exam experiences, readings about divine intervention, and the importance of following intuition and guidance from gurus. Mukunda and Romesh demonstrated trust in divine will and inner guidance during challenging situations, while also emphasising the role of human effort in decision-making processes. Ben from Normandy makes a brief special guest appearance. 

0:00 Prior Episode; 
1:54 Cheer Up; 
12:53 The Divine Altar; 
27:51 The Hunch; 
38:12 Thanksgiving; 
55:20 Looking Ahead. 

Links discussed in the episode:  
https://yssofindia.org/spiritual/intuition 
https://yogananda.org/blog/solving-your-problems-with-guidance-from-within-by-sri-daya-mata 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishwar_Chandra_Vidyasagar 
https://yogananda.org/blog/paramahansa-yogananda-on-practicing-gratitude-and-thanksgiving 

Homework for next episode— Read, absorb and make notes on the last part of chapter 23 from:  
" The second instruction on the sheet read...”  
to the end of the chapter.  
 

#autobiographyofayogi  #autobiographylinebyline  #paramahansayogananda 
Autobiography of a Yogi awake.minute 
Self-Realization Fellowship Yogoda Satsanga Society of India 
#SRF #YSS 

This episode covers the next part of chapter 23 from:  
"One night about eleven o’clock, as I was putting on my shoes in preparation...”  
to 
“... which had been arranged by the faculty of Calcutta University.” 

Summary: 
This section of the book explores the tug of war between spiritual pursuit and academic exams through Mukunda's experiences. We share personal reflections about exams and divine interventions in our own lives, while examining how the spiritual journey can intersect with material achievements. Paramahansa Yogananda ultimately succeeds by following Sri Yukteswar’s wishes time and time again. 

0:00 Prior Episode; 
1:30 Looming examinations; 
11:05 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God; 
24:22 Romesh to the rescue; 
55:20 Looking Ahead. 

Homework for next episode— Read, absorb and make notes the next part of chapter 23 from:  
"Thinking over the examination in English literature, I realized...”  
to 
“...I could not have passed the Bengali examination.” 

#autobiographyofayogi  #autobiographylinebyline  #paramahansayogananda 
Autobiography of a Yogi awake.minute 
Self-Realization Fellowship Yogoda Satsanga Society of India 
#SRF #YSS

This episode covers the start of chapter 23 to:  
"...I scarcely noticed when darkness changed into dawn.” 

Summary: 
The beginning of Chapter 23 explores the themes of spirituality, education, and personal growth through life’s varied experiences. We examined the various teaching methods throughout the world, cultural differences in perceptions toward education, and the balance between academic pursuits and spiritual development. “God Talks with Arjuna” and the SRF’s new book “Solving the mystery of life” contain passages on the importance of sincere devotion.  

0:00 SRF Convocation; 
1:55 Outlook on the chapter; 
6:09 A warning from the professor; 
19:50 An ingenious step; 
32:22 Prabhas Chandra Ghosh; 
40:00 Choosing the ashram over the lecture hall; 
55:20 Looking Ahead. 

Homework for next episode— Read, absorb and make notes the next part of chapter 23 from:  
"One night about eleven o’clock, as I was putting on my shoes in preparation...”  
to 
“... which had been arranged by the faculty of Calcutta University.” 

#autobiographyofayogi  #autobiographylinebyline  #paramahansayogananda 
Autobiography of a Yogi awake.minute 
Self-Realization Fellowship Yogoda Satsanga Society of India 
#SRF #YSS

This episode covers the last part of chapter 22 from:  
"‘You little fool,’ my brother-in-law blurted out...” 
to the end of the chapter. 

Summary: 
We use’s Satish’s excellent life to focus on our own transformative experiences, divine interventions, and cultural perspectives on spirituality and death. Paramahansa Yogananda’s teachings encourage us to explore the related themes such as the power of prayer, dedication to spiritual practices, and the impact of life-changing moments on personal growth and relationships. The conversation also touched on the artistic quality of the writing and the profound insights shared about divine romance, unconditional love, sacrifice, and conscious transitions in death. 

0:00 Previous Episode; 
2:30 A fall into grace; 
20:08 Light the lamp of Thy love; 
37:05 The Divinest Romance; 
52:39 Mejda - Roma in life and death; 
1:05:31 Reflections on the chapter 

Homework for next episode— Read, absorb and make notes on the start of chapter 23 to:  
"...I scarcely noticed when darkness changed into dawn.”  

#autobiographyofayogi  #autobiographylinebyline  #paramahansayogananda 
Autobiography of a Yogi awake.minute 
Self-Realization Fellowship Yogoda Satsanga Society of India 
#SRF #YSS

This episode covers the next part of chapter 22 from:  
"Reluctantly I opened my eyes, and saw that the temple doors...” 
to 
“...It was one o’clock; the divine vision had lasted an hour.” 

Summary: 
The Indian temple customs surrounding the lunchtime closure have a varied and fascinating history. With Samadhi being the ultimate form of escapism, we examine the lesser forms utilised today by the ideal devotee and not so, and their impact on spiritual growth, comparing modern mundane distractions with wholesome activities. The conversation concluded with reflections on prayer and meditation practices, including their potential for healing and global change. 

0:00 Previous Episode; 
2:31 The Prayer; 
13:29 Spiritual Sight; 
26:21 Matter; 
30:40 Cracked the Matrix; 
38:05 Answered Prayer; 
43:00 Next Episode.  

Homework for next episode— Read, absorb and make notes on the last part of chapter 22 from:  
"‘You little fool,’ my brother-in-law blurted out...” 
to the end of the chapter.  

#autobiographyofayogi  #autobiographylinebyline  #paramahansayogananda 
Autobiography of a Yogi awake.minute 
Self-Realization Fellowship Yogoda Satsanga Society of India 
#SRF #YSS