A weeklong immersion in the Kriya Yoga teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda

This year’s annual Self-Realization Fellowship World Convocation, held July 14-20, drew over 21,000 yogis and spiritual seekers from 122 countries, including nearly 4,000 who gathered in-person for the first time since 2019 at the Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

Many more joined online, gathering at the ashrams of Yogoda Satsanga Society of India — as Paramahansa Yogananda’s work is known in India and surrounding countries — as well as at ashrams in Greenfield, Virginia, and Nuremberg, Germany. Monastic disciples of Yogananda fanned out across the globe to meet for in-person gatherings in Chicago, Boston, New York, London, Frankfurt, Vienna, Assisi, Sydney, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, as well as cities in the Caribbean, Ecuador, and Brazil.

Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952), world teacher and author of the spiritual classic Autobiography of a Yogi, first established this annual tradition in 1950 for his students to take a weeklong break from daily routine and focus on spiritual growth — discernable as an experience of bliss felt through deep meditation and the result of living in attunement with universal spiritual principles.

“When we look back at what [Paramahansa Yogananda] brought a hundred years ago, when he landed in Boston in 1920, what did he bring to the world?” Self-Realization Fellowship President Brother Chidananda asked the Convocation attendees. “He called it the science of religion, and he described that as the underlying truths that have been promulgated by the illumined masters and prophets and rishis and seers, the spiritual illuminators of humanity down the ages. It was the underlying essence of that, but purified and streamlined of any limiting sectarian or denominational baggage.

“Those universal techniques, that science of religion that speaks to the entire family of humanity that unites rather than divides… those teachings that he brought, they’re uniquely suited for our global family at this moment in time.”

Yogananda’s Kriya Yoga teachings contain the distilled essence of Raja Yoga, the “royal” science of the soul. At its heart are advanced techniques of meditation whose devoted practice leads to a state of inner stillness that allow seekers to realize their inherent soul nature and infinite potential.

“Focus your attention within. You will feel a new power, a new strength, a new peace — in body, mind and spirit,” says Yogananda. “By communing with God you change your status from a mortal being to an immortal being. When you do this, all bonds that limit you will be broken.”

Paramahansa Yogananda photographed on August 20, 1950, at the dedication of the
Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine, Pacific Palisades, California. 
Photo courtesy of Self-Realization Fellowship, Los Angeles, Calif.

Attendees joined daily group meditations, participated in monastic-led kirtans (devotional chanting), and gleaned insights from evening talks on Yogananda’s practical and actionable “How-to-Live” teachings.

During the opening night’s talk, Brother Kamalananda provided tips for allowing joy to be a part of everyday life, including the importance of meditating regularly and patience.

“[Yogananda says] that restlessness is an unnatural habit,” he said. “That is not our natural state. Our natural state is peace, joy, love, all the divine qualities. Restlessness is a covering on the soul. We are not restless beings. That is not our true nature.”

During his talk, Brother Kamalananda shared a common challenge, and the solution: “There may be days, perhaps many days, when you don't feel like meditating. Have you had that experience? Or perhaps your mind is so restless you feel like meditation is a waste of time…. Meditate just the same. Make it a habit.”

Sister Brahmani shared wisdom from Yogananda’s teachings on how to deal with difficult emotions, including the practice of affirmations, and an exercise to send love to all.

“The world seems to be going through challenges that many of us never thought that we would experience or see in our lifetime,” she said. “…And this can bring about feelings of insecurity, feelings of depression, feelings of anger, despair, and so forth. And we can't have the peace that we want, that we crave, when those negative emotions are present.

“So, it's good for us to have in our arsenal, so to speak, some of these techniques ready that we know how to use them should we find ourselves in a situation that we're going through a strong negative emotion.”

Brother Govindananda spoke on the importance of intuition and shared Yogananda’s counsel on how to develop this ability inherent in each one of us. “Whatever is going on in your life right now, know that the knowledge of what to do is right within you, even now,” he said. “I find this thought to be very comforting, even when I don't yet have an answer to the issue at hand. It's in there. So, don't think that intuition is only for the advanced. It is not. It is for all of us. Because intuition is more than just a tool for making right decisions in life.

“In fact, the Bhagavad Gita tells us right at the beginning that intuition is the spiritual power that coordinates all our other spiritual powers and leads us to spiritual victory.”

Yogananda’s teachings have inspired millions to cultivate their divine qualities and live with greater peace, joy, and purpose.For those who were unable to attend the 2024 Self-Realization Fellowship World Convocation, it is still possible to benefit from its offerings by visiting the society’s website where the talks, meditations, and kirtans are available online. Visit: Yogananda.org

Background Information:

Paramahansa Yogananda first arrived in America in 1920 from his native India, an invited delegate to an International Congress of Religious Liberals convening in Boston, where he delivered a speech on the science of religion, marking a pivotal point for Yoga in the West. He founded Self-Realization Fellowship that same year to disseminate his Kriya Yoga teachings. Today he is widely regarded as the father of Yoga in the West. His spiritual classic Autobiography of a Yogi continues to be recognized as one of the world’s most influential books.

Self-Realization Fellowship(SRF) is the international nonprofit spiritual organization founded in 1920 by Paramahansa Yogananda to introduce to people of all races, cultures, and creeds the ancient science and philosophy of Yoga and its time-honored tradition of meditation. Through its spiritual and humanitarian service, the society seeks to foster greater harmony and goodwill among the diverse peoples and nations of the world, and a deeper understanding of the underlying unity of all religions. Together with Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (YSS), the name by which Paramahansa Yogananda’s work is known in India, SRF/YSS has more than 800 meditation centers, temples and retreats throughout the world.