I would very strongly recommend everyone read the science of religion written by Yogananda ! It has taken the logic of Raj yoga to the highest – making it by clear why yoga is needed for all aspects related to God. This includes Bhakti or love for God, Gyan or wisdom ( the aspect of experience of God) and true chanting !
In reality, things mentioned in Yoga are not easily palatable or acceptable. Let’s face it! No MRI, PET or CT has even shown an iota of data for any chakra. Yes, people do refer plexus as chakra. However, in terms of Yoga they have described a chakra as a lotus or petal with many dieties present and mula panch maha bhoot. In addition, Yogananda has described ( in God talks with Arjuna ) different sounds and different unbelievable abilities! Patanjali has described many other siddhis – or accomplishments also
So what people do is make a compromise. They try to use logic and say the siddhis are not true or say I don’t want siddhis ( saying that makes them feel good) and that’s why I don’t have any etc. However when you are established in Atman, siddhis come whether you like it or not. They come in small steps.
Why is there a divide , a gap between what science knows and what a Yogi says? And why are such yogis rare? The yogi deals directly with consciousness and uses the material body effectively to navigate to God. Very few are aware of what consciousness is. For that you need a Guru. It is a practical experience not imagination.
A Successful yogi is very determined to go within. He won’t be satisfied by pseudo logic! Yogananda in chapter 1 verse 31 quotes the following
“This is one of man’s favorite ploys, mastered early in childhood: “If I have to eat my carrots before I can have ice cream, then I don’t want ice cream either!” The plan is that this will be applauded as a great sacrifice worthy, at least, of pity; and better still, of favorable compromise. The wise parent doesn’t give in to the willful child; the wise cosmic law is passively unmoved by the devotee’s “heroic” display of negative renunciation.”
Excerpt From
God Talks with Arjuna: The Bhagavad Gita
Paramahansa Yogananda
https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewBook?id=1446639182
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This is where – in am almost depressive stage a person says he does not want anything ! He hides or suppresses his attachment to the world and is unwilling to give up pleasure of the world.
I can’t stress how rare such yogi are. Often times they go into seclusion. A few stay in the middle of the world but their yogic greatness remains hidden to the friend and relatives
To find a Guru or to have the Guru reveal himself Is not an easy task. Even when they reveal it is very partial. I know how much I struggled. It took a decade! But finally he revealed a fragment of his greatness!
Ramkrishna paramhansa said – if you can pray to God incessantly for 24 hours he has to reveal or give some proof of God existence. For me often times it took a week or more of constant prayer to Gurudev, Kashinath dada to reveal themselves. When I say a week, it was a week of non stop even during sleep. Those were very difficult times for me. Now there are some tricks that one uses during that time
Often times we are lost in life! We don’t know the right decision. What is best for us? We can use logic or make conclusions based on visible information. However, in the long run there are many invisible factors that come into play. Things that we cannot imagine. We also don’t know our past karma and the effects of it! I once made a decision of buying into a surgery center and for a while it was good. Seemed a very logical decision. However towards the end I lost all 300,000 dollars.
Such is the effect of karma. I once moved to the Midwest ! My salary was double. It seemed like a perfect decision – but the person who employed me hated me in his past birth! I left the job in 11 months.
So I learnt – logic is an aid not a solution! It is better to connect with God or Gurudev first and then make a decision. A living Guru is an incredible gift – in an instant he knows what is best ! He won’t tell you though. After all it is your karma. But once you can break the barrier his Grace can fully descend on you!
My friends, when you go within the first thing that happens is the barrier of knowing events in future and past karma dwindles. This is the first sign. Then you will stop using logic ! I remember when I went to the hospital to make rounds, my patients would be scattered all over. If I followed my intuition, I would find my rounds were smooth , the patients at the bed. Using logic if I went to the floors many of my patients would be in x ray, physical therapy etc and I had to go back again later
Now this intuition is not easy. Very deceptive. Often times we have a random thought and think the random thought is intuition. But that is not true. In order to develop intuition, there is a technique. A series of steps to be followed. These things occur so we can develop unwavering faith in Yoga and Guru and God !
Thus the entire process is very scientific but not in terms of science but in terms of consciousness
Bhavin