more bio....about how I came to enter the realms of the chakras

After my Ashram years I came back into society. I was acutely aware that the Satyananda Yoga system had given me a wealth of experiential knowledge in the field of chakras, kundalini, the pranas, 5 koshas (sheaths eg physical body & others), tattwas (elements), and the differing akashas, or internal spiritual spaces. Up to a very good level.

To my surprise, the internal experiences continued. Even though I'd accepted that maybe they wouldn't. I learnt that it didn't take much for the spiritual life to keep moving.... onto the next chakra, the next level, the next realm. And, that some of these experiences needed help from someone else. That someone else is one's Guru. A couple of very profound jumps in energy/consciousness, to do with chakras, are done internally, by the Guru. It is said that the Guru leads one to the Inner Light, and what a surprise it is when this happens!! There is also a very important chakra which is awakened by Guru.

 All of this is tremendous, and very special. One becomes very grateful. Every single day. How could you not be??

Of course we need to do some of the work ourselves, and it does seem that this is where the yamas (social development) & niyamas (individual development) come in. They are guidelines for conduct, ethical behaviour, & really it helps to incorporate them into your life, as a way of life. They aren't hard to do, & they need to be the way that one always is, not just outwardly going through the motions. When one misrepresents oneself by acting out the yamas and niyamas in public, by word and behaviour, but privately & internally disregard them, the spiritual life doesn't progress.

 One really needs to become the Inner Knowledge, with integrity and gratitude. Internally keeping on the Path, and being true to the finer nature which each of us has inside of us. We can do this anywhere, but, I truly feel that it's easier to live in an Ashram to do it!!

Paramahansa Satyananda