With meditatation become realized
The International Kriya Yoga Organization celebrates the 100th Anniversary of Paramahamsa Yogananda’s coming to the West. It was the master's task to bring East and West closer together. As a part of this series of programs we organize events in Hungary as well. On January 25th we screened the american documentary Awake: The Life of Yogananda (2014), in Szeged. Only a short time we had to get the hungarian subtitling of the film. We faced another problem when it was found out that we need to ask for a content rating from the National Media and Communications Authority in order to screen film. We were very excited to get the permission in time because we had previously advertised the event in national yoga newspapers and on facebook, making flyers, posters that were placed in local yoga studios, vegan restaurants and herbal shops.
Next weekend, January 31 - February 2, we held the initiation ceremony. Many people have decided to commit to Kriya Yoga after watching the film. Ursula Schmidtke yogacharya from the European mother center, Tattendorf, gave a free lecture on 31st of June. The next day twelve people asked for initiation from all over the country, six of them from Szeged. Later on they joined the local Kriya Yoga meditation group.
The ancient tradition for learning the royal science of Kriya Yoga meditation begins with purification. Students participate in a holy ceremony to purify the spine and the body. Each seeker is initiated on an individual basis through the direct contact of a teacher of this lineage. The teacher directly infuses the triple divine qualities of sound, vibration, and light into the initiate. Through this process, the seeker learns to perceive the inner light of the soul, hear divine sound, and feel the divine movement sensation all over the body. Sacred mantras are chanted throughout the ceremony with adequate explanations in English. In the beginning of the ceremony, basic techniques for quieting the mind are taught, preparing the seeker for the infusion of divine energy. Initiation into the Holy Stream of Divine Consciousness is attained by overcoming the internal chatter of the mind. As the thought processes are calmed, it is possible to merge into the Divine in the form of sound, vibration, and light.
At the completion of the ceremony, the first level of Kriya techniques is taught so that aspirants can meditate on their own and continue the process of purification. The seeker offers three symbolic gifts to the instructor as offerings to God and the masters. The three offerings are five fruits, which represent the fruits gained from activities throughout life; five flowers, which represent the five senses; and a financial donation. The three offerings represent the causal, astral, and gross bodies, respectively.
Kriya Yoga is a meditation technique to help spiritual seekers attain Self-realization, which means to be in constant communion with God. Through this technique, the seeker or student can perceive the presence of God within, as well as in all of creation. To attain this state requires regular and sincere Kriya meditation and living a life of love and service.