Yoga Work 10

• The Bhagavad Gita
• Being religious

The Bhagavad Gita

Since you don't ask for my estimate of it, I will refrain from saying it here and now at least.

Q: By the way, what do you think of Master Yogananda's Bhagavad Gita?

I think it has many words in it, and that most of them are repeated many times - like 'and', 'with', 'in' and further . . .
      I will not interfere, see.

Tony Buzan, in his book Using your Memory, points out that just 100 words comprise 50% of all words used in conversation in a language. [List link]
      Tony Buzan also writes: "One thousand words [mentioned] will make up nearly 100% of any standard conversation . . . The basic question-words and fundamental pronouns are obviously included." Moreover, "in English, French, Spanish and German, well over 200 of the basic 1,000 words are virtually identical and simply pronounced differently". [Link] [Link to 1000 words]
      Further, the 100 most frequent words for early readers - Copyright 1998 Bodrova E., Leong D.J., Semenov D. McREL [Link]
      Many of the same words appear in both lists. And here is one more list of "the first hundred words" in English: The list is from The Reading Teachers Book of Lists, Third Edition; by Edward Bernard Fry, Ph.D, Jacqueline E. Kress, Ed.D & Dona Lee Fountoukidis, Ed.D.]

"It's only words
And words are all I have,
To take your heart . . ."

- The Bee Gees

I noted similarities in perusing a part of the book, but also that one personage was interpreted differently by Yogananda, as if it matters.

Q: And according to other sources (chiefly Kriyananda) he dictated the rest. This doesn't surprise me. However much he errs I still like his writing. Maybe I have a soft spot for him, I don't know.

"However much he errs I still like his writing". What is that? What are you trying to communicate here? What should it tell you? (Good questions)

Q: If you are interested, look at . . . the Second Coming of Christ, Genesis, and Revelations interpreted by Yogananda, plus some Dhirananda material and others. Only if you're interested, of course.

Books!

Q: I appreciate your humour. [. . .]

Deep rivers move with silent majesty; shallow brooks are noisy. (American proverb)

In meditation we can enter inner silence, says Shyama Lahiri (1828-1895) so often.

You THINK you do, but I know one more variant, or a kriya yoga relative.

Q: I just got another version from a Philippine. Like a complete mug I paid a hundred pounds for it.

"It is better to be safe than sorry" is no bad motto in general.

"When in doubt, win the trick," is a famous saying by Edmond Hoyle. If searching does not appeal to you, maximise the benefits of that too. That could lead to winning the "no search trick", as far as I am aware of.
      To stop expecting results is one ideal of practical kriya yoga training, and often stressed in commentaries of Shyama Charan Lahiri. E.g. "Abandon expectations for results." It is said to be vital for success in kriya yoga to know this. You are not to expect results, just practice to your ability, and correctly too. [LINK]

Q: I find a great deal more peace in giving up the chase for God.

When all else drops off, the Self (your inmost self) remains, Shyama Lahiri say.

Q: I have [the books] Babaji Volume 2 and 3 and I was looking through them briefly earlier and some of the things that are said in there just make me want to puke. Never ever will I submit myself to any master - another human being. Never.

There are so many carpenters and masters, and so much is unknown to most men and women. There are differences among masters, many and big differences. Hindu teachings estimate that most masters are fake or inferior. They also say it is "undoubtedly very hard to find" one of the finest masters.
      Besides, having a wife or similar can be tough enough these days.

Q: But at least it is finally over now.

"It ain't over till the fat lady sings." (Modern proverb from the opera).

It is a personal decision.

Reflection insures safety, but rashness is followed by regrets. (American proverb)

Being religious

Very bad conformity does it to many. Shared vanity also does much.

Q: Can you explain that?

I make a distinction between religious and spiritual.
      Religiousness is rooted in conformity for most part. It includes ceremonialism, being together, praying together (OK too), having some books to rely on, and further.
      I won't say that conformity is bad. It can be good or bad and both good and bad, depending on one's stage of development, stage of life, and what sort of conformism is demanded. People are not equally good or equally bad. Thus there can be quite good conformity and hence quite good religiousity - you know what I mean by these words that start with "religi-" or "conform-", I think.
      Both Ramakrishna and Vivekananda thought that COMMON religiousness might act like a protection of the young tree (sapling) that was to grow. When young and tender, such protection could be a great help somewhere. In time the protection is done away with if the tree is all right and big enough. And I am in favour of that outlook myself. Thus, it is not an either-or but more of a both-and issue, if you understand me.
      And here comes what I have gone against:
      Bad religiousness is founded on awkward thinking, maybe outright lies and bluffs too, and gives neurotic adaptations or worse, and some who have ended up in cults or sects may know what bad religiousness may be.
      I am against what thwarts the healthy development of the good and sane individual.
      But here comes an addition: If a person has gone from bad to worse inside, maybe his or her range of activity and influence should be limited. A sect might then operate as an alternative to jail, and thus do "good" as part of its nasty business. A monastic setting works much like an asylum and jail too - being surrounded by thick walls far and wide, I mean . . .

Q: How a person can anaesthetise themselves, physically speaking.

I am not particularly interested in that. In deep meditation much energy is - for most part temporarily - "withdrawn from the body", as during dozing off. It comes by itself as a "fruit" of going inside.

Q: Kriya yoga, how does it work?

By activating prana currents and making the organism ready for going inside and reap benefits from the calm period(s) right after the kriya "slow, measured panting". And such calm is to be developed in prolonged meditation too. That's about the essence of it. Kriya yoga may be fine, but a Gate is needed too. That is in the teachings.

Q: I am getting sick and tired of playing the game of spirituality. If kriya yoga or Hamsa are techniques that produce sense-withdrawal, then that is all I am interested in.

Sense-withdrawal is just the "first step" in the training, yet a sine que non (without which, none). See that you do not get burn to your harm through those methods, though.

Q: I cannot take much more spiritual jargon and lies.

Not only lies, but unfair ruling techniques are found in fairly many cultish circles too. They make old followers subservient, and not good old lions.