By reviving Kriya Yoga and presenting meditation as both a science and a sacred art, Paramhansa Yogananda made accessible the eternal truths of yoga to all, irrespective of caste, class or creed. OSWALD PEREIRA analyses the essence of Yogananda’s teachings on meditation, contending that the bliss experienced in meditation is not the prerogative of one exclusive group, but a path open to all
Paramhansa Yogananda, one of the most influential yogis and spiritual teachers of the twentieth century, introduced millions in the West to the ancient science of yoga and meditation. His teachings synthesised Indic philosophy, science, and Christian mysticism, with meditation at the core of spiritual realisation.
Central to his method was Kriya Yoga, a powerful and ancient meditative technique which he described as the “airplane route” to God. Through deep meditation and the precise spiritual science of Kriya, Yogananda offered a path to union with the Divine that was both practical and transformative.
“In the ecstasy of meditation, God makes the humblest of his servants to sit on a sovereign throne,” said Yogananda. Implicit in this quote is that ‘ecstasy of meditation’ is not the prerogative of the rich, but a path open to the so-called poor as well. Unlike the earth, in the kingdom of God, the poor and the rich are equal.
Meditation can make pauper a king; and a king, if he doesn’t get his meditation right, may seem a pauper in God’s kingdom.
The Essence of Yogananda’s Meditation Teaching
At the heart of Yogananda’s spiritual philosophy is the belief that “Self-realization is the knowing—in body, mind, and soul—that we are one with the omnipresence of God”
For Yogananda, meditation was not simply a method for relaxation or concentration but a means to experience this direct union with God. Unlike many modern interpretations of meditation as a wellness practice, Yogananda placed it firmly within the spiritual tradition of inner communion, transcendence, and liberation (moksha).
Meditation, as taught by Yogananda, involved withdrawing the mind from sensory distractions and focusing inward, especially on the breath and spiritual centres of the body. He emphasised that stilling the breath and mind was the gateway to the superconscious state, where the soul could experience divine bliss.
“When the mind is calm, how quickly, how smoothly, how beautifully you will perceive everything,” he wrote. “The soul loves to meditate, for in contact with the Spirit lies its greatest joy.”
The Science and Practice of Kriya Yoga
The most distinctive feature of Yogananda’s teachings was Kriya Yoga, which he referred to as an ancient and scientific technique of meditation. He learned this method from his guru, Swami Sri Yukteswar, who was in turn a disciple in the lineage traced to Mahavatar Babaji—a near-mythical yogi, who is said to have revived Kriya in modern times.
Kriya Yoga involves specific techniques of prāṇāyāma, or breath control, aimed at accelerating spiritual evolution. The core of the practice consists of mentally directing life energy (prāṇa) to move up and down the spine through the sushumnā nāḍī, the central channel, thereby purifying the nervous system and awakening the higher centres of consciousness.
Yogananda described it as “a simple, psychophysiological method by which the human blood is decarbonized and recharged with oxygen”, and he asserted that “the atoms of this extra oxygen are transmuted into life current to rejuvenate the brain and spinal centers.”
He emphasised that Kriya allowed the practitioner to shorten the spiritual journey, citing ancient texts and his own realisation. “A yogi who faithfully practices Kriya Yoga is gradually freed from karma or the lawful chain of cause-effect equilibrium,” Yogananda wrote in Autobiography of a Yogi.
He likened the technique to an inner “airplane” that could take one rapidly to God, bypassing the slower methods of devotional or intellectual practice.
Personal Stories and Inner Experience
One of the most compelling aspects of Yogananda’s work is the vividness with which he described spiritual experiences during meditation. In Autobiography of a Yogi, he recounts profound moments of bliss, visions of divine beings, and cosmic consciousness. In one striking passage, after an intense meditation with his guru, he writes: “The breath was drawn out of my lungs as if by some strange hand, and I saw the stars melt into a sea of light. I perceived the center of that light as a point of intense bliss…I lost myself in ever-expanding spheres of joy until at last I was no longer aware of my body.”
Such descriptions are not merely poetic; they are meant to inspire practitioners to seek the reality behind religious belief. For Yogananda, the inner world was as real—indeed, more real—than the external world, and it was through Kriya meditation that this realm could be accessed.
Meditation in Daily Life
While Kriya Yoga required initiation and disciplined practice, Yogananda also encouraged everyone to meditate daily, no matter what their background or spiritual tradition. His techniques included concentration on the spiritual eye (the kūṭastha chaitanya, or third eye), the use of devotional chants, and stilling the breath through observation and control.
He taught that even a little meditation could bring profound peace: “Even a little practice of this inward religion will free one from dire fears and colossal sufferings.”
Moreover, Yogananda emphasised the importance of God-contact over religious dogma, urging seekers from all paths to experience divinity directly. His vision of meditation was not exclusive but inclusive, universal, and deeply transformative.
Paramahansa Yogananda’s legacy lies not only in the books he wrote or the institutions he founded, but in the millions of individuals who continue to meditate, inspired by his teachings.
By reviving Kriya Yoga and presenting meditation as both a science and a sacred art, Yogananda made accessible the eternal truths of yoga. In a world increasingly distracted by noise, his call to stillness resonates ever more deeply: “Be calmly active, and actively calm. That is the way of the yogi.”
Oswald Pereira, a senior journalist, has also written ten books, including Beyond Autobiography of a Yogi, The Newsroom Mafia, Chaddi Buddies, The Krishna-Christ Connexion, How to Create Miracles in Our Daily Life and Crime Patrol: The Most Thrilling Stories. Oswald is a disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda, and practises Kriya Yoga.
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