Yogoda Satsanga Society of India

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Paramahansa Yogananda , Founder
Yogoda Satsanga Society of India Headquarters, Dakshinewar, India
Yogoda Satsanga Sakha Math, Ranchi, India
Temple at Yogoda Satsanga Sakha Math, Dwarahat,India

Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (YSS)[1] is a non-profit religious organization founded by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1917.[2] In countries outside the Indian subcontinent it is known as Self-Realization Fellowship. The current president of Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (YSS) and Self-realization Fellowship (SRF) is Mrinalini Mata.[3][4]

Contents

Overview [edit]

For more than ninety years, YSS has been dedicated to carrying on the spiritual and humanitarian work of its founder who is widely revered as the father of Yoga in the West. He founded YSS to make available the universal teachings of Kriya Yoga, a spiritual science of pranayama life-force control and meditation techniques originating in India.[2] These nonsectarian teachings embody a complete philosophy and way of life for achieving all-round success and well-being, as well as methods of meditation for achieving life's ultimate goal — union of the soul with Spirit (God).

As expressed in the Aims and Ideals[5] formulated by Yogananda, the society seeks to foster a spirit of greater understanding and goodwill among the diverse peoples and religions of our global family, and to help those of all cultures and nationalities to realize and express more fully in their lives the beauty, nobility, and divinity of the human spirit.[6]

YSS's headquarters, Yogoda Satsanga Math, is situated in Dakshineswar, in the state of Kolkata with branches in Dwarahat, in the state of Uttarakhand, and Ranchi, in the state of Jharkhand.[2] It has grown to include more than 180 centres around the country. In addition to meditation centres throughout India, there are twenty-three educational institutions, from primary grades through college level. Yogananda has created four ashrams in India: Ranchi, Kolkata, Noida, Dwarahat.

Yogoda, a word coined by Yogananda, is derived from Yoga, union, harmony, equilibrium; and da, "that which imparts". "Satsanga" is composed of Sat, truth and Sanga, fellowship. For the west, Yogananda translated the Indian name as Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) which is located in Los Angeles, California, USA.

The teachings of Yogananda are made available, today as during his lifetime, through the printed Yogoda Satsanga Society Lessons.[2]
This comprehensive home-study series—studied by many thousands of people all over the world—gives instruction in all the meditation techniques of the Kriya Yoga science, as well as in the many other aspects of balanced spiritual living taught by Yogananda.[7]

Paramahansa Yogananda actually started a small ashram in Dihika, West Bengal (near Asansol), in 1917 prior to moving to Ranchi, where he established and developed his first major ashram in India. The original site where Paramahansa Yogananda started his fledgling Dihika ashram, has been purchased in 1992 by Yogoda Satsanga Society of India and is being maintained by them as a heritage site of the organization. "In 1997 YSS started a Kendra here. Soon thereafter, a charitable homeopathic dispensary was added. From mid 2010, this Kendra was slowly remodelled into a retreat centre with a boundary wall and a guesthouse. Subsequently, the work of constructing a Dhyana Mandir—with an accommodation for about 75 devotees—was taken up at this site."[8]

Aims and ideals [edit]

Yogananda wrote down his aims and ideals for Yogoda Satsanga Society/Self-Realization Fellowship:[5]

  • To disseminate among the nations a knowledge of definite scientific techniques for attaining direct personal experience of God.
  • To teach that the purpose of life is the evolution, through self-effort of man's limited mortal consciousness into God Consciousness; and to this end to establish Yogoda Satsanga temples for God-communion throughout the world, and to encourage the establishment of individual temples of God in the homes and in the hearts of men.
  • To reveal the complete harmony and basic oneness of original Yoga as taught by Bhagavan Krishna and original Christianity as taught by Jesus Christ; and to show that these principles of truth are the common scientific foundation of all true religions.
  • To point out the one divine highway to which all paths of true religious beliefs eventually lead: the highway of daily, scientific, devotional meditation on God.
  • To liberate man from his threefold suffering: physical disease, mental inharmonies, and spiritual ignorance.
  • To encourage "plain living and high thinking"; and to spread a spirit of brotherhood among all peoples by teaching the eternal basis of their unity: kinship with God.
  • To demonstrate the superiority of mind over body, of soul over mind.
  • To overcome evil by good, sorrow by joy, cruelty by kindness, ignorance by wisdom.
  • To unite science and religion through realization of the unity of their underlying principles.
  • To advocate cultural and spiritual understanding between East and West, and the exchange of their finest distinctive features.
  • To serve mankind as one's larger Self.

Membership [edit]

Any person can become a member of the society. Members are both Monastics (includes Monks & Nuns) and house-holders. After applying for membership members receive the Yogoda Satsanga/Self-Realization Lessons for three years for home study. In these lessons are teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, Gurudeva and Founder of this society. Also in these lessons are step-by-step instructions in the Yoga techniques of meditataion, concentration, and energization that he taught, including Kriya Yoga.[2] The Lessons were compiled under Paramahansa Yogananda’s direction from his writings and the many classes and lectures he gave. In addition to his comprehensive instructions in meditation, the Lessons offer practical guidance for every aspect of spiritual living — how to live joyfully and successfully amidst the unceasing challenges and opportunities in this world of change.[9]

To become a monastic member one should be single, in sound physical and mental health, free of family and other obligations, have studied the Yogoda Satsanga/Self-Realization Fellowship Lessons for at least one year, and aged between 18 and 35.

Major publications [edit]

  • Paramahansa Yogananda, Autobiography of a Yogi
  • Paramahansa Yogananda, God Talks With Arjuna, The Bhagavad Gita, Royal Science of God-Realization
  • Paramahansa Yogananda, The Second Coming of Christ, The Resurrection of the Christ Within You, A revelatory commentary on the teachings of Jesus
  • Paramahansa Yogananda, Man’s Eternal Quest
  • Paramahansa Yogananda, The Divine Romance
  • Paramahansa Yogananda, Journey to Self-realization
  • Paramahansa Yogananda, Whispers from Eternity
  • Daya Mata, Only Love
  • Daya Mata, Finding the Joy Within You
  • Sister Gynamata, "God Alone"

See also [edit]

Portal icon Hinduism portal

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Yogoda Satsanga Society of India Home Page". Retrieved 2011-02-12. 
  2. ^ a b c d e "Paramahansa Yogananda - The Yogi and His Fellowship". LifePositive. 
  3. ^ "Leadership of the Society". Retrieved 2011-02-12. 
  4. ^ "Self-Realization Fellowship elects Sri Mrinalini Mata as new leader". Retrieved 2012-07-14. 
  5. ^ a b "Aims and Ideals of Self-Realization Fellowship". Retrieved 2008-02-09. 
  6. ^ "About Yogoda Society of India". Retrieved 2011-02-12. 
  7. ^ "About Yogoda Society of India". Retrieved 2011-02-12. 
  8. ^ "Newsletter & Appeal 2011 - New and Upcoming Projects".  Unknown parameter |http://www.yssofindia.org/news-detail.php?news_id= ignored (help);
  9. ^ "Lessons for Home Study". Retrieved 2012-07-01. 

External links [edit]
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