Chandigarh
13 October 2018
DIVYA AZAD
Swami Smaranananda Giri General Secretary of the Yogoda Satsanga Society of India, YSS, addressed a large gathering today at the Tagore Theatre Chandigarh on the topic“Winning the Battle of Life Through Meditation”.
Speaking on the occasion, Swami ji emphasized the need for every individual, however much busy he or she may be, to take out time each day for meditation. There is no other way to combat the stresses and tensions of life that are a part and parcel of every person’s life in this era, he said. Daily practice of meditation techniques can go a long way in ensuring inner peace and calmness, despite all obstacles in one’s path, advised Swami ji.
Swami ji said a little bit of yoga and meditation will save you from dire fears. There is so much of anxiety is there in everyone’s life but that can be conquered and we can come out of struggles.
He said, “We can be calmly active and actively calm and all this can be done with yoga meditation. Inner security is important and that comes with yoga meditation and external things do not matter. Pranayam gives you inner security and you come in direct contact with God.”
Swami Smaranananda Giri also stressed that we are all facing so many problems like health ailments, financial problems etc. and removing the root cause was the main objective and the cause of all problems was ignorance of divinity which we have within and we have to realise it by maintaining contact with God. He said Yoga meditation is a way of life and even a householder can practise yoga meditation.
A large number of eminent persons, young and old, of the tri-city attended the talk and some of them stayed back to receive basic guidelines on meditation techniques from Swami ji.
Swami ji’s Talk was based on the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, the eminent spiritual Guru who authored the globally renowned classic, Autobiography of a Yogi. Paramahansa Yogananda founded YSS in 1917. The organisation celebrated its centennial year in 2017 and is currently celebrating the 125th Anniversary of the birth of Paramahansa Yogananda.
In his globally bestselling spiritual classic,‘Autobiography of a Yogi’, published in 1946, Yogananda explained the salient features of the Kriya Yoga technique for harmonious development of body, mind and soul. Written in a uniquely witty, charming, yet enlightening style, the Autobiography of a Yogi brought out universal truths that are applicable to people of all ages, nationalities and ethnic backgrounds.
The Autobiography of a Yogi has been translated into many languages across the world and almost all major Indian languages, thereby allowing millions to gain access to the spiritual truths that Indian saints have propounded before mankind through the ages.
Apart from the Autobiography of a Yogi,Yogananda’s writings have been published in several acclaimed volumes like ‘God Talks with Arjuna’ — his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, ‘The Second Coming of Christ’ — his interpretation of the Bible, and three volumes based on his numerous lectures titled ‘Man’s Eternal Quest’, ‘The Divine Romance’, and ‘Journey to Self-Realisation’. A series of Lectures/Talks are being organised by YSS throughout India as part of the celebrations of Paramahansa Yogananda’s 125th Birth Anniversary. This event at Chandigarh was a part of that series. The event was supported by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.