What is Meditation?

The goal of life is to know God. To know Him we must learn to apply His laws to everyday living. Meditation is the way by which man begins to commune with God―to know and to love him. When bodily motions cease and thoughts are stilled (“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10) the Lord begins to appear as peace and divine bliss on the altar of tranquility and changelessness. As Jesus assured us, “The kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21)

“Meditation is the ability to take the mind away from every object of distraction and put it on God alone.” ― Paramahansa Yogananda

Learn to Meditate and Experience Divine Peace

Through meditation, one can experience ever increasing peace, joy, and oneness with God.

In the privacy of one’s own home, sincere seekers of God can learn to meditate according to the complete personal instructions of Paramahansa Yogananda through the organization he founded, Self-Realization Fellowship. Comprehensive online information about meditation from Self-Realization Fellowship includes:

 

Benefits of Group Meditation

By deep concentration in union with other seekers, a devotee transmutes his will into God’s Will. Remembering his identity with God, he recovers his divine heritage of God-perception. Every devotee should strengthen his realization of Divine Will through prayer, through God-communion in meditation, and through spiritual company.

Why shouldn’t you strengthen your own vibrations through fellowship with people seeking Self-realization, and by group meditation with them? This practice will fortify your own spiritual convictions; you will find that many seemingly insuperable barriers in your life will crumble and dissolve in the waters of meditation. Your devotion and love for God will commingle with the devotion and love of others. Divine bliss will radiate from you, helping all persons you meet.

The proximity of others’ spiritual vibrations has the power of raising your own. Meditation with other devotees thus helps you to quicken your evolution. They inspire you on your climb up the ladder of Self-realization; and you, by your example, can also be helpful to them.
Group meditation is a castle that protects the new spiritual aspirants as well as the veteran meditators. Meditating together increases the degree of Self-Realization of each member of the group by the law of invisible vibratory exchange of group magnetism.

Join Us in Divine Fellowship

Experience the power of group meditation, spiritual teachings, and community support.

Visit us Today

Group meditations sustain the yogi’s spiritual enthusiasm, inspiring him to meditate when he might otherwise neglect his devotions, encouraging him to spiritualize life’s duties when he might otherwise perform them heedless of God, the real Doer.

Mix with those who love God. Otherwise, dual forces at play in the universe will distract the mind, and He will again be forgotten.

If your spiritual progress is at a standstill, or is ebbing, the practice of meditation on God or on any of the Great Ones, in the company of other devotees, will uplift you from your precarious state.
United minds are bigger channels through which God’s Power flows in a mightier way to individual souls.
Group meetings strengthen the individual Self-realization that one has acquired in private at home. Group meetings give a new awakening to members.
The spiritual relation of souls united in seeking God is stronger and more binding that any other relation. Each person is born into a particular family for one lifetime only but he or she who forms a spiritual bond with kindred souls will walk together the path to God through many lifetimes.

Experience the Transformative Power of Group Fellowship

I want you to know that your presence and efforts are needed. Won’t you, therefore, attend your group or center services now, and at all times, and give…your loyal support in every way? Those who come to the Self-Realization Fellowship services regularly, not attracted merely by the talks but seeking inward spiritual help shall receive what they seek from God. I want them to know that whether they come now, while I am in the body, or afterward, the power of God shall flow into them just the same, and shall be the cause of their salvation. So come regularly. I know that those who do so have changed; I can see it in their eyes and faces. In that regularity and steadiness you shall find God-realization.

Group Meditation Guidelines

When we meditate in a group, we honor our fellow meditators and ourselves by keeping our bodies still and not distracting others. The united strength of the group helps each member find the strength and courage to overcome indifference, devotional dryness, restlessness, discouragement, and doubt, obstacles that confront every sincere meditator at one time or another. The deepened benefits of group meditation reinforce each devotee’s efforts toward Self-realization.

Before Services

If you have a cough, cold, or condition that creates noise or restlessness that may affect others, please meditate at home. Please dress conservatively as one generally would when attending a church or religious service. Shorts are not appropriate. Wear clothes that are made of soft fabrics that do not make noise. Please do not wear perfumes or colognes of strong scent.

Turn off electronic devices before entering. Arrive early to have time to find a seat, get calm, and meditate before the service begins. If you arrive after the service begins, please enter only during a chant or when the Usher indicates you may enter.

During Services

Correct posture, focusing the eyes gently upward, and focusing one’s thoughts on God are key points to help achieve a meditative state of mind.

Sit relaxed with spine straight, feet flat on the floor, shoulders back, chest out, abdomen in, and hands with palms turned upward resting at the juncture of the thighs and abdomen.  It is important that there be no tension in the body.

With eyes closed, focus the gaze gently at the point between the eyebrows. This is the Christ Consciousness Center, also called the kutastha, and is the center of will and spiritual perception. Practice the meditation techniques so that they are inaudible to others. If you do not know any techniques of meditation, silently call or speak to God in the language of your heart. If the mind wanders, gently bring the attention back to the Christ Consciousness center.

Chant in unison with concentration, devotion, and feeling to feel the meaning of the words and invoke God’s presence. God does not listen to the tone quality of our voices but rather the devotional quality of our hearts.

There is no talking during meditation. Please stay quietly seated during periods of silence.  During longer periods of meditation, it is okay to stand and do gentle stretching during chanting. Anyone unable to sit in silence for a period of time is welcome to meditate in the Front Room.

If coughing in the chapel, please exit quietly to the restroom to recover. Meditation can then be continued in the Front Room. Please return to the chapel only during the next period of chanting.

  • Benefits of Group Meditation
  • A Beginner’s Meditation
  • Basic Instructions
  • Preparing a Space for Meditation
  • Correct Posture
  • Guided Meditations by SRF Monastics
  • The Kriya Yoga Path of Meditation
  • Prayer Requests
  • Sunday School

After Services

To hold on to the peace of meditation, devotees generally come to service and leave in silence. Whenever conversation is necessary or natural, it is important to keep a spirit of silence and calm even in activity. In this way, as Yogananda said, “What you learn in meditation, practice in activity.”

Scroll to Top