Self-Realization Fellowship Blog

One of the highlights of the year-end holiday season for Self-Realization Fellowship members and friends around the world is the All-Day Christmas Meditation, a tradition inaugurated by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1931 and which he personally conducted for many years.

Every year in mid-December SRF temples, centers, and groups hold an 8-hour meditation

• in honor of the birth of Jesus Christ as an incarnation of the Divine, and
• to dive deeply into an experience within ourselves of that same universal Christ Consciousness that was perfectly manifested in the life of Jesus and all other liberated masters (known in India as Kutastha Chaitanya or Krishna Consciousness).
  

If you are not able to be at one of our SRF locations, you can participate in this special event via our website, where all-day Christmas meditations will be conducted by SRF monastics in English and in several other languages.

We encourage both long-time devotees as well as those new to the SRF teachings to join us for this truly elevating and sustaining experience.

It is helpful to prepare for the all-day meditation in order to make the most of this “spiritual Christmas,” as Paramahansaji called it, prior to the social festivities of the holidays.

On this page you will find helpful resources for how to begin right now to attune your consciousness to become receptive to the tremendous blessings available to you at this time of year:

• A Christmas Message From Paramahansa Yogananda
• Inspiration From SRF Presidents (Text, Audio, and Video)
• Ways to Deepen Your Meditations (Audio)
• Opportunities for Longer Meditation — SRF Online Meditation Center

A Christmas Message From Paramahansa Yogananda

Presented here is one of the Christmas messages from Paramahansa Yogananda published in the Addenda section of The Second Coming of Christ: The Resurrection of the Christ Within You, Paramahansaji’s revelatory commentary on the original teachings of Jesus. In this short and powerful message, he exhorts us to spiritualize every aspect of our lives during this season — and at all times — by following Jesus’ example of love for all and inner oneness with the divine Christ Consciousness.

Be a True Christ-One

“This is my Christmas Song to you, that by daily meditation you so prepare the cradle of your consciousness that you behold the Infinite Baby Christ laid there anew. During this holy season pray deep and long until every day becomes a true Christmas occasion of divine communion.

“Spiritualize the social ceremonious celebration around the Christmas tree of material gifts by exchanging with one another, and with all true souls in a spirit of universal brotherhood, spiritual gifts of soul qualities: love, peace, forgiveness, and joy.

“Kindle in the fireplace of patriotism a glamorous light of love for all nations of the earth to drive away the gloom of wars and misunderstandings. As a true Christ’s son, make a solemn vow within: ‘I will love all God’s people as I love my own people.’

Live Christ’s unifying influence at home, in business, in the church, in society, in politics, in international understanding; and Lord Jesus will be with you. You will be a Christ-ian — a Christ-one — one with Christ.”

Inspiration From SRF/YSS Presidents

Below you will find a video excerpt from the 2020 Christmas satsanga by Brother Chidananda, fifth and current president of Self-Realization Fellowship/Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (SRF/YSS), followed by further inspiration from the second and third SRF/YSS presidents respectively.

The Message of Sacred Holiday Observances

By Brother Chidananda

Brother Chidananda, president and spiritual head of SRF/YSS, shares a special message about the grace of the Divine that pervades the holiday season and how we can make ourselves ready to receive its transforming power. He also reads a passage from the New Testament about the birth of Jesus, and shares wisdom from Paramahansaji to elucidate the story’s deepest and universal meaning for those who practice meditation.

The Inner Spiritual Beauty of This Season

By Rajarsi Janakananda

Rajarsi Janakananda was the first spiritual successor to Paramahansa Yogananda, serving as the second president of SRF/YSS from 1952 until his passing in 1955. The following was Rajarsi’s Christmas message in 1952 to all members of SRF/YSS.

“With deep joy in my heart I extend greetings to you at this blessed Christmas season. Seldom before have men so needed to experience the true meaning of Christmas — consciously to receive in their hearts the omnipresent love, the joy, the peace of the Christ Consciousness that we celebrate in the coming of Jesus.

“Through the blessings of the Masters and our guru Paramahansa Yogananda, and through their Self-Realization Fellowship teachings, my eyes have been opened to the inner spiritual beauty of this season; my heart has been filled with the great love of the omnipresent Christ.

“It is my humble wish to share with you this divine love and joy. In our hearts and minds let us gather around the Christmas tree of the world and pray with Jesus Christ and our Gurus that their message of peace, forgiveness, and love to all mankind fall on receptive ears. May all peoples awaken to the light of truth and understanding! Let every heart sing with the angelic chorus, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’”

Let Every Day Be Christmas

By Sri Daya Mata

Sri Daya Mata was third president of SRF/YSS, serving in that role from 1955 until her passing in 2010. Here she speaks of the impact that Paramahansa Yogananda’s deep understanding of Jesus Christ and Bhagavan Krishna had on her own life, and recounts her first Christmas at the SRF International Headquarters.

Ways to Deepen Your Meditations

By Brother Bhaktananda

Brother Bhaktananda was a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda and served as senior minister at the Self-Realization Fellowship temple in Hollywood, California, from 1971 to his passing in 2005. He gave annual classes on meditation in India Hall at the SRF Hollywood Ashram Center for many years. Here is an audio excerpt from his talks.

Running time: 5 minutes

Opportunities for Longer Meditation Now

Longer meditations during the Christmas season can help us go deeper in realizing the blessings of this holy time of year and attuning our consciousness with the divine, universal consciousness pervading all creation — known as the Christ Consciousness or Kutastha Chaitanya.

Those who plan to participate in the All-Day Christmas Meditation on December 17 — either online or at an SRF location — will find it helpful to prepare by doing longer meditations leading up to that special and truly elevating day of personal communion with the Divine.

Here are several meditations (listed in Pacific Time, and conducted in English), which are being offered through the SRF Online Meditation Center. All of these meditations will begin with the practice of the Energization Exercises:

• Saturday, December 3: 8:40 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. — Four-hour meditation
  
• Sunday, December 4: 4:40 – 7:00 p.m. — Two-hour meditation
  
• Wednesday, December 7: 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. — Two-hour meditation
  
• Saturday, December 10: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. — Six-hour meditation
• Sunday, December 11: 4:40 – 7:00 p.m. — Two-hour meditation
• Wednesday, December 14: 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. — Two-hour meditation

At this link you will find the full Online Meditation Center calendar, where you will see the events listed in your time zone and from which you can access each of these meditations. You can also join in these meditations directly through the SRF/YSS app (available through the App Store and Google Play).

If you are planning on attending the online All-Day Christmas Meditation you can do so at this link.