Welcome to the Seminary

Oh, there be peace, serenity, equanimity, harmony and joy. Let this peace saturate each cell of your being, each petal of your mind, and may you become a giver of that peace as a priest, as a Swami. Namasteji. My name is Goswami Kriyananda. I’m the spiritual preceptor of the temple of Kriya. I would like to welcome you today. I’d like to talk to you a little bit about what it is a priest, my expectations of you as a priest. our aspirations for the program and for you. I’d like to explain to you about what is needed in the fundamental stages and, as we say in English, in the gut of your soul and your being.

First of all, I open my heart and I open my soul to you and welcome you to the inner circle, a circle that can be opened but that only you can walk into, by discipline, by self -discipline, and by self -discipline alone can you attain and become, and become one in this inner circle. Those who not only have peace, but radiate peace, but share that peace wisely, compassionately, and with skillful means. I have been walking the path in this lifetime, 75 years or so, I’ve seen a great deal of pain. I’ve seen a great deal of problems.

I’ve seen an unbelievable amount of joy and bliss. But what I’ve noticed that there is only really two types of people, those who agitate the problem and make the problem and continue the problem, and those who seek to solve the problem. What I’m seeking to do and what we are seeking to do in this seminary program is to make you aware that you need, as it were, to turn around in consciousness, to recognize that you want to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem of this earth plane. We are here to equip you spiritually, intellectually, mentally, physiologically through the various processes of yoga and the various techniques of mysticism to elevate you, to produce within you a transformation, a transformation of your personality, a transformation into maturity, a transformation where you will arise, awake and arise yet again and carry forth in the flame of truth, of beauty, of love, of compassion. But in the ultimate analysis, that flame is the flame of wisdom. We are here in this program to hand to you the living flame of the lineage of Kriya Yoga. sages, ancient and modern, this continent and other continents, this plane and higher planes, to hand you and make you worthy of receiving, lifting high that flame, and carrying it, not just to the next generation, but to many generations to come. “

Now, what is a Swami? What is a priest? Well, the word itself, Swami, really means he who is master of himself. Now, you can have many levels there, mastery of your emotions, mastery of your stomach, mastery of your heart, mastery of various appendages. But really, I think it means more than anything else, mastery of your personality. And if we were to become very mystical for a moment, mastery of your consciousness, that you can become aware, sustain that awareness, become self -aware and sustain that self -awareness. and then to bring that self -awareness into balanced, self -conscious awareness. But the priest is he, the priest is she, who can now take that balanced, self -conscious awareness and yet still within the balance, move outward to perform the only true miracle, the great miracle. the wondrous miracle, the miracle that is needed and everybody is forgetting. What is this miracle?

It is, my beloved, it is to soften the hardened heart of mankind. Talking to rocks does not solve our problem. Precipitating things down from the astral solves no problems. Reciting Veda scriptures or mantras, that is not the miracle or the solution. It is for us, for we, It is for us, the organization of individual souls, not of the building, but the building blocks of human consciousness, to reach out to you and to offer you the transformational flame of Kriya, offer you, to make you aware that it is through your self -discipline, yes, even sometimes your self -sacrifice, that you can and will perform the great miracle, the softening of the hardness, hearts of men and women. Not to convert them to Kriya Yoga. No, that’s not our job. That’s not my wish. It’s not the wish of the lineage. To bring them to truth? No, not that either. But rather for them to recognize that that truth, that flame, that light is deep, deep within them. and that the goal is not for us to show you our greatness or our miracles, but rather to perform the miracle of softening our own hardened hearts and radiating loving kindness and love.

Now it’s been true that some people turn off on the word priest, some people turn off on the word yoga, or the word Swami, or organizations, and I have walked through that problem. And so I’m here to tell you, we’re here to tell you clearly, we’re not here, forgive my symbolism, to stamp out little cookie cutter priests, you know, stamp, stamp, stamp, that all come out like so many organizations want, saying the same thing in the same voice, reciting a ritual of the same words. No, no, no, no, no. Wearing the same clothes, the same haircut, the same color. No, no, no, no. No cookie cutter priests here. That’s not what we want. I want, my guru wishes, the lineage hopes for individuals. Individuals that can see that flame, grasp it, and respond adding to it their beauty, their strength, their experiences, to be a unique but a unique individual that carries the flame. 

Namasteji, to me means, and to my Guru means, I bow and serve the living light within you. You are great and I love you, but it’s to the flame, that light, that illumination, that I bow and that I choose to serve. We have been, all of us, so often brutalized and used and sold and hustled. How do I tell you? How do I explain to you? How do I open my heart to you and simply make you aware that I’m looking for individuals? You don’t have to believe what I believe or believe what the organization teaches. You have to believe in yourself. And you have to believe that there are techniques and meanings and procedures by which you can grow from maturity to greater maturity. And yes, for some of us, to grow from immaturity to maturity.

But if you’re listening to this tape, is it not proof already that you are mature and starving and unfolding? Otherwise, you would not acquire, you would not have asked, you would not be seeking for something greater than ourselves. A flame by which glows there, therefore, is no darkness and no shadow. No doubt, no darkness, no despair, but rather the flame of Kriya, the flame of truth, whatever you choose to call it, to carry on the teachings of compassion, of loving kindness, Forgive me, if truth is you see it and as you understand it, as unselfishly and as wisely and as skillfully as you can, that’s our goal.

I don’t care whether you’re Catholic or Jewish or an atheist. We are here to help human beings. And if we can learn of love and compassion, if we can learn to serve and be patient, then our job, our expectations, our aspirations for the program will be fulfilled in you. But you can say, yes, but what about me? And that’s a good question. What about you? We are all, each one of us, unbelievably dedicated souls to help you to help others. It’s not a job that my guru could do or that I can do or my param guru, Yoganandaji, could do. It is accomplished only, only collectively. You know, it’s the old story that once upon a yogi time, there was four sons and a father, and they were always fighting, and the farm work wasn’t getting done, and each one was having problems, and the father gathered them together and said, why is not the work done? And each one said, I’m not strong enough to do it. It’s impossible. What you’re asking me to do is impossible. And so he asked each one to come back at sunrise the next day with a little twig.

And each one came with a little twig. And he took each twig and he snapped the end off of it with no trouble at all. He handed back to each son who gave him the twig, twig and said to the son, break off a little piece. And they broke off a little piece and handed the twig back. And so then in his hand, the father had five twigs. Then he took this little thread and wrapped it around, and wrapped it around, wrapped it around, and handed it to the oldest son and said, now break it. And the son couldn’t break the five twigs held together by the thread. In numbers combined and collected by the thread of truth, there is strength and power to accomplish what needs to be done. We are here to teach. We’re here to teach you to become a teacher.

We’re here to feed you data, knowledge. We’re here, if you so wish, to give constructive, gentle, loving criticism, to suggest what you need to do, what you need to study, what you need to polish. For one reason, it’s through your own self -discipline and the tools that we give you, the techniques we give you, the rituals we give you, to use them, as you see, to grow from manhood to godhood, from womanhood to godhood. Or, as I prefer to say, from humankind to cosmic consciousness. But not to slip off into some high ethers, but for us here now to heal the pain, the anguish, and suffering lovingly, wisely, and kindly. All at the same time continuing to grow until we move, as it were, up into the higher planes. And there also, in the higher planes, we will see, even there, there are those that are needed. Or if we wish to descend down below the earth planes, and even there, there are those that are needed. 

Where you go, there will be people and animals and vegetation that need your love and care. So we’re here to help you, to orientate you, but not to cookie cutter you, not to make you like unto ourselves, but rather to give you techniques and procedures that you can find your full self. The problem too often in organizations and priesthoods is that they get buffoonery and they think that they’re holy and the rest of the world’s unholy and they go around showing everybody their greatness and their beauty and their treasure. That’s not what it’s about. My beloved, that is not what it’s about. What it is about is for you and I to reveal to others their treasures, their strengths, their beauty, and for each soul in that light of Kriya, in the light of light if you prefer, to find themselves and to see for themselves their destiny. And that comes about as each of us reveal from where we have come. where we are going, and why we are here. Not in scripture, not because someone speaks it, but rather because self -revelation, that you see yourself, aha, this is what I am, here is where I have come from, there is where I am going, here is what is to be done, and then to work with that. 

Now this is important, this is extremely important, and let me make it more succinct. Once upon a yogi time in ancient Japan, there were a series of yogis, It was a very small monastery of yogis. They were all monks. They were all doing their things and chanting and praying and meditating. They were all shanti mantras, that is, shanti monks. They were sitting there. there daily, sending out to all the world, peace, peace. Let there be peace in all the corners of the world, on all the planes of existence, and before, behind, and above, and below.

Each sentient being, let there be light, and love, and beauty, and wisdom. One day the head monk was walking. He’s walking through the woods, and he heard the voice, help me, help me, help me. And the monk went over and looked, and there, in the frozen ground was a fox freezing to death. He says, are you speaking? And the fox said, yes. Help me. Oh, help me. What is the matter? The yogi said, what is the matter? Oh, many, many years ago, I was asked a question and I answered it wrongly. And henceforth, for all these incarnations, I have been a fox. Help me to return to human form. And that monk understood and said, yes, I will do this. Come. Tomorrow morning at sunrise, we will wait for you and I will ask the question that you’re asking me and that you might answer yet again. ” He went back to the monastery and he said, the ashram if you prefer, and he said, tomorrow morning we’re going to have a funeral pyre of a monk. And all the monks looked and wondered who it was. So they built the funeral pyre and at sunrise they’re all sitting there. They opened the gates and here came the fox and he jumped up on top of the wood pyre. And head monk said, O noble one, what is the question? that you would like me to ask.” And the fox said, you know, many, many, many lifetimes ago, someone said, is the wise soul above the law of karma? And I said, well, of course. And I have been forever reborn as a fox. Please ask the question again, that I might answer it again. And the head monk said, oh, noble soul, is the wise soul above the law of karma? And the fox couldn’t contain himself even before he finished it. No, no, no, no. The wise soul. is one with the law of karma. ” And the head monk nodded. Hai, so desu. Yes, it is so. Jiyan. Yes.

And with that, the fox died, and they lit the fire, and he was released from his ignorance and born afresh to continue the path. Don’t get locked into this idea that the battle is for you and I to become above the law of dharma or karma or the law utthu, but rather one with it. Learn. Study. Ignite your soul. Discipline. Discipline. But it must be self -discipline brought by you. Like that, I am thinking. Become one with the law of karma. Be free. Now, where does it all begin? Oh, where none of you really want it to begin. It doesn’t. begin with chanting sacred mantras. That’s good, but that’s not where it begins. I’ll meditate. That’s where it begins. I’m not sure that’s where it begins. Where does it begin, my beloved? It begins with your lifestyle. and tarka. Tarka means to reflect upon your daily life. At the end of each day, you’re supposed to sit down. Some Christians pray, some Hindus chant. I would suggest you tarka. Quietly let the day flow through and see how your personality and your mind responded. Did I say hello first? Did I say I’m sorry first? Did I to myself admit I had made a mistake? Was I aware of my ignorance of that subject? Did I speak arrogantly? Not a judgmentalness. but looking to see how your external life is an extension of your internal life, and how the internal life has to be balanced. It’s hard to get in, modern people, to get into their head deeply and clearly. And so we approach it as our inner life approves. Yes, our external life will approve. But it is much easier to look at our lifestyle and improve it, and that will reveal the inner nature of our being. Yes. You have to improve your lifestyle. You need to, if and only if, you choose to grow spiritually. Now, I’m going to change that word, to grow spiritually, and tell you what it means. It means to grow up, to mature, that’s all. Anything else will get you into trouble later on. To grow up into a more mature personality. You notice I didn’t say you, I said your mind, your personality. You need to find time for your mind and personality to balance and improve. You need to find time in your lifestyle to study, to study those things that will improve your life, that will help your environment and the souls and beings and entities that enter into your auric nature to be helped. Take time to practice. Take time to reflect. And in so doing, you will find that as you find time by prioritizing what is truly meaningful to you. I can remember back in the 40s in the ashram with my guru. He said to me once in a quiet meditation, I want you to think Tarka. I want you to reflect on your life, Tarka. And I want you to think and then tell me what one thing you would be willing to die for. And I got nervous. I got a little nervous there. This may be a dangerous place. Maybe I ought to talk about whether I want to leave or not. But being young and foolish and brave, I told him what I would die for. And I remember he raised his finger and smiled at me and said, ah, now don’t die for it. Live for it and live with it. What a guiding light. You need, I need, we all need to prioritize our lives. And yes, maybe 50 years. As I have been doing, I will reprioritize each decade we made, each two years we made, each 12 years we made. But right now, you need to begin to think about your life, your physical life, your lifestyle, and make a list, you know, make a physical list. And then put a one, two, and three. This is really important. This is important. This is not so important. And then put those things that are important at the head of the list and those things that are important but not so important at the end of the list. And there must be the beginning of sacrifice. I used to say years ago to the disciples, not to the priests, but to the disciples, keep a log of how many hours or minutes I said that you watch television. and bring it back in a month. They brought it back in a month, and the minutes turned out to be hours. And of course, when I pointed this out, they got defensive. Well, I was watching educational programs. Back then, there wasn’t that much education on television, unless, of course, you looked at it retrospectively. But anyway, I said, now, you haven’t studied this. You haven’t studied that. Can’t you cut 10 % or 20 % of your TV watching? Not harsh. Not demanding it, not insisting, but if you are sincere in yourself and not lying to yourself, and you say you want to study this book but you don’t have time, self -sacrifice. Give up 10 or 20 percent of your TV time without getting fundamental or ridiculous. I didn’t say throw the television away. I did not say that. I didn’t say give up 51%. I was talking 10, 20 % of the time, if there was something more important than television. So in the same way, you have to look at your life, and you have to, in some sense, guard, prioritize your life, and then guard those things that are really vital in your life. You need to be yourself. What are the dangers? Well, the danger is sometimes if we start being priests or disciples, We try to convert the world. We’re not here to convert the world. We’re here to convert our minds. and personalities into a loving, kindness, compassionate, skillful mechanism that we ourselves might evolve and teach. But the greatest way to teach is by example. And those that see will see, and those that hear will hear. I think that that’s important. Yes, we are here to help, but too often, The world is me, me, me, mine, mine, mine, I, I, I, me, me, me, I, I, I, mine, mine, mine. And you know, they get onto the spiritual path, and what’s the mantra? Oh, glorious, holy me. Oh, glorious, lovely me. Oh, glorious, divine me. They just inglorified the ego. Now, there’s nothing wrong with the ego, unless, of course, it’s in the way of wisdom and truth and unselfishness. We’re here not to get. We’re here to give. That’s what makes a priest, a person who understands that I’m not here to get things, but to give things. But what makes a wise priest? A wise priest is a person who realizes in giving He doesn’t get stupid or foolish, forgive my words, and give everything. He must have a little time for himself. If he doesn’t have any time for himself, how is he going to meditate? If he doesn’t meditate, how is he going to sustain his balanced being? If he has no time for studying, no time for himself, how is he going to study to improve his mind? If he doesn’t have time for himself, if you don’t have time for yourself, how are you going to have time to practice the techniques to bring greater and greater Enlightenment and self -revelation. You need to be yourself, absolutely. You need to be a priest that is yourself and to teach as you see it and as you understand it. But you must also, I feel, continue to polish your mind and your personality. And it’s a slow process. Slowly by slowly does the ego, willing to give up some of its needs and some of its greeds, for other people’s benefit. But sometimes the ego and the personality is of such a nature that it becomes extremistic, and that is part of the problem of modern man and women. They simply become too extremistic, and they give and give and give, and they crucify themselves, thinking, ah, this is the way of holiness. I don’t want to make saints out of you. I would love to make sages out of you for your benefit and those that you will meet. Polish yourself. and to polish yourself, your personality, that is to say, and your mind. You need time, you need energy. And so again, you have to look at your lifestyle again and carve out a little period of time. And it’s easier than you think. I can remember back in the 60s and 70s that a lot of married people were having problems and they were coming to me and say, well, you know, Cree and Andy, I’m trying to meditate, but you know, my wife gets upset at me. And I said, you really want to learn how to have time? Oh, if I could just have time, boy, if she’d just leave me alone, it’d be great. I said, well, what you do is you go to your wife and you say to her, you know, there’s a lot of personality things about me that I don’t like, that I would like to be a better husband, I’d like to be a better father, I’d like to be a better lover. If I could just have these five or 10 minutes a day, totally undisturbed. Go, go, go, go, to push in the room. And, of course, you go and you meditate. And, of course, then you’ve got to come out a better person, a better lover, a better father, a better wife, a better husband, whatever it may be. They have to see that it has improved. And rapidly, they’ll say, why don’t you meditate 20 minutes? You get double the time, you understand? We’re human and oftentimes we have great needs and ego needs and so forth. So wisdom is the way, that’s what we’re trying to teach you. to be wise, to be yourself, but to polish yourself, to find time for yourself and make sure that that time that you have yourself gives you greater strength and insight and wisdom and knowledge to help those around you, your family, without interfering in their life, your beloved, your children. If you do that, then I am thinking you will move along and understand what the priesthood is truly about. What can I say in closing? I’d like to say three things to you. One, We at the temple are committed for the life of the temple to you. This is not a program in which, you know, you go through in a year or two and then you never hear from us. We’re here as a resource center to serve you, to help you, to be here with your personal needs or your spiritual needs. Long after you graduate, we are here to help you. We would like that relationship between you and the temple and the temple and you. between me and you and you and the temple, to be forever from incarnation, incarnation, if you so choose. Yes, it would be nice if you help us. How can you help us? How can you best help us? By growing in wisdom, by growing in unselfish love. If you do that, we get what we need more than anything else. good merit, good karma, to grow, to unfold, to become strength, and you strengthen us as we hopefully will strengthen you, and other souls will come into the inner circle, until at some time there are enough of us to bundle together, to carry the torch that never yet ever again will there be darkness upon the face of the earth or any other plane of existence. We are here, my beloved, and I am here as a spiritual being to help you unfurl your primordial wings of wisdom and soar to the high place, to the place of goodness and of light, and to get your directions there. Namaste. Namasteji, my beloved. This is the end of this disc. Please go to the next CD to continue. Om Shanti