NEWSLETTER

We Are So Much More Than We Appear
March 2010

“When I was a child, I had frequent glimpses of higher realities and was often vividly aware of an all-pervading, benevolent Presence that included me and all things in its wholeness. Perceptions of his kind are not uncommon among young people who having newly arrived in the physical world, have not yet been unduly influenced by the ideas or behavior of others.” Thus Kriya Master Roy Eugene Davis begins his book, Paramahansa Yogananda As I Knew Him.

Unlike the majority of us who probably once perceived “higher realities” as young people and then with age and distraction forgot, Mr. Davis continued to remember.  Inspired by his recollections, and following the promptings of his heart, Mr. Davis has led a rich spiritual life studying under—and ordained by—Paramahansa Yogananda (author of Autobiography of a Yogi) and establishing the Center for Spiritual Awareness in Lakemont, Georgia. From the example of his life, it is clear that Mr. Davis has been able to retain knowledge of who he really is and understand that he is more than he appears.

Luckily for the rest of us who have forgotten, we have yoga. With Yoga we can begin to remember our studio’s Theme of the Month: “We Are So Much More Than We Appear.” Please read on:

Essayist, philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 – 1882) wrote: “We live in succession, in division, in parts…Within us is the soul of the whole; the wise silence; the universal beauty, to which every part and particle is equally related; the eternal One.” Like Mr. Davis, Mr. Emerson remembered that we are so much more than we appear. We are more than the “parts,” in fact, we are the “soul of the whole.”

We too can remember being the “soul of the whole” with the help of yoga. This is because, as Erich Schiffman, author of Yoga, the Spirit and Practice of Moving into Stillness says, “Yoga is a way of moving into stillness in order to experience the truth of who you are,” and “When you experience yourself in stillness—that is, when you give your undivided attention to experiencing the truth about you—you will experience the conflict-free, calm, dynamic peace of perfectly centered abundant life energy.”

Practicing Hatha Yoga, or the physical postures of yoga, certainly sets one on the path to discover who you are. However, to accelerate this journey, the practice of Kriya Yoga is strongly encouraged. And this is where we, at Being Yoga, are extremely fortunate. On March 17, from 2:00 – 4:00, Mr. Roy Eugene Davis will be coming to our studio to talk about Kriya Yoga, and the practice of its principles, to help us in our process of self-realization.

Mr. Davis will also be speaking at the 2010 International Kriya Yoga Congress in San Jose,March 18 – 20 where he will address thousands of people from around the world. Of course, the Being Yoga community is urged to register and attend as well.

We have the ability to remember that we are so much more than we appear. As Mr. Davis’s guru Paramahansa Yogananda said, “Yoga teaches you to look yourself honestly in the eye and find out what you are.” Take the time and make the effort to do so, and as Erich Schiffman says, you will shift to “a new level of awareness, a new way of being, and [you will be] living your life from your conscious connection with the Infinite.” He goes on to say, “The more you realize how wonderful this is, the more you will desire it—and the more you’ll want to remember.”