From Swami Yogananda,
East-West, April 1932
Dear Ones:
With this new year, make an undying resolution: “To behold the Spirit in the Light of regular practice of the Yogoda Lessons, and to establish a Yogoda temple in every heart.” So, daily, meditate deeply, at the same time spreading the message. Live Yogoda, talk Yogoda, and spread its good news everywhere. As I received the Lessons from my Master, and you received them from me, so it is your duty to spread your own testimonials about Yogoda everywhere. You know that hidden in the Yogoda Lessons is the highway to Self-Realization, through which all by-paths of religious beliefs must pass to reach the abode of Infinite Bliss. In Yogoda lies the Second Coming of Christ; that is, through these five, once lost but now found again, techniques of Self-Realization from the Christian Bible, the theology-clogged cup of consciousness of the people will be clarified, and the Omnipresent Christ-Consciousness, so long shut out, will get in to rest forever. Whosoever shall enlarge his consciousness by meditation and concentration, will be able to receive and perceive Him; and whosoever will comprehend Spirit in his enlarged consciousness will be a Son of God. Realize that Christ-Consciousness, your Savior, is already come a second time, knocking at the doors of your consciousness. Through constant practice of Yogoda, you open the doors of your consciousness and let Him in.
Do not crucify Yogoda by indifference. Honey requires a hive. A hive without honey is useless. The East loves to collect spiritual honey. The West loves to build big hives of spiritual organizations. To acquire spiritual honey through individual meditation is just as important as to build large hives of organizations, where the honey of collective truths may be stored for the service of your brothers and sisters in future generations.
Remember to acquire for yourselves individual self-realization, but do not neglect your spiritual organization work, for that is intensely selfish and such neglect is detrimental to your soul progress. At the same time, spiritual organization work without individual or group meditation is meaningless. As Christian Yogodans, your ambition should be to establish God within, on the altar of self-realization and also to establish Him in the united hearts of all in your spiritual organization. Spiritually learn how to swim alone, and at the same time teach others how to swim. Spread the work of Yogoda by renewing your habit of the practice of Yogoda Lessons every morning and evening, and train yourself to lead groups, whereby you can keep your self-realization renewed always, with the gatherings from soul-flowers in the hives of Yogoda organizations.
Yogoda’s need now is for more inspirational apostles, those who feel the Christ-Consciousness within, and who will become real apostles of Self-Realization. From today, strive to become an apostle of Christ-Consciousness, also try to be one of the world’s “Fishers of Souls” with your inspirational words and writings, and with your voice saturated with the Holy Ghost Vibration of “Aum.” Go on bringing others into the Yogoda path, which is the finding of God through Self-effort, and through meditation in the temple of intuition. Let Yogoda Self-Realization and Sat-Sanga Universal Fellowship be your watch-word in your daily life.
To how many friends are you going to write in order to interest them in the teachings of Yogoda in the monthly East-West Magazine?
Always remember that good company is a stronger influence than your will power. Make your mightiest effort to come to Mt. Washington next summer, and join in the unforgettable Yogoda studies in this, our first and most unique Summer School, which will be conducted by a band of great Yogis and teachers
