The Importance of Group Meditation

[Devotee]

The Importance of Group Meditation
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“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.”
--Paramahansa Yogananda in “Seeking God Together”

“It’s very important the environment that we keep. Group meditations
are really important. In group meditations you get the advantage of
the energy of the other person, and the devotion of the other person,
and the perseverance, and the will of the other person, and you are
absolutely inspired. So, group meditations, seek them out!”
--Dennis Weaver on the SRF tape “How to Spiritualize Business”

“If a man wants to become an artist, he should associate with artists.
If he wants to be a good businessman, he should associate with
successful leaders in the business field. If he wants to become a
spiritual giant, he should associate with devotees of God!”
--Paramahansa Yogananda in “Seeking God Together”

“Where two or more are gathered in my name, there am I.”
--Jesus Christ in the Holy Bible (Matthew 18:20)

“Group meditation holds people together…because of their own Self-
realization. Then, of their own accord, they want to get together
often to worship God on the altar of their commingled devotion. When
you go to an SRF temple or center, let it be for one purpose: to be
with God. Do not go for the words, do not go for the singing. Go to
feel His presence by meditation!”
--Paramahansa Yogananda in “Seeking God Together”.

“You can’t be spasmodic in your practice of the techniques. That is
why it is so important for you to come together in groups for
meditation. Those are the times when you have the opportunity to
meditate in groups, each helping the other along the way. You know and
I know that when you sit to meditate many of you are not really
meditating deeply. Why? Because your will is not strong enough for you
to sit there long enough to get results. Because it takes a long time
to cultivate habits of meditation. You need to be surrounded… Why do
you suppose Master’s Guru said, “Surround yourself with a few and
meditate?” It’s the very same principle. Group meditations strengthen
the individuals. When you’re in meditation with other devotees you
don’t know how much you help one another. It gives you strength. There
is a vibration that is created that strengthens, and supports, and
encourages each one. So when you sit to meditate just remember this.”
--Sri Daya Mata on the SRF tape “Karma Yoga”


“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.”
--Paramahansa Yogananda in “Seeking God Together”


“Go into little groups for meditation. Not for gossip, not for
personalities, but just to sit quietly and meditate. Christ said,
“Where two or three are gathered in my name there am I.” I remember
once years ago sitting in this very chapel where Guruji used to sit
and have satsang with us. Then he went to the eastern part of the
United States to give classes, to teach, to visit with other devotees.
And during that period we had a leader here who was very dry, very
uninteresting, very boring. No inspiration came to me. And I said to
myself, “I’m not going to go to the chapel anymore. I do much better
in my room. I’m going to stay in my room and meditate.” Guruji came
back, called me to him, and he said, “I understand you’re not going to
meditation.” I said, “Oh yes Master.” See we always have excuses. We
all have them. We love to rationalize, don’t we? “Oh yes Master, I am
meditating, I am meditating.” “But you’re not going to the chapel
anymore?” I said, “No, I meditate much better in my room. I can go
much deeper. Down there the teacher is very boring.” He said, “You go
just the same! You go not to be inspired by the teacher. You go in
order to begin to seek deeply within yourself. Pay no attention to
anyone else. You haven’t gone there except for one reason that you
might commune with God.” I never forgot that. That was a lesson that
remained with me throughout my life. It was a great and wonderful
lesson. So when devotees go to groups forget everybody else. You go
there for one reason, to commune with God. There is no question about
it, when our own will is weak mixing with a group of like interests
helps to strengthen you. And that is true.”
--Sri Daya Mata on the SRF tape “The Way to Peace, Humility, and Love
for God”

“We become like the people we mingle with, not only through their
conversation, but through the silent magnetic vibration that emanates
from them. When we come into the range of their magnetism we are
affected.”
--Paramahansa Yogananda in “Seeking God Together”

"Meditate with good companions. They will help you to churn the butter
of Self-realization from the milk of your mind. Milk mixes with the
waters of worldly delusion and cannot float above them. Butter readily
floats on those treacherous water.”
--Swami Sri Yukteswar in “Seeking God Together”

“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.”
--Self-Realization Fellowship in “Meeting For Group Meditation”

“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.
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.”
--Paramahansa Yogananda in “Seeking God Together”

“Group meditation helps to disperse the dark clouds of man’s
obliviousness to the Sun of All Life, that its warm, liberating rays
may burst forth in his soul.”
--Self-Realization Fellowship in “Meeting For Group Meditation”

“Instead of big costly churches with intellectually trained ministers
intent on securing more and more religious “customers,” small
meditation centers should be started in quiet places where a few truth
seekers will come to meditate and learn the way to commune with God in
the company of a few other deeply earnest and deeply meditating
persons.”
--Paramahansa Yogananda in “Seeking God Together”

“But you go (to group meditations) for the right reasons, because you
want to change. You’re not there because you want to change anyone
else. You want to change. They give you strength in that environment
and you give them strength. That’s why Christ said, “Where two or
three are gathered in my name.” That was the idea of Guruji when he
started these little meditation groups and centers all over the world.
He used to say, “I am not interested in building huge edifices of
stone. My temples must always be small, many small ones, where there
will be that spirit of the consciousness of God and the united seeking
of God. Better that there be groups where they come together each the
friend of the other, each interested in serving the group as a whole.”
--Sri Daya Mata on the SRF tape “The Way to Peace, Humility, and Love
for God”

“Group meetings to practice the techniques of meditation are vitally
important. Group meetings strengthen the individual Self-realization
that one has acquired in private at home.”
--Paramahansa Yogananda in “Seeking God Together”

“One of the things that Master used to always say was, “What is the
meaning of Self Realization Fellowship? Realization of God through the
Self and fellowship with all through that realization.”
--Sri Daya Mata on the SRF tape “The Way to Peace, Humility, and Love
for God”

“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 the center officers your loyal support in every way? I
am with you in thought and spirit, for it is the Lord who inspires me
to write you thus. Keep your mind mentally attuned to me and to the
Great Ones and your life will improve accordingly.”
--Paramahansa Yogananda in “Seeking God Together”