The Inner Life with Asha: Recent Episodes
Asha Nayaswami
A collection of all talks by Nayaswami Asha, a lifelong disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda. With warmth and wisdom, Asha weaves spiritual teaching into daily, ordinary life. She is a master teacher, considered by many to be one of the most nuanced and clear teachers of Yoga in the world today. Asha studied and worked closely with Swami Kriyananda, a direct disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda, for 45 years. Asha means “hope” in Sanskrit. Her teachings are non-sectarian — sharing the truths that underlie the great religions. She draws freely from both the Bible and the Bhagavad Gita in her teaching.
Many people use their individual egoic qualities powerfully but not productively, in terms of their ultimate fulfillment. The ego is only a point of view, and we can learn to back out of that perspective into our source of divinity. (Based on Lesson 26.)
The successful person is one who not only looks opportunities to appear in his life, but attracts them with magnetic expectation. (Based on Lesson 25.)
If we live in tune with higher principles and put out energy in humble sincerity, there is a force that will carry us to succeed in what we do. Seek work that is expansive, and seek to become skillful and to serve others in whatever work you do. (Based on Lesson 24.)
In this lesson, Swami Kriyananda encourages us to develop a concept of God that we can take everywhere. To bring God into the workplace means to have not so much a religious attitude as one of God awareness in all. (Based on Lesson 23.)
Where there is dharma (right action), there is an experience of bliss, and in reality, bliss is the lasting success we seek. How can we react to life’s circumstances in the highest possible way? By flowing with them. (Based on Lesson 22.)
Each stage of human evolution — sudra, vaisya, kshatriya, and brahmin — can be characterized by attitudes we have toward life, how we seek to solve problems, and how we seek bliss. Although we may express characteristics of all of the stages, we live mostly in only one of them. (Based on Lesson 21.)
Sooner or later, lasting success in the material world comes down to how well we relate to others. One can learn from both the good and bad qualities of others, keeping in mind that there are stages of evolution in human consciousness. (Based on Lesson 21.)
Conditions are always neutral, and choosing happiness is an ability that is not subject to one’s situation. (Based on Lesson 20.)
Talking can simply be a way of sharing vibrations with others, and this is good. However, one must not dissipate energy through mindless chatter. (Based on Lesson 19.)
Advertising is an opportunity to serve others by providing information they want. Spirituality today requires a joyful recognition of the good things of life — through these, one is drawn toward the joy which lies beyond the material world. (Based on Lesson 18.)
Evaluate whether everything in your environment reflects a harmonious consciousness — for example: the way you dress and the places where you live and work. It takes discipline to manifest harmony. (Based on Lesson 17.)
If one’s ideals do not match those of his or her employer, or the work is not inspiring, the choices are: to look for a new employer, to become self-employed, or to keep the position and do the work with an uplifted consciousness. There is no point in simply waiting for the world to change! (Based on Lesson 16.)
Having the right spirit is more important than hard-driving production-oriented energy, which is not magnetic. It is vital that those that work under a leader share the leader’s ideals and spirit, even if they have different ways of approaching a problem. (Based on Lesson 15.)
A leader can inspire people to join them by projecting uplifting consciousness, Asha says in this talk. The role of leaders in this sense is to give and uplift, without letting their ego block that flow of energy. (Based on Lesson 15.)
When relating to others one must connect with them in a way that is both inspiring to us as the leader and beneficial to them. (Based on Lesson 14.)
The true substance of matter is energy. Energy comes from will power and ideas and the root of those is our consciousness. Therefore, in all that we do we need to make sure our consciousness is in tune with higher Truth. (Based on Lesson 13.)
Asha discusses the importance of “the process” in attaining the goal. It is good to have ambitious goals, she says, but it is also necessary to know the steps one has to take to get where one wants to be. (Based on Lesson 13.)
Compromise in itself is not bad, Asha says, because not all kinds of compromise require that we neglect our ideals. Indeed, compromise is inherent to the way we must relate in this world. (Based on Lesson 12.)
Spirituality and spiritual communities will thrive in a period of world economic unrest, Asha says. Swami Kriyananda’s advice on investing money involves choosing wisely by understanding the true nature of money and the delusions that come with seeking wealth. (Based on Lesson 11.)
The planet is unbalanced by greed and we should expect a correction in the form of economic difficulties. Loss of greed will lead to gain in spirituality. Investment is not only about where we place our money but also about where our time and energy are spent. (Based on Lesson 11.)
Good leadership is a talent that requires patience and astuteness to help balance what is right with what is real. A leader’s own preferences and realities must be seen in relationship to the whole. (Based on Lesson 10.)
Leaders can use their magnetism to expand consciousness of this planet. In order to be effective in helping others, leaders must be not only righteous but also realistic in their approach. (Based on Lesson 10.)
The spiritual path is about tapping into one’s inner consciousness and the changeless reality of God, the infinite light. By offering all that one does to that Light, one sees how everyday activity is an expression of a greater reality. Nayaswami Asha continues the discussion on human values and Patanjali’s Yamas and Niyamas as guideposts to right living. (Based on Lesson 9.)
Through intuitive understanding, one learns to relate to all people and every circumstance as a part of divine flow — and by consciously choosing to live in harmony with right principles, success naturally follows. (Based on Lesson 9.)
Nayaswami Asha discusses the concept of time and its illusory nature. Whatever the endeavor, energy and inspiration are essential to create excellence — the quantity of time is not. (Based on Lesson 8.)
By becoming still, we invite our superconsciousness to guide our lives — it is that dynamic life force within us that changes us, creates success on every level, and offers the secret to balancing work and spiritual life. (Based on Lesson 7.)
Balancing work and meditation becomes easy when we truly understand our life experience from the inside out. Asha shares real examples of how our inner and outer realities work together, and how soul progresses through continuous expansion of awareness.
A key element in manifesting success, Asha says, is to anchor yourself in your unchanging Self within. One must develop a deep understanding that the source of all power is in their changeless, eternal Self.
How to transcend our ego’s identity to the problems in life and the transitory nature of existence? By tuning into our unchanging nature within, we will overcome confusion about our own moral compass.
There is a saying in India, “Yata Dharama Tata Jaya” — “Where there is adherence to right action, there is victory.” Living righteously is essential to building faith in God. Asha also shares the art and science of cultivating your personal awareness and relationship with the Divine.
Developing right attitude and the right Relationship with the Divine is essential to meeting life’s challenges. Learn the art of consciously cultivating a sensitivity of heart and creating a strong aura of energy, bu tuning into a higher source.
What does it take to succeed on the spiritual path? Through right attitude, and consciously directing one’s energy to create magnetism, constant endeavor leads to success.
Asha starts the class with personal stories that illustrate the importance of focused visualization in the process of manifesting. Inspiration, intuition, and energy are not in themselves sufficient, she says — one has to invest themselves in obtaining the required knowledge as well.
Asha discusses Paramhansa Yoganada’s prediction of world economic collapse and answers questions and concerns, reminding the group that he also asked people not to be afraid, but to seek refuge in God.
Learning to be receptive without involving our ego requires practice. Developing our intuition through this practice helps us recognize true guidance.
Asha gives practical advice to help us identify what blocks our ability to manifest. Taking up a modest goal first, will help us succeed and grow our will and confidence. Faith is knowing that the energy and will are already there if we are standing in right relationship to what we want.
When a person becomes very successful, Asha says, it’s because they have worked very hard at in the past. But does that success always bring them happiness? This class covers karma, reincarnation, feeling versus emotion, how to find out what we should do, and the importance of energy and enthusiasm in the spiritual life.
Nayaswami Asha discusses how wealth can be magnetized and our desires fulfilled through the expansion of our consciousness. (Based on Lesson 2.)
In the third class in this series, Nayaswami Asha continues to discuss the topic of karma and right action. She explains the idea of God and the grace that is freely available at all times to those that attune to it. (Based on Lesson 1.)
In the second class in this series, Nayaswami Asha discusses the idea of Magnetism. She delves deep into the unfailing law of Karma and the right attitude to approach it in our lives. (Based on Lesson 1.)
Introductory talk, in which Asha explains how the lessons came to be, who they are for, and what makes them unique.