{"id":2054,"date":"2026-04-11T16:26:40","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T16:26:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yoganandafortheworld.com\/story\/?p=2054"},"modified":"2026-04-11T16:26:40","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T16:26:40","slug":"swami-kriyananda-as-we-have-known-him-you-dont-need-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yoganandafortheworld.com\/story\/swami-kriyananda-as-we-have-known-him-you-dont-need-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Swami Kriyananda \u2014 As We Have Known Him: You Don\u2019t Need It"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Told by Dhyana)<\/em><\/p>\n

In my first year at Ananda I also studied Reiki, a form of hands-on healing. It seemed consistent with Master\u2019s teaching, and I saw no harm in studying both. With great enthusiasm I told Swamiji how much I was learning in my Reiki classes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIf it\u2019s that good,\u201d he said, \u201cthen maybe I should learn it, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Instantly I responded, \u201cOh no, Sir. You<\/em> don\u2019t need Reiki.\u201d<\/p>\n

Swamiji made no reply, and there the matter rested. As I got more into Master\u2019s teachings, I gradually lost interest in Reiki, especially when I began to see that there were important differences between it and what our Master teaches.<\/p>\n

According to Reiki, once you have been initiated and the channel is open, the transfer of healing energy is automatic. Yogananda, however, said that the flow of energy depends on concentration and will power. \u201cThe greater the will, the greater the flow of energy,\u201d is one of the fundamental principles of his teachings.<\/p>\n

The point here is not who is right and who is wrong. The point is: Master is my guru. I began to see that I would never get in tune if I went here, there, and everywhere looking for inspiration. For a disciple, attunement is everything.<\/p>\n

I always remembered that conversation with Swamiji, but it wasn\u2019t until fifteen years later that I appreciated how sensitively he\u2019d responded to me.<\/p>\n

Swamiji wanted me to concentrate on Master\u2019s path and not dilute my progress by following a mixture of teachings. But I was so enthusiastic about Reiki, he knew I wouldn\u2019t understand if he simply said, \u201cDon\u2019t do it.\u201d I needed to learn the lesson for myself.<\/p>\n

But Swamiji also had to be sincere. So he planted a seed of understanding that would germinate when I was ready to see it.<\/p>\n

Instead of going against<\/em> my energy, Swamiji went with<\/em> it, and showed me the logical conclusion of my own way of thinking: If Reiki is so good, then Swamiji should study it too.<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t know much about attunement then, but I knew this was an absurd suggestion. What could Swamiji get from Reiki? Master gives him everything<\/em> he needs.<\/p>\n

I answered Swamiji instantly, but it took much longer for me to realize that Master will also give me<\/em> everything I need, if I follow the path of discipleship with faith, and whole-hearted commitment, the way Swamiji has done.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Told by Dhyana) In my first year at Ananda I also studied Reiki, a form of hands-on healing. It seemed consistent with Master\u2019s teaching, and I saw no harm in studying both. With great enthusiasm I told Swamiji how much I was learning in my Reiki classes. \u201cIf it\u2019s that good,\u201d he said, \u201cthen maybe … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2054","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nSwami Kriyananda \u2014 As We Have Known Him: You Don\u2019t Need It - Swami Kriyananda: Lightbearer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A direct disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda helped a devotee find a path to her own inner understanding.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yoganandafortheworld.com\/story\/swami-kriyananda-as-we-have-known-him-you-dont-need-it\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Swami Kriyananda \u2014 As We Have Known Him: You Don\u2019t Need It - 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