Living the Kriya Yoga teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda in everyday life
People sometimes ask what it’s like to be a meditation teacher.
I imagine they picture long hours of deep relaxation, watching the river go by.
But most days are far messier than that—full of meals and messages, laundry and laughter, classes and conversations.
Here’s a glimpse into one of these wonderfully imperfect days right here in Hamilton on the banks of the Waikato river
It was another wet winter morning, and the short daylight hours had kept me in bed longer than I’d intended. I don’t do well with early rising—it gives me that sick feeling you get before a weighty meeting or a long-haul flight.
I glance at my phone. A string of messages waits for me. I’m tempted to open them but decide they can wait.
I open the old sash window. The air is cold and clean. I breathe it in as I move through the Energisation Exercises taught by Paramhansa Yogananda—part of my daily Kriya Yoga practice. Then I wrap myself in a blanket and sit to meditate. The urgency to respond to messages is gone.
Later that morning, I speak with Sheena (not her real name). She’s feeling despondent about the air at her home—caught in a swirl of emotion, trying to make big decisions. I listen. She’s distressed, in tears.
By the end of the call, she’s chuckling at herself. Her energy feels a lot lighter.
“There’s something beautifully uplifting about sitting in silence with like-minded friends.”
“What’s for lunch?” Aroon asks. It’s almost noon, and he’s been working outside in the rain. “Some hot food would be good,” he says.
I throw together a quick pot of spicy dhal and set some rice to boil. I remember the washing still sitting in the machine and throw it into the dryer before settling at my desk.
I’m trying to write a web page for a course on Superconscious Living—one of the core ideas in Yogananda’s teachings and a focus of our meditation courses in New Zealand. Maybe it could be a one-day spiritual retreat, or a four-week course?
I sketch out a few outlines, toy with a few ideas—but it’s not coming together. I abandon the project—for now.
I get busy preparing for the evening class. The topic is music and consciousness. We have a featured song I’ve been listening to for the past several days. I play it again, exploring how to share its meaning and looking for stories that might bring the message to life.
People will be arriving soon, but the room still needs vacuuming. I ask Aroon to fetch firewood from the woodshed—a bit further away than I’d like. He moans but gets it done.
We begin with a prayer, some chanting, and then settle into silent meditation. A feeling of profound joy comes over me. There’s something beautifully uplifting about sitting in silence with like-minded friends.
When the last person leaves and the fire burns low, I pick up Light of Superconsciousness by Swami Kriyananda and leaf through the pages before making my way to the bedroom. With a hot water bottle tucked against me, I read a few random passages.
Then a message arrives from a devotee in India. It’s morning there. But it’s getting late for me.
“I’ll answer that tomorrow,” I think to myself, as I switch off the lights.
Kavita is a longtime meditation teacher based in Hamilton, New Zealand. Inspired by the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, she shares practical tools for living with more calm, clarity, and joy. Kavita has dedicated her life to sharing the teachings of Kriya Yoga and meditation.
