Lessons Learned in Eighty Years

I will celebrate my eightieth birthday in less than a month. While my personal inclination would be to let the occasion slip by unnoticed, the precedent set by Swami Kriyananda impels us to honor the event with a celebration. He understood that these occasions are wonderful opportunities to knit our worldwide family together.

I thought it appropriate to share a few significant lessons I’ve learned over the years:

Perseverance: I read Autobiography of a Yogi, and subsequently met Swami Kriyananda, when I was twenty-three years old, an age that holds an important astrological significance. It is a time when many people find their life direction. Once I became a disciple, a divine grace descended upon me. A certain spiritual stubbornness made its presence known, likely a carryover of a past-life tendency. So long as I was willing to cultivate the necessary self-discipline and persevere, life’s events began to unfold as if propelled by an unseen force. For me, this dogged persistence has probably been the most important quality of all, enabling further spiritual development to follow in its own karmic time.

Willingness: The first album of Swami Kriyananda’s music was titled, Say “Yes” to Life! Whenever something was asked of me, I had the good sense to say “yes.” This started from the very moment I met Swamiji and has persisted through all these fifty-seven years of discipleship. Saying “yes” has led Devi, our son, and me on a global journey, placed us in many different roles, and given us a life we could never have dreamed of on our own. Every day, God subtly asks something of each of us. If what is asked is pleasing, it means that it aligns with our previously developed inclinations and tendencies. If it is uncomfortable, then it is likely meant for our growth. In either case, quoting Gyanamata, Master’s most advanced woman disciple, our job is to “Say ‘Yes’ and make it snappy.”

Perseverance and willingness can be considered the bedrock of a spiritual life. Everything that follows will be built on top of these two, and, without them, little else can be achieved.

Discipleship: When we open our hearts to the Guru he will accept the responsibility of guiding our lives. Our main job then becomes to earnestly follow his guidance. In the early days of my discipleship, I harbored the illusion that I was in charge, much like a rider directing his horse with the reins. Soon, however, I began to feel that the horse of my life was a wild stallion, and that all I could do was hope to nudge him in my chosen direction. Eventually, even that semblance of control evaporated. I felt as though I was strapped to the back of an elephant who marched wherever he wanted. Fortunately, in my case, the elephant was Swami Kriyananda, and the driver was Yogananda. My job became quite simple: Say “yes” to what was asked, and stick with the job until it was finished. I’m still working on this lesson.

The power of gurubhais: I’m not sure that I would have gotten nearly as far without the constant support and inspiration from my circle of friends and gurubhais. They’ve lifted me up during my moments of discouragement. They’ve worked beside me as we built Ananda together. And they’ve been beautiful models of the shining attitudes needed for the journey of life. Besides that, they’ve made this eighty-year trip FUN!

Last night I had a curious experience. Throughout the night, as I arose from sleep to a semiconscious state, the song “Keep Calling Him” spontaneously played in my mind. This inspired song, written by a young devotee in the early years of Ananda, is based on a poem by Yogananda.

Here are the words that kept bubbling up from my slumber:

Keep calling Him.
Keep calling Him.
Whether He replies or not,
Keep calling Him.

In the temple of unceasing prayer
Believe that He’s approaching there.
And call to Him.
Keep calling Him.

It is a lovely summation of my eighty years on this planet.

In gratitude,

Nayaswami Jyotish