As a young accounting student in college, I saw classes as a total waste of time. I used my time and energy instead to launch a software business. I was one of the thousands who were inspired by the stories of Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg. I dreamed about building a software empire straight from my dorm room. There was just one small problem – I had no idea about how to write code.
Fortunately, I did not let that deter me. Every day I plunged myself into learning software development through YouTube videos and online courses. Most of my friends thought I was crazy – “If you want to do this, why are you wasting time and money on an accounting degree?” Imagine their surprise when, one year later, my software was being used in hundreds of retail stores throughout the country.
The Link Between Spiritual and Material Success
Many people ask me how I was able to do that. In hindsight, I would say that one habit made it all possible – meditation. Most people think that meditation is for those who are too lazy to do any real work to be successful. This misconception is due, in part, to various New Age movements that tell people that they only need to practice visualizations for riches to come knocking on their doors.
My guru, Paramhansa Yogananda, the great yoga master who spent most of his life teaching in America, had many successful businessmen among his disciples. These disciples, who would be considered ‘worldly,’ often made the fastest spiritual progress. The reason? The qualities necessary to become a successful yogi – concentration, willpower, patience, determination, etc. – are the same for material success.
One such disciple of Yogananda’s had tremendous corporate responsibilities and owned several businesses. He spent several hours each morning in meditation until 10 AM. He would leave a note with his secretary – “I am in conference. Please do not disturb.” He never let on that he was in conference with God! Filled with divine calmness, he accomplished far more than the average easily distracted office worker.
It isn’t what you own, but what you can acquire at will, that is real prosperity. A yogi may not have many material possessions, but by his ability to focus his mind, he can create at will the financial success he needs.” – Paramhansa Yogananda
The two key ingredients needed to manifest success, whether material or spiritual, are high energy and concentration.
Most people don’t succeed in achieving their goals because they either don’t have the energy or their energy is too scattered. Success depends on how much energy one can direct towards their mind and purpose. This is what differentiates geniuses from everyone else. They can harness their energy with focus, and their very thoughts magnetize and attract the success they seek.
Scientific advances now reveal to us what great men and women have always known: thoughts are things. When we send a thought into the ether or the universe (as many New Age philosophies describe), we draw to ourselves the object of our desire. All successful people, whether consciously or not, apply this principle. Our level of success is determined by the strength and energy with which we project our thoughts. Many people fail to fuel their thoughts with sufficient energy and subsequently get only mediocre results.
Meditation: The Key to Unlocking Your Potential
Meditation, then, is a great aid in manifesting material success. In meditation, we learn to withdraw our energy from the senses, preventing it from leaking out in a thousand different directions. Then we channel that energy up to the brain to achieve higher states of awareness, clarity, intuition, peace, love, and joy – states that even a novice meditator can experience.
“By the power of concentration and meditation, you can direct the power of your mind to accomplish what you desire and guard all the doors through which failure may enter. If you learn how to withdraw your attention from all objects of distraction and place it upon one object of concentration, then you will know how to attract at will what you need.’ – Paramhansa Yogananda
As kids, we were all told countless times by our parents and teachers to concentrate on what we were doing. I am also sure that no one ever taught us how to concentrate. Isn’t that fascinating?
A person learning how to type on a keyboard has two options: the hunt-and-peck method that uses two or three fingers to find the keys, or the scientific approach: “touch typing”, where all ten fingers are used without looking at the keyboard. The latter is significantly more effective.
Similarly, concentration also has two methods. The hunt-and-peck method is trying our best (and struggling) to stay focused and concentrate on the task at hand. The scientific method, however, uses the time-tested techniques of meditation and breath control to direct our energy to the brain. Once we can do this, we can harness that energy to achieve anything.
Yogananda says that the ordinary business person uses only five or six percent of their attention when performing daily tasks and duties. By using the scientific methods of concentration and meditation, we can gradually learn to use 100 percent of our concentration for all of the things we do.
Practical Techniques for Energy and Focus
The Hong-Sau technique of concentration is one of the simplest tools we have for instantly experiencing a state of calm concentration. Kriya Yoga, an advanced technique of energy control, is par excellence. It helps us master the flow of energy through the spine and nervous system, empowering us to find success in every area of our lives.
While a high degree of concentration is essential, meditation gives us something more still. It connects us with the divine source of energy that has brought all things into manifestation. The meditating yogi learns not only to focus his mind but also to draw divine guidance to accomplish material goals.
Yogananda Ji reminds his students:
“If you have that great contact with God, then the prosperity of the universe will be at your feet. Don’t forget that God is your provider.”
He then gave this technique to draw inspiration at will –
“When you want to create something important, sit quietly, calm your senses and your thoughts, and meditate deeply upon what you want to do or acquire. You will then be guided by the great creative power of Spirit.”
I can attest to the effectiveness of this method from personal experience. Just before I started writing this article, I asked my Guru to tell me what to write. Instantly, thoughts started coming into my mind. Concepts, ideas, and reference sources poured out as I struggled to keep up with my pen. I have repeatedly seen this method work.
After the passing of my earthly father a few months ago, I found myself in the middle of managing numerous responsibilities, paperwork, and documentation. His passing was unexpected, so I never got to ask him about how I should handle his business affairs in his absence. Nevertheless, at every point, I found divine guidance. In the stillness of meditation, I often received the inspiration to call a certain acquaintance or relative who, as it turned out, had the perfect answer to my problem.
The Secret to Lasting Prosperity
In our efforts to achieve material prosperity, we often forget to draw on God’s power. The greatest power in the universe is ever-ready to help us even in the most mundane matters of life. We might find some success relying on our efforts alone, but soon enough, we may also find ourselves stuck on a plateau. Yogananda Ji tells us that “the one-sided business-bent person is not truly successful. The one who only keeps engagement with money is left behind by God.”
By feeling the presence of God through daily meditation and drawing on His presence to achieve our material goals, we will gain not only success but health and peace of mind. That is the secret to true well-being, as taught by the great yogis throughout the ages.
Tyagi Shivendra
Tyagi Shivendra is a Kriyaban and an Ananda meditation teacher, serving full-time at Ananda Delhi. He leads meditations, classes, kirtans, and other spiritual activities. Beyond the ashram, he works with corporations, schools, and universities to promote holistic well-being. A graduate of Shri Ram College of Commerce, he has founded and supported ventures across education, retail, and technology. He blogs on various online platforms and is dedicated to sharing Yogananda’s teachings with all truth-seeking souls.
