Skip to content
  • Home
  • Videos
    • First Steps
    • Stories
    • Yoga Perspectives
    • Essential Life Skills
    • Spiritual Development
    • Devotional Yoga
    • Yoga in Daily Life
  • Talks
    • Higher Yogas Classes
    • Yoga Basics
    • Bhakti Yoga
    • Sri Ramakrishna
    • Go Farther with Meditation
    • Theme of the Month
    • Devotional Chants
  • Writings
    • Yoga as a Spiritual Path
    • Discover the Miracle of Prayer
    • Keys to Higher Consciousness
    • Growing on the Path
    • Relating with Spirit
    • Spiritual Living
    • Interviews
  • Courses
    • Introducing Courses
    • Online Seminars
    • Online Retreats
    • Initial Mysteries
  • Explore
    • Lifelines
    • Topics
    • Yoga Terms
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Favorites
    • Recent Additions
  • About
    • Ramakrishna Ananda
    • Why Are We Doing This Now?
    • Our Ideals
    • Get Updates
    • Contact Us
    • Terms and Privacy
Menu
  • Home
  • Videos
    • First Steps
    • Stories
    • Yoga Perspectives
    • Essential Life Skills
    • Spiritual Development
    • Devotional Yoga
    • Yoga in Daily Life
  • Talks
    • Higher Yogas Classes
    • Yoga Basics
    • Bhakti Yoga
    • Sri Ramakrishna
    • Go Farther with Meditation
    • Theme of the Month
    • Devotional Chants
  • Writings
    • Yoga as a Spiritual Path
    • Discover the Miracle of Prayer
    • Keys to Higher Consciousness
    • Growing on the Path
    • Relating with Spirit
    • Spiritual Living
    • Interviews
  • Courses
    • Introducing Courses
    • Online Seminars
    • Online Retreats
    • Initial Mysteries
  • Explore
    • Lifelines
    • Topics
    • Yoga Terms
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Favorites
    • Recent Additions
  • About
    • Ramakrishna Ananda
    • Why Are We Doing This Now?
    • Our Ideals
    • Get Updates
    • Contact Us
    • Terms and Privacy

Getting Started with the Mysteries

What are the five elements in each Mystery?

How can you begin your journey through the great mysteries? Who knows how long the Mysteries have been waiting for each of us? A very long time, I’m sure. But today is your day to enter the mysteries of East and West.

Before you behold the Mysteries with your own mind and heart, it will help you to know the elements of the mystery teachings — to know how they are structured.

Initial Mysteries
  • Share

The Five Elements

1 The Introduction

The first element of each Mystery is an introduction. The purpose of the first element is to help you gather your attention, thoughts and feelings together so you can make a new mystical discovery. The first element prepares you to enter a higher level of understanding and ability which will be revealed to you in that particular Mystery.

2 The Mystic Basis/Principle

Almost all Mysteries are based on a great mystic principle or at times a mystic theory. It’s very important to ponder and muse about the principles, to know them deeply.

Of course, it’s fine if you wish to browse through all the features of this site, to sample and examine them in a random manner. However, you will experience and personally realize the gifts of each Mystery only by patient study and application of one Mystery at a time

The principles of the Mysteries may often seem like common sense to you, but they are foundations of great spiritual truths which — when properly understood — will reliably manifest goodness in your life.

The more thoroughly you understand the principles, the more quickly you will develop your mystical faculties and abilities.

3 The Technique, Method, or Procedure

You don’t know a Mystery until it operates visibly (and invisibly, too) in your life. Mysteries are not just concepts and ideas; they are experiences and transformations in your life and world.

The second element, the Principle, shows you how to approach the entire Mystery. Then the technique shows you how to realize the Mystery in your own life — how to apply the Mystery in your daily world.

As your guide, I recommend you read the first three elements. Start practicing the technique as soon as you like — i.e., don’t wait for a week to pass before turning to the technique. Early use of the technique enables you to work with and develop the technique to a fuller extent.
Most often, the technique reveals the Mystery to you more clearly than any of the other elements.

4 Key Points and Contemplation

This is a helpful review of the key points of a Mystery. It’s beneficial to choose one of the keys and think about it through the day. Some seekers like to memorize some, or all, of the Key Points as an aid to their development and to help them think more constructively.

As you progress in the Mysteries, you will find that looking back to past keys is an excellent way to bring the whole Mystery to mind.
The Contemplation provides you a means to more deeply comprehend and apply the Mystery. You will likely find the Contemplations enrich and empower your practices.

Please remember that the second and third elements — Principle and Technique — are the most important components in realizing and applying a Mystery. The next two elements — Keys and Q & A — are designed to increase your understanding and manifestation of the first three elements while furthering your overall mystical development. The fourth element, Key Points and Contemplation, provides a pleasant renewal and gives fresh inspiration to what you are doing.

5 Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions, which conclude each Mystery, give you a chance to see each Mystery from the viewpoint of other mystic seekers. Often, the questions of others are also in our own mind. The answers to their inquiries prove to be extremely beneficial to us.

At other times, questions may raise new issues we haven’t yet considered, broadening our understanding and increasing our development in a particular Mystery.

You will find the concluding Q & A greatly helps you to assimilate and consolidate what you’ve been learning. Q & A also prepares you for the next great Mystery.

Summing Up

In summary, you’ll have a magnificent and delightful sojourn through the Mysteries if you ponder the opening Principle and then start practicing the mystic Technique. Then, enjoy the Key Points and Contemplation but continue doing the technique. During the last week of a Mystery, thoughtfully consider the Q & A session.

Your Adventure

As your guide, I wish you the adventure of a lifetime.

Mysteries

Helpful guidance on how to enjoy the Mysteries
What tools are needed for your journey?
Receive an intriguing test by which you can contact your mystic self
Begin to access your higher awareness and live in it all day long
Home > Courses > Initial Mysteries > Getting Started with the Mysteries
Next
  • Home
  • Videos
  • Talks
  • Writings
  • Courses
  • Explore
  • About
  • Search
  • Home
  • Videos
  • Talks
  • Writings
  • Courses
  • Explore
  • About
  • Search
© Copyright 2023 Yoga World Fellowship
  • Terms and Privacy
  • Sitemap
#2 THE MYSTIC GAZE
A Classic Technique

This classic technique is one of the mystic’s greatest treasures.

It is designed to stimulate your mystical faculties and begin the process of spiritual awakening.

With the Mystic Gaze enjoy the developing sense of clarity, coordination and attunement with life in all you do.

  1. Sit calmly and relax your eyes
  2. Gaze slightly upwards 20-30 degrees
  3. Look into space 20 feet or more
  4. Gaze, don’t stare or strain your eyes
  5. Simply observe and appreciate your awareness of space
  6. Enjoy the dawning wholeness for several minutes
  7. Gear down and go about your day

Print this How to Card

Close

© 2023 Yoga World Fellowship

#7 EXPANSION THROUGH ATTITUDE AND GOOD WILL
Change Your Heart

Your practice of good will cultivates the heart’s truest, deepest feeling:  love.

These good will practices are a boon to mystical study.

The goal of good will practice is the change of the heart.

When your heart naturally and spontaneously radiates forth a palpable good will, then you are a changed person.

  1. Consciously direct your thoughts and feelings toward an attitude of good will
  2. Bring a person to mind
  3. Or place your awareness on a person closest to you
  4. Direct good will toward this person
  5. Feel free to add specific well-wishes like health, love, courage, etc.
  6. Allow your heart to expand, to change

Print and Practice

Close

© 2023 Yoga World Fellowship

#6 EXPANSION LEVEL ONE
Quality of Life

Mystics break out of body bondage through numerous expansions of the heart — of the sense of self.

Your feeling of self-awareness imprisons or frees you.

Happily, you can do something powerfully liberating about the state of your heart and the quality of your life.

  1. Sit comfortably for 15 minutes
  2. Choose a person you know
  3. Imagine you’re walking in his/her shoes
  4. Feel you’re inside this person
  5. Say “If I were (name), I’d feel and think…”
  6. Have fun with it and let your heart expand

Print this How to Card

Close

© 2023 Yoga World Fellowship

#5 THE HEART AND ITS LIBERATION
Your Sense of Self

Mystics break out of mind and body bondage through expansions, expansions of consciousness.

Your “Heart” is your sense of self, your feeling about who you are.

Who are you as a distinct person from everyone else? This is your core individuality, your mystical heart.

  1. Focus on your mystic heart
  2. It is located in the right-central chest or inside the spine behind the heart
  3. Practice The Radiance or The Mist:
  4. Feel that your mystic heart…
  5. Radiates love, light and energy, or
  6. Generates a white mist flowing outward

Print this How to Card

Close

© 2023 Yoga World Fellowship

#4 THE MYSTIC BREATH
Your Window

Your breath is the key to the mystery of your life. The Mystic Breath is conscious use of this key.

Our individual natures will require different windows — different energy centers — from which to view the life force.

Allow the mystic breath to reveal your personal window.

  1. Stretch and then sit comfortably
  2. Take 5 to 7 deep breaths
  3. Focus on the center of your upper lip
  4. Witness the breath come and go
  5. Let your mind move to a natural center
  6. Watch your breath and the life force from this “window”

Print this How to Card

Close

© 2023 Yoga World Fellowship

#3 THE ASCENT
The Essence of Your Life

We begin meditation on the Infinite by focusing our awareness on Spirit, the life essence within us.

How can we do something so seemingly abstract? It’s easy. Spirit empowers your breath night and day.

Let the life force reveal itself to you. Sense the higher power which flows through you.

You’ll feel more alive.

  1. Stretch and relax your body
  2. Sit comfortably
  3. Take 5 to 7 deep breaths
  4. Focus on your nostril rims
  5. Witness the breath come and go
  6. Enjoy for 10 to 12 minutes
  7. Inhale deeply and stretch

Print this How to Card

Close

© 2023 Yoga World Fellowship

#0 THE MYSTIC SELF
Our True Nature

In the view of mystics, the major problem in life for most of us is ignorance of our true natures.

The Mysteries reveal many ways that you can actually contact your mystic self — and the Infinite Consciousness.

Do you, can you, contact your Mystic Self? Yes, indeed!

  1. Practice this anytime you like
  2. Probably your mind wanders quite often
  3. At times during the day, look at your mind and notice when it’s wandering
  4. Then, turn your attention to that part of your consciousness which observes that your mind is wandering
  5. That special overseeing awareness is part of your marvelous mystic self

Print this How to Card

Close

© 2023 Yoga World Fellowship

#1 MYSTIC AWAKENING
Benefits

Stimulate your mystical awakening.

When you wake up from a dream you realize you were only dreaming.

Consider too that this normal state of awareness in which you live may be a kind of sleep also.

As you do this technique you’ll find the world becomes more beautiful and enjoyable.

  1. Try this many times a day
  2. Whisper to yourself, “Wake up!”
  3. Mentally say, “Wake up!”
  4. Increase your attention, appreciation and feeling of love
  5. Just cheerfully exhort yourself
  6. Wake up!

Print this How to Card

Close

© 2023 Yoga World Fellowship

How to Succeed

As you may know, we do not charge for our courses. All Yoga World content is free and available to you with our blessings. However, we do have a simple, but important request that’s key to the transformations necessary to succeed on the path.

We ask you to commit two hours a week to selfless service. This service can be anything you choose ranging from helping a family member or neighbor to volunteering at a nonprofit organization.

I Commit to Serve

This commitment is solely between you and your inner self.

Why the Commitment?

Share with a Friend

NOTE:  We will not share your information with third parties.