Those practices are not meant for this age. In this Kaliyuga people are short-lived and their
existence depends on food alone. Where is the time now to make the body strong by practicing hatha-yoga, and then to call on God through raja yoga?
If one wants to practice the techniques of hath-yoga, he should stay constantly with a perfect guru and follow strict rules regarding food and other activities, according to the guru’s instructions. Even the slightest deviation from those requirements causes serious health problems, and sometimes the aspirant can die.
So it is not necessary to practice hatha-yoga. Moreover it is for the sake of controlling the mind that one controls the breath by practicing pranayama and kumbhaka. One can have automatic control over the mind and breath through meditation on God and devotion.
In this Kaliyuga human beings are short-lived and weak, so out of compassion God made their path for Self-realization easy.
A person feels anguish and emptiness at the death of a spouse or child; if one has that kind of longing for God for twenty-four hours continuously, God will definitely reveal Himself.
- Sri Ramakrishna,
Sri Ramakrishna and His Divine Play, P 229-30
existence depends on food alone. Where is the time now to make the body strong by practicing hatha-yoga, and then to call on God through raja yoga?
If one wants to practice the techniques of hath-yoga, he should stay constantly with a perfect guru and follow strict rules regarding food and other activities, according to the guru’s instructions. Even the slightest deviation from those requirements causes serious health problems, and sometimes the aspirant can die.
So it is not necessary to practice hatha-yoga. Moreover it is for the sake of controlling the mind that one controls the breath by practicing pranayama and kumbhaka. One can have automatic control over the mind and breath through meditation on God and devotion.
In this Kaliyuga human beings are short-lived and weak, so out of compassion God made their path for Self-realization easy.
A person feels anguish and emptiness at the death of a spouse or child; if one has that kind of longing for God for twenty-four hours continuously, God will definitely reveal Himself.
- Sri Ramakrishna,
Sri Ramakrishna and His Divine Play, P 229-30
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