Extract by Paramahansa Yogananda

https://youtu.be/WD796kqo1Ck

A large part of the materialization of my external world is done subconsciously

• Concentration, awareness, and presence on the kind of information that I'm taking in is going to impact and perform in a way that will materialize
• It's not just the information that I'm taking in that molds my subconscious mind, but it's the meaning and feeling that I'm giving to that information

I want to ensure that I'm taking into my subconscious mind empowering, uplifting information that is related to my vision

• Creating a vision is a process of using my imagination
• The imagination, as Yogananda puts it, is connected to the astral plane/world
• This may sound far fetched, but believing and understanding that I have created something brand new through inspiration, or as others have called it, infinite intelligence, then there is probably some truth to it

Imagination

Imagination is a portal though which I can transcend the imposed limitations of this world

• When I sit still and let my imagination go as far as I can into the realm of my cherished dreams and goals, and if I can hold my mind to one-pointed concentration on the image of what I want to achieve, it will be shown to me in a true-to-life vision

As you believe so it shall be done unto you - The Bible

• Really allowing my imagination to wildly run free and be open to the possibility that I will attract alternative ways of bringing it forth, then I open my mind up to easier, faster ways of materializing that what is in my imagination
• Releasing my bias on how things will materialize causes things to materialize
• It is important to have self-confidence and high self-esteem because then I will be able to tap into abilities to bring forth my vision in my own unique way by not feeling limited by the thinking of others in the external world if I have consumed that information
  • It's not that external information is limited, everybody just has different opinions and ways of doing things and I must tap into a way that works for me
• Question the implications of all thoughts and information to see if they are moving me towards my vision or away from my vision
  • I can consciously choose to give it a meaning that is empowering to me

You don't become enlightened by imagining beings of light, but by making the darkness conscious

• So I "make the darkness conscious" or the areas in my subconscious that I'm not aware of, by increasing my consciousness and awareness through practice, presence, and mindfulness in order to see how I'm the cause

I want to feed my subconscious mind with information that stimulates my imagination

• To develop mental imaging, I used to sit in a room and concentrate on visualizing everything in another unseen room, until my immediate surroundings disappeared and I was seeing in exact detail everything in the other room. By practice, develop proficiency in visualization (concentrating the mind's eye on what I wish to achieve) and devisualization (banishing any images that distract from what I am concentrating on).
• These powers of imagination - used together with the power of will, power of inner silence, power of concentration, and opening of the spiritual eye - will lead me to the astral realm and increased ability to manifest my thoughts in material form

Wisdom and Will

With wisdom and will, whatever I can imagine, and continue to imagine, can become real

• The way to look at something that stands in my way is to maintain concentration with absolute faith and belief that I will overcome and stay with it

If I apply strong will power to realizing my vision, ultimately it will manifest - healing can be effected, successes attained, disasters in my environment lessened or avoided, seemingly impossible needs or worthy wishes fulfilled

• It is easier to maintain faith when I operate from a place of abundance consciousness, which easily defined is a win for me, a win for the other person and a win for everyone else

Intensity of my concentration and calmness

There is a difference between increasing my concentration and being attached

• I want concentration and calm faith in my vision and allow it to materialize by observing what shows up in my imagination and environment and it's done from a place of grace and ease; this takes practice
• When I work, I concentrate on what needs to be done at that moment; I do it, then forget it until it needs my attention again. And if I can't do it, I don't let it distress me