While it might not be universally acknowledged, it is indeed a remarkably fine thing to combine yoga philosophy with the wisdom of Jane Austen. She describes a moral universe, yet her novels are considered the most romantic ever written.

Jane lived during England’s Regency era, (1775-1817). Meanwhile, the practice of yoga has been appreciated for thousands of years. So how can they be comparable or compatible? Are we comparing apples and oranges here? Not at all! Even though the practice of yoga was perhaps unknown to Jane, there are indeed curious connections. For example, there is ONE heroine in Northanger Abbey, Catherine Moorland, who imagines herself walking ‘with great elasticity,’ and I say, if not from yoga, then whence has this remarkable elasticity arisen?

The first thing we must understand in this Jane-Yoga connection is how meditation helps us “focus on making the best choices.” This is the first step to knowing our own happiness. After all, enlightenment leads to happiness and it may surprise you to learn that Jane actually used the word, “meditation” in her novels. In fact, her heroines often retreat to their rooms to meditate or otherwise ‘readjust’ their thoughts and calm their emotions. Why should they do this, you may ask. Why indeed.

Many thousands of people meditate and claim that without it, their day is just not as focused. With all the distraction we suffer from these days, lack of focus is coming at a cost. Multitasking has been shown to actually injure the brain. On the other hand, meditation, while it requires a little effort, repays us with extraordinary abilities in the “focus and think before acting” category.

Equally beneficial is the reading (and re-reading) of Jane’s novels. Her fans frequently re-read her novels again and again. My own “extreme” binge-reading went on for over 10 years and was quite therapeautic. Many people relate to this experience. For example, Winston Churchill absorbed himself in her novels during the 2nd World War. Her novels were given (as therapy) to shell-shocked soldiers of WWI. Honestly, it worked for me! When life hands us uncertainty, Jane offers amazing help for consciousness and the brain. Philosophers and science-minded fans say that the particular emphasis on a moral universe actually depicts reality in a way that ‘makes sense. When things make sense, it’s quite helpful for sorting out the mess (in our consciousness), and eventually, it gets our life together.

So now, if you are still reading, we will begin from the point which YOU are at right now and the goal is… to access what Jane calls self-knowledge, or as it is called today, self-realization. What you are being offered is a simple and easy metaphysical process (called bhakti-yoga, or devotional yoga), and it is a science of consciousness–it is a science because it actually works! Bhakti-yoga is famously taught in the ancient and respected text from India, Bhagavad-Gita.

The Gita invites us to go further into self-knowledge by reawakening our latent devotion for our source. Love is the highest form of yoga (connection). Religion comes from the Latin “religare” (to reconnect). We are told by western texts “to love the Lord…” Krishna (a Sanskrit name for God-we don’t get hung up on names but we like the name Krishna. It means All-attractive). Krishna states that He is the ‘swift’ deliverer from material suffering for anyone who is devoted without deviation. (B.G 12.6-7) Bhakti-yoga is really the most effective spiritual awakening process for this difficult age, a practice called mantra-meditation and there is no charge–it is very simple–and we are simply sharing it with you. But why bhakti-yoga? As my teacher explains:

“The word “yoga” comes from the Sanskrit root Yuj which means to link with, or combine. Bhakti-yoga means to connect to the Supreme by means of loving devotional service.” –H.D. Goswami

“Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me”(Gita 9.34). This is what we are missing in our existence in a world that seems to be more and more a dark pit of lust, greed and exploitation for profit. We want love and yet we might not even believe that it is attainable. We often confuse love with fleeting physical relationships. We may attempt to establish a relationship with someone, only to find out that they are not the person we imagined them to be. Despite striking out in love a few times, we continue to be naturally ‘wired’ to seek loving friendships and relationships. We might wonder why this thing called love, which is such a basic need, so hard to find? Actually, we need to know what love is–and we need to know who we really are.

People are very misguided by social media and mundane advertisements that tell us that happiness can be found in the external things of the world, rather than looking inward, towards the metaphysical reality. The use of plastic surgery and immodest clothing is not the right way to gain love, as it simply distracts the consciousness of others away from pure love–and towards the most base sexual level. This is very karmic activity that ties us to the material world. The reality is… we are inhabiting human bodies. We are spiritual beings “dba” doing business as humans. “All living entities, are seated as on a machine”(BG 18.61) We forget that the body eventually disappoints us by losing its beauty, and then death. Why irrationally focus on the body as a source of enduring happiness. Why act thoughtlessly? Yet, we need love–what to do?

The truth is that we, as little sparks of the unlimitedly beautiful Supreme Being, are beautiful. If we only could see the truth. Jane was our well-wisher and she kindly designs her heroines, most of them at least, to begin their journey as flawed human beings who struggle, like us, to gain self-discovery (“discover” means, literally, to un-cover) Likewise, in the Gita, Krishna also encourages us to try yoga and promises us that just a little endeavor on this path will save us from the greatest fear (2.40). Yoga produces happiness very superior to anything we might typically refer to as happiness!

If you are interested in reading more, you can get both books by clicking the links on the sidebar.

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