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I agree, Yogananda set the bar high and many have to reach.
I find that Daya Mata's talks serve a wonderful function as she emphasizes such love in her talks and says to try to meditate even 10 minutes a day quite often. This is the reality for many people.
In regards to "just saying no" and "just forget the past",this is a pretty simplistic approach. Granted, in the end we will all "just say no" to the maya of our individual egos as well. But we need the processes of yoga to get there.
If the samskara is subtle enough, it can be released in meditation, or at least refined or restrained. If it is gross enough, therapy is necessary. Yama-Niyama is necessary. The therapist is a stand-in for the Soul or the guru and his essential function is total acceptance. Aside from Baktananda and one other person, I have seen guilt, anger and issues in general from many elders on this path. I have not moved closely with Daya Mata though.
One elder on the path was struggling with a personal issue and was very guilty about it. He went to the ashram Xmas meditation and Daya Mata stopped and put her hand on his shoulder and said "included in loving your neighbor is loving yourself." He started crying. It was a very powerful experience he said. This is a very advanced and venerated Soul.
How many people have good self-esteem and how many more are truly compassionate with themselves?. Its a hard thing! Anandamoy addressed this often in his satsangs, Somehow we have to learn to do these things, and it isn't easy, thats all I can say. Each has to find ways that helps him to attain it. Anandamoy encourages counseling if someone really needs it. Granted, if Master were here who would need to see a therapist? He is total love incarnate.
Satyananda told me "the honest person is he who will get God Realization". How hard it is to be truly honest with oneself! That is the product of good therapy or introspection in the environment of love and acceptance. Journaling helps me a lot also. It is only possible in the light of acceptance of ourselves. Sounds easy.
Yogi Amrit Desai who founded kripalu yoga and had sexual escapades with students said in an interview that you can only truly master the yama-niyama in the highest nirbikalpa samadhi. So the yama-niyama are the hardest thing to master. He had many savikalpa samadhis but his actions were unpure due to fear he said. And according to Roy Davis in his book "surrendered love, redeeming grace", Master told Roy about Rajarsi having to pass a final test. PY asked Rajarsi to buy the Lake Shrine in 1949. Before that there was a little clinging to money for Rajarsi. Rajarsi strted to cry and said yes. Master said he would be liberated after that and that Rajarsi had overcome his last little attachment.
This story really opened my eyes as to how long these things hold on. Addictions or attachments are seen to be spiritual issues in esse. The really gross ones can be helped with therapy it seems. They have to be dealt with in the rel world at least. They have a lot of emotional energy around them. When we release these attachments there is often an emotional discharge it seems. If we try and "forget the past" without the feelings being felt, it can backfire. I have seen many devotees put their "life" on hold and become angry and guilt ridden. That's just an observation. It is not a critique of our great teachings or SRF itself. This anger and guilt thing is a nemesis. I have observed them being a problem enough where they interfere greatly with kriya practice.
Durga Mata in her book "trilogy of divine love" told about Rajarsi being testy at times, but this was in the 30's. Achalananda says that could not have been true. Well, I love Achalananda but I suspect it was true. I also know the people who published the book and got their word they changed nothing. I beleive them. To be honest I'm not worried either way, this stuff is relevant to my process.
It's easy in yoga to do a "spiritual bypass", to become unconscious, and to take out our frustrations on others. The way this usually happens is the earnest yogi becomes judgemental, self righteous, and gets into the master addiction: power plays and control. It is necessary to have good self esteem, but not at the cost of others. It pays to be proficient at working our emotional process even when one starts to get advanced states in kriya. If not the temptation of siddhis is irresistable. 'They stole our precious, and we wants it!'
Frodo, throw the ring in--Let go emotional issues and also repeatedly penetrate the ring of gold in the kutatsa on the high mountain chakra. The fire of the holy ghost will cleanse, wash and regenerate. Until the last and final shift, do not get lax. Lord of the Rings and Matrix mirror kurukshetra very well.
