The Core Teachings

At the core of all major religions and philosophies is a "golden thread," a harmony that is the depth dimension of the teachings. This mystical core is referred to as the Ageless Wisdom, the Perennial Philosophy, or the Eternal Way. The spiritual principles of the Eternal Way are the cornerstone of our teachings at CSE. The four essential principles of this philosophy are:

1. One Power, called by many names, is the source and substance of all that is. Nothing exists without Spirit or is separate from the Creator.
2. Human beings are an expression of this One Power and Presence and can know this truth by experiencing it directly.
3. When identified with mind and body, we lack full awareness of our spiritual nature. The purpose of life is to awaken to the truth that we are Spirit.
4. Through the practice of self-discipline, people can cooperate with divine grace, or Life's inherent tendency toward spiritual awakening.

Self-realization is awakening to the truth of our spiritual nature. The practice of spiritual awakening taught at CSE have their origins in ancient Vedic philosophy and the disciplines of Kriya Yoga. Yoga is a Sanskrit word meaning "union" or "to yoke" and it signifies the union of soul and Spirit, the individual self with the larger true Self, or God. Kriya means "action" or specifically in this context, actions intended "to purify" or "sanctify." Kriya Yoga is the course of action or spiritual practices that support realization of our oneness with God. It is a way of life, a way to live a spiritually balanced, wholesome life in harmony with God's will. Yoga is a spiritual path, not a religion. It is a way of spiritual awakening that can be used by seekers from all religions.

Paramahansa Yogananda introduced the teachings of Kriya Yoga to spiritual seekers in the United States in 1920. CSE's founding teacher and minister, Rev. Ellen Grace O'Brian, was initiated into Kriya Yoga and ordained to teach in 1982 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda, who has been teaching these methods worldwide for over 50 years.

The basic practices of Kriya Yoga are contemplation, meditation and prayer, cultivation of the virtues, and surrender to the sense of being separate from God. Each of these components of the path is supported by specific study and practice techniques. CSE offers a comprehensive path of study and practice in the fundamentals of Kriya Yoga, with additional courses and retreats for enrichment and inspiration.

Here at CSE, we offer introductory courses on the Kriya Yoga path including How to Meditate and Living the Eternal Way, as well as spiritual practice community retreats and satsangs. These classes are followed sequentially by Be Still and Know ( a six-week course for deepening one's meditation practice), The Cultivation of Pure Awareness (an introduction to Patanjali's Yoga Sutra), and The Path of Kriya Yoga. Adjunct courses to deepen and enhance the practice of Kriya Yoga are Inside the New Testament and Inside the Bhagavad Gita (courses in scripture study), The Thousand Petalled Lotus (chakras and spiritual awakening), as well as the four-day and ten-day silent meditation retreats.

For the current schedule of core teaching events at the Center, view the Core Teachings Event Calendar.