Swami Chidananda Giri, president and spiritual head of Yogoda Satsanga Society of India/Self-Realization Fellowship (YSS/SRF), recently visited India and gave inspirational talks on the Kriya Yoga teachings of Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda (author of the Autobiography of a Yogi and founder-Guru of YSS/SRF). During his stay in India, Swami Chidanandaji was interviewed on matters of import affecting different strata of society and the world. Here are some excerpts:

Q: Swamiji, would you have any tips for the youth to achieve real success?

Swami Chidanandaji: “First of all, realise that I have a body, I have a mind but I am the atman — a soul. Real success means organising one's life and one’s goals by giving the right amount of time for each of those. You can’t ignore the material, and you can’t ignore the intellectual development and educational development and you certainly cannot ignore the development of spiritual consciousness. 

  “Real success comes from adopting a way of life that gives time to each one of those. That is exactly what you find in the Yogoda Satsanga Lessons. The whole road map for balanced living: for the health of the body, the efficiency of the mind, in education and cultivation of the intellect and the rational qualities is all very important.

  “And learning to meditate and take a little time. 10 minutes may be in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening. (That's not really fair in a way because once they do it for 10 minutes, they will want to do it for 20 minutes, and once they do 20 minutes, they would want to do it longer…that's how meditation works!) 

  “But the point is…to be successful you have to build a plan for life…nobody is going to be successful by waiting for it to happen. You have to structure the 24 hours we each have in a day. You have to look at that and consciously take control of your time and consciously use your time for the aspirations that you have.” Further info.: yssofindia.org