Hong-Sau

Faithfully described from the publicly-taught form:

1. Sit upright and settle. Spine straight, hands resting, body relaxed. (In Yogananda’s path you would first do the Energization Exercises so the body is calm and recharged.)
2. Lift the gaze gently. Turn the closed eyes upward toward the point between the eyebrows (the Kutastha / “spiritual eye”) — a soft, comfortable upward focus, not a strain.
3. Let the breath be utterly natural. Do not breathe deliberately. Simply observe the breath as it comes and goes on its own. This is watching, not breathing.
4. Add the mantra. As the breath flows in, mentally repeat “Hong”; as it flows out, mentally repeat “Sau.” Feel the breath at the nostrils or the point between the brows while the words ride along.
5. When the mind wanders, return — without strain. The instant you notice you have drifted into thought, calmly bring attention back to the breath and the words. Yogananda emphasises interested, relaxed attention, not tense effort.
6. Let the breath quiet by itself. As concentration deepens, the breath naturally becomes slower, finer, and may seem to pause. Don’t force this; allow it. If the breath stops on its own, simply rest in the calm awareness, dropping even the words.
7. Rest in the resulting stillness. When the practice has quieted breath and mind, abide in the deep, alert calm — Yogananda treats this settled concentration as the doorway to meditation proper. (Sourcing note: the precise instructions and durations are in the SRF Hong-Sau Lesson and are summarised here, not reproduced. “Hong-Sau” / Kutastha are Yogananda’s terms.)

Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952) taught Hong-Sau publicly through SRF/YSS as the concentration technique that prepares the mind for meditation and, eventually, Kriya.

It is his adaptation of the ancient Hamsa / So’ham breath-mantra of the yogic tradition (the “natural mantra” said to sound with every breath). In his graded path the order is: energise the body → concentrate with Hong-Sau → meditate (and, for initiates, practise Kriya).. Distinct from his initiation-only Kriya and from his Energization Exercises.

Anchoring attention on the spontaneous breath, often with a repeated cue, and returning gently when the mind strays is one of the most widely-shared techniques in the world’s contemplative traditions: - Anapanasati (Buddhist breath mindfulness) — watching the natural in- and out-breath as the anchor.

• So’ham / Hamsa japa — the same breath-mantra Hong-Sau derives from.
• Ramana’s “watching the breath” — observing the breath to still the mind, as a support for self-enquiry.
• Salzberg’s “breath, begin again” — the gentle returning that is the real practice.
• Dharana / one-pointed focus — the broader yogic discipline of fixing the mind on a single object.

Controlling the breath. The single most common error — Hong-Sau is watching, not pranayama. If you find yourself breathing deliberately, let go and just observe.

• Straining the upward gaze. The eyes lift gently toward the brow point; a hard, forced focus causes headache and tension. Keep it soft.
• Fighting thoughts. You don’t suppress the mind; you simply return to the breath and words each time you notice drift. The returning is the practice.
• Quitting when “nothing happens.” The quieting often comes only after the mind has wandered and returned many times. Patience is the method.
• Forcing the breathless state. Don’t try to make the breath stop. Let any slowing or pausing happen by itself, or it will turn into strained breath-holding.