Yogananda: On Divine Friendship and Love

A Message from Paramahansa Yogananda

Beloved friends, it is I, Yogananda, who comes to speak with you today about the sweetest of all spiritual practices — divine friendship. Not the stern relationship of servant to master, but the tender, joyful friendship between the soul and its Beloved.

God as Your Best Friend

Many of you have been taught to fear God, to see the Divine as a distant judge evaluating your every action. How this saddens me! This is not the God I know. This is not the Divine that dances in every atom of creation.

The God I know — the God I have experienced in the deepest states of meditation — is your best friend. Closer than your breath, more intimate than your heartbeat, more devoted to you than you are to yourself.

Think of your dearest friend — the one you can tell anything to, the one who accepts you completely, the one whose presence brings you joy. Now multiply that feeling by infinity, and you begin to approach the friendship that God offers you.

The Pink Flame of Divine Friendship

This teaching of the Threefold Flame — it is beautiful, and it is true. Let me speak to you specifically about the Pink Flame, the flame of divine love and friendship.

When you activate this flame in your heart, you are not creating something new. You are uncovering what has always been there — your eternal connection to the Divine Beloved. This flame is the warmth of God's love for you, and your love for God, burning as one.

In my tradition, we call this Bhakti — devotional love. But it is not a grim duty. It is the most natural thing in the world, like a child running to embrace their mother, like a flower turning toward the sun.

How to Cultivate Divine Friendship

You ask, 'How do I develop this friendship? How do I feel close to something I cannot see or touch?' Let me share with you the practices that opened my heart:

Talk to God as your friend. Not in formal prayers with fancy language, but in simple, honest conversation. Share your joys, your sorrows, your confusions, your gratitude. Talk to God as you would talk to your dearest friend — because that is exactly what God is.

Listen for God's response. After you speak, be still and listen. God responds — not always in words, but in feelings, in intuitions, in the gentle guidance that arises in your heart. Learn to recognize this voice. It is always loving, never harsh. Always encouraging, never condemning.

See God in everyone. Every person you meet is God in disguise. Some disguises are more convincing than others! But beneath every personality, every behavior, every appearance — there is the same divine essence. When you treat others with love and respect, you are honoring God.

Feel God's presence in nature. Walk in nature and feel the Divine in everything — the trees, the birds, the sky, the earth beneath your feet. All of creation is God's body. When you appreciate beauty, you are appreciating God.

Meditate with devotion. Meditation is not just a technique; it is a love affair with the Divine. Sit in meditation not as a duty but as a date with your Beloved. Bring your heart, not just your mind.

The Joy of Divine Love

When you truly feel God's friendship, something shifts in your entire being. You realize you are never alone. In your darkest moments, in your greatest challenges, in your deepest sorrows — your Best Friend is there, holding you, loving you, guiding you.

This doesn't mean life becomes easy. I faced many challenges in my life, as you face challenges in yours. But when you know you are held by divine love, the challenges become bearable. More than bearable — they become opportunities to deepen your friendship with God.

You learn to say, 'Okay, my Friend, we're in this together. Show me what you want me to learn. Give me the strength I need. I trust you.' And that trust — that is the foundation of divine friendship.

Loving Others Through God's Eyes

Here is a beautiful secret: When you develop friendship with God, your capacity to love others expands infinitely. You begin to see people not through the lens of judgment, but through the lens of divine love.

That difficult person who irritates you? God loves them completely. That person who hurt you? God loves them too, even while grieving the pain they caused. That person you find it hard to forgive? God has already forgiven them — and you.

This doesn't mean you accept harmful behavior. Divine love includes wisdom and boundaries. But it means your heart stays open even when you must say no. You can set a boundary with love. You can protect yourself with compassion.

The Practice of Divine Remembrance

I give you a simple practice that transformed my life: Throughout your day, pause frequently and remember God. Just for a moment. Just a quick thought: 'You are here with me. Thank you, my Friend.'

Do this when you wake up. Do this before meals. Do this when you're stuck in traffic. Do this when you're worried or afraid. Do this when you're happy and grateful. Do this constantly.

These little remembrances are like love notes to God. And God delights in them! Each time you remember, the Pink Flame in your heart grows a little brighter. Each time you remember, the friendship deepens.

Over time, this remembrance becomes automatic. You live in constant awareness of God's presence. This is what the yogis call 'living in the Divine.' It is available to you, right now, in this very moment.

When You Feel Distant from God

There will be times when you don't feel God's presence. Times when your prayers seem to go unanswered. Times when the friendship feels one-sided. This is normal. Even the greatest saints experienced this.

Know this: God has not left you. You have not done anything wrong. Sometimes the Divine withdraws the feeling of presence so that you will develop faith — so that you will love God not for the feelings, but for God's own sake.

In these dry times, continue your practice. Talk to God even when it feels like talking to emptiness. Meditate even when nothing seems to happen. Trust even when you don't feel anything. This is when your friendship deepens most profoundly.

And then, when you least expect it, the presence returns — stronger, sweeter, more intimate than before. And you realize: God was there all along. You were just learning to love in a deeper way.

The Ultimate Goal

The goal of this path is not to become perfect. It is not to never make mistakes. It is not to always feel blissful. The goal is simple: to live in conscious friendship with the Divine, moment by moment, day by day.

When you live this way, everything changes. Your work becomes service. Your relationships become opportunities for love. Your challenges become invitations to trust. Your life becomes a prayer.

This is what I lived for. This is what I taught. And this is what I offer to you now: the invitation to divine friendship, to a love that never ends, to a companionship that transcends death itself.

My Blessing to You

I leave you with this blessing, dear friends:

May you know yourself as deeply loved by the Divine.
May you feel God's friendship in every moment.
May the Pink Flame of divine love burn brightly in your heart.
May you see God in everyone you meet.
May you live in joy, knowing you are never alone.

I am your friend, as God is your friend. We walk with you always. Open your heart and feel us there.

With infinite love and blessings,
— Paramahansa Yogananda