Nice to hear from you. First, let me answer your questions.

Paramahansa Yogananda’s Energization Exercises are not the same as Hatha Yoga.

The Energization Exercises are really a Pranayama (lifeforce control) technique which should eventually help you with Pratyahara (withdrawal of energy from the senses), which then moves you up the ladder of meditation.

One of the best things you can do when you have questions like these about Yogananda’s teachings is to write to the SRF Mother Center or ask an SRF Brother or Sister monastic what to do.

I don’t see any way that the Energization Exercises would make your neck worse as long as you did them correctly. In fact since they teach you how to manage Prana, which is healing energy, they should help to keep you healthy. One of the worst things you can do with the condition you have is to greatly reduce or slow down physical activity, which will lead to poor circulation and more stiffness.

If you are interested, I would be happy to give you some ideas on how to reduce pain and increase movement in your neck. It would help if you could let me know if you have arthritic pain or inflammation in other parts of your body.

In the past I have worked with two men, one 79 years old and the other 83, who, like you, had not been able to turn their necks enough to look to the rear when backing up the car. Both got complete movement back. Recently, a 78 year old lady with severe arthritis and pain has been able to move her head without neck pain for the first time in many years.

I have mentioned in another post that I had healed myself of neck injury with yoga.

My approach is to teach better relaxation, specific movements for the neck, and Hatha Yoga for the whole body. I will be more specific on how to improve neck movement and heal neck pain in an upcoming post.

Remember, whatever condition a person has, there is always room for improvement.