| Paramahansa Yogananda was of tremendous | | | | convey an inkling of his spiritual realisations. Like a |
| inspiration in my early spiritual seeking. It was my good | | | | finger pointing to the moon he gives us entrancing |
| fortune that one of my first spiritual books was | | | | insight into a realm of bliss. These passages are unique |
| "Autobiography of a Yogi". This book is rightly | | | | in literature and will always remain treasured by |
| regarded as a spiritual classic and has inspired many | | | | aspiring seekers. |
| across the world to pursue a spiritual life based on the | | | | Yogananda travelled to America in the early 1920s |
| ancient lofty Vedic ideals. The book is a treasure trove | | | | and became a real pioneer for spreading the teachings |
| of illumined saints and sages, it manages to convey | | | | of yoga and meditation in the West. His impeccable |
| profound spiritual truths whilst also being most | | | | character and spiritual realisation gave an added force |
| enjoyable to read. More than anything the most | | | | to the regeneration of spiritual values in the West. |
| powerful effect the book had was to impart a real | | | | Through his foundation the Self Realisation Fellowship |
| spiritual vibration from each page. Intuitively I felt that | | | | and others, many have come to practise meditation |
| the writing embodied a genuine spiritual consciousness. | | | | and yoga. |
| It was quite different to the dry intellectual texts I was | | | | Yogananda was also a gifted poet. It is often through |
| used to reading (I think at the time I was reading | | | | poetry that a Spiritual Master can most effectively |
| Descartes, which is a big contrast) Yogananda never | | | | share their experience of the higher worlds. Each |
| sought to convert or argue he merely wrote with | | | | poem is not just excellent poetry it is an embodiment |
| great humility about the most illumining spiritual | | | | of a spiritual consciousness. |
| experiences. It was this vibration, this consciousness | | | | Vanished are the veils of light and shade, |
| which gave me a faith in the spiritual life I had never | | | | Lifted the vapors of sorrow, |
| had before. | | | | Sailed away the dawn of fleeting joy, |
| Many Christians had tried to persuade me of the | | | | Gone the mirage of the senses." |
| divinity of Jesus Christ, I remember being nonplussed | | | | From: Samadhi |
| by their arguments and perhaps I used to waste many | | | | In particular I feel in the poetry of Yogananda his pure |
| hours disputing their assertions with my proud | | | | devotion. Yogananda was not a yogi of dry asceticism |
| arguments. It was perhaps ironic then that it was a | | | | he was primarily a God lover. His approach was the |
| Hindu Guru who was able to convey the true spiritual | | | | embodiment of love, devotion and surrender. He made |
| realisation of Jesus Christ. It was quite an eye opener | | | | yoga seem easy, aspire sleeplessly for God and |
| that a Hindu had such love and devotion for a Master | | | | everything else is not important. |
| of another religion. His love and devotion to Christ was | | | | From the depth of slumber, |
| symbolic of his universal appreciation and respect for | | | | As I ascend the spiral stairway of wakefulness, |
| other religions. In the west religion has often been the | | | | I whisper |
| cause of separation, with each religion claiming to be | | | | God, God, God!" |
| right. The message of the universality of religions | | | | From: God God God |
| strikes a deep chord. Yogananda has ably reinforced | | | | Yogananda gives a fascinating portrayal of many |
| the immortal message of that Vivekananda brought to | | | | great Saints and Sages such as his strict but loving |
| the World Parliament of Religions in 1893. I feel the | | | | master Sri Yukteswar, Lahiri Mahasaya, the immortal |
| world is much more receptive to the ideal of religious | | | | Babaji and many others. However, although |
| tolerance and mutual appreciation of religion. It was of | | | | Yogananada was groomed in the traditions of Hindu |
| the significant achievement of the 20th Century. | | | | yoga he was also adaptable to the sensibilities of the |
| It is no easy task to write about spiritual experiences. | | | | Western. He said in the West, seekers preferred a |
| By nature spiritual experience goes far beyond the | | | | loving and forgiving master, rather than the strictest |
| domain of mind and form, such a sublime | | | | standard of his own Guru. Yogananda also suggested |
| consciousness is impossible to translate into words. To | | | | a path of moderation and balance. He had a good |
| describe the ecstasy of meditation is like trying to | | | | sense of humor and would often make innocent jokes |
| describe music to someone who is deaf. Yet despite | | | | with his disciples. |
| this obvious difficulty, Yogananda still manages to | | | | |