Autobiography of a Yogi
by Paramahansa Yogananda
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Book Reviews of Autobiography of a Yogi
Book Review: This is not Yoga!!!
Summary: 1 Stars
This is not Yoga!!
The first prerequisite for Yoga is to have Vidya, or an intellectual base arrived at by reasoning, though in the final culmination Vidya is left behind. Yoga is an intelligent search for the truth. It doesnt depend on fanciful fables and claims.
And Yogananda really does stretch our credulity!! It starts with him remembering himself as a fetus when he knew all languages and finally selected the one he was hearing as his mother tongue and his first memories right after he was born. The claims keep getting more and more astonishing, beginning with minor miracles like controlling his kite as a child, to fantastical claims like Yogis who never eat, become invisible, fly through the air and do just about anything that Superman does, and much more! There's a photograph of Yogananda standing alone with a caption, "Yogananda standing with his master, who did not care to be photographed, so he made himself invisible." It requires a very strong gullibility to accept this. If anyone wants to become invisible or fly, they should go, not to a Yoga teacher, but to David Copperfield.
I am amazed that people in the West still seem to like this book. Many reviewers write about how they have learned about a 'different culture' and a 'different way of thinking' from this book, as if in India we are quite used to seeing our Yogis flying through the air and so on.
I must make it clear that I am not belittling the book in entirety, it has a childlike purity which makes it a compelling read. Yogananda's transparent sincerity, ability to laugh at himself and his genuine love for god and his thirst for spirituality is all too apparent, and his account of his spiritual quest is often touching and revelatory. This is what gives the book its charm and power. Some of the passages deserve to be counted among the most illuminating accounts of mystical experience ever. But all too often, his eagerness to discover god and people on the spiritual path strays into descriptions of fantastical and unbelievable anecdotes.
It would be quite natural for anyone who first comes into contact with Yoga through this book to develop a strong cynicism about Hinduism and its practises, including Yoga. But this is not Yoga at all. To learn about Yoga, I would recommend reading Swami Vivekananda and Ramkrishna Paramahansa, these were great teachers who also achieved relevatory experiences through Yoga but certainly never made such incredible claims. Yoga is not all about magic and fable that this book makes it out to be.
I am sorry if this review offends anyone who has found this book inspiring. I can understand people being inspired by Yogananda's profound love of God which is so transparent in this book, and which did not fail to move me, but I would like to make my own stand for reason in following the path of Yoga.
..P.J.Mazumdar, author of The Circle of Fire: The Metaphysics of Yoga
Book Review: A GLOBAL REVELATION FOR THE 3RD MILLENIUM
Summary: 5 Stars
As a long time student of comparative religion the discovering of this spiritual classic "Autobiography of a Yogi" set my thinking and life experience in a very new and unexpected direction. Until I became familiar with the great avatar "Paramahansa Yogananda" my superficial philosophical adventure seemed fulfilling enough. Now I am seeing the deeper aspects of the spiritual life and many new understandings and revelations are being opened to my consciousness. I also read the original edition of this book, which I find somewhat incomplete, as Yognanda himself began seriously revising this book with each new edition. So the reader will get the most complete and most accurate teachings of this great Yogi from the latest editions published by Self-Realization Fellowship publishers, via Amazon books.
I highly recommend this edition to all truth-seekers and students of comparative religion as a major key to unlocking our past conditioning and broadening many narrow views that we become attached to in our earlier development. Here is a balanced and insightful approach to world religion and spirituality that gives true ecumenical recognition to all the worlds major saints and prophets. This spiritual classic will contribute much to bringing harmony, peace and mutual respect to this world of so many varied belief systems.
The author, with his unique blend of wit, wisdom, insight and intuition has shown us the primary elements and truths that are the foundation of all religions. He does this without criticism, judgement, or error. His is the same eternal message that was given the world by other great saviors such as Krishna, Buddha and Jesus.
I have no doubt that millions of lives have already been changed by this sacred literary is surely the work of a God-Realized bieng, a wonderful experience awaits the sincere reader. Don't make the mistake of only reading it once!!!
LIST OF SUBJECTS: Author's early life... Meeting your Master... The Master-Disciple relationship... The Science of KRIYA YOGA... Meditation and prayer... Lives of many modern Eastern and Western Saints.. Law of Miracles...how they work... Principle of Raja Yoga... How great masters teach their disciples... the inner meaning of Christ and Krishna... The Astral world... Reincarnation and Karma... How to find your true Path... Travels in India... The Spiritual heritage of India...
the Importance of Yogananda's founding of the Self-Realization Fellowship as his only authorized channel for His writings and Kriya Footnotes on yoga and religious history.. Mans purpose and goal in AND MUCH
ALSO RECOMMENDED: Man's Eternal Quest... Divine Romance... Journey to Self-Realization... The Science of Religion... God Talks With Arjuna(Bhagavad Gita)... Where There is Light...
Book Review: The Autobiography of a yogi is a thought provoking book about spirituality.
Summary: 5 Stars
The Autobiography of a yogi has sparked my interest in reading spiritual books like the Bible and the Bhagavad Gita for the insightful pearls of wisdom they contain. These insights really make the book enjoyable to me. The Gita is India's most important spiritual text. The goal of the science of yoga is stated in Psalms 46:10 in the Bible. The goal of yoga is to achieve inner stillness so that a person can know God. I am not an overly religious person, but I do think inner stillness can be a worthy goal for every person. This book is filled with quotes from the Bible and the Gita. There is a passage from the Bhagavad Gita that talks about how the nature of man is to be active and not lazy.
The writing in this book is very vivid. Yogananda's description of how beautiful Kashmir is makes me want to book a flight just to see the beauty of nature there. I would love to see the caves and cathedrals in southern India described in this book.
This autobiography is not easy to read, but the information is valuable. Some of the names and words in the book are hard to pronounce. One thing is certain. Paramahansa Yogananda had a fascinating life. There is one photo in the book that shows him addressing a crowd of people. The caption under this photo states that in thirty two years in the West, he taught 100,000 people the practice of Kriya yoga. Kriya yoga is a form of yoga that relaxes a person senses and organs. It can improve concentration and quality of sleep.
Several miracles are described in this book that are hard to believe. There is a picture of a woman who did not eat or drink anything for over fifty years. There is another incidence of a miracle where the author suddenly has the ability to speak English just by praying to his guru. This book suggests that anyone is capable of performing a miracle if their belief in the Divine is strong enough.
The beliefs of Paramahansa Yogananda influenced a diversity of people like Gandhi and plant scientist Luther Burbank. Millions of regular citizens all over the world continue to be influenced by his form of meditation. One of the beliefs of his self realization fellowship is that yoga can liberate a person for physical disease and improve mental and spiritual health. This is a very hopeful message that makes this book so appealing to me. I highly recommend this book.
Book Review: The newer versions of this book are greatest.
Summary: 5 Stars
The author Yogananda and his trained/appointed editors who succeeded Him have made a great classic even better.
The changes introduced by the author and others at SRF pubishers have made it more accurately reflect the true overall teachings and intentions of Yogananda.
Even on the 60th anniversary of its original printing, there were many reviews that praised these latest editions with the orange cover.
One will have to study some of Yoganandas other great works to see how this all ties together, as the SRF's version of this spiritual classic is just the beginning of this amazing story of a modern day divine prophet.
The contiunually emerging testimonials of how this master is still working througha and inspiring many lives towards Self-Realization [Salvation] testifies to the quality of His organization and their handling of His publications.
I for one will add my voice to these testimonials.
This book and others that have flowed from the devoted editing/publishing of SRF publishers has done a great service to our global spiritual evolution and enlightenment. And the successful representation and promulgation of Yoganandas mission in this age.
[see review of "The Yoga of Jesus," By W. H. McDonald Jr. "The American Author Assoc... (Elk Grove, CA USA
Did you know that Yoganandas Self-Realization Fellowship is one of the very rare major world religions that allows women to occupy its highest offices? - Even as the president Daya Mata has been successfully doing for over 55 years. So much good has been achieved during her serving in this sacred position. This is only one example of what a wonderfully balanced teaching was left by Yogananda.
Also recommended;Please read "Amapedia" below on this page.
and see site, kriyayogatoday dot blogspot dot com
Only Love by Daya Mata., The Yoga of Jesus, the Yoga of the Bhagavad Gita, Mans Eternal Quest, The Journey to Self-Realization by Paramahansa Yogananda, Treasures against Time by Brenda Lewis.
Book Review: A Spiritual Classic For the Ages
Summary: 5 Stars
Words truly do not do justice to this classic work by Paramahansa Yogananda who wrote one of the premiere books about the science of Yoga.
Yogananda not only helps to introduce Yoga science to the West, but also demonstrates that yoga (which means "union") is the unifying science that shows the underlying truth among ALL religions. Using many scriptural passages from both the Bible and the Hindu Bible (the Bhagavad Gita), he also demonstrates that they are saying, essentially, the same thing; the same TRUTH.
This book chronicles the life of Mukunda La Ghosh whose passion and yearning for God leads him to many saints and sages in India.
We find that it is the wish of Jesus Christ and Babaji (One of India's great masters who has been living for an untold number of centuries) that it be revealed to the world that TRUTH is universal and that it does not matter what path you've chosen (Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, etc.)
Whether you are religious or not, you will find this masterfully well-written work touch you in ways that you've not dreamed of. Yogananda orchestrates chapters about the astral realms, great scientists, poets, saints (in India as well as in the West), masters, Gandhi, and others which are both moving and inspirational.
This book also reveals, for the first time to Westerners the lost science of Kriya Yoga (which means, "Divine Union"), which is a scientific technique to develop direct experience of God. Yogananda explains this technique, its history, and why it is so effective.
This is a book that can be read many times, and you will find that each time, it still has a "divine" effect. If nothing else, it will help you to ask yourself about your Self. This is one of the greatest books ever written, not only of modern times, but of ALL time.