Autobiography of a Yogi
by Paramahansa Yogananda
|
List Price: Our Price: $6.41 You Save: $6.09 (49%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $5.61 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Autobiography of a Yogi
Book Review: It all sounds lovely, but....
Summary: 5 Stars
This book was a great read, all the way through, and a great introduction to Hindu philosophy. Some things that struck me about it though, are:
1) The almost homoerotic devotion to the guru: As a Westerner, I suppose I am finding the idea of having a guru as a prerequisite for enlightment off-putting. I don't like the idea that I can't do it myself.
2) The author extolls the benefits of Kriya Yoga all through the book as a speedy path to enlightment, but he doesn't tell how to DO it. In order to find out, you have to PAY for the lessons. That's another thing that discourages me about about Eastern philosophy, the idea that you have to be "initiated" into "secret" knowledge. And before you can get that knowledge, someone has to deem you worthy. You have to be "approved".
3) The culture is misogynistic. Paramahansa Yogananda, who travels with a male secretary, interacts with and discusses few women. And when he does discuss a few female "saints" toward the end of the book, particularly in his depiction of Ananda Moyi Ma, I thought that his tone was condescending.
4) The goal of the book was to describe living "saints" who perform miracles just like the ones that were attributed to Jesus in the New Testament, and then point out the similarities between Christianity and Eastern philosophy. It was at that point that I really began to lose interest, because considering the way that Christianity has been used as a political tool by the Bush administration, I did not think that making comparisons to Christianity was enhancing my view of Hinduism.
Book Review: A Stunning Read! Your Thirst for Spiritual Knowledge is hereby Quenched!
Summary: 5 Stars
P. Yogananada was too modest and humble to include in this book more of his own miracle-producing accounts (healing of the sick and raising of a dead girl, which are scattered throughout his other books). Instead he chose to give a lot of spotlight to other powerful yogis. I notice in reading his other writings and lectures, that Yogananda avoids talking about himself when he explains something, which I wish he would do. However, I am exceedingly thankful that he lectured as much as he did and his female disciple painstakingly wrote most of it down. From this autobiography I am able to make leaps in my own spiritual evolution and be awaken.
Especially informative in this book is his guru Sri Yukestwar's return to tell him of what is going on beyond this dimension. Finally the dead returns to tell us! Not only do we have earthly bodies to shed in reincarnation, but astral and causal, leaving the spark of the soul to remain, to be merged with God in the final hr. What this means, according to Yogananda's guru, is that we are encased in bodies that need to be recycled on earth, then in the astral world, then in the causal world, each of which can take untold thousands of yrs or even millions, before we finally enter the ocean of God-bliss forever.
There are so many eye-opening things in this book to ponder on...
To Sophia who said Yogananda has incarnated in a female in Taiwan today, be aware that in his book "Journey to Self-Realization" he explicitly states that he was in his final incarnation on earth.
Book Review: Valuable at many levels
Summary: 5 Stars
I read Autobiography of a yogi many years ago. The book inspired me, confused, made me uncomfortable. The stories about miracles were unbelievable by any common sense way of thinking. Reading between the miracle stories were excellent advise on how to think about many situations in life. So that was good useful information. Then I started meditating and a new level of understanding came out it. So the book is at many levels.
This is a must read for anyone interested in spirituality but the book not a text book. As yogis are mystic, paramhansa yogananda also makes you read multiple times before you get to the core. If you are serious about understanding spiritual concepts, make sure you read his Geeta commentary "god talks with Arjuna", If you know Hindi, review a Geeta commentary by Bhupender Nath Sanyal, saint in same lineage. If you want a simpler explanation of spirituality (that aligns with yogananda's philosophy & other yogis) review patajali's yoga sutra's, by swami vivekananda (in his book raja yoga) or by Swami Satchidananda. If you haven't formed opinions to synthesizing all this spiritual knowledge, checkout a book by a yogananda follower Sunil Sheoran; myLife Framework: A Model for a Successful Life based on the Yoga Principles. He has excellently simplified and summarized all the philosophy for practical use.Good luck expediting your "eternal quest" with the help of these sources.
Book Review: Words of wisdom, compassion, and love....
Summary: 5 Stars
I live in Encinitas, California and subscribe to Buddhist philosophies/teachings yet I was very intrigued and fascinated by the SFR center illuminating the coast line of the Pacific Ocean causing me to seek further information on the manifestation of these various centers in California, and for that matter across the world which at the time was unbeknownst to me. The SFR center in my opinion is the embodiment of the city of Encinitas, due to the infinite presence and super consciousness of the yogi master Paramahansa Yogananda. You can pick this book up and arbitrarily pick a page number and find fascinating and deep expressions of ancient Hindu philosophies. The book takes the reader on a spiritual journey of Paramahansa Yogananada containing ineffable realizations, blissful insight, and surreal premonitions. These experiences gave Paramahansa Yogananada the tools, devotion, compassion, support, and opportunity to spread these messages as well as the science of Kira Yoga to the entire world particularly to the western world leading to the manifestation of various SFR centers throughout the United States. These SFR centers are the embodiment of Paramahansa's legacy of encapsulating his divine love and peace to all of mankind. Paramahansa's legacy leaves an imprint on the consciousness of mankind instilling a higher level of awareness just as Lord Jesus Christ, Lord Buddha, Ghandi, Martin Luthur King Jr, and other great figures compassionately taught our civilization.Book Review: This could be the most important book you ever come across.
Summary: 5 Stars
Now, this book is fantastic, wonderful, and full of Truth. Not just a truth, but THE TRUTH, Capitalized! I read this over a year ago, and still feel humbled by the sweet way this story is told. Paramahansa Yogananda, founder of Self-Realization Fellowship, is a Yogi Master who has a grand mastery of the English language. If you love miraculous stories, then this is the book for you. I do not speak lightly when I say that it was an great honor to read this book. There is plenty of history in this book, and heartwarming stories. If you do not want to be changed forever, then do not read this book! However, if you could use sweetness, love, and all of the light you can handle, this book can change you forever! I give this book the highest possible ratings: 5 Stars. Please be warned that this is a real tear jerker. The humbleness with which this story is told is enough to keep you home for weeks crying with joy and it gives you hope! I can honestly say that my life has changed 1000-fold after reading this book. We have several copies in both hardback and paperback in our house, and we lend them out occasionally when our friends really need it. If you buy this book, and keep your heart and mind open, this will be the best investment you ever made. It has been said that Paramahansa Yogananda is present with all who read his book. I believe this with all my heart.