Paramahansa Yogananda
Paramahansa Yogananda
Paramahansa Yogananda, born Mukunda Lal Ghosh, was an Indian yogi and guru who introduced millions of westerners to the teachings of meditation and Kriya Yoga through his book, Autobiography of a Yogi...
NationalityIndian
ProfessionYoung Adult Author
Date of Birth5 January 1893
CountryIndia
apart attempting constantly dragged force life mind return senses tied toward trying
Introspection, or 'sitting in the silence,' is an unscientific way of trying to force apart the mind and senses, tied together by the life force. The contemplative mind, attempting its return to divinity, is constantly dragged back toward the senses by the life currents.
common divine men performed phenomena territory
Hypnotism is trespass into the territory of another's consciousness. Its temporary phenomena have nothing in common with the miracles performed by men of divine realization.
butter milk remain yogi
A true yogi may remain dutifully in the world; there, he is like butter on water and not like the easily-diluted milk of unchurned and undisciplined humanity.
god marries point reach wants
If one marries out of necessity, he will have to reincarnate to reach the point where he wants to live only for God.
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The ideal of an all-sided education for youth had always been close to my heart. I saw clearly the arid results of ordinary instruction, aimed only at the development of body and intellect.
bonfire consumed dedicated desires fire fuel god human indeed longings love offers past present true yogi
The yogi offers his labyrinthine human longings to a monotheistic bonfire dedicated to the unparalleled God. This is indeed the true yogic fire ceremony, in which all past and present desires are fuel consumed by love divine.
absolute follows human ignoring precepts prejudices unity
Ignoring all prejudices of caste, creed, class, color, sex, or race, a swami follows the precepts of human brotherhood. His goal is absolute unity with Spirit.
afforded amidst came clear covering distant earliest features future glimpse life previous yogi
I find my earliest memories covering the anachronistic features of a previous incarnation. Clear recollections came to me of a distant life, a yogi amidst the Himalayan snows. These glimpses of the past, by some dimensionless link, also afforded me a glimpse of the future.
according best clearest drowning ends free freedom god longs man sincere wise
Only the wise know just where predestination ends and free will begins. Meanwhile, you must keep on doing your best, according to your own clearest understanding. you must long for freedom as the drowning man longs for air. Without sincere longing, you will never find God.
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As often as you fail, get up and try again. God will never let you down, so long as you don't let Him down, and so long as you make the effort.
barrier cannot east equitable healing men method natural nature otherwise prevent true turbulence west yoga
Yoga is a method for restraining the natural turbulence of thoughts, which otherwise impartially prevent all men, of all lands, from glimpsing their true nature of Spirit. Yoga cannot know a barrier of East and West any more than does the healing and equitable light of the sun.
finds himself needs qualities whatever whoever
Whoever comes to me finds me a mirror to whatever is in his heart. Thus, I try to help him to see qualities in himself that he needs to overcome.
constant god image man source
Man is important in one sense only. He was made in the image of God: That is his importance. He is not important for his body, ego, or personality. His constant affirmation of ego-consciousness is the source of all his problems.
bestow empowered gifts god heart human life love owner remains secondary showering sole though withhold
To allot God a secondary place in life was, to me, inconceivable. Though He is the sole Owner of the cosmos, silently showering us with gifts from life to life, one thing yet remains which He does not own, and which each human heart is empowered to withhold or bestow - man's love.