“The deeper the Self-realization of a man, the more he influences the whole universe by his subtle spiritual vibrations, and the less he himself is affected by the phenomenal flux.” –Sri Yuketeswar in Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda (pg. 186).
For quite some time, I wanted to read the Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda but I didn’t start reading this thick book until the end of 2023. I couldn’t have read this at a better time because I was going through one of the most trying times of my life. This peaceful text gave me strength when I was dealing with the death of a loved one, moving to a new city, and experiencing other drastic changes, which seemed like setbacks at first. This book helped me view these tumultuous experiences through a wide spiritual lens.
What is this book about?
This autobiography is about the spiritual life of Paramahansa Yogananda beginning with his childhood. At a young age, he's inspired to visit the Himalayas and while on his quest, he encounters spiritual gurus and charlatans. While attempting to visit the Himalayas, the highest mountain range in the world, he’s met with setbacks. I feel that symbolically, his quest has to do with finding enlightenment, which is the highest state we can reach. The journey that every soul is ultimately on is one of challenges and it can seem as if we're climbing Mount Everest as we try to survive in this world. Every person and challenge Yogananda meets on his path serves the purpose of bringing him closer to the most exalted peak. Eventually, he meets his guru, Sri Yuketswar, a mystic and astrologer who illuminates his path and predicts that he will teach seekers in the United States profound spiritual teachings and Kriya Yoga.
There are many miraculous accounts of Yogananda’s encounters with saints and gurus in his autobiography. In one example, he tells the story of a saint named Sri Trailanga Swami, who was his guru’s guru’s guru’s (Don’t come for me. This isn’t a typo.), and he lived to be over 300 years of age, mysteriously materializing and dematerializing his 300-pound body in front of townsfolk on numerous occasions.
What part of this book helped me the most with what was going on in my life?
One of the impactful stories of this book was when Yogananda searched for a non-eating saint named Giri Bala. After conversing with her in her remote home in India, Yogananda asked her to reveal her breathing yoga technique that helped her to live on air alone, which could potentially help end world hunger. On page 516 we find her response, “I was strictly commanded by my guru not to divulge the secret. It is not his wish to tamper with God’s drama of creation. The farmers would not thank me if I taught many people to live without eating! The luscious fruits would lie uselessly on the ground. It appears that misery, starvation, and disease are whips of our karma that ultimately drive us to seek the true meaning of life.”
Many people fall on their knees and plead to God, “Why can’t you take away world suffering?” Well, our souls wouldn’t be able to evolve if we lived in a utopia where there was no resistance, loss, and no pain. In this cosmic drama, many people often search for answers to ease the pain of the loss of a loved one, an illness, heartbreak, violence, a lack of resources, racism, homophobia, and other types of prejudices, and the list goes on. With each incarnation, we experience different perspectives of this world. I believe that almost all of us are here on earth to work out our karma, both good and bad. At the same time, what appears to be a good thing can actually be bad and what appears to be bad, may also be a good thing. That’s why being centered in ourselves and searching for inner peace can help us not be slaves to the Maya, which is the illusion of the polarities we experience in the world. Instead of saying, this experience was so horrible, we’ll realize that this experience just is and it is bringing us closer to the Truth– that everything is a manifestation of the Divine.
Like Yogananda, perhaps we’re all searching for spiritual enlightenment, even if it doesn’t seem like it. Our life, which contains successes, failures, gains, and losses, is a journey full of karmic lessons. It has given me profound insights into the Divine consciousness and has helped me find peace regarding my recent losses.
Suppose you’re interested in reading more of Yogananda’s illuminating journey and are seeking answers to existential questions such as past lives and karma. In that case, I highly recommend you read this book, which can provide a lamp of spiritual inspiration.
You can find this book on Amazon.com or wherever books are sold.
Greetings! I'm Gina, a California native who has voraciously studied astrology since 2018. I use Tropical Vedic Astrology and cartomancy as my main vehicles in my cosmic quest for profound spiritual understanding and healing.
I hold a B.A. in Psychology and an M.S. in Marriage & Family Therapy. With over fifteen years of counseling and teaching experience, I've always enjoyed listening to people's stories and helping them on their path.
The content on this page is to be treated as entertainment purposes only and should never replace professional advice. Her Cosmic Crown uses astrology and the cards as a tool to help with guidance providing advice during readings. We will not be responsible for the decisions you make after a reading.
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