Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Autobiography of a Yogi

 
 
Autobiography of a Yogi is one of the world's most acclaimed spiritual classics.

As the life story of Paramahansa Yogananda — who is often referred to as the Father of Yoga in the West — the book has touched the hearts and minds of millions around the globe. Translated into many languages, it has served as an ambassador for India's ancient science of Yoga, introducing countless readers to the methods for attaining God-realization that are India's unique and lasting contribution to world civilization.

In 1999, a Harper Collins panel of distinguished authors and scholars selected Autobiography of a Yogi as one of the "100 Best Spiritual Books of the Century."

Alive with all the love, warmth, joy, and wisdom that characterize Paramahansa Yogananda, this masterwork of religious literature includes chapters about: 

  • the science of Kriya Yoga meditation;
  • the law of miracles;
  • the lives and missions of Mahavatar Babaji, Lahiri Mahasaya, and Swami Sri Yukteswar;
  • Yogananda's meetings with Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Ramana Maharshi, Luther Burbank, Therese Neumann, and other spiritual luminaries of East and West.

Initially published in 1946 to widespread critical acclaim, Autobiography of a Yogi quickly gained recognition as a literary masterpiece as well as a seminal work in the field of Eastern philosophy.

Before his passing in 1952, Paramahansaji revised the book — adding extensive material, including the lengthy last chapter. Since then, Self-Realization Fellowship has kept the book in print continuously. A perennial bestseller, it is one of the most widely read and respected books ever published on the wisdom of the East, and is used as a text and reference work in colleges and universities throughout the world.




"There has been nothing before,
written in English or in any other European language,
 like this presentation of Yoga."

 

— Columbia University Press


Apprenticed to a Himalayan Master

One of the most read and discussed books of modern times:
 
 
 

Apprenticed to a Himalayan Master:
A Yogi's Autobiography
by Sri. M

The author Sri 'M' is an extraordinary individual. His uniqueness lies not only in the fact that at the young age of 19 and a half, he travelled to snow clad Himalayas from Kerala, and there he met and lived for several years with a 'real-time' yogi, Babaji, but also that he should undertake such an unusual and adventurous exploration, given his non-Hindu birth and antecedents.

The metamorphosis of Mumtaz Ali Khan into Sri 'M', a yogi with profound knowledge of the Upanishads and deep personal insights, born of first hand experiences with higher levels of consciousness is indeed a fascinating story.

The bonus for those interested in the secrets of yoga, meditation and sankhyan metaphysics is that Sri 'M' is still living and easily reachable. He leads a normal life, married with two children, wears no special robes and conducts himself without pomp or paraphernalia.

Someone who met him recently said, "I expected a flashy godman and instead I saw a jean clad gentleman with a smile of his face, ready to discuss my problems. In five minutes flat, I said to myself, this is no ordinary man. The peace and tranquility that enters your system is tangible".

For more information about Sri M, please visit
www.satsang-foundation.org