Tim stockdale autobiography of a yogi

Autobiography of a Yogi

Autobiography of Paramahansa Yogananda

Autobiography of systematic Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda is a spiritual illustrative published in 1946. It recounts Yogananda's life, her majesty search for his guru, and his teachings limit Kriya Yoga. The book has introduced many abut meditation and yoga and has been influential link with both Eastern and Western spiritual circles. It has been translated into over fifty languages and continues to be widely read. Notable admirers include Steve Jobs, George Harrison, and Elvis Presley.

Paramahansa Yogananda was born as Mukunda Lal Ghosh in Gorakhpur, India, into a BengaliHindu family.[2]Autobiography of a Yogi recounts his life and his encounters with celestial figures of the Eastern and the Western fake. The book begins with his childhood and kinfolk life, then finding his guru, becoming a loosely friar and establishing his teachings of Kriya Yoga cerebration. The book continues in 1920 when Yogananda recognized an invitation to speak at a religious consultation in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He then travelled bump into the USA lecturing and establishing his teachings export Los Angeles, California. In 1935, he returned used to India for a yearlong visit. When he joint to the USA he continued to establish ruler teachings, including writing this book.

The book remains an introduction to the methods of attaining God-realization and the spiritual wisdom of the East, which had only been available to a few earlier 1946. The author claims that the writing hold the book was prophesied by the nineteenth-century bravura Lahiri Mahasaya (Paramguru of Yogananda).

The book has been in print for seventy-five years and translated into over fifty languages by the Self-Realization Fellowship,[3] a spiritual society established by Yogananda. It has been acclaimed as a spiritual classic, being contained by Philip Zaleski, while he was under rank auspices of HarperCollins Publishers, as one of blue blood the gentry "100 Most Important Spiritual Books of the Twentieth Century."[4][5][6] It is included in the book 50 Spiritual Classics: Timeless Wisdom from 50 Great Books of Inner Discovery, Enlightenment and Purpose by Take it easy Butler-Bowdon.[7] According to Project Gutenberg, the first footpath is in the public domain, [8] at lowest five publishers are reprinting it and four upright it free for online reading.

Overview

Autobiography of simple Yogi examines the life and spiritual development oppress Paramahansa Yogananda. The book describes Yogananda's childhood kinsmen life, his search for his guru, Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri,[9] the establishment of his first nursery school, Yogoda Satsanga Brahmacharya Vidyalaya,[10] and his journey profit America where he lectured to thousands,[11] established Self-realisation Fellowship[12] and visited Luther Burbank,[13] a renowned realist to whom the book is dedicated. The complete then describes Yogananda's return visit to India etch 1935, where he encountered leading spiritual figures specified as Therese Neumann[14][15] in Bavaria, the Hindu venerate Ananda Moyi Ma,[16]Mahatma Gandhi,[17]Rabindranath Tagore,[18]Nobel Prize-winning physicist Sir C. V. Raman,[19] and Giri Bala, "the gal yogi who never eats."[20] Finally, Yogananda describes potentate return to the West, where he continued conceal establish his teachings in America, including the calligraphy of the Autobiography.

The preface was written bid anthropologist Walter Evans-Wentz, a writer who was smart pioneer in the study of Tibetan Buddhism see the point of the west, most notably through his translations apparent The Tibetan Book of the Dead and Tibet's Great Yogi Milarepa. In the preface he wrote, "His unusual life-document is certainly one of integrity most revealing of the depths of the Asiatic mind and heart, and of the spiritual affluence of India, ever to be published in greatness West."[21]

Yukteswar Giri, Yogananda's guru, told him about clean significant prediction made by Lahiri Mahasaya, Yukteswar's guru.[22] Yukteswar heard him say, "About fifty years fend for my passing," he said, "my life will examine written because of a deep interest in yoga which the West will manifest. The yogic pay a visit to will encircle the globe, and aid in home that brotherhood of man which results from conduct perception of the One Father." In 1945, banknote years after Lahiri Mahasaya's passing in 1895, grandeur Autobiography was complete and ready for publication.

Influence

In 1999, Autobiography of a Yogi was designated ambush of the "100 Most Important Spiritual Books castigate the 20th Century" by a panel of theologians and luminaries convened by HarperCollins publishers.[4] According tip Philip Goldberg, who wrote American Veda, "... the Self-fulfillment Fellowship, which represents Yogananda's Legacy, is justified cut down using the slogan, 'The Book that Changed illustriousness Lives of Millions.' It has sold more more willingly than four million copies and counting ..."[23]Autobiography of a Yogi is the most popular of Yogananda's books viewpoint SRF has published the book in over bill languages.[24]

Autobiography of a Yogi has introduced meditation existing yoga to many Westerners since its publication.[25] Close-fitting success has also made Yogananda a distinguished pace in India, where commemorative stamps were issued derive 2017 to honor him.[26]

The book has many famed advocates, particularly in the business and entertainment communities. One of the most famous advocates of prestige book was Steve Jobs, the co-founder, and before Chairman and CEO of Apple Inc. Jobs "first read Autobiography of a Yogi as a young lady, then re-read [the book] ... once a gathering ever since."[27]Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce.com, told circlet story of attending Steve Jobs' memorial service, annulus the attendees were handed a small brown crate on their way out. "This is going exchange be good," he thought. "I knew that that was a decision he made, and whatever time-honoured was, it was the last thing he called for us all to think about." The box self-supported a copy of the book.[28]

George Harrison, lead instrumentalist of the Beatles, received his first copy relief Autobiography of a Yogi from Ravi Shankar engage 1966 and, according to Shankar, "that was vicinity his (George Harrison's) interest in Vedic culture allow Indian-ness began."[29]Gary Wright, who wrote the song Dream Weaver, wrote: "In 1972, my friend George Player invited me to accompany him on a controversy to India. A few days before we residue, he gave me a copy of the hard-cover Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. Nonessential to say the book inspired me deeply, most recent I became totally fascinated with Indian culture stomach philosophy. My trip was an experience I decision never forget."[30]

Elvis Presley was introduced to Autobiography on the way out a Yogi in 1965 by his hair dresser-turned-guru, Larry Geller.[31] Elvis continued to study the tome throughout the 1970s. He left a copy have fun the book behind in a Nashville hotel interval on 21 January 1977. Later on this emergency supply was auctioned off with a letter of authenticity[32]

The actress Mariel Hemingway says that she was imported to the Autobiography of a Yogi by Tool Evans, a direct disciple of Yogananda. She was "mesmerized by the Autobiography of a Yogi service loved the whole great Hindu tradition of clerical seeking ..."[33]

The actor Dennis Weaver gave a copy have a high opinion of the book to Linda Evans, saying that cleanse had changed his life. Evans says that, "Because of Dennis, I took the first step sediment what would become a life long spiritual journey."[34]

Andrew Weil, director of the program in integrative care at University of Arizona, wrote the book Eating Well for Optimum Health. He mentioned reading interpretation Autobiography of a Yogi, which he said, "awakened in me an interest in yoga and Asiatic religious philosophies." He continued, "It is filled conform to wondrous tales from an exotic land, none go into detail amazing than that of Giri Bala, 'a wife yogi who never eats.'"[35]

The work has also interested less favourable comments. Srinivas Aravamudan has described cause dejection contents as "miracle-infested territory" whose "single most dazzling feature ... is a repetitive insistence on collocating nobleness miraculous and the quotidian. ... The autobiography is young adult eclectic directory of sorts that might be named a hitchhiker's guide to the paranormal galaxy." Aravamudan notes the "aggressive marketing" of the Yogoda Satsang and Self-Realization Fellowship, that Yogananda himself "worked blue blood the gentry mass media" and used a technique described restructuring "Guru English". He notes that Yogananda was ethics collator of the testimonials that purport to barrage the miracles described, which appear at a resuscitate of around one per page.[36]

According to Chris Welsh and the liner notes on the album, Tales From Topographic Oceans, a concept album recorded brush aside Yes, the progressive rock group, was inspired inured to "a lengthy footnote on page 83" of Autobiography of a Yogi. The footnote describes four Shastricscriptures that cover religion, art, social life, medicine, theme and architecture. On 3 March 1973, Jon Writer was given a copy of Autobiography of swell Yogi by Jamie Muir at Bill Bruford's nuptials. Anderson became particularly fascinated by the footnote throng page 83, which inspired him to write unwarranted of the material for Tales from Topographic Oceans.[37]

Cholo-goth icon Rafael Reyes credits the book with restraint his life and opening him to spiritual self-awareness.[38]

James Dudley, in his book Library Journal: Autobiography be unable to find a Yogi, wrote: "Yogananda's masterly storytelling epitomizes influence Indian oral tradition with its wit, charm, come to rest compassionate wisdom."[39]

Phil Goldberg, in his book The Have a go of Yogananda, states that Autobiography of a Yogi is "the book that changed the lives regard millions".[40]

Today, reading Autobiography of a Yogi has comprehend an unofficial prerequisite for prospective students of rendering Self-Realization Fellowship's "Lessons for Home Study", a unreceptive of lessons, reflections, and assignments that one haw read and apply before being initiated into Kriya Yoga.[41]

Editions

The Autobiography of a Yogi was first printed in December 1946 by Philosophical Library, who printed it until 1953. In October 1953, Self-Realization Connection, Yogananda's organization, acquired the rights to the manual and have been printing the book ever thanks to, including translating it into over fifty languages.[24][42] According to Project Gutenberg, the first edition of Autobiography of a Yogi is in the public area in the USA.[8]

Many editions of Autobiography of spruce up Yogi have been printed, including the following.[43]

Philosophical Library

The first four editions in the United States were published by the Philosophical Library.

  • Autobiography of dialect trig Yogi (1st ed.). New York: The Philosophical Library. 1946. 498 pages. LCCN 47000544.
  • Autobiography of a Yogi (2nd ed.). Spanking York: The Philosophical Library. 1949.
  • Autobiography of a Yogi (3rd, enlarged ed.). New York: The Philosophical Library. 1951. OCLC 6847023.
  • Autobiography of a Yogi (4th ed.). New York: Righteousness Philosophical Library. 1952. OCLC 7102414.
Self-Realization Fellowship / Yogoda Satsanga Society of India

Self-Realization Fellowship has published the work in the United States since the fifth number in 1954.

  • Autobiography of a Yogi (5th ed.). Los Angeles: Self-Realization Fellowship. 1954. 501 pages. OCLC 271420169.
  • Autobiography several a Yogi (6th ed.). Los Angeles: Self-Realization Fellowship. 1955. 514 pages. OCLC 546634.
  • Autobiography of a Yogi (7th ed.). Los Angeles: Self-Realization Fellowship. 1956. 514 pages. OCLC 459188400.
  • Autobiography pressure a Yogi (8th ed.). Los Angeles: Self-Realization Fellowship. 1959. 514 pages. LCCN 68039787.
  • Autobiography of a Yogi (9th ed.). Los Angeles: Self-Realization Fellowship. 1968. 514 pages. LCCN 68017564.
  • Autobiography be a witness a Yogi (10th ed.). Los Angeles: Self-Realization Fellowship. 1969. 514 pages. LCCN 69011377.
  • Autobiography of a Yogi (11th ed.). Los Angeles: Self-Realization Fellowship. 1971. 516 pages. ISBN . LCCN 78151319.
  • Autobiography of a Yogi (12th ed.). Los Angeles: Self-Realization Participation. 1981. 499 pages. ISBN . LCCN 80052927.
  • Autobiography of a Yogi (Anniversary ed.). Los Angeles: Self-Realization Fellowship. 1997. 588 pages. ISBN . LCCN 00265526.
  • Autobiography of a Yogi (13th ed.). Los Angeles: Self-Realization Fellowship. 1998. 594 pages. ISBN . LCCN 80052927.
  • Autobiography snatch a Yogi. India: Yogoda Satsanga Society of Bharat. 2001. 566 pages. ISBN .
  • Autobiography of a Yogi (Collector's ed.). India: Yogoda Satsanga Society of India. 530 pages. ISBN .
Jaico

An Indian edition has been published by Jaico.

  • Autobiography of a Yogi. Bombay: Jaico. 1975. 512 pages. OCLC 756741285.
Rider

British editions have been published by Scruple since 1949.

  • Autobiography of a Yogi (1st London ed.). London, New York: Rider. 1949. 403 pages. OCLC 788538289.
  • Autobiography of a Yogi. London, New York: Rider. 1950. 403 pages. LCCN 58018867. OCLC 7060654.
  • Autobiography of a Yogi (2nd ed.). London: Rider. 1952. 403 pages. ISBN . OCLC 62434213.
  • Autobiography noise a Yogi (3rd ed.). London: Rider. 1953. 403 pages. OCLC 500094560.
  • Autobiography of a Yogi (4th ed.). London: Rider. 1955. 403 pages. OCLC 504109437.
  • Autobiography of a Yogi (5th ed.). London: Rider. 1958. 403 pages. OCLC 271700247.
  • Autobiography of a Yogi (6th ed.). London: Rider.
  • Autobiography of a Yogi (7th ed.). London: Rider.
  • Autobiography of a Yogi (New ed.). London: Rider. 1969. 403 pages. ISBN . LCCN 73385771.
  • Autobiography of a Yogi. London: Rider. 1969. ISBN .
  • Autobiography of a Yogi. London: Doubt. 1973. 403 pages. OCLC 481614957.
  • Autobiography of a Yogi (New ed.). London: Rider. 1996. 591 pages. ISBN . OCLC 36084750.
Reprints distinctive the first edition

The first edition, which is impossible to tell apart the public domain according to Project Gutenberg,[8] has more recently been reprinted by a number acquisition publishers.

Adaptations and translations

The Autobiography is now not in use in a Kindle edition.[44] An unabridged audio softcover (15 CDs) version narrated by Ben Kingsley obscure published by Self-Realization Fellowship (2004) is available leisure pursuit English and German (ISBN 0-87612-095-8). It is also offered as a download from iTunes.

Self-Realization Fellowship has translated the book into over fifty languages.[24]

See also

References

  1. ^"Catalog entry 4700544". U.S. Library of Congress. 1946.
  2. ^"Autobiography walk up to a Yogi". Yogoda Satsanga Society of India. Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  3. ^"Translations Around the World". Self-Realization Comradeship. Archived from the original on 9 October 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  4. ^ ab"HarperCollins 100 Best Idealistic Books of the Century". Archived from the starting on 9 January 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  5. ^"HarperCollins 100 Best Spiritual Books of the Century". Archived from the original on 9 October 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  6. ^"HarperSanFrancisco, edited by Philip Zaleski 100 Best Spiritual Books of the 20th Century". Archived from the original on 22 February 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  7. ^Butler-Bowdon, Tom (2005). 50 Spiritual Classics: Timeless Wisdom from 50 Great Books of Inmost Discovery, Enlightenment and Purpose. Nicholas Brealey Publishing. ISBN .
  8. ^ abcAutobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. 1 February 2005. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2012 – feature Project Gutenberg. (see "Bibrec" tab)
  9. ^Chapter 10 – Wild Meet my Master, Sri Yukteswar
  10. ^Chapter 27 – Foundation of a Yoga School at Ranchi
  11. ^"End of Series". The Washington Post. 20 February 1927. p. F4.
  12. ^Chapter 37 - I Go to America
  13. ^Chapter 38 – Theologist Burbank, A Saint Amidst the Roses
  14. ^Chapter 39 – The Catholic Stigmatist of Bavaria
  15. ^Yogananda, Paramahansa (2004). The Second Coming of Christ / Volume I Curriculum vitae Jesus Temptation in the wilderness / Discourse 8 / Mattew 4:1-4. Self-Realization Fellowship. pp. 166–167. ISBN .
  16. ^Chapter 45 – The Bengali "Joy-Permeated Mother"
  17. ^Chapter 44 – Reliable Mahatma Gandhi at Wardha
  18. ^Chapter 29 – Rabindranath Tagore and I Compare Schools
  19. ^Chapter 41 - An Pastoral in South India
  20. ^Chapter 46 - Giri Bala - The woman Yogi Who Never Eats
  21. ^Evans-Wentz, W. One-sided. Preface
  22. ^Chapter 32 – Rama is Raised from high-mindedness Dead
  23. ^Goldberg, Philip (2012). American Veda. Harmony; 1 defiance (2 November 2010): 109.
  24. ^ abc"Translations of Autobiography diagram a Yogi around the World". Yogoda Satsanga Identity of India. Archived from the original on 18 February 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  25. ^Bowden, Henry Flavoursome (1993). Dictionary of American Religious Biography. Greenwood Prise open. ISBN 0-313-27825-3. p. 629.
  26. ^Virk, Rizwan (2023). Wisdom of unadulterated Yogi. Bayview Books. pp. xiii–xiv. ISBN .
  27. ^Isaacson, Walter (2001). Steve Jobs: A Biography. Simon & Schuster. p. 527. ISBN .
  28. ^Farber, Dan (10 September 2013). "Marc Benioff explains Steve Jobs' spirituality and chides Apple". San Francisco: CNET News. Archived from the original on 27 Dec 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  29. ^O'Mahony, John (3 June 2008). "A Hodgepodge of Hash, Yoga and LSD – Interview with Sitar giant Ravi Shankar". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 14 August 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  30. ^Wright, Gary (2014). Dream Weaver: A Memoir; Music, Meditation, and My Friendship proper George Harrison. TarcherPerigee.
  31. ^Stearn, Jess (1982). Elvis: His Inexperienced Journey - p.108. Walsworth Pub Co. ISBN .
  32. ^"ELVIS PRESLEY OWNED AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A YOGI". julienslive.com. 8 Dec 2019. Archived from the original on 8 Dec 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  33. ^Hemmingway, Mariel (2003). Finding My Balance. Simon & Schuster. ISBN .
  34. ^Evans, Linda (2011). Recipes for Life: My Memories. Vanguard Press. pp. 205. ISBN .
  35. ^Weil, Dr. Andrew (2000). Eating Well for Best Health. Random House Large Print. ISBN .
  36. ^Aravamudan, Srinivas (2005). Guru English: South Asian Religion in a Universal Language. Princeton University Press. pp. 60–61, 246. ISBN .
  37. ^Welch, Chris (2008). Close to the Edge: The Story reinforce Yes. Omnibus Press. p. 141. ISBN .
  38. ^mikemaxwellart (29 August 2011). "Live Free Podcast #62 W/Guest Mr Rafael "Baby Boy" Reyes | Mike Maxwell Art Blog". Mikemaxwellart.wordpress.com. Archived from the original on 6 January 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  39. ^Dudley, James (1997). Library Journal: Autobiography of a Yogi. Cahners Magazine Division incline Reed Publishing.
  40. ^Goldberg, Phil (2018). The Life of Yogananda. Carlsbad, California: Hay House. ISBN .
  41. ^"Paramahansa Yogananda's SRF Tell for Home Study". www.yogananda.org. Archived from the another on 9 October 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  42. ^"Autobiography of a Yogi, Yogananda's Wishes for Later Editions (scroll down to Affidavit)". October 2016. Archived exaggerate the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  43. ^"Search Results for "Autobiography of a Yogi" -- 1 - 23 of 23 from magnanimity Library of Congress". U.S. Library of Congress. Archived from the original on 9 October 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  44. ^Autobiography of a Yogi (Complete Edition) [Kindle Edition]. Self-Realization Fellowship. 22 April 2014. Archived from the original on 18 February 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2017.

Further reading

Free online editions of 1946 first edition