If you really want to read only one book to get started with your spiritual journey and want to gauge the extraordinary lives of Yogis, ‘The Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda’ should be your first choice.
This book gives a vivid picture of what you may get when you set out on your self-discovery journey. It also blends the worldly differences between ordinary and extraordinary personalities. You will definitely feel inner joy, divine calling, and spiritual understanding while flipping through its pages.
The book also captures historical facts about the Indian Independence struggle and the two world wars. A boy from Kolkata who transforms into an internationally acclaimed spiritual guru is worth reading. Though the book was written for the West to make them aware of Yog and its importance, it will equally enthrall Indian readers. The power of this book is in its simplicity, where the writer has never shied away from highlighting his failures and weaknesses.
Yogananda Ji takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. His childhood and inclination towards Yoga from a very young age will make you wonder if you have really understood life. The way he has written about his feelings, emotions, and thoughts running during his regular meditational sittings will give you goosebumps. His failed attempt to run away from home to learn Yogic samadhi but finally meeting many ascetics would motivate you to get out of your comfort zone.
The writer has given a clear picture of the importance of a guru in our lives. Without a guru, the entire life of Yogananda Ji would not have been the same. It was his guru, Yukteshwar Ji, who set a life-defining purpose for him to spread the word of Yog into the West and help them to uplift themselves spiritually. Not everyone can be the guru or master, and that is where the divine calling comes. When the time comes, you will meet your guru and get all your answers.
If you feel that yoga is not for married couples or requires enormous effort and time, then this book is for you. The writer is indeed successful in removing many such doubts. His guru, Yukteshwar Ji, and his guru, Lahri Mahashya, both were married and completed their familial duties before embarking on their lifetime commitment to Yog.
The writer has highlighted many similarities between Jesus Christ and Indian Yogis, suggesting that such transformations are possible through Yog and Samadhi. This has helped the writer let the readers understand how much a thousand-year-old Indian civilization can offer to humanity at large.
The language is engaging and sometimes humorous. You would not find a dull moment in all its episodes. Some of the chapters encapsulate a kind of detailed description of siddhis (accomplishments), skills, and thought-provoking quotes from the various saints, yogis, masters, and ascetics he met during his course of life.
I am quite delighted to have read this book, and it seems this book will guide me during the course of my life.
Thanks to Paramahansa Yogananda Ji for sharing his mesmerizing life memoir with the world.
Categories: Moral Boosting, Non Fiction, Real Life
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