Paramahansa Yogananda and Kriya Yoga.

Paramahansa Yogananda and Kriya Yoga

Paramahansa Yogananda was born Mukunda Lal Ghosh on January 5, 1893, in Gorakhpur, India. In his youth he sought out India's sages, hoping to find an illumined teacher to guide him in his spiritual quest. At age 17, Yogananda met and became a disciple of Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri. He spent the next ten years, receiving Sri Yukteswar's spiritual discipline.

Paramahansa Yogananda After Yogananda graduated from Calcutta University in 1915, he took formal vows as a monk of India's venerable monastic Swami Order, where he received the name Yogananda (signifying bliss through divine union). In 1917, he founded a boys school, where modern educational methods were combined with yoga training and spiritual instruction. Mahatma Gandhi wrote: "This institution has deeply impressed my mind."

"Do not think that you can comprehend the Infinite Lord by reason.....Man's highest faculty is not reason but intuition: apprehension of knowledge derived immediately and spontaneously from the soul, not from the fallible agency of the senses or of reason."

In 1920, Yogananda was invited to serve as India's delegate to an international congress of religious leaders convening in Boston. That same year he founded Self-Realization Fellowship to disseminate worldwide his teachings on India's ancient science and philosophy of Yoga.

Over the next decade, he traveled and lectured widely, speaking of the underlying unity of the world's great religions, and taught universally applicable methods for attaining direct personal experience of God. To serious students of his teachings he introduced the techniques of Kriya Yoga.

In 1935, he toured Europe and India. During his year-long sojourn in his native land, he spoke throughout the subcontinent and enjoyed meetings with Mahatma Gandhi (who requested initiation in Kriya Yoga). During this year, Sri Yukteswar, bestowed on him India's highest spiritual title, Paramahansa - the title signifies one who manifests the supreme state of unbroken communion with God.

On March 7, 1952, Paramahansa entered mahasamadhi, a God-illumined master's conscious exit from the body at the time of physical death.

His life story, Paramahansa Yogananda - Autobiography of a Yogi, was published in 1946 and expanded by him in subsequent editions. A perennial best seller, the book has been in continuous publication and has been translated into 18 languages. A spiritual classic.

Autobiography

Journey to
Self Reaization

Man's Eternal
Quest

Sanctuary
of the Soul

Yoga Journal is dedicated to the qualities of peace, integrity, clarity, and compassion. It focuses on body/mind approaches to spiritual development including health, holistic healing, transpersonal psychology, bodywork and massage, meditation, Eastern spirituality, and western mysticism.

Yoga International is the authoritative source of information on the practice and philosophy of yoga. It provides the means for achieving and maintaining new levels of physical fitness, mental clarity, and spiritual awareness for both beginners and experts alike.

Yoga Paths to health and Enlightenment

tour Tour this family fun and family health website

This website is funded by your contribution and sales

Online Stores Sales, Bargains, Rebates and Clearance

Special Needs Family Fun offers family fun and special needs resources to enhance the quality and fun of family life for families with disabilities.
(c) Copyright 2003 Site Map