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Paramahansa Yogananda As I Knew Him: Experiences, Observations, And Reflections of a Disciple

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Roy Eugene Davis provides a brief overview of his two or so years as a student of Paramahansa Yogananda, as well as the beginnings of his own ministry and some basic Q&A on the teachings of Yogananda. It's probably best to have read Autobiography of a Yogi first, and in comparison, it is a pretty light read. However, if you are looking at following one of the several offshoots of Yogananda's SRF, this will help you understand the alternatives and the basic teachings.

mr. davis has devoted his life to helping others realize a happier and more meaningfull life. his memories and the effect his encounters with yogananda had on him are inspiring and truthfull. yogananda is a true master whose influence cannot be measured in time.

Roy Eugene Davis was briefly in Paramahansa Yogananda's monastic order in the early 1950's, but left to pursue his own ministry. This book is very sparse on memoirs of Yogananda, attesting to the infrequency of Davis's actual encounters with the Great Master. In order to fill out the book, most of it is just his analysis of the tenants of Hinduism and the form of religious practice that Yogananda taught. Davis is completely contrary to the current teachings of Yogananda's organization, Self Realization Fellowship in very crucial ways. One, he states that Yogananda cannot be anyones' guru, now that he has left his body. SRF teaches that Yogananda can be a person's guru and that his absence from the body makes no difference - Yogananda also confirmed this when in the body, that it makes no difference. Also, Davis thinks he is the "guru-successor" to Yogananda - a pretentious and arrogant misconception that discredits him completely. There are far more qualified people who could claim that title, but do not, for they are more humble and aware.

Read "The Flawless Mirror" by Kamala Silva; "The Trilogy of Love" by Durga Mata; "The Path" by Donald Walters or any of several books by Daya Mata of the Self Realization Fellowship for a much more detailed and accurate account of Yogananda and his teachings. Roy Eugene Davis's book is not worth the time.