Customer Reviews

Sayings of Paramahansa Yogananda

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This title is perhaps somewhat overlooked today because of the immense popularity of the greater length of the more recent "Where There Is Light" - a wonderful collection of inspirationals from the yoga master. "Sayings" does, however, provide a collection of complex and thought-provoking insights that often go still deeper than many in "WTIL". Many quotations in "Sayings" take the form of questions (today we might say FAQs) from students on puzzling aspects of life and yoga's instructions for life.

Just to give you a feel, consider the student who protested that he couldn't be expected to succeed in using yoga to reach heights of physical and spiritual success the way Yogananda had because after all, "...Sir, you are a master!" Yogananda replied, "All souls are equal. The only difference between you and me is that I made the effort..."

Some of my favorite quotations show Yogananda's ever-present humility and desire to turn students' attention away from him and toward the Creator, as when a student asked, "...Dr. Lewis was your first disciple in this country, wasn't he?" Yogananda left the questioner a little aback when he responded, "That's what they say." He then added that he never called students his disciples: "God is the Guru; they are His disciples."

If you found yourself moved by Yogananda's "Autobiography of a Yogi" or have studied his meditation Lessons (still available from Self-Realization Fellowship), you will really appreciate these Sayings. Sometimes A m a z o n seems only to have used copies of this title available, but you can get new copies of both cloth and paperback editions from the educational organization Yogananda founded at yogananda-srf dot org.

A long time ago the book title was "The Master said", because that phrase initiated Yogananda's responses to queries, and other words he said. His words are not gospel truth, however. His explanations of the Holy Ghost discredit what the Bible tells, and so with his Hindu explanations of God the Father and Christ too.

He thinks God can make the world go backwards. Phycisists today don't think the universe can be reversed, nor do I.

The scheme of the book resembles The Analects of Confucius (Kongzi). A deep servility to the guru runs through the book - that is communicated very, very much, whether he is right or wrong - disciples believe his guidelines are faultless - yes, faultless.

Surely, "leader infallibility" is a great claim to live up to, especially outside cults.