The Life and Legacy of Paramahansa Yogananda: A Journey to Self-Realization

“The true basis of religion is not belief, but intuitive experience. Intuition is the soul’s power of knowing God.” — Paramahansa Yogananda

Few spiritual leaders have shaped the landscape of Western spiritual thought as profoundly as Paramahansa Yogananda. A beacon of light, Yogananda introduced millions to the ancient practice of Kriya Yoga, a meditation technique with deep roots in Hindu mysticism. His life, teachings, and his seminal work Autobiography of a Yogi continue to resonate across the world.

Early Life in India: The Call of the Divine

Born Mukunda Lal Ghosh on January 5, 1893, in Gorakhpur, India, Yogananda was drawn to spirituality from an early age. Even as a young boy, his deep meditative states and desire to meet saints were unusual. He sought out Indian sages, determined to learn their ways, believing that there was something more than the material existence the world presented.

Yogananda met his guru, Swami Sri Yukteswar, in 1910. This transformative moment became the catalyst for his deep spiritual journey. Under Sri Yukteswar’s guidance, Yogananda learned the ancient art of Kriya Yoga, a meditation method aimed at accelerating spiritual evolution. “A true guru is the expression of the formless…