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The Life of Yogananda: The Story of the Yogi Who Became the First Modern Guru Kindle Edition
by Philip Goldberg (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (214)
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He was called “the 20th century’s first superstar guru” (Los Angeles Times), and today, nearly a century after he arrived in the United States, he’s still the best known and most beloved of all the Indian spiritual teachers who have come to the West. Now, finally, Paramahansa Yogananda has the authoritative biography he deserves.
Paramahansa Yogananda, considered by many to be the father of modern yoga, has had an unsurpassed global impact thanks to the durability of his teachings, the institutions he created or inspired, and especially his iconic memoir, Autobiography of a Yogi.
Since its publication in 1946, that book has sold millions of copies and changed millions of lives. But it doesn’t tell the whole story.
Much of Yogananda’s seminal text is devoted to tales about other people, and it largely overlooks the three vital decades he spent living, working, and teaching in America. Huge chunks of his life —challenges, controversies, and crises; triumphs, relationships, and formative experiences —remain unknown to even his most ardent devotees. In this captivating biography, scholar and teacher Philip Goldberg fills the gaps, charting a journey that spanned six decades, two hemispheres, two world wars, and unprecedented social changes. The result is an objective, thoroughly researched account of Yogananda’s remarkable life in all its detail, nuance, and complex humanity.
But this is more than a compelling life story. “Yogananda would, I believe, want any book about him to not only inform but transform,” Goldberg writes. “It is my hope that readers will be enriched, expanded, and deepened by this humble offering.” That is sure to be the case for both Yogananda enthusiasts and those who discover him for the first time in these illuminating pages.
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"Philip Goldberg sheds new light on the incredible story and illuminates the forces that made Yogananda a spiritual teacher and role model for the ages."-- Deepak Chopra, M.D., best-selling author of The Healing Self
"The Life of Yogananda is a profound and exquisitely written account of the life of one of the most renowned spiritual masters of our time, and is essential reading for anyone on a spiritual path. My experience is that, in a mysterious but unmistakable way, this book pulsates with the very presence, blessing, and transmission of Yogananda's limitless wisdom and grace. With insight, clarity, and his own depth of consciousness, Philip Goldberg takes you on a virtual pilgrimage that will uplift you, inspire you, and illuminate your own journey of awakening."-- Dr. Barbara De Angelis, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Soul Shifts and The Choice for Love
"The long sought and much anticipated synthesis of East and West has yet to fully materialize, although there have been some very profound moves in that direction. It is therefore entirely appropriate that Philip Goldberg delivers a thoroughly readable biography of perhaps the first, and to date the most influential, integrator of Eastern and Western philosophical traditions, the remarkable Yogananda, in The Life of Yogananda: The Story of the Yogi Who Became the First Modern Guru. With any attempt at summarizing the life of a stunningly great person, the endeavor itself is fraught with difficulties, but Goldberg takes a very common-sense approach, including aspects of Yogananda's life that seemed truly divine and deeply inspired, as well as those that were all too human. The result is a brilliant account of what history will recognize as one of the most significant lives of the 20th century. The question is, when Yogananda himself had already written the wildly popular and very widely read Autobiography of a Yogi, do we really need this new book? Does it justify itself? I believe that it does, very much so. Sympathetic yet critical, the book brings to light an enormous number of facets of Yogananda's life, times, spiritual realization, culture clashes, and personal dimensions, all of which shed a huge amount of information not only about Yogananda and his own spiritual search, but also about the deeper synthesis of East and West that is still lying in humanity's future. I highly recommend you read this book, and get a profound reminder of what the spiritual search is all about."-- Ken Wilber, author of The Religion of Tomorrow
"In this intensely researched book, Phil Goldberg describes the deep commitment and tireless effort of Paramahansa Yogananda to bring the spiritual teachings of India to the West. He reveals the many obstacles that Yogananda had to overcome in order to bring a light into the darkness."-- Krishna Das, Chantmaster and author of Chants of a Lifetime
"The Life of Yogananda is a precious dive into the life and times of America's most famous yogi, Paramahansa Yogananda. Anyone who has read the classic Autobiography of a Yogi, written in 1946, will thrill to the untold story of Yogananda's life written in this graceful, insightful biography. It is a worthy companion to Yogananda's masterwork, informed both by Philip Goldberg's scholarship and by his deep spiritual practice."-- Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., author of Minding the Body, Mending the Mind and Seven Paths to God
"With spiritual elegance and integrity, Goldberg provides an intimate portrait of the life of Yogananda, the trailblazing guru of North American yoga's influential early years. Through engaging stories and unique perspectives, Paramahansaji shines through this biography as an enlightened master and creator of a great spiritual legacy."-- Michael Bernard Beckwith, founder of Agape International Spiritual Center and author of Spiritual Liberation
"Paramahansa Yogananda is probably the dominant figure behind the Western Yoga movement and its spiritual roots, the veritable father of Yoga in the Western world, living and teaching in America for more than three decades. Philip Goldberg presents a detailed and informative biography of the great master."-- Dr. David Frawley, D. Litt., director of American Institute of Vedic Studies and author of Yoga and Ayurveda
"This exceptionally written, wise, profound biography of one of the 20th century's greatest spiritual pioneers is essential reading for all those who want to understand deeply the growing marriage between Eastern and Western spirituality. I am so moved by and grateful for Phil Goldberg's humble mastery of tone and truth in this marvelous book."-- Andrew Harvey, author of The Hope and co-author of Savage Grace
"In his latest book, The Life of Yogananda, Philip Goldberg has masterfully assembled for us a colorful tapestry of stories detailing the intricacies and complexities that comprise the life of Paramahansa Yogananda. Goldberg's work enables us to understand Yogananda as both mundanely human and extraordinary, while providing us with a detailed inside understanding of this remarkable human being and spiritual leader who has, and will continue to, inspire generations of spiritual seekers. This is a must-read for all who have read Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi and wish to better understand the story behind one of the world's most remarkable human beings."-- Richard Miller, Ph.D., author of Yoga Nidra and the CD iRest Meditation: Restorative Practices for Health, Resiliency, and Well-Being
"The Life of Yogananda is a tremendous gift: a chance to meet from the 'outside' the spiritual genius we met on the 'inside' in Autobiography of a Yogi. The Autobiography shared what was important to Yogananda; Phil Goldberg's biography shares why Yogananda is important to you. If you've read the Autobiography, you must read the biography. If you haven't read either, you must read them both."-- Rabbi Rami Shapiro, author of Holy Rascals
"Yogananda was more than just a popular guru who brought Indian spirituality to the United States. He was also a spiritual genius in the art of living, and his impact and legacy transcend the traditional divides of race, ethnicity, nationality, politics, and religion. In The Life of Yogananda, Philip Goldberg meticulously peels back the mystical layers in order to reveal the man behind the myth. By doing so, Goldberg continues his extraordinary work as our foremost chronicler of Hinduism in the United States.''-- Varun Soni, Ph.D., Dean of Religious Life and Vice Provost for Campus Wellness and Crisis Intervention, University of Southern California
"When I was 15, Ram Dass gave me a copy of Autobiography of a Yogi and the gates of the universe opened. Yogananda's account of his spiritual journey emboldened me to commence mine. Now, all these years later, Phil Goldberg has compiled the stories behind the stories! What a treasure."-- Mirabai Starr, author of God of Love and Caravan of No Despair
"This book is a gift for anyone interested in the yogic journey. Deeply informed by Phil Goldberg's years of practice and study, it explores the life of one of the great spiritual masters of the 20th century. Yogananda's work has had enormous influence on the development of yoga and spirituality in the West, and continues to influence us to this day. In this new biography, Phil offers us a full portrait of an extraordinary man. Merging Yogananda's own autobiographical accounts of his life with the accounts of his friends and students, this gives us a delightfully written, juicy, and inspiring portrait that takes us right into the heart of the yogic experience."-- Sally Kempton, author of Meditation for the Love of It and Awakening Shakti
"Learning who Yogananda was historically can help us to understand who he is spiritually. As with all great spiritual masters, understanding who Yogananda is spiritually helps us to understand who we deep down really are and are called to be--namaste! For me personally, the significance of this book's account of Yogananda seeding the ancient wisdom of yoga into our Western culture and religious traditions reminds me of my experience of being with Thomas Merton at Gethsemani in the 1960s. Merton told me he practiced yoga. He showed me some yoga postures and gave me a copy of Dechanet's Christian yoga, which helped me to integrate yoga into my own spiritual practices. When I was in the monastery with Merton, the Benedictine monk Bede Griffith was living as a sanyasi in his ashram in India, as was his teacher, the Benedictine monk Abashiktananda, whose book The Hidden Christ of Hinduism deepened my own understanding of the underlying unity that permeates all the world's great religions."-- James Finley, Ph.D., core teacher at the Center for Action and Contemplation, author of Merton's Palace of Nowhere and Christian Meditation
"With The Life of Yogananda, Philip Goldberg has placed himself as a premier historian of American yoga. First he gave us American Veda, tracing the complete trajectory of India's influence on the American mind, and now, in this excellent biography of Paramahansa Yogananda, he brings into sharp focus the complex life of America's first guru. This is an important book and I couldn't put it down."-- Dana Sawyer, professor emeritus of religion and philosophy, Maine College of Art; author of Aldous Huxley: A Biography and Huston Smith: Wisdomkeeper
"The story of experiential, meditative, 'Eastern' spirituality in the West just doesn't exist without Yogananda; yet the story of Yogananda, in anything like a full telling, hasn't existed till now. Philip Goldberg, with the clear eyes of the diligent scholar and the open heart of the passionate, lifelong spiritual voyager, is the right person to tell it."-- Dean Sluyter, author of Fear Less and Natural Meditation
"When I was informed about the author's intention to write this book, I knew that gathering information from reliable sources almost seven decades after the subject's passing would be a major endeavor. The result is satisfying. It is enjoyable to read, presented in a clear, forthright manner, and is fair and honest."-- Roy Eugene Davis, direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda and founder of Center for Spiritual Awareness
"The Life of Yogananda: The Story of the Yogi Who Became the First Modern Guru is the book admirers of Yogananda and scholars of Yoga alike have been waiting for. It is a fascinating and inspiring account of the trials and tribulations, successes and indomitable spirit of this remarkable yogi. His achievements are such that religious culture, across nations and traditions, continues to be informed and influenced by his unique vision--whether acknowledged or not. This book tells the story of how he accomplished the extraordinary and, thereby, transformed millions of mundane lives into ones worth living."-- Rita D. Sherma, Ph.D., director and associate professor, Shingal Center for Dharma Studies at Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley
About the Author
Philip Goldberg grew up in Brooklyn and now lives in Los Angeles. A professional writer for more than 40 years, he is author or co-author of some 25 books published in more than a dozen languages. He is also a skilled public speaker, a workshop leader, a spiritual counselor, and the co-host of the popular podcast Spirit Matters. He blogs at Huffington Post and Spirituality & Health, and contributes to other publications. His most recent book prior to this one-American Veda-chronicles the impact of India's spiritual teachings on the West; it was named by Huffington Post and Library Journal as one of the top 10 Religion books of 2010. Website- www.philipgoldberg.com
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The Life of Yogananda: The Story of the Yogi Who Became the First Modern Guru
The Life of Yogananda: The Story of the Yogi Who Became the First Modern Guru
Product details
ASIN : B0794PDMS4
Publisher : Hay House LLC
Accessibility : Learn more
Publication date : 24 April 2018
Language : English
File size : 25.0 MB
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 347 pages
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From other countries
margaret cotter
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!!
Reviewed in the United States on 10 January 2026
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
A terrific book that explores many aspects of karma, and inspires the reader to explore in a compassionate way causes and effects of karma one's own life. Appreciated it so much that it was my recommendation for a small book group where we are now exploring it!
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Diana Denton
5.0 out of 5 stars An Inspiring Book!
Reviewed in Canada on 3 February 2026
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
An exceptional book that offers real insight and thoughtful inquiry into the notion of karma. Phil Goldberg inspires readers to reflect on their own lives. Complex ideas are rendered in a way that is accessible and can resonate with readers' own experience. In this book, Phil brings his wisdom as a long-time spiritual teacher and author to illuminate the ways of karma. An excellent read!
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Gillian Renault
5.0 out of 5 stars Accessible and inspiring
Reviewed in the United States on 12 November 2025
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Phil Goldberg has written a wonderful book that works on several levels. As a brief non-academic history of karma. As a spiritual guide. And as an honest discussion of something that can never be proved, all in accessible language. As he writes more than once in the book karma is unfathomable. But read this and you will start thinking about your actions and their affects in ways you may never have before.
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Brenda Griffey
5.0 out of 5 stars an excellent and enjoyable discussion of a complex topic
Reviewed in the United States on 29 October 2025
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Goldberg has the ability to distill ancient, sophisticated spiritual knowledge and wisdom into modern day language and concepts. Like his previous books, American Veda and The Life of Yogananda, he gives us a complete and clear understanding of the topic while at the same time giving us an enjoyable read. In a life of busyness and information overload, it's especially gratifying to read a substantive book that is also short! Goldberg covers all of the bases of the concept of karma and leaves the reader, believer or non-believer in karma, with much to contemplate.
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Svend Trier
5.0 out of 5 stars A very objective and balanced perspective on the life of this great yogi-saint. Highly recommended
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 May 2018
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
I couldn't stop reading it. A very objective and balanced perspective on the life of this great yogi-saint. Highly recommended.
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Jayendra
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect book......just go for it....peace of mind
Reviewed in India on 27 July 2021
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Perfect book......just go for it....peace of mind
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heartsforlove
5.0 out of 5 stars A truly Shakespearian drama which has for so many years sat quietly in silent history, but has finally been made available.
Reviewed in the United States on 8 June 2018
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Have just finished reading the exceptionally interesting “The Life of Yogananda: The Story of the Yogi Who Became the First Modern Guru” by Phil Goldberg.
To finally discover the details of a major part of his life were like finding the missing parts of the jigsaw after 44 years of curiosity. The details of a major part of his epochal life and how he so patiently persevered with it was deeply inspiring. What struck me also was the need to convey the value of reading this book to other students of Yogananda or Yoga.
So many sincere students of his have dismissed an interest in reading this book on account of the fact that it has not been written by a reputed sanyasin who wears an ochre robe.
Phil Goldberg has greatly respected experience and credentials as an author and is an honest biographer. He was greatly helped with access to the historical files by the board of directors of Self Realization Fellowship.
This world is full of constraints and limitations and even though such an amazing subject is disappointingly short at less than 300 pages. I deeply hope one day Phil or some other great author can go into even more biographical detail with another riveting 1000 page tome.
The great avatar wrote very little about the larger portion of his life while being resident of America. After reading the book you realize that his great humility did not want to focus on the dark forces he had to contend with on an almost daily basis. To advertise negativity can in itself give it a life-force and as a great soul he promoted all the good qualities he witnessed in the west while turning a blind eye to the aggressive racial discrimination, yellow journalism, Christian zealotry, jealous husbands, irate fathers, over anxious mothers and ongoing delusional actions of enormous disloyalty from those he was so tirelessly trying to help. The sheer and almost at times universal misunderstanding of his divine nature found endless repetitive ways to express itself while at the same time consistantly allowing Yogananda to exude the sweet forgiving understanding of a great saint. I was just chatting yesterday with a close friend who told me how once he was locked up in a jail in Florida, in the early 70’s for no other reason than for having long hair.
I told him of the extreme angst and discrimination I received 46 years ago when I turned vegetarian. The point being that the generation of today has so little concept of how social evolutionary values have advanced in some areas and sadly deeply digressed in others. In the 1940’s it was illegal for an Asian to marry a white girl in California just to cite one example. And California was regarded as being way too tolerant by the other states!!
Personally because I have read most info on Yogananda from the different books put out by SRF. I found the first 100 pages at best to be passed over, as it is just a repeat of Mejda or other books written by persons who had a more personal relationship to the events. But when Mr. Goldberg launched into Yogananda landing in Boston the book took on a whole new light of revealing and inspiring information. Life is so full of struggles and hard work and to see how a great saint deals with them and to walk in their shoes, as the pages turn, was a great darshan and series of lessons. I urge anyone to not dismiss this exceptional biography of truly Shakespearian drama, which has for so many years sat quietly in silent history but has finally been made available.
50 people found this helpful
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Valeria Pugiotto
1.0 out of 5 stars A big disappointment
Reviewed in Italy on 13 December 2018
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
This book the product of cut and paste from other books on Master. I was truly disappointed as it added nothing new to what we already knew from his Autobiography, articles, and the extensively quoted ‘Mejda’. Don’t waste your money!
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Yann Padron
5.0 out of 5 stars fascinating!
Reviewed in Mexico on 1 September 2018
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Very interesting to look into the life of Yogananda whose teachings have impacted the life of so many, including my own. This book allows us to see how someone so close to divine understanding delt with the troubles, trials and hardships of a very human life. Very enlightening and inspirational!
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars one of the truly great spiritual masters of this or any time
Reviewed in the United States on 13 June 2018
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
The Life of Yogananda by Phil Goldberg is a deeply profound, superbly written account of the life of Paramahansa Yogananda, one of the truly great spiritual masters of this or any time, and is essential reading for anyone on a spiritual path.
One one hand, It IS a remarkable biography about a true spiritual giant like Yogananda while simultaneously shedding new light on the life and personality of a very remarkable human being.
At the same time, it IS also a book about America’s most famous yogi that counts among its many virtues the addition of the untold stories and facets of Yogananda’s life that were not popularly reported.
But Phil Goldberg’s biography of Yogananda is all this, and so much more. There are many, many "spiritual" books around, but Goldberg’s book about Yogananda does what so very few do. In an inexplicable, yet undeniable way, possibly due to Goldberg’s attunement with Yogananda while writing this book, or possibly due to Goldberg’s own enlightened consciousness, or both, this book has the power to open hearts, and uplift one’s consciousness while reading it. Goldberg has does something very very rare. He has written a book about Yogananda that actually vibrates with the presence, energy, and transmission of Yogananda himself!! In its pages, one not only feels Yogananda’s Love, Wisdom, and Compassion, but one actually FEELS Yoganands’s blessing pouring through the pages, uplifting, inspiring, and awakening the reader with every turn of the page. For those of us not lucky enough to have known this great spiritual master while in his body, Phil Goldberg’s biography of Yogananda does the next best thing. It is a virtual darshan that brings Yogananda fully alive within the readers fully opened heart and elevated consciousness. Not many books are capable of this. Phil Goldberg’s does this many times over.
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Ashis Chakravarty
5.0 out of 5 stars A very good book!
Reviewed in India on 8 June 2018
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
A very well written book. Well researched and deeply respectful of the subject. A must read for all those who wanted more from the Autobiography of a Yogi.
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Todd
4.0 out of 5 stars Not what you need
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 August 2020
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Well, I put four stars because the pictures on the cover are lovely.
Master's loving gaze blessing us, and guiding us when our own eyes of wisdom are shut.
I wish the author had written this as a simple list of verified facts and quotes, rather than trying to impress his own, narrow and oft misguided impressions and thoughts on the reader.
Constantly trying to guess the thoughts of a manifested master, an Avatar for the coming age. When one's mind is busy with commonplace thoughts of the world, quite a task !
A lot of these anecdotes are taken from other books and from the talks Guruji gave.
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Michael J. Flynn
5.0 out of 5 stars Phil Goldberg's book is a brilliant, well chronicled
Reviewed in the United States on 22 May 2018
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Phil Goldberg's book is a brilliant, well chronicled, historically contextualized, richly detailed, somewhat secular examination of the life of Yogananda. As a 30 year follower of Yogananda and his remarkable teachings, I finished Phil's work feeling and thinking that Yogananda's life was more "connected" to God (my term for the most intelligent forces in our observable universe) than any individual I have met or read about in my 74 years on this planet. I grew up a devoted Christian. The overarching conflicts and obstacles Yogananda faced in his demonstrative mission to "bring souls to God" by self-realization is itself a testament to levels of courage, faith, consciousness and reality of which I am unfamiliar. The book has caused me to admire and love Yogananda more than before I read it. Somehow, Phil Goldberg has captured that reality while deferring from the usual accolades of Yogananda's host of devotees.
BUT, Phil's book has some major omissions / gaps in his plainly insightful knowledge of Advaita Vedanta, in which he historically contextualizes Yogananda's life and mission. These relate to Dhirananda, Nerode, and Kriyananda. I happen to have extensive and detailed, archival knowledge of their lives and how they intersected with Yoganandas. In a nutshell, these three were Vedanta vowed brahmacharyas who had formally accepted Yogagnanda as their Guru. They betrayed their vows, their loyalty, and themselves in conduct that resulted in the natural vedantic breaches of those sacred relationships. THAT is the foundation for their conflicts with Yogagnanda. Kriyananda's later wholesale perversions of this sacred vedantic trust resulted in his split with Self Realization Fellowship, some of which is captured in the litigation record, including the testimony of the women who Kriyananda violated, which can be read online. I understand Phil's avoidance of these issues in order to maintain the focus of his work and adding another 200 or more pages to it. But readers should know the true cause of the relationship conflicts Phil references as "ambiguous." The drilled down facts on these matters contain no such ambiguity. What happened to Yogananda in these relationship conflicts thematically correlates to the crucifixion of Christ.
Having said that, EVERY student, devotee, critic , historian etc of Yogananda should read this book. It factually details the life of the most remarkable human I have ever read about. But, I am just a journeyman on Yogananda's path.
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Ramesh Visariya
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended
Reviewed in India on 29 May 2018
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
It has provided an expanded view for many of Yogananda devotees throughout world and a window to many of his experiences, a must read!
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Saurabh Kumar
4.0 out of 5 stars Breezy
Reviewed in India on 16 July 2019
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A breezy biography of one of the great yogis who took India’s great spiritual teachings to the west. Mr. Goldberg’s conversationalist style of writing is good and makes for crisp and to-the-point reading. Additionally, the author does a great job of highlighting the gurudeva’s life in the United States, which has been sparingly mentioned in the Autobiography of a Yogi.
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Strings Attached
4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed it, but wished there was more!
Reviewed in the United States on 12 September 2018
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
I’m writing my review without reading the others, so I apologize if I repeat thoughts already expressed.
I enjoyed reading this biographical sketch, The Life of Yogananda, about Paramahansa Yogananda even though it is, in many places, a superficial review of this spiritual giant. A thorough telling could have easily run much longer, but might have lost casual readers. In some respects, this accounting demonstrates the weakness of writing a biography about someone whom the author, Philip Goldberg, never met, and who must, therefore, rely upon second and third hand information. Certainly, some of those sources might be of questionable accuracy or objectivity. Additionally, all but a small handful of Yoganandaji’s (ji – a prefix of respect) contemporaries have also passed. So, the ability of any author to gather first hand testimony to the events, the character and the personalities of those involved in this saga, is, unfortunately, nearly impossible.
For these reasons, I will take exception to Goldberg’s occasional attempts to analyze the inner thoughts and motivations of Yoganandaji regarding some of the obstacles he faced In his quest to establish his teachings in the West. The author’s musings are mere conjecture, but could mislead the reader into thinking they could possibly understand the inner workings of a man who’s entire life was dedicated to serving God.
It is important to realize that great souls, like Yoganandaji, often perform, what appear to us, as arbitrary or contradictory actions or decisions. For example, to appease a disgruntled assistant, who provided substantial service to the work for many years, Yoganandaji signed an IOU promising financial compensation. Several years later, that document was used against Yogananda. One could wonder why, if a man is guided by God’s wisdom, he would have signed such a document and not foreseen its future negative impact. However, it is possible that Yogananda was acting in the role of guru by providing a potential path to spiritual growth for that student in spite of his future disloyalty. We will never know Yoganandaji’s intent, but must be cognizant of the fact that there may be reasons and forces acting beyond our understanding.
The first several chapters here are a retelling of material that has already been published in the Autobiography of a Yogi, Mejda, and several other literary works. The original sources tell these stories better, in my opinion, but are worthwhile for the unfamiliar. However, this book gets much more interesting when the story line advances to the time when Paramahansa Yogananda sets up his first school in India, and later travels to the United States on his initial lecture tour. Once in America, the details and people involved gets convoluted and tricky to follow as Yogananda frequently travels back and forth between Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, and later Washington DC, within a short time span.
Later, Yogananda made several cross country trips giving sold out lectures wherever he spoke, and meeting new people, some who would become close associates and students. I would recommend that the reader keep a scratch pad of these names as several play significant roles later in the story. Surprisingly, some of those people turn from friend to foe in later years. We must remember that no one is perfect and many of these followers likely had personality flaws that were magnified in the presence of a teacher and guru who pushed them to excel. Plus, there are those who, by remaining close to fame, hope that some of this glory will rub off on them. Perhaps they also expected their pockets to be enriched, too. When these events didn’t materialize, some reacted with surprising animosity. It has been told by loyal disciples that there was no ego stroking by Yoganandaji to those who expected flattery.
I also recommend that the reader closely follow the footnotes accompanying the text as many contain additional fascinating details about the people and events discussed. And, I do commend the author for addressing some of the controversy accompanying Yogananda’s life. His was a different time and era from ours. The accepted norms today were considered extreme, even dangerous, to the restrictive religious culture in America during the 1920s’ thought the ‘50s. The fact that his teachings survived those pressures and have even thrived is testimony to Paramahansa Yogananda’s veracity and dedication to the highest ideas of morality and spirituality. Where some with narrow vision might have seen compromise, others (and history) see adaptability. It is important to consider that Yogananda never “sold out” and got rich (like some false teachers who surround themselves with luxury while their followers live in poverty), and never used his influence to manipulate people for selfish goals. The ultimate measure of a spiritual teaching is the quality (not quantity alone) of its followers. Today, there are many Self Realization Fellowship renunciant and lay disciples who exemplify the highest aspects expounded in Yogananda’s teachings as well as the highest moral standards espoused in the great world religions.
For students of Paramahansa Yogananda, the information in the The Life of Yogananda is an interesting footnote in the life of their teacher, but it fails to capture a sense of his profound spiritual depth. I would encourage the reader, if they enjoyed this book, to follow it by reading Autobiorgrahy of a Yogi and one of the several books published of Yogananda’s compiled lectures.
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KristofferCarter
5.0 out of 5 stars Philip Goldberg is a Master Documentarian of Yoga
Reviewed in the United States on 25 April 2018
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Philip Goldberg has done Yogananda’s global mission, and our family of devotees a wonderful service. the Life Of Yogananda is meticulously written, and strikes a fine balance between objectivity and reverence for Master Yogananda and his teachings.
Early on there are stories we all know from Autobiography of a Yogi, and Mejda (written by Yogananda’s younger brother Sananda). But there are also many interesting context pieces around the eras and regions where young Mukunda lived, which provides a fascinating backdrop for his rise.
Admittedly I’m not completely through the book but I already can’t put it down. I’m thinking of it as beautifully produced “extras” on the “DVD” of AoY.
Loved that he included commentary from Vedic scholars and astrologers on Yogananda’s birth chart. It’s rare such an avatar of God leaves behind such a treasure trove of teachings and writings. It’s rarer still that a biographer takes on such a monumental task of documenting the humanity of such a being.
Highly recommended to devotees and skeptics alike. At face value, it’s packed with inspiring stories of conquering seemingly insurmountable odds, through unwavering faith and attunement with God.
But look deeper, and you’ll get to know a truly extraordinary soul, and maybe expand the possibilities for your own life.
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Gillian Renault
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent! Balanced and highly readable
Reviewed in the United States on 16 May 2018
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Philip Goldberg has done a brilliant job of giving a balanced, detailed, well researched, objective and highly readable view of a fascinating man, a Hindu teacher who had a huge impact on spirituality and religion in America in the first part of the 20th century. Goldberg describes some of Yogananda’s early mystical experiences in the early chapters (drawn from his subject’s own famous Autobiography of a Yogi and other sources) but makes sure to leave room for both believers and non believers to come to their own conclusions. When he moves on to the years yogananda spent in the US the author gives us details of the many financial and personal hardships he encountered without losing sight of his mission and the depth of his subject’s spirituality. Goldberg’s knowledge of Hinduism and his very readable way of putting Yogananda’s life story in the context of American and world history is another reason to love this book. I came away in awe of the time and commitment it must have taken to research and write such a volume! And to achieve the right tone. Which he has. An excellent addition to the bookshelf or kindle of any spiritual seeker or anyone interested in religion in America.
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Susan M. Botich
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written biography!
Reviewed in the United States on 30 August 2024
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Goldberg's objective, yet respectful, biography of Swami Paramahansa Yogananda shows diligent commitment to present an unbiased, indepth account of the great yoga master. It was a joy to read and glean new jewels of understanding about the spiritual giant as well as those whose lives threaded with his. I loved every single page!
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William R. Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars A Well Researched, Excellently Written and Wonderful Account of Paramansa ji's Life!
Reviewed in the United States on 30 August 2019
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
I've read a lot of spiritual biographies and autobiographies and this one, by Philip Goldberg, is among, if not, the best, save for one, Paramahansa ji's own AY! It is well researched, engagingly and excellently written and fair, yet not too fawning or saccharine. Mr. Goldberg has done a wonderful job of capturing the important aspects of PY's life and it is a wonderful tribute to PY from one who is clearly an admirer, spiritual aspirant and skilled biographer. It stands as a fitting complement to the Master's own, Autobiography of a Yogi! In the spirit of total transparency I practice the same system of meditation as Mr. Goldberg and am a teacher of TM but a long time admirer of PY.
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Ed Sharrow
2.0 out of 5 stars A list of places visited lacking insight into the man or his mission.
Reviewed in the United States on 17 October 2022
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
In short, Philip Goldberg has researched Yogananda’s physical tour itineraries, his family, some of Yogananda’s disciples, acquaintances, and legal troubles but fails to capture any significant essence of Yogananda as a dynamic person and spiritual leader. The biography reads more like a schedule for a life rather than the life experience one has lived.
Complete Review
Paramhansa Yogananda is a guru for his disciples as well as a worldwide spiritual teacher whose mission continues today through several organizations including the two he established – Self Realization Fellowship (SRF) headquartered in the USA, and the Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (YSS). He is most often noted for his best-selling “Autobiography of a Yogi”, known to his devotees as the “AY”.
The need for a substantive biography of Yogananda has been recognized for decades. His AY provides only minimal details about his own life and spends most of its pages describing the miraculous lives of other mystics and saints. Most previous biographical accounts of Yogananda have failed. From the small, limited-scope of self-published accounts such as “Yogananda Sanga” by his Indian contemporary and friend Swami Satyananda Giri to the Oxford University Press published “Biography of a Yogi” by Anya P. Foxen, these accounts have either been incomplete or misdirected.
I read Anya P. Foxen’s book before Philip Goldberg’s biography, and am at a loss of how her book received publication. She would get zero out of five stars if her book was worthy of a separate review. It read like a proposal for a graduate thesis offered by the mind of a Freshman in undergraduate studies. Its selection for publication sheds doubt on any other book that the Oxford University Press might publish.
After the failure of Foxen, I approached Goldberg with more caution. Initially, I was impressed with the amount of detail he collected. Philip Goldberg gets two stars for his detailed account of Yogananda’s steps both physically and as an organizational leader.
In this biography, Goldberg spends more than a third of the content elaborating on the early life in India and Yogananda’s world trip in the mid-1930s which is outlined or already covered in detail in the AY. The remainder is largely a travelogue with a list of places and people. While Goldberg mentions controversies and accusations that arose during Yogananda’s lifetime, his perspectives and conclusions feel largely approved (or perhaps even edited) by the Self-Realization Fellowship leaders.
Regarding recurring accusations of sexual impropriety, for example, Goldberg states, “The salient fact is this: no woman ever claimed to have had sexual relations with Yogananda – not even in posthumous letters, diaries, or memoirs.” Then in the next paragraph, using hearsay of an “intimate friend”, Goldberg dismisses a young actress’s letter in which she stated that Yogananda tried to seduce her.
I agree with Goldberg’s conclusion that Yogananda remained a celibate monk and never fathered a child as Ben Erskine claimed decades after Yogananda’s passing (genetic testing ruled Yogananda out). However, the “he said, she said” defense is meaningless for one who has progressed in the practice of the Kriya Yoga that Yogananda taught. Not even the minimum spiritual activity Goldberg describes rather clinically would have been possible if Yogananda attempted to present himself from the bowels of sensual procreation.
Goldberg’s selection of highlighted disciples and related stories also feels institutionally driven and doesn’t illustrate the far reaching and lasting impact that Yogananda has had on spiritual thought.
For one example, Swami Premananda is hardly mentioned. He was the longest practicing monastic disciple of Yogananda (he was a student present when Yogananda decided to come to America). After Yogananda’s passing, he was forced to establish his own organization, currently called the Self-Revelation Church of Absolute Monism. While an organization cannot be expected to be as dynamic as its founder, SRF spent several decades rejecting and attempting to silence anyone who didn’t abide by their narrow presentation of Yogananda. The heavy hand of SRF editors feels present fairly often in this biography.
In addition to Swami Satyananda Giri mentioned earlier, Dr. George, Mary Peck Stockton, and A.M. Keith are just a few others who have left tales and various legacies that illustrate the dynamic range not only of Yogananda’s mission but also add personal testimony to his advanced abilities. Following is a short story from A.M. Keith.
Mr. Keith, an attorney, described Yogananda to one of his partners who was skeptical of the claims of super-physical control. When Yogananda visited Minneapolis, Mr. Keith invited him to his office to meet his partner. While there, Yogananda felt that he was being grilled and decided to provide a demonstration instead intellectual information.
Mr. Keith related that Yogananda lay down on the office couch and proceeded to go into the breathless state of samadhi.
There he was, lying on the couch, with no breath and no heartbeat! We checked carefully. He was not breathing. We checked his pulse. There was none. We were screaming, ‘come back, please come back’. We were totally scared about the implications of having the corpse of a well-known foreigner in our law offices! For over 45 minutes, we debated about calling the police. We prayed. We didn’t know what to do. Then, Yogananda came back into his body! He sat up and cheerfully said, ‘See, it’s very easy if you know what you are doing’!
This story illustrates why I have given Goldberg’s Yogananda book only two stars. He did not address, even in summary form, a fraction of the physical miracles and psychic awakenings Yogananda’s presence and teachings have caused in others. He mentions the healing of Faye Wright, the future head of SRF, but through exclusion of countless others including one of her brothers who was healed of epilepsy, it elevates her experience as particularly special. With a little more research, though not easily verified by medical professionals, Mr. Goldberg could have discovered the claims that Yogananda was the instrument of raising two children from the dead while in India and one similar incident regarding a youth who had drown in Encinitas, California in the late 1930s.
With the luxuries of time, financial and emotional support that Mr. Goldberg appears to have enjoyed, I expected a more comprehensive account.
Summary
In “The Life of Yogananda” Philip Goldberg has crafted a detailed description of the activities of Yogananda while missing the meaning of his life.
As a world teacher, Paramhansa Yogananda’s life had several objectives. First, on a worldly or materialistic level, he was a self-appointed (or divinely appointed if one prefers) ambassador of India’s cultural heritage and ancient wisdom to the West. He became a living example of and teacher for Vedanta, Sanya and Yoga philosophies. Second, to satisfy intellectuals seeking egotistical knowledge, he drew parallels between the essence of Hinduism’s diverse religions and the core of Christ Jesus’ teachings. However, his third and greatest contribution was to lead a well-documented and open life illustrating how the re-awakening Kshatriya caste (noble warrior class) can expect to interact with the world during this period of ascending consciousness that is dominated by the Vaisya (business) caste. His example included instruction regarding proper meditation and prayer that support both worldly and spiritual objectives. His life was not just a list of tour stops and creative marketing, but more important he promoted that creation has One God over all.
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Burt Thorp
3.0 out of 5 stars Well written, but often uninteresting to outsiders
Reviewed in the United States on 1 May 2018
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
The breezy writing style the author adopts is quite readable. However, much of the content consists of Yogananda went here and there and met this person and that person. Maybe this will be interesting to devotees of the guru, but the rest of us won't learn much from this except that Yogananda was a very busy teacher who impressed many in the US in the 20s, 30s, and 40s. Okay, perhaps that is enough. Much of the most interesting material derives from insider memoirs and from Yogananda's own autobiography, as Goldberg makes clear with his bibliography and notes. I guess this makes the book useful, since a reader interested in Yogananda doesn't have to track down somewhat obscure books by those who had personal knowledge of the guru. One feature of Goldberg's approach bothered me: he seems like someone who is ready to accept the whole world of gurus and the miracles and superconscious experiences that fill that environment, and retells many such stories. However, why sprinkle in little phrases such as "Skeptics will say," or "Are the tales embellished?" What do you think, author Goldberg? The book is not notably objective and makes many claims for the importance of its subject and also debunks many of the critics of Yogananda and their controversial claims. That's all fine. One fun part of the book relates how the young Yogananda traveled across the US camping out in tents and living on the fly. Finally I was interested in the ways Paramahansa Yogananda adapted his message for a western audience--the interplay between Indian culture and western; there is something on this topic in the book, but not a lot. Goldberg states that he didn't intend to get into the teachings. Too bad. The author mentions that Yogananda's monastic disciples didn't adopt Indian names until some years after the guru's death. We aren't told why. I've tried to write a review that will help an outsider decide whether to read this particular book. I found myself skimming through some sections and plan to pass the book on to an acquaintance who is a devotee.
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Maitreya Zohar
5.0 out of 5 stars 100% recommend this book
Reviewed in the United States on 12 August 2018
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
This book was very supportive of what I was looking for. I have been a student of SRF for some time now. I have been connected with the being we call Yogananda for lifetimes now. I have long been interested in the lives of influential souls and how they embrace and move through this human experience. I seek to find relatability, remove the idol worship mentality, explore their foibles and attributes in books such as these. I especially appreciated the authors sharing of what was going on in the greater world at large while Yogananda was moving through his world. An example of this was that I never thought of the racism he had to deal with. Another example is that I hadn't considered what it was like for him during the Great Depression. One thing I either missed in the book or wish was in the book was I didn't get a sense of whether Yogananda felt successful in his earthly mission. I experienced that his yogic practices connected him to the Divine and for that he found the ultimate success but I didn't get if he felt that he had fulfilled his dharma. He certainly accomplished a lot and touched a lot of lives along the way and his teachings continue to thrive throughout the world, however, did the human in him feel accomplished and successful or in his final breath did he detach from the outcome?
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Sarah Tiffany Smiles
5.0 out of 5 stars YoganandaJI book
Reviewed in the United States on 28 January 2019
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
LOVE this book ~ EVEN THO IT'S NOT & WE REPEAT NOT AN OFFICIAL SRF, ( Self Realization Fellowship ) book !!
It tells interesting info " written by a Devotee who lives in LA. We usually ONLY ORDER SRF books & Cd's & Dvd's ~
IN FACT HAVE YOU HEARD OF " AWAKE " , The Documentory about Paramahansa YoganandaJI ? It's 1~der~full !! SELLS OUT Ev~where it's shown !! SEE IT ! It could CHANGE YOUR LIFE ! A MUST SEE !! WELL WORTH the
86 Mins. !! Plus there's a BEAUTIFUL CD w./ Krishna Das & a GORGEOUS companion book; AMAZING !! Thanks ! Anything with the official SRF Lotus sign is WELL WORTH ORDERING !! U will LOVE IT !! JAI GURU ! Bee @ PEACE, Shanti.
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