Conversations with Yogananda

What did Paramhansa Yogananda talk about when he was with close disciples? Asha shares insights and spiritual gems to help guide our lives as we slowly read through, and talk about more than 300 Conversations with Yogananda. These conversations, many of which are answers to questions, were lovingly captured by his disciple, Swami Kriyananda, in the 466-page book that is … Read More

Why did God create us? • What is the purpose of the ego? • How science and religion differ in their search for truth • Why did God make the material world so appealing? (Conversations with Yogananda: 3-7)

The guru as a spiritual doctor • How we grow in understanding • Why some of us grow much faster than others, spiritually (Conversations with Yogananda: 8-9)

What is the guru’s consciousness? What is the nature of the Self? • Who am I, really? • Why did God create the universe? • The dream nature of the world • How to achieve spiritual liberation (Conversations with Yogananda: 10)

The dual nature of the universe • How to achieve freedom from pain and separation • How to find God (Conversations with Yogananda: 10)

The guru knows every thought we think • How to win respect from others • How do we know what is right to do? • Is divorce contrary to spiritual teachings? Lower and higher duties—and how to tell the difference • What is a vow? • Is it right to take a vow if we are not living up to … Read More

Taking a vow of renunciation • The guru teaches through suffering, if needed • God will never let us down • How to overcome failure • When do our desires take root in us? • Suicide seems like an effective way to leave this delusive world; why do spiritual teachers say not to commit suicide? (Conversations with Yogananda: 17-18)

Does God judge us when we fall short? • The relationship of the guru with an errant disciple • What if we think the guru is wrong? • Keen intelligence on the spiritual path—a two-edged sword (Conversations with Yogananda: 19-21)

Reading the lives of great saints • Which saints Yogananda recommended as “in our own line” • Who made God? • What is the cause of the universe? • The guru as a mirror • How the guru trains us to see our limitations • What is the difference between devotion and emotion? • How Yogananda chose ministers • Churches … Read More

How to achieve a state of deep meditation • The purpose of evil and suffering • Everyone has the sacred right of free will (Conversations with Yogananda: 28-32)

How important is good diet to the spiritual life? • “Always remain in the Self” • Are UFOs real? (Conversations with Yogananda: 33-36)

“The universe is teeming with life” • God’s consciousness is in every atom • All of creation is a mixture of 3 qualities of consciousness (gunas): darkening, activating, clarifying/elevating (Conversations with Yogananda: 37–39)

Indian’s ancient system of Yugas, describing vast cycles of time and history • What are the Yugas? • What Yuga are we in today? (Conversations with Yogananda: 40)

Are we in a rising or falling age? • What are the characteristics of Dwapara Yuga? (Conversations with Yogananda: 40–41)

Do we always reincarnate on the same planet? • A curious story of a ghost who asked Yogananda for release • Is it good to watch spiritual movies? (Conversations with Yogananda: 41–45)

Western and Eastern approaches to renunciation • Kriya Yoga • How to achieve spiritual realization • Monastic obedience • Suppression • How to tame the ego (Conversations with Yogananda: 46–48)

The difference between men and women • The guru’s training: embarrassing the ego • Testing the disciple (Conversations with Yogananda: 49–55)

The needs of our families vs. a life of renunciation • Is a happy marriage possible? • Personal vs. public altars (Conversations with Yogananda: 56–63)

Loving God and loving people • Yogananda’s detailed vision for his work in India • Yogananda’s plans for Swami Kriyananda (Conversations with Yogananda: 64–66)

California: an ideal environment for the practice of yoga • How successful communities make decisions (Conversations with Yogananda: 67–69)

The company of friends on the spiritual path • Human love and eternal love • Accepting people into the monastic life • How to transform emotion into devotion (Conversations with Yogananda: 70–74)

Outward displays of devotion • How to strengthen devotional fervor • How to overcome temptation • What is sleep? • Yogananda’s thoughts about sectarianism (Conversations with Yogananda: 75–80)

How to respond to opposition and negativity from others • Thomas á Kempis and The Imitation of Christ • The greatest obstacle on the spiritual path (Conversations with Yogananda: 81–86)

Fully liberated saints – what does it take? • The need for a guru • The love of the guru • What happens if we reject the spiritual life? (Conversations with Yogananda: 87–90)

What is ultimate freedom? • How to work with a stubborn or restless mind • The role of self-discipline • Yukteswar’s strong discipline — why he trained Yogananda in this way • When does one become a Master? (Conversations with Yogananda: 91–96)

Dr. Lewis’s mother’s death and reincarnation • What is samadhi? • The dual consciousness of the Master: human and Divine • The responsibility of the disciple to share with the guru • Fundamentalism (Conversations with Yogananda: 97–101)

New Age ideals: manifesting wealth, health, and material success • Is material blessing a sign of spiritual development? • Will power) finish what you start (Conversations with Yogananda: 102–103)

Astral illness • What books are best to read? • Why is loyalty to a path helpful? • Suicide is the lack of desire for anything of this world – why is it not beneficial for the devotee? (Conversations with Yogananda: 110–112)

The karma of rejecting the love of a Master • How long does it take to attain spiritual freedom? (Conversations with Yogananda: 113–114)

A story of Master, Swami Kriyananda, and Laurie Pratt (Tara Mata) • A failed attempt to entrap and embarrass the Master • When Yogananda will be reborn, and where • A vision of Divine Mother (Conversations with Yogananda: 115–119)

The most beautiful couple • Yogananda’s thoughts on marriage • The householder path (Conversations with Yogananda: 120–121)

Yoga postures and the spiritual path • Yogananda’s advice to nuns about their appearance • Marriage and the spiritual life • Sensitivity to the needs of others • How Yogananda overcame severe pain (Conversations with Yogananda: 122–131)

How to seek God • Stories of miraculous healing • Yogananda brings someone back from the dead (Conversations with Yogananda: 132–136)

Bringing someone back from the dead • an unusual “surgery” to heal someone’s heart condition • Diet is individual—Yogananda’s advice to Dr. Lewis • Yogananda’s teachings on vegetarianism • Faith and common sense — what is the right balance? (Conversations with Yogananda: 137–144)

Your own past lives • Seeing psychics • The two greatest barriers to wisdom • How Yogananda spoke to a man who had long worked against him • The meaning of personal challenges (Conversations with Yogananda: 145-149)

How to cultivate a desire for God • The three great delusions: wine, sex, and money (Conversations with Yogananda: 149)

How to cultivate a desire for God • Why is meditation helpful on the spiritual path? • Kriya Yoga • Hong Sau in the spine • Offer everything mentally to God • See good in all, and you will see God everywhere (Conversations with Yogananda: 149)

The importance of meditation on the spiritual path • Seeing God in everything • Yogananda reminisced about meditating in a deep basement of a Benares Temple • Yogananda helps a childhood enemy (Jotin) overcome anger (Conversations with Yogananda: 149–151)

How to overcome anger • Men and women: how they are influenced by reason & feeling • Yogananda as a flawless mirror • Yogananda’s extraordinary mental fluidity (Conversations with Yogananda: 152–154)

Reuniting with a disciple after many years: Oliver Rogers • “You have clear sailing” • How was Swami Kriyananda able to remember so many things that Yogananda said? • Yogananda’s sweetness and his power • Yogananda as William the Conqueror in a previous life (Conversations with Yogananda: 155-159)

How does a liberated Master live in this world? What is their consciousness? • Yogananda as William the Conqueror and historical inaccuracies • Swami Dhirananda and his past life with William • Non-attachment at the time of death • Sexual attraction, and the spiritual power inherent in man’s creative force (Conversations with Yogananda: 160-165)

God is the doer • Is it okay to watch television? • The stories of the life of Krishna) how to share them with others (Conversations with Yogananda: 166-168)

Krishna’s relationship with the gopis: an allegory • Attachment to money • God watches the heart • Pleasing others • What is true Karma Yoga? (Conversations with Yogananda: 169-171)

Grief over the death of a loved one • How loved ones communicate with us after death • Some desires are best fulfilled in the astral world) noble, beautiful desires • Is everyone conscious in the astral world? • How to draw a spiritual soul into the womb • A miraculous initiation of a couple, though the wife was dead … Read More

When does the soul enter an unborn child’s body? • Heeding the advice of a guru, even in little things • Yogananda’s aunt saw him naked and chastised him) “The sin is in you” • The karma for those who marry out of necessity (Conversations with Yogananda: 177–180)

How we leave the path • Worldly life and the energy field it generates • What it takes to find God • Men and women on the spiritual path • Yogananda’s consciousness “I am in so many bodies” • “Wherever God is, there his saints come” • Many saints appeared to Yogananda (Conversations with Yogananda: 181-185)

The need for masculine power in Yogananda’s mission • What is an avatar? • Who was Yogananda in former lives? • What is the future of our planet? • Indians are reincarnating as Americans and Europeans, and the reverse, to usher in a higher age (Conversations with Yogananda: 186-192)

What does it mean to work for God? • Why does God keep himself hidden from us? • Expanding our sympathies beyond ourselves and our family (Conversations 307-308)

What was Master’s mission? • The householder and renunciate paths • Underlying oneness of all religions • Self-realization as the goal of all spiritual practice • Spiritual training and character development of children • Spiritual principles as practical in all aspects of life • Babaji’s commission to Lahiri Mahasaya (Conversations with Yogananda: 308)

Does the disciple need to help the teacher in his work? Or may he focus on his inner development? • What did Yogananda predict for Swami Kriyananda future? (Conversations with Yogananda: 308)

Ideas are universally, not individually rooted • How does science make new discoveries? • How can we develop wisdom? • Is art and science important to the development of the world? (Conversations with Yogananda: 309)

Why do people doubt the existence of God? • Is there something at the controls of the universe? • Does Satan really exist? What is evil? (Conversations with Yogananda: 310-311)

Is there something at the controls of the universe? • Does Satan really exist? What is evil? (Conversations with Yogananda: 311)

Is evolution real? • How does God see the world? • What is past and what is future? • Yogananda’s foreknowledge of his future work in America • What did Master mean when he urged us to “resist” delusion? (Conversations with Yogananda: 312-314)

What is God’s grace? Is it randomly bestowed? • A time when Master’s organization was tested by Satan and many left (Conversations with Yogananda: 315)

Who was Lahiri Mahasaya in a former life? • Who was Babaji in a former life? • Yogananda as Arjuna in a former life • Bhagavad Gita commentaries: “A new scripture is born” • “Millions will find God through this book” • Why this commentary was unique (Conversations with Yogananda: 316-317)

Yogananda’s thoughts about the 20th century wars • The Cold War as a world war • Coming trials for humanity • Master’s predictions about a coming depression more serious than the Great Depression of the 30s • A “terrible cataclysm” • How to prepare • Yogananda’s vision of “world brotherhood colonies” • Yogananda’s vision of James Coller as soon to … Read More

Intelligence and common sense are needed on the spiritual path • “To those who think me near, I will be near.” • Master’s timing in coming to America • The desire for miracles • Overcoming doubts on the path • Why is humility helpful? (Conversations with Yogananda: 321-324)

Trying too hard to meditate • The importance of relaxation • The right balance of relaxation and will power (Conversations with Yogananda: 325)

The importance of deep relaxation in meditation • Visualizations for relaxing the body • Sitting completely still • Visions of America while Yogananda was at Ranchi school in India • How to develop humility • “I killed Yogananda long ago. No one dwells in the temple now but God.” (Conversations with Yogananda: 326-329)