A Miraculous Read, 02 Oct 2008
I was recommended this book by several friends, which is why I bought it. Curious as to what they were raving on about: "It will change your life!" I was told. 'Yeah, right!" I cynically replied. However, once I finally got around to purchasing it I devoured every word. It is a feast for the soul.
You really do come away feeling you have been given a gift by the Saint.
If every body read this book, what a difference it would make in the world.
Yes, I've heard that Autobiography of a Yogi has transformed many people's lives. I could feel his presence often while I read it. I found myself bursting into tears on several chapters, (and that isn't like me at all!)
In this age of materialism, I believe many Westener's are turning towards spiritual matters. You can't go far wrong with this book to find Truth and guidance.



Scientific rigour and intuitive perception are the two sides of the same coin, 23 Aug 2008
This is the story of one man's training in one of the esoteric Traditions of India. It was Yogananda's task to bring that particular Tradition (spiritual path) to America so that, in the fullness of time, the Wisdom of the East can transform the Activity of the West.

We are used to thinking of Traditions as eternal but in fact they come and go. More accurately, they are obscured from human gaze until humanity has matured enough to utilise them. Although ancient, the Tradition to which Yogananda belonged was withheld from the human sphere until the mid-nineteenth century when it was revived by Yogananda's Guru's Guru's Guru.

The book describes in detail not only the remarkable Being in who's ashram Yogananda was trained but also the others in the lineage. Although the outward appearance of such Beings is unexceptional, they are transformed at the level of consciousness and are capable of feats far beyond that of ordinary mortals. When he died, for example, Yogananda's Guru materialised before him a physical body indistinguishable from the one Yogananda had known - one which he could actually embrace.

At the head of this lineage is Mahavata Babaji - the Deathless Guru. He remains in obscurity in India accessible only to those who are ready. He will remain upon the physical plane until "the end of the Age" which, I guess, in the language of Theosophy, is the end of the current 5th Root Race.

The Tradition which Yogananda brought to America is that of Kriya Yoga. It is billed as a scientific method - with the precision of mathematics - of bringing rapid Enlightenment to the individual who practises it. A correspondence course is available from the Self-Realisation Fellowship in America with application forms on the website at: yogananda-srf.org

In addition to the above, the book contains chapters on Yogananda's meeting with Gandhi, Non-eating and Sleepless Saints and Therese Neumann the Catholic Stigmatist who effectively neither ate nor slept - a remarkable feat before the advent of the Xbox.

Before I read this book I assumed Yogananda was just another Eastern Geezer peddling unassimilable spirituality to an non-critical Western audience. Now I think that assumption was a little hasty. Although his devotion to his Guru is comical to the Western mind and his mode of expression is of a bygone age Yogananda has something to say to those who have an open mind as to the nature of reality. The whole point of the book as far as I'm concerned is to show clearly that the materiality of the West is not the complete picture and that the so called miracles of the East are possible for anyone who is prepared to investigate the phenomenon in a scientific manner. The Eastern Yogi knows that science is not just about the investigation of the physical world and that rational thinking is equally applicable to the investigation of inner phenomena. For a phenomenon to be investigated scientifically it must be repeatable - and that is the explicit promise of Kriya Yoga. Hopefully the correspondence course will open for many the gates of Internal Science which have remained closed for so long and give them their first indications that the claims of the ancient sages is reality based - that scientific rigour and intuitive perception are the two sides of the same coin.

Race you to Enlightenment!




Amazing, thought proving, insightful, i could go on, 15 Feb 2008
This is a wondeful book. Having just started down the route of self-relisation with my own Guru he recommended this book to me. This book has helped bring God closer to my life. It is something I will read again and again. I am certainly not of an age where God has become important to me because of "that time of life". This book has opened my eyes and given me the strength to go forward with what my heart (and I now realise God) want me to do with my life. Yogananda stands beside you whilst you read it. I cannot recommend it enough.

an elixir of light, happiness and youth for the soul, 17 Jun 2007
This is one of my favourite books. Everybody i gave this book to equally worships it. It is a treasure. I wish i could repeat the personal transformation gained after reading it for the first time. I can not recommend it enough to anyone, any age, any religion, any place, any time! I wish i could find something else equally uplifting, mind-bogging and divine!

A Miraculous Read, 02 Oct 2008
I was recommended this book by several friends, which is why I bought it. Curious as to what they were raving on about: "It will change your life!" I was told. 'Yeah, right!" I cynically replied. However, once I finally got around to purchasing it I devoured every word. It is a feast for the soul.
You really do come away feeling you have been given a gift by the Saint.
If every body read this book, what a difference it would make in the world.
Yes, I've heard that Autobiography of a Yogi has transformed many people's lives. I could feel his presence often while I read it. I found myself bursting into tears on several chapters, (and that isn't like me at all!)
In this age of materialism, I believe many Westener's are turning towards spiritual matters. You can't go far wrong with this book to find Truth and guidance.



Scientific rigour and intuitive perception are the two sides of the same coin, 23 Aug 2008
This is the story of one man's training in one of the esoteric Traditions of India. It was Yogananda's task to bring that particular Tradition (spiritual path) to America so that, in the fullness of time, the Wisdom of the East can transform the Activity of the West.

We are used to thinking of Traditions as eternal but in fact they come and go. More accurately, they are obscured from human gaze until humanity has matured enough to utilise them. Although ancient, the Tradition to which Yogananda belonged was withheld from the human sphere until the mid-nineteenth century when it was revived by Yogananda's Guru's Guru's Guru.

The book describes in detail not only the remarkable Being in who's ashram Yogananda was trained but also the others in the lineage. Although the outward appearance of such Beings is unexceptional, they are transformed at the level of consciousness and are capable of feats far beyond that of ordinary mortals. When he died, for example, Yogananda's Guru materialised before him a physical body indistinguishable from the one Yogananda had known - one which he could actually embrace.

At the head of this lineage is Mahavata Babaji - the Deathless Guru. He remains in obscurity in India accessible only to those who are ready. He will remain upon the physical plane until "the end of the Age" which, I guess, in the language of Theosophy, is the end of the current 5th Root Race.

The Tradition which Yogananda brought to America is that of Kriya Yoga. It is billed as a scientific method - with the precision of mathematics - of bringing rapid Enlightenment to the individual who practises it. A correspondence course is available from the Self-Realisation Fellowship in America with application forms on the website at: yogananda-srf.org

In addition to the above, the book contains chapters on Yogananda's meeting with Gandhi, Non-eating and Sleepless Saints and Therese Neumann the Catholic Stigmatist who effectively neither ate nor slept - a remarkable feat before the advent of the Xbox.

Before I read this book I assumed Yogananda was just another Eastern Geezer peddling unassimilable spirituality to an non-critical Western audience. Now I think that assumption was a little hasty. Although his devotion to his Guru is comical to the Western mind and his mode of expression is of a bygone age Yogananda has something to say to those who have an open mind as to the nature of reality. The whole point of the book as far as I'm concerned is to show clearly that the materiality of the West is not the complete picture and that the so called miracles of the East are possible for anyone who is prepared to investigate the phenomenon in a scientific manner. The Eastern Yogi knows that science is not just about the investigation of the physical world and that rational thinking is equally applicable to the investigation of inner phenomena. For a phenomenon to be investigated scientifically it must be repeatable - and that is the explicit promise of Kriya Yoga. Hopefully the correspondence course will open for many the gates of Internal Science which have remained closed for so long and give them their first indications that the claims of the ancient sages is reality based - that scientific rigour and intuitive perception are the two sides of the same coin.

Race you to Enlightenment!




Amazing, thought proving, insightful, i could go on, 15 Feb 2008
This is a wondeful book. Having just started down the route of self-relisation with my own Guru he recommended this book to me. This book has helped bring God closer to my life. It is something I will read again and again. I am certainly not of an age where God has become important to me because of "that time of life". This book has opened my eyes and given me the strength to go forward with what my heart (and I now realise God) want me to do with my life. Yogananda stands beside you whilst you read it. I cannot recommend it enough.

an elixir of light, happiness and youth for the soul, 17 Jun 2007
This is one of my favourite books. Everybody i gave this book to equally worships it. It is a treasure. I wish i could repeat the personal transformation gained after reading it for the first time. I can not recommend it enough to anyone, any age, any religion, any place, any time! I wish i could find something else equally uplifting, mind-bogging and divine!

HOLY BREATH, 15 Jun 2008
Of all the translations of the Upanishads I have not read any which compare to the simple clarity and lucidity of this translation of some of the principle works. Juan Mascaro seems to have found a way of rendering these ancient texts in simple, poetic language which resonates across the divide of words. All other translations I have read have perhaps been more academic, but they fall down completely on fluidity and clarity. Too many of them are dry and smack of 'translationese'. Mascaro manages to make you feel that this is exactly the way in which the Upanishads might have been communicated in English.

Anyone interested in spirituality, or who has had a sense of the Divine in ordinary life, should read these works. Their wisdom underlies just about all spirituality since. Someone above mentions that the Upanishads have a similar message to Christianity. This is essentially true, but there is no suffering or concept of sin and self-punishment in the Upanishads. Nevertheless Christianity was a major attempt at conveying as directly as possible the Upanishadic vision - that God resides in us as well as everything else. Christ is the embodiment of Brahmanic Man and shows us how we can all have that experience. This not what we hear that much in Christianity these days, although it was exactly what Christianity started with. Thus the Upanishads teach us how to read the Gospels. Go read!

Good but not as good..., 22 Jan 2006
A good introduction but I personally would suggest "The Principal Upanisads" by S.Radhakrishnan for a more indepth text. It may be hard to get hold of, but if you can then it is definatly worth reading.

Spiritual fusion, 29 Oct 2002
Juan Mascaro, a Majorcan, was an academic in Ceylon, Barcelona and Cambridge. He had a deep understanding of Catholic Mysticism. His 40 page introduction to this translation of some of the Upanishads is a good way to understand the similarity between Hinduism and Catholicism. This is not apparent on a superficial glance at the religions, and Christians need to read the introduction and then the Upanishads, when it will prove quite a revelation. In fact, it will help in the understanding of Christian mysticism: Brahman (God) is joy and love, too!

A good translation, 18 Jun 2000
This book should be of interest to you, if you want to study ancient Indian text, that forms part of the foundation for Hinduism. Wether or not, you consider this subject worthwhile of study is your own descision. If you couldn't care less about ancient Indian texts, then I doubt that this book will arouse an interest in you. If you do care about ancient Indian text, then this is the definitive translation. Dr. Paul R. Fleischmann dedicates an entire chapter of his brilliant book "Cultivating Inner Peace" to Juan Mascaros abilities as a translator. If you have previously given up on understanding, what's the big deal about the texts that founds the foundation of Hinduism, then this translation might change your mind. Juan Mascaro is a man, who has lived a simple life, and has experiental understanding of the values of this life. That shines through in this translation, and that is why it is worth reading.

A Miraculous Read, 02 Oct 2008
I was recommended this book by several friends, which is why I bought it. Curious as to what they were raving on about: "It will change your life!" I was told. 'Yeah, right!" I cynically replied. However, once I finally got around to purchasing it I devoured every word. It is a feast for the soul.
You really do come away feeling you have been given a gift by the Saint.
If every body read this book, what a difference it would make in the world.
Yes, I've heard that Autobiography of a Yogi has transformed many people's lives. I could feel his presence often while I read it. I found myself bursting into tears on several chapters, (and that isn't like me at all!)
In this age of materialism, I believe many Westener's are turning towards spiritual matters. You can't go far wrong with this book to find Truth and guidance.



Scientific rigour and intuitive perception are the two sides of the same coin, 23 Aug 2008
This is the story of one man's training in one of the esoteric Traditions of India. It was Yogananda's task to bring that particular Tradition (spiritual path) to America so that, in the fullness of time, the Wisdom of the East can transform the Activity of the West.

We are used to thinking of Traditions as eternal but in fact they come and go. More accurately, they are obscured from human gaze until humanity has matured enough to utilise them. Although ancient, the Tradition to which Yogananda belonged was withheld from the human sphere until the mid-nineteenth century when it was revived by Yogananda's Guru's Guru's Guru.

The book describes in detail not only the remarkable Being in who's ashram Yogananda was trained but also the others in the lineage. Although the outward appearance of such Beings is unexceptional, they are transformed at the level of consciousness and are capable of feats far beyond that of ordinary mortals. When he died, for example, Yogananda's Guru materialised before him a physical body indistinguishable from the one Yogananda had known - one which he could actually embrace.

At the head of this lineage is Mahavata Babaji - the Deathless Guru. He remains in obscurity in India accessible only to those who are ready. He will remain upon the physical plane until "the end of the Age" which, I guess, in the language of Theosophy, is the end of the current 5th Root Race.

The Tradition which Yogananda brought to America is that of Kriya Yoga. It is billed as a scientific method - with the precision of mathematics - of bringing rapid Enlightenment to the individual who practises it. A correspondence course is available from the Self-Realisation Fellowship in America with application forms on the website at: yogananda-srf.org

In addition to the above, the book contains chapters on Yogananda's meeting with Gandhi, Non-eating and Sleepless Saints and Therese Neumann the Catholic Stigmatist who effectively neither ate nor slept - a remarkable feat before the advent of the Xbox.

Before I read this book I assumed Yogananda was just another Eastern Geezer peddling unassimilable spirituality to an non-critical Western audience. Now I think that assumption was a little hasty. Although his devotion to his Guru is comical to the Western mind and his mode of expression is of a bygone age Yogananda has something to say to those who have an open mind as to the nature of reality. The whole point of the book as far as I'm concerned is to show clearly that the materiality of the West is not the complete picture and that the so called miracles of the East are possible for anyone who is prepared to investigate the phenomenon in a scientific manner. The Eastern Yogi knows that science is not just about the investigation of the physical world and that rational thinking is equally applicable to the investigation of inner phenomena. For a phenomenon to be investigated scientifically it must be repeatable - and that is the explicit promise of Kriya Yoga. Hopefully the correspondence course will open for many the gates of Internal Science which have remained closed for so long and give them their first indications that the claims of the ancient sages is reality based - that scientific rigour and intuitive perception are the two sides of the same coin.

Race you to Enlightenment!




Amazing, thought proving, insightful, i could go on, 15 Feb 2008
This is a wondeful book. Having just started down the route of self-relisation with my own Guru he recommended this book to me. This book has helped bring God closer to my life. It is something I will read again and again. I am certainly not of an age where God has become important to me because of "that time of life". This book has opened my eyes and given me the strength to go forward with what my heart (and I now realise God) want me to do with my life. Yogananda stands beside you whilst you read it. I cannot recommend it enough.

an elixir of light, happiness and youth for the soul, 17 Jun 2007
This is one of my favourite books. Everybody i gave this book to equally worships it. It is a treasure. I wish i could repeat the personal transformation gained after reading it for the first time. I can not recommend it enough to anyone, any age, any religion, any place, any time! I wish i could find something else equally uplifting, mind-bogging and divine!

HOLY BREATH, 15 Jun 2008
Of all the translations of the Upanishads I have not read any which compare to the simple clarity and lucidity of this translation of some of the principle works. Juan Mascaro seems to have found a way of rendering these ancient texts in simple, poetic language which resonates across the divide of words. All other translations I have read have perhaps been more academic, but they fall down completely on fluidity and clarity. Too many of them are dry and smack of 'translationese'. Mascaro manages to make you feel that this is exactly the way in which the Upanishads might have been communicated in English.

Anyone interested in spirituality, or who has had a sense of the Divine in ordinary life, should read these works. Their wisdom underlies just about all spirituality since. Someone above mentions that the Upanishads have a similar message to Christianity. This is essentially true, but there is no suffering or concept of sin and self-punishment in the Upanishads. Nevertheless Christianity was a major attempt at conveying as directly as possible the Upanishadic vision - that God resides in us as well as everything else. Christ is the embodiment of Brahmanic Man and shows us how we can all have that experience. This not what we hear that much in Christianity these days, although it was exactly what Christianity started with. Thus the Upanishads teach us how to read the Gospels. Go read!

Good but not as good..., 22 Jan 2006
A good introduction but I personally would suggest "The Principal Upanisads" by S.Radhakrishnan for a more indepth text. It may be hard to get hold of, but if you can then it is definatly worth reading.

Spiritual fusion, 29 Oct 2002
Juan Mascaro, a Majorcan, was an academic in Ceylon, Barcelona and Cambridge. He had a deep understanding of Catholic Mysticism. His 40 page introduction to this translation of some of the Upanishads is a good way to understand the similarity between Hinduism and Catholicism. This is not apparent on a superficial glance at the religions, and Christians need to read the introduction and then the Upanishads, when it will prove quite a revelation. In fact, it will help in the understanding of Christian mysticism: Brahman (God) is joy and love, too!

A good translation, 18 Jun 2000
This book should be of interest to you, if you want to study ancient Indian text, that forms part of the foundation for Hinduism. Wether or not, you consider this subject worthwhile of study is your own descision. If you couldn't care less about ancient Indian texts, then I doubt that this book will arouse an interest in you. If you do care about ancient Indian text, then this is the definitive translation. Dr. Paul R. Fleischmann dedicates an entire chapter of his brilliant book "Cultivating Inner Peace" to Juan Mascaros abilities as a translator. If you have previously given up on understanding, what's the big deal about the texts that founds the foundation of Hinduism, then this translation might change your mind. Juan Mascaro is a man, who has lived a simple life, and has experiental understanding of the values of this life. That shines through in this translation, and that is why it is worth reading.

A Miraculous Read, 02 Oct 2008
I was recommended this book by several friends, which is why I bought it. Curious as to what they were raving on about: "It will change your life!" I was told. 'Yeah, right!" I cynically replied. However, once I finally got around to purchasing it I devoured every word. It is a feast for the soul.
You really do come away feeling you have been given a gift by the Saint.
If every body read this book, what a difference it would make in the world.
Yes, I've heard that Autobiography of a Yogi has transformed many people's lives. I could feel his presence often while I read it. I found myself bursting into tears on several chapters, (and that isn't like me at all!)
In this age of materialism, I believe many Westener's are turning towards spiritual matters. You can't go far wrong with this book to find Truth and guidance.



Amazing, thought proving, insightful, i could go on, 15 Feb 2008
This is a wondeful book. Having just started down the route of self-relisation with my own Guru he recommended this book to me. This book has helped bring God closer to my life. It is something I will read again and again. I am certainly not of an age where God has become important to me because of "that time of life". This book has opened my eyes and given me the strength to go forward with what my heart (and I now realise God) want me to do with my life. Yogananda stands beside you whilst you read it. I cannot recommend it enough.

an elixir of light, happiness and youth for the soul, 17 Jun 2007
This is one of my favourite books. Everybody i gave this book to equally worships it. It is a treasure. I wish i could repeat the personal transformation gained after reading it for the first time. I can not recommend it enough to anyone, any age, any religion, any place, any time! I wish i could find something else equally uplifting, mind-bogging and divine!

A Miraculous Read, 02 Oct 2008
I was recommended this book by several friends, which is why I bought it. Curious as to what they were raving on about: "It will change your life!" I was told. 'Yeah, right!" I cynically replied. However, once I finally got around to purchasing it I devoured every word. It is a feast for the soul.
You really do come away feeling you have been given a gift by the Saint.
If every body read this book, what a difference it would make in the world.
Yes, I've heard that Autobiography of a Yogi has transformed many people's lives. I could feel his presence often while I read it. I found myself bursting into tears on several chapters, (and that isn't like me at all!)
In this age of materialism, I believe many Westener's are turning towards spiritual matters. You can't go far wrong with this book to find Truth and guidance.



Scientific rigour and intuitive perception are the two sides of the same coin, 23 Aug 2008
This is the story of one man's training in one of the esoteric Traditions of India. It was Yogananda's task to bring that particular Tradition (spiritual path) to America so that, in the fullness of time, the Wisdom of the East can transform the Activity of the West.

We are used to thinking of Traditions as eternal but in fact they come and go. More accurately, they are obscured from human gaze until humanity has matured enough to utilise them. Although ancient, the Tradition to which Yogananda belonged was withheld from the human sphere until the mid-nineteenth century when it was revived by Yogananda's Guru's Guru's Guru.

The book describes in detail not only the remarkable Being in who's ashram Yogananda was trained but also the others in the lineage. Although the outward appearance of such Beings is unexceptional, they are transformed at the level of consciousness and are capable of feats far beyond that of ordinary mortals. When he died, for example, Yogananda's Guru materialised before him a physical body indistinguishable from the one Yogananda had known - one which he could actually embrace.

At the head of this lineage is Mahavata Babaji - the Deathless Guru. He remains in obscurity in India accessible only to those who are ready. He will remain upon the physical plane until "the end of the Age" which, I guess, in the language of Theosophy, is the end of the current 5th Root Race.

The Tradition which Yogananda brought to America is that of Kriya Yoga. It is billed as a scientific method - with the precision of mathematics - of bringing rapid Enlightenment to the individual who practises it. A correspondence course is available from the Self-Realisation Fellowship in America with application forms on the website at: yogananda-srf.org

In addition to the above, the book contains chapters on Yogananda's meeting with Gandhi, Non-eating and Sleepless Saints and Therese Neumann the Catholic Stigmatist who effectively neither ate nor slept - a remarkable feat before the advent of the Xbox.

Before I read this book I assumed Yogananda was just another Eastern Geezer peddling unassimilable spirituality to an non-critical Western audience. Now I think that assumption was a little hasty. Although his devotion to his Guru is comical to the Western mind and his mode of expression is of a bygone age Yogananda has something to say to those who have an open mind as to the nature of reality. The whole point of the book as far as I'm concerned is to show clearly that the materiality of the West is not the complete picture and that the so called miracles of the East are possible for anyone who is prepared to investigate the phenomenon in a scientific manner. The Eastern Yogi knows that science is not just about the investigation of the physical world and that rational thinking is equally applicable to the investigation of inner phenomena. For a phenomenon to be investigated scientifically it must be repeatable - and that is the explicit promise of Kriya Yoga. Hopefully the correspondence course will open for many the gates of Internal Science which have remained closed for so long and give them their first indications that the claims of the ancient sages is reality based - that scientific rigour and intuitive perception are the two sides of the same coin.

Race you to Enlightenment!




Amazing, thought proving, insightful, i could go on, 15 Feb 2008
This is a wondeful book. Having just started down the route of self-relisation with my own Guru he recommended this book to me. This book has helped bring God closer to my life. It is something I will read again and again. I am certainly not of an age where God has become important to me because of "that time of life". This book has opened my eyes and given me the strength to go forward with what my heart (and I now realise God) want me to do with my life. Yogananda stands beside you whilst you read it. I cannot recommend it enough.

an elixir of light, happiness and youth for the soul, 17 Jun 2007
This is one of my favourite books. Everybody i gave this book to equally worships it. It is a treasure. I wish i could repeat the personal transformation gained after reading it for the first time. I can not recommend it enough to anyone, any age, any religion, any place, any time! I wish i could find something else equally uplifting, mind-bogging and divine!

HOLY BREATH, 15 Jun 2008
Of all the translations of the Upanishads I have not read any which compare to the simple clarity and lucidity of this translation of some of the principle works. Juan Mascaro seems to have found a way of rendering these ancient texts in simple, poetic language which resonates across the divide of words. All other translations I have read have perhaps been more academic, but they fall down completely on fluidity and clarity. Too many of them are dry and smack of 'translationese'. Mascaro manages to make you feel that this is exactly the way in which the Upanishads might have been communicated in English.

Anyone interested in spirituality, or who has had a sense of the Divine in ordinary life, should read these works. Their wisdom underlies just about all spirituality since. Someone above mentions that the Upanishads have a similar message to Christianity. This is essentially true, but there is no suffering or concept of sin and self-punishment in the Upanishads. Nevertheless Christianity was a major attempt at conveying as directly as possible the Upanishadic vision - that God resides in us as well as everything else. Christ is the embodiment of Brahmanic Man and shows us how we can all have that experience. This not what we hear that much in Christianity these days, although it was exactly what Christianity started with. Thus the Upanishads teach us how to read the Gospels. Go read!

Good but not as good..., 22 Jan 2006
A good introduction but I personally would suggest "The Principal Upanisads" by S.Radhakrishnan for a more indepth text. It may be hard to get hold of, but if you can then it is definatly worth reading.

Spiritual fusion, 29 Oct 2002
Juan Mascaro, a Majorcan, was an academic in Ceylon, Barcelona and Cambridge. He had a deep understanding of Catholic Mysticism. His 40 page introduction to this translation of some of the Upanishads is a good way to understand the similarity between Hinduism and Catholicism. This is not apparent on a superficial glance at the religions, and Christians need to read the introduction and then the Upanishads, when it will prove quite a revelation. In fact, it will help in the understanding of Christian mysticism: Brahman (God) is joy and love, too!

A good translation, 18 Jun 2000
This book should be of interest to you, if you want to study ancient Indian text, that forms part of the foundation for Hinduism. Wether or not, you consider this subject worthwhile of study is your own descision. If you couldn't care less about ancient Indian texts, then I doubt that this book will arouse an interest in you. If you do care about ancient Indian text, then this is the definitive translation. Dr. Paul R. Fleischmann dedicates an entire chapter of his brilliant book "Cultivating Inner Peace" to Juan Mascaros abilities as a translator. If you have previously given up on understanding, what's the big deal about the texts that founds the foundation of Hinduism, then this translation might change your mind. Juan Mascaro is a man, who has lived a simple life, and has experiental understanding of the values of this life. That shines through in this translation, and that is why it is worth reading.

A Miraculous Read, 02 Oct 2008
I was recommended this book by several friends, which is why I bought it. Curious as to what they were raving on about: "It will change your life!" I was told. 'Yeah, right!" I cynically replied. However, once I finally got around to purchasing it I devoured every word. It is a feast for the soul.
You really do come away feeling you have been given a gift by the Saint.
If every body read this book, what a difference it would make in the world.
Yes, I've heard that Autobiography of a Yogi has transformed many people's lives. I could feel his presence often while I read it. I found myself bursting into tears on several chapters, (and that isn't like me at all!)
In this age of materialism, I believe many Westener's are turning towards spiritual matters. You can't go far wrong with this book to find Truth and guidance.



Amazing, thought proving, insightful, i could go on, 15 Feb 2008
This is a wondeful book. Having just started down the route of self-relisation with my own Guru he recommended this book to me. This book has helped bring God closer to my life. It is something I will read again and again. I am certainly not of an age where God has become important to me because of "that time of life". This book has opened my eyes and given me the strength to go forward with what my heart (and I now realise God) want me to do with my life. Yogananda stands beside you whilst you read it. I cannot recommend it enough.

an elixir of light, happiness and youth for the soul, 17 Jun 2007
This is one of my favourite books. Everybody i gave this book to equally worships it. It is a treasure. I wish i could repeat the personal transformation gained after reading it for the first time. I can not recommend it enough to anyone, any age, any religion, any place, any time! I wish i could find something else equally uplifting, mind-bogging and divine!

Good precautionary tale, maybe too cautious., 20 Aug 2007
This book is an excellent testament to the power of good research. Unwittingly, Gopi Krishna set something off that he didn't realise the consequences of and he lived a nighmarish existance for quite some time due to it. Most of this book is an excellent example for this, though I do feel it's a little extreme as this man was the exception rather than the rule. Most people who awaken the Kundalini do it over a period of time. This book is at best , an example of what can go wrong if you rush things like this. If you're a spiritual seeker i'd read this and Path Notes of an American Ninja Master before going into the more practical Kundalini books.

read it through the day it arrived, 01 Dec 2001
a simple and succinct discription of the physical and mental effects of awakening the kundalini all of a sudden. the basic testimony opens your eyes and mind wider to the universal energy tapping possibilities inherent in all of us. the inspireation to delve into the rhelms of evolutionary energy and turn the science of kundalini into a living art.

This book is a must for anyone interested in evolution, 12 Nov 1997
While in Canada in the 70's I had the good fortune to come across books written by Pandit Gopi Krishna. I also had the opportunity later to meet and talk with this Indian writer. After going through nearly all of the books he wrote during the last 25 years of his life, I am certain that his unusual insights into the biology of the brain and the physical roots of mysticism will form the basis for a brand new direction for both science and religion. The man was far ahead of his time. When the mystery of the brain and its still hidden potentials are gradually unfurled, Gopi Krishna's books will, I am certain, be the inspiration for a new generation of unbiased investigators, who are certain to shed new light on the mystery contained within all of us. Should be required reading in schools!

A Miraculous Read, 02 Oct 2008
I was recommended this book by several friends, which is why I bought it. Curious as to what they were raving on about: "It will change your life!" I was told. 'Yeah, right!" I cynically replied. However, once I finally got around to purchasing it I devoured every word. It is a feast for the soul.
You really do come away feeling you have been given a gift by the Saint.
If every body read this book, what a difference it would make in the world.
Yes, I've heard that Autobiography of a Yogi has transformed many people's lives. I could feel his presence often while I read it. I found myself bursting into tears on several chapters, (and that isn't like me at all!)
In this age of materialism, I believe many Westener's are turning towards spiritual matters. You can't go far wrong with this book to find Truth and guidance.



Scientific rigour and intuitive perception are the two sides of the same coin, 23 Aug 2008
This is the story of one man's training in one of the esoteric Traditions of India. It was Yogananda's task to bring that particular Tradition (spiritual path) to America so that, in the fullness of time, the Wisdom of the East can transform the Activity of the West.

We are used to thinking of Traditions as eternal but in fact they come and go. More accurately, they are obscured from human gaze until humanity has matured enough to utilise them. Although ancient, the Tradition to which Yogananda belonged was withheld from the human sphere until the mid-nineteenth century when it was revived by Yogananda's Guru's Guru's Guru.

The book describes in detail not only the remarkable Being in who's ashram Yogananda was trained but also the others in the lineage. Although the outward appearance of such Beings is unexceptional, they are transformed at the level of consciousness and are capable of feats far beyond that of ordinary mortals. When he died, for example, Yogananda's Guru materialised before him a physical body indistinguishable from the one Yogananda had known - one which he could actually embrace.

At the head of this lineage is Mahavata Babaji - the Deathless Guru. He remains in obscurity in India accessible only to those who are ready. He will remain upon the physical plane until "the end of the Age" which, I guess, in the language of Theosophy, is the end of the current 5th Root Race.

The Tradition which Yogananda brought to America is that of Kriya Yoga. It is billed as a scientific method - with the precision of mathematics - of bringing rapid Enlightenment to the individual who practises it. A correspondence course is available from the Self-Realisation Fellowship in America with application forms on the website at: yogananda-srf.org

In addition to the above, the book contains chapters on Yogananda's meeting with Gandhi, Non-eating and Sleepless Saints and Therese Neumann the Catholic Stigmatist who effectively neither ate nor slept - a remarkable feat before the advent of the Xbox.

Before I read this book I assumed Yogananda was just another Eastern Geezer peddling unassimilable spirituality to an non-critical Western audience. Now I think that assumption was a little hasty. Although his devotion to his Guru is comical to the Western mind and his mode of expression is of a bygone age Yogananda has something to say to those who have an open mind as to the nature of reality. The whole point of the book as far as I'm concerned is to show clearly that the materiality of the West is not the complete picture and that the so called miracles of the East are possible for anyone who is prepared to investigate the phenomenon in a scientific manner. The Eastern Yogi knows that science is not just about the investigation of the physical world and that rational thinking is equally applicable to the investigation of inner phenomena. For a phenomenon to be investigated scientifically it must be repeatable - and that is the explicit promise of Kriya Yoga. Hopefully the correspondence course will open for many the gates of Internal Science which have remained closed for so long and give them their first indications that the claims of the ancient sages is reality based - that scientific rigour and intuitive perception are the two sides of the same coin.

Race you to Enlightenment!




Amazing, thought proving, insightful, i could go on, 15 Feb 2008
This is a wondeful book. Having just started down the route of self-relisation with my own Guru he recommended this book to me. This book has helped bring God closer to my life. It is something I will read again and again. I am certainly not of an age where God has become important to me because of "that time of life". This book has opened my eyes and given me the strength to go forward with what my heart (and I now realise God) want me to do with my life. Yogananda stands beside you whilst you read it. I cannot recommend it enough.

an elixir of light, happiness and youth for the soul, 17 Jun 2007
This is one of my favourite books. Everybody i gave this book to equally worships it. It is a treasure. I wish i could repeat the personal transformation gained after reading it for the first time. I can not recommend it enough to anyone, any age, any religion, any place, any time! I wish i could find something else equally uplifting, mind-bogging and divine!

HOLY BREATH, 15 Jun 2008
Of all the translations of the Upanishads I have not read any which compare to the simple clarity and lucidity of this translation of some of the principle works. Juan Mascaro seems to have found a way of rendering these ancient texts in simple, poetic language which resonates across the divide of words. All other translations I have read have perhaps been more academic, but they fall down completely on fluidity and clarity. Too many of them are dry and smack of 'translationese'. Mascaro manages to make you feel that this is exactly the way in which the Upanishads might have been communicated in English.

Anyone interested in spirituality, or who has had a sense of the Divine in ordinary life, should read these works. Their wisdom underlies just about all spirituality since. Someone above mentions that the Upanishads have a similar message to Christianity. This is essentially true, but there is no suffering or concept of sin and self-punishment in the Upanishads. Nevertheless Christianity was a major attempt at conveying as directly as possible the Upanishadic vision - that God resides in us as well as everything else. Christ is the embodiment of Brahmanic Man and shows us how we can all have that experience. This not what we hear that much in Christianity these days, although it was exactly what Christianity started with. Thus the Upanishads teach us how to read the Gospels. Go read!

Good but not as good..., 22 Jan 2006
A good introduction but I personally would suggest "The Principal Upanisads" by S.Radhakrishnan for a more indepth text. It may be hard to get hold of, but if you can then it is definatly worth reading.

Spiritual fusion, 29 Oct 2002
Juan Mascaro, a Majorcan, was an academic in Ceylon, Barcelona and Cambridge. He had a deep understanding of Catholic Mysticism. His 40 page introduction to this translation of some of the Upanishads is a good way to understand the similarity between Hinduism and Catholicism. This is not apparent on a superficial glance at the religions, and Christians need to read the introduction and then the Upanishads, when it will prove quite a revelation. In fact, it will help in the understanding of Christian mysticism: Brahman (God) is joy and love, too!

A good translation, 18 Jun 2000
This book should be of interest to you, if you want to study ancient Indian text, that forms part of the foundation for Hinduism. Wether or not, you consider this subject worthwhile of study is your own descision. If you couldn't care less about ancient Indian texts, then I doubt that this book will arouse an interest in you. If you do care about ancient Indian text, then this is the definitive translation. Dr. Paul R. Fleischmann dedicates an entire chapter of his brilliant book "Cultivating Inner Peace" to Juan Mascaros abilities as a translator. If you have previously given up on understanding, what's the big deal about the texts that founds the foundation of Hinduism, then this translation might change your mind. Juan Mascaro is a man, who has lived a simple life, and has experiental understanding of the values of this life. That shines through in this translation, and that is why it is worth reading.

A Miraculous Read, 02 Oct 2008
I was recommended this book by several friends, which is why I bought it. Curious as to what they were raving on about: "It will change your life!" I was told. 'Yeah, right!" I cynically replied. However, once I finally got around to purchasing it I devoured every word. It is a feast for the soul.
You really do come away feeling you have been given a gift by the Saint.
If every body read this book, what a difference it would make in the world.
Yes, I've heard that Autobiography of a Yogi has transformed many people's lives. I could feel his presence often while I read it. I found myself bursting into tears on several chapters, (and that isn't like me at all!)
In this age of materialism, I believe many Westener's are turning towards spiritual matters. You can't go far wrong with this book to find Truth and guidance.



Amazing, thought proving, insightful, i could go on, 15 Feb 2008
This is a wondeful book. Having just started down the route of self-relisation with my own Guru he recommended this book to me. This book has helped bring God closer to my life. It is something I will read again and again. I am certainly not of an age where God has become important to me because of "that time of life". This book has opened my eyes and given me the strength to go forward with what my heart (and I now realise God) want me to do with my life. Yogananda stands beside you whilst you read it. I cannot recommend it enough.

an elixir of light, happiness and youth for the soul, 17 Jun 2007
This is one of my favourite books. Everybody i gave this book to equally worships it. It is a treasure. I wish i could repeat the personal transformation gained after reading it for the first time. I can not recommend it enough to anyone, any age, any religion, any place, any time! I wish i could find something else equally uplifting, mind-bogging and divine!

Good precautionary tale, maybe too cautious., 20 Aug 2007
This book is an excellent testament to the power of good research. Unwittingly, Gopi Krishna set something off that he didn't realise the consequences of and he lived a nighmarish existance for quite some time due to it. Most of this book is an excellent example for this, though I do feel it's a little extreme as this man was the exception rather than the rule. Most people who awaken the Kundalini do it over a period of time. This book is at best , an example of what can go wrong if you rush things like this. If you're a spiritual seeker i'd read this and Path Notes of an American Ninja Master before going into the more practical Kundalini books.

read it through the day it arrived, 01 Dec 2001
a simple and succinct discription of the physical and mental effects of awakening the kundalini all of a sudden. the basic testimony opens your eyes and mind wider to the universal energy tapping possibilities inherent in all of us. the inspireation to delve into the rhelms of evolutionary energy and turn the science of kundalini into a living art.

This book is a must for anyone interested in evolution, 12 Nov 1997
While in Canada in the 70's I had the good fortune to come across books written by Pandit Gopi Krishna. I also had the opportunity later to meet and talk with this Indian writer. After going through nearly all of the books he wrote during the last 25 years of his life, I am certain that his unusual insights into the biology of the brain and the physical roots of mysticism will form the basis for a brand new direction for both science and religion. The man was far ahead of his time. When the mystery of the brain and its still hidden potentials are gradually unfurled, Gopi Krishna's books will, I am certain, be the inspiration for a new generation of unbiased investigators, who are certain to shed new light on the mystery contained within all of us. Should be required reading in schools!

Fantastic and inspiring, 25 Jun 2000
This is one of the best books on spirituality I have ever read. The Swami explains in clear and lucid terms the timeless and inspiring teachings of the Himalayan sages. He gets straight to the heart of these teachings with simple and meaningful anecdotes and examples, sharing with us his own experiences. Many seekers will identify with the questions he raised, the answers to which he gives with amazing clarity, without any hint of mysticism.

If I was to name one book which has affected me most profoundly, it would be this one.

Very descriptive spiritual tour of india., 17 May 1999
I read this book twice and I feel like reading it again. This book is a tour about life and spiritual experiences of Sages and Saints who do pennence in search of the divine light. A must read.

!Happy Reading!

One mans search for the reason for living in a body, 17 Feb 1999
This fantastic book and its information has in-fact change my entire reading materials and the approached I made towards medicant, sadhus or sages. The subject materials has made me an ardent reader of any book in relation to such people. I have introduce this book to many of my friends who have also changed their way of selecting book for their knowledge. It should be rated as one of the best read book.

Excellent inspirational book one can have in his life, 26 Jun 1998
This book clearly gives true life story of Great student of Yoga and sincere followers of Yogic Philosophy. It depicts Swami Rama's day to day learning and life of true Sadhakas. It is inspiration for all of us to lead our life in more successful way by facing all stumbling blocks through Meditation and Sadhana.

It is impossible to explain the value of this book through mere words, so far I have presented this valuable book to whom so ever I respect most in my life. That is the best way I can show my respect to them.

A Miraculous Read, 02 Oct 2008
I was recommended this book by several friends, which is why I bought it. Curious as to what they were raving on about: "It will change your life!" I was told. 'Yeah, right!" I cynically replied. However, once I finally got around to purchasing it I devoured every word. It is a feast for the soul.
You really do come away feeling you have been given a gift by the Saint.
If every body read this book, what a difference it would make in the world.
Yes, I've heard that Autobiography of a Yogi has transformed many people's lives. I could feel his presence often while I read it. I found myself bursting into tears on several chapters, (and that isn't like me at all!)
In this age of materialism, I believe many Westener's are turning towards spiritual matters. You can't go far wrong with this book to find Truth and guidance.



Scientific rigour and intuitive perception are the two sides of the same coin, 23 Aug 2008
This is the story of one man's training in one of the esoteric Traditions of India. It was Yogananda's task to bring that particular Tradition (spiritual path) to America so that, in the fullness of time, the Wisdom of the East can transform the Activity of the West.

We are used to thinking of Traditions as eternal but in fact they come and go. More accurately, they are obscured from human gaze until humanity has matured enough to utilise them. Although ancient, the Tradition to which Yogananda belonged was withheld from the human sphere until the mid-nineteenth century when it was revived by Yogananda's Guru's Guru's Guru.

The book describes in detail not only the remarkable Being in who's ashram Yogananda was trained but also the others in the lineage. Although the outward appearance of such Beings is unexceptional, they are transformed at the level of consciousness and are capable of feats far beyond that of ordinary mortals. When he died, for example, Yogananda's Guru materialised before him a physical body indistinguishable from the one Yogananda had known - one which he could actually embrace.

At the head of this lineage is Mahavata Babaji - the Deathless Guru. He remains in obscurity in India accessible only to those who are ready. He will remain upon the physical plane until "the end of the Age" which, I guess, in the language of Theosophy, is the end of the current 5th Root Race.

The Tradition which Yogananda brought to America is that of Kriya Yoga. It is billed as a scientific method - with the precision of mathematics - of bringing rapid Enlightenment to the individual who practises it. A correspondence course is available from the Self-Realisation Fellowship in America with application forms on the website at: yogananda-srf.org

In addition to the above, the book contains chapters on Yogananda's meeting with Gandhi, Non-eating and Sleepless Saints and Therese Neumann the Catholic Stigmatist who effectively neither ate nor slept - a remarkable feat before the advent of the Xbox.

Before I read this book I assumed Yogananda was just another Eastern Geezer peddling unassimilable spirituality to an non-critical Western audience. Now I think that assumption was a little hasty. Although his devotion to his Guru is comical to the Western mind and his mode of expression is of a bygone age Yogananda has something to say to those who have an open mind as to the nature of reality. The whole point of the book as far as I'm concerned is to show clearly that the materiality of the West is not the complete picture and that the so called miracles of the East are possible for anyone who is prepared to investigate the phenomenon in a scientific manner. The Eastern Yogi knows that science is not just about the investigation of the physical world and that rational thinking is equally applicable to the investigation of inner phenomena. For a phenomenon to be investigated scientifically it must be repeatable - and that is the explicit promise of Kriya Yoga. Hopefully the correspondence course will open for many the gates of Internal Science which have remained closed for so long and give them their first indications that the claims of the ancient sages is reality based - that scientific rigour and intuitive perception are the two sides of the same coin.

Race you to Enlightenment!




Amazing, thought proving, insightful, i could go on, 15 Feb 2008
This is a wondeful book. Having just started down the route of self-relisation with my own Guru he recommended this book to me. This book has helped bring God closer to my life. It is something I will read again and again. I am certainly not of an age where God has become important to me because of "that time of life". This book has opened my eyes and given me the strength to go forward with what my heart (and I now realise God) want me to do with my life. Yogananda stands beside you whilst you read it. I cannot recommend it enough.

an elixir of light, happiness and youth for the soul, 17 Jun 2007
This is one of my favourite books. Everybody i gave this book to equally worships it. It is a treasure. I wish i could repeat the personal transformation gained after reading it for the first time. I can not recommend it enough to anyone, any age, any religion, any place, any time! I wish i could find something else equally uplifting, mind-bogging and divine!

HOLY BREATH, 15 Jun 2008
Of all the translations of the Upanishads I have not read any which compare to the simple clarity and lucidity of this translation of some of the principle works. Juan Mascaro seems to have found a way of rendering these ancient texts in simple, poetic language which resonates across the divide of words. All other translations I have read have perhaps been more academic, but they fall down completely on fluidity and clarity. Too many of them are dry and smack of 'translationese'. Mascaro manages to make you feel that this is exactly the way in which the Upanishads might have been communicated in English.

Anyone interested in spirituality, or who has had a sense of the Divine in ordinary life, should read these works. Their wisdom underlies just about all spirituality since. Someone above mentions that the Upanishads have a similar message to Christianity. This is essentially true, but there is no suffering or concept of sin and self-punishment in the Upanishads. Nevertheless Christianity was a major attempt at conveying as directly as possible the Upanishadic vision - that God resides in us as well as everything else. Christ is the embodiment of Brahmanic Man and shows us how we can all have that experience. This not what we hear that much in Christianity these days, although it was exactly what Christianity started with. Thus the Upanishads teach us how to read the Gospels. Go read!

Good but not as good..., 22 Jan 2006
A good introduction but I personally would suggest "The Principal Upanisads" by S.Radhakrishnan for a more indepth text. It may be hard to get hold of, but if you can then it is definatly worth reading.

Spiritual fusion, 29 Oct 2002
Juan Mascaro, a Majorcan, was an academic in Ceylon, Barcelona and Cambridge. He had a deep understanding of Catholic Mysticism. His 40 page introduction to this translation of some of the Upanishads is a good way to understand the similarity between Hinduism and Catholicism. This is not apparent on a superficial glance at the religions, and Christians need to read the introduction and then the Upanishads, when it will prove quite a revelation. In fact, it will help in the understanding of Christian mysticism: Brahman (God) is joy and love, too!

A good translation, 18 Jun 2000
This book should be of interest to you, if you want to study ancient Indian text, that forms part of the foundation for Hinduism. Wether or not, you consider this subject worthwhile of study is your own descision. If you couldn't care less about ancient Indian texts, then I doubt that this book will arouse an interest in you. If you do care about ancient Indian text, then this is the definitive translation. Dr. Paul R. Fleischmann dedicates an entire chapter of his brilliant book "Cultivating Inner Peace" to Juan Mascaros abilities as a translator. If you have previously given up on understanding, what's the big deal about the texts that founds the foundation of Hinduism, then this translation might change your mind. Juan Mascaro is a man, who has lived a simple life, and has experiental understanding of the values of this life. That shines through in this translation, and that is why it is worth reading.

A Miraculous Read, 02 Oct 2008
I was recommended this book by several friends, which is why I bought it. Curious as to what they were raving on about: "It will change your life!" I was told. 'Yeah, right!" I cynically replied. However, once I finally got around to purchasing it I devoured every word. It is a feast for the soul.
You really do come away feeling you have been given a gift by the Saint.
If every body read this book, what a difference it would make in the world.
Yes, I've heard that Autobiography of a Yogi has transformed many people's lives. I could feel his presence often while I read it. I found myself bursting into tears on several chapters, (and that isn't like me at all!)
In this age of materialism, I believe many Westener's are turning towards spiritual matters. You can't go far wrong with this book to find Truth and guidance.



Amazing, thought proving, insightful, i could go on, 15 Feb 2008
This is a wondeful book. Having just started down the route of self-relisation with my own Guru he recommended this book to me. This book has helped bring God closer to my life. It is something I will read again and again. I am certainly not of an age where God has become important to me because of "that time of life". This book has opened my eyes and given me the strength to go forward with what my heart (and I now realise God) want me to do with my life. Yogananda stands beside you whilst you read it. I cannot recommend it enough.

an elixir of light, happiness and youth for the soul, 17 Jun 2007
This is one of my favourite books. Everybody i gave this book to equally worships it. It is a treasure. I wish i could repeat the personal transformation gained after reading it for the first time. I can not recommend it enough to anyone, any age, any religion, any place, any time! I wish i could find something else equally uplifting, mind-bogging and divine!

Good precautionary tale, maybe too cautious., 20 Aug 2007
This book is an excellent testament to the power of good research. Unwittingly, Gopi Krishna set something off that he didn't realise the consequences of and he lived a nighmarish existance for quite some time due to it. Most of this book is an excellent example for this, though I do feel it's a little extreme as this man was the exception rather than the rule. Most people who awaken the Kundalini do it over a period of time. This book is at best , an example of what can go wrong if you rush things like this. If you're a spiritual seeker i'd read this and Path Notes of an American Ninja Master before going into the more practical Kundalini books.

read it through the day it arrived, 01 Dec 2001
a simple and succinct discription of the physical and mental effects of awakening the kundalini all of a sudden. the basic testimony opens your eyes and mind wider to the universal energy tapping possibilities inherent in all of us. the inspireation to delve into the rhelms of evolutionary energy and turn the science of kundalini into a living art.

This book is a must for anyone interested in evolution, 12 Nov 1997
While in Canada in the 70's I had the good fortune to come across books written by Pandit Gopi Krishna. I also had the opportunity later to meet and talk with this Indian writer. After going through nearly all of the books he wrote during the last 25 years of his life, I am certain that his unusual insights into the biology of the brain and the physical roots of mysticism will form the basis for a brand new direction for both science and religion. The man was far ahead of his time. When the mystery of the brain and its still hidden potentials are gradually unfurled, Gopi Krishna's books will, I am certain, be the inspiration for a new generation of unbiased investigators, who are certain to shed new light on the mystery contained within all of us. Should be required reading in schools!

Fantastic and inspiring, 25 Jun 2000
This is one of the best books on spirituality I have ever read. The Swami explains in clear and lucid terms the timeless and inspiring teachings of the Himalayan sages. He gets straight to the heart of these teachings with simple and meaningful anecdotes and examples, sharing with us his own experiences. Many seekers will identify with the questions he raised, the answers to which he gives with amazing clarity, without any hint of mysticism.

If I was to name one book which has affected me most profoundly, it would be this one.

Very descriptive spiritual tour of india., 17 May 1999
I read this book twice and I feel like reading it again. This book is a tour about life and spiritual experiences of Sages and Saints who do pennence in search of the divine light. A must read.

!Happy Reading!

One mans search for the reason for living in a body, 17 Feb 1999
This fantastic book and its information has in-fact change my entire reading materials and the approached I made towards medicant, sadhus or sages. The subject materials has made me an ardent reader of any book in relation to such people. I have introduce this book to many of my friends who have also changed their way of selecting book for their knowledge. It should be rated as one of the best read book.

Excellent inspirational book one can have in his life, 26 Jun 1998
This book clearly gives true life story of Great student of Yoga and sincere followers of Yogic Philosophy. It depicts Swami Rama's day to day learning and life of true Sadhakas. It is inspiration for all of us to lead our life in more successful way by facing all stumbling blocks through Meditation and Sadhana.

It is impossible to explain the value of this book through mere words, so far I have presented this valuable book to whom so ever I respect most in my life. That is the best way I can show my respect to them.

A Miraculous Read, 02 Oct 2008
I was recommended this book by several friends, which is why I bought it. Curious as to what they were raving on about: "It will change your life!" I was told. 'Yeah, right!" I cynically replied. However, once I finally got around to purchasing it I devoured every word. It is a feast for the soul.
You really do come away feeling you have been given a gift by the Saint.
If every body read this book, what a difference it would make in the world.
Yes, I've heard that Autobiography of a Yogi has transformed many people's lives. I could feel his presence often while I read it. I found myself bursting into tears on several chapters, (and that isn't like me at all!)
In this age of materialism, I believe many Westener's are turning towards spiritual matters. You can't go far wrong with this book to find Truth and guidance.



Scientific rigour and intuitive perception are the two sides of the same coin, 23 Aug 2008
This is the story of one man's training in one of the esoteric Traditions of India. It was Yogananda's task to bring that particular Tradition (spiritual path) to America so that, in the fullness of time, the Wisdom of the East can transform the Activity of the West.

We are used to thinking of Traditions as eternal but in fact they come and go. More accurately, they are obscured from human gaze until humanity has matured enough to utilise them. Although ancient, the Tradition to which Yogananda belonged was withheld from the human sphere until the mid-nineteenth century when it was revived by Yogananda's Guru's Guru's Guru.

The book describes in detail not only the remarkable Being in who's ashram Yogananda was trained but also the others in the lineage. Although the outward appearance of such Beings is unexceptional, they are transformed at the level of consciousness and are capable of feats far beyond that of ordinary mortals. When he died, for example, Yogananda's Guru materialised before him a physical body indistinguishable from the one Yogananda had known - one which he could actually embrace.

At the head of this lineage is Mahavata Babaji - the Deathless Guru. He remains in obscurity in India accessible only to those who are ready. He will remain upon the physical plane until "the end of the Age" which, I guess, in the language of Theosophy, is the end of the current 5th Root Race.

The Tradition which Yogananda brought to America is that of Kriya Yoga. It is billed as a scientific method - with the precision of mathematics - of bringing rapid Enlightenment to the individual who practises it. A correspondence course is available from the Self-Realisation Fellowship in America with application forms on the website at: yogananda-srf.org

In addition to the above, the book contains chapters on Yogananda's meeting with Gandhi, Non-eating and Sleepless Saints and Therese Neumann the Catholic Stigmatist who effectively neither ate nor slept - a remarkable feat before the advent of the Xbox.

Before I read this book I assumed Yogananda was just another Eastern Geezer peddling unassimilable spirituality to an non-critical Western audience. Now I think that assumption was a little hasty. Although his devotion to his Guru is comical to the Western mind and his mode of expression is of a bygone age Yogananda has something to say to those who have an open mind as to the nature of reality. The whole point of the book as far as I'm concerned is to show clearly that the materiality of the West is not the complete picture and that the so called miracles of the East are possible for anyone who is prepared to investigate the phenomenon in a scientific manner. The Eastern Yogi knows that science is not just about the investigation of the physical world and that rational thinking is equally applicable to the investigation of inner phenomena. For a phenomenon to be investigated scientifically it must be repeatable - and that is the explicit promise of Kriya Yoga. Hopefully the correspondence course will open for many the gates of Internal Science which have remained closed for so long and give them their first indications that the claims of the ancient sages is reality based - that scientific rigour and intuitive perception are the two sides of the same coin.

Race you to Enlightenment!




Amazing, thought proving, insightful, i could go on, 15 Feb 2008
This is a wondeful book. Having just started down the route of self-relisation with my own Guru he recommended this book to me. This book has helped bring God closer to my life. It is something I will read again and again. I am certainly not of an age where God has become important to me because of "that time of life". This book has opened my eyes and given me the strength to go forward with what my heart (and I now realise God) want me to do with my life. Yogananda stands beside you whilst you read it. I cannot recommend it enough.

an elixir of light, happiness and youth for the soul, 17 Jun 2007
This is one of my favourite books. Everybody i gave this book to equally worships it. It is a treasure. I wish i could repeat the personal transformation gained after reading it for the first time. I can not recommend it enough to anyone, any age, any religion, any place, any time! I wish i could find something else equally uplifting, mind-bogging and divine!

A Miraculous Read, 02 Oct 2008
I was recommended this book by several friends, which is why I bought it. Curious as to what they were raving on about: "It will change your life!" I was told. 'Yeah, right!" I cynically replied. However, once I finally got around to purchasing it I devoured every word. It is a feast for the soul.
You really do come away feeling you have been given a gift by the Saint.
If every body read this book, what a difference it would make in the world.
Yes, I've heard that Autobiography of a Yogi has transformed many people's lives. I could feel his presence often while I read it. I found myself bursting into tears on several chapters, (and that isn't like me at all!)
In this age of materialism, I believe many Westener's are turning towards spiritual matters. You can't go far wrong with this book to find Truth and guidance.



Scientific rigour and intuitive perception are the two sides of the same coin, 23 Aug 2008
This is the story of one man's training in one of the esoteric Traditions of India. It was Yogananda's task to bring that particular Tradition (spiritual path) to America so that, in the fullness of time, the Wisdom of the East can transform the Activity of the West.

We are used to thinking of Traditions as eternal but in fact they come and go. More accurately, they are obscured from human gaze until humanity has matured enough to utilise them. Although ancient, the Tradition to which Yogananda belonged was withheld from the human sphere until the mid-nineteenth century when it was revived by Yogananda's Guru's Guru's Guru.

The book describes in detail not only the remarkable Being in who's ashram Yogananda was trained but also the others in the lineage. Although the outward appearance of such Beings is unexceptional, they are transformed at the level of consciousness and are capable of feats far beyond that of ordinary mortals. When he died, for example, Yogananda's Guru materialised before him a physical body indistinguishable from the one Yogananda had known - one which he could actually embrace.

At the head of this lineage is Mahavata Babaji - the Deathless Guru. He remains in obscurity in India accessible only to those who are ready. He will remain upon the physical plane until "the end of the Age" which, I guess, in the language of Theosophy, is the end of the current 5th Root Race.

The Tradition which Yogananda brought to America is that of Kriya Yoga. It is billed as a scientific method - with the precision of mathematics - of bringing rapid Enlightenment to the individual who practises it. A correspondence course is available from the Self-Realisation Fellowship in America with application forms on the website at: yogananda-srf.org

In addition to the above, the book contains chapters on Yogananda's meeting with Gandhi, Non-eating and Sleepless Saints and Therese Neumann the Catholic Stigmatist who effectively neither ate nor slept - a remarkable feat before the advent of the Xbox.

Before I read this book I assumed Yogananda was just another Eastern Geezer peddling unassimilable spirituality to an non-critical Western audience. Now I think that assumption was a little hasty. Although his devotion to his Guru is comical to the Western mind and his mode of expression is of a bygone age Yogananda has something to say to those who have an open mind as to the nature of reality. The whole point of the book as far as I'm concerned is to show clearly that the materiality of the West is not the complete picture and that the so called miracles of the East are possible for anyone who is prepared to investigate the phenomenon in a scientific manner. The Eastern Yogi knows that science is not just about the investigation of the physical world and that rational thinking is equally applicable to the investigation of inner phenomena. For a phenomenon to be investigated scientifically it must be repeatable - and that is the explicit promise of Kriya Yoga. Hopefully the correspondence course will open for many the gates of Internal Science which have remained closed for so long and give them their first indications that the claims of the ancient sages is reality based - that scientific rigour and intuitive perception are the two sides of the same coin.

Race you to Enlightenment!




Amazing, thought proving, insightful, i could go on, 15 Feb 2008
This is a wondeful book. Having just started down the route of self-relisation with my own Guru he recommended this book to me. This book has helped bring God closer to my life. It is something I will read again and again. I am certainly not of an age where God has become important to me because of "that time of life". This book has opened my eyes and given me the strength to go forward with what my heart (and I now realise God) want me to do with my life. Yogananda stands beside you whilst you read it. I cannot recommend it enough.

an elixir of light, happiness and youth for the soul, 17 Jun 2007
This is one of my favourite books. Everybody i gave this book to equally worships it. It is a treasure. I wish i could repeat the personal transformation gained after reading it for the first time. I can not recommend it enough to anyone, any age, any religion, any place, any time! I wish i could find something else equally uplifting, mind-bogging and divine!

HOLY BREATH, 15 Jun 2008
Of all the translations of the Upanishads I have not read any which compare to the simple clarity and lucidity of this translation of some of the principle works. Juan Mascaro seems to have found a way of rendering these ancient texts in simple, poetic language which resonates across the divide of words. All other translations I have read have perhaps been more academic, but they fall down completely on fluidity and clarity. Too many of them are dry and smack of 'translationese'. Mascaro manages to make you feel that this is exactly the way in which the Upanishads might have been communicated in English.

Anyone interested in spirituality, or who has had a sense of the Divine in ordinary life, should read these works. Their wisdom underlies just about all spirituality since. Someone above mentions that the Upanishads have a similar message to Christianity. This is essentially true, but there is no suffering or concept of sin and self-punishment in the Upanishads. Nevertheless Christianity was a major attempt at conveying as directly as possible the Upanishadic vision - that God resides in us as well as everything else. Christ is the embodiment of Brahmanic Man and shows us how we can all have that experience. This not what we hear that much in Christianity these days, although it was exactly what Christianity started with. Thus the Upanishads teach us how to read the Gospels. Go read!

Good but not as good..., 22 Jan 2006
A good introduction but I personally would suggest "The Principal Upanisads" by S.Radhakrishnan for a more indepth text. It may be hard to get hold of, but if you can then it is definatly worth reading.

Spiritual fusion, 29 Oct 2002
Juan Mascaro, a Majorcan, was an academic in Ceylon, Barcelona and Cambridge. He had a deep understanding of Catholic Mysticism. His 40 page introduction to this translation of some of the Upanishads is a good way to understand the similarity between Hinduism and Catholicism. This is not apparent on a superficial glance at the religions, and Christians need to read the introduction and then the Upanishads, when it will prove quite a revelation. In fact, it will help in the understanding of Christian mysticism: Brahman (God) is joy and love, too!

A good translation, 18 Jun 2000
This book should be of interest to you, if you want to study ancient Indian text, that forms part of the foundation for Hinduism. Wether or not, you consider this subject worthwhile of study is your own descision. If you couldn't care less about ancient Indian texts, then I doubt that this book will arouse an interest in you. If you do care about ancient Indian text, then this is the definitive translation. Dr. Paul R. Fleischmann dedicates an entire chapter of his brilliant book "Cultivating Inner Peace" to Juan Mascaros abilities as a translator. If you have previously given up on understanding, what's the big deal about the texts that founds the foundation of Hinduism, then this translation might change your mind. Juan Mascaro is a man, who has lived a simple life, and has experiental understanding of the values of this life. That shines through in this translation, and that is why it is worth reading.

A Miraculous Read, 02 Oct 2008
I was recommended this book by several friends, which is why I bought it. Curious as to what they were raving on about: "It will change your life!" I was told. 'Yeah, right!" I cynically replied. However, once I finally got around to purchasing it I devoured every word. It is a feast for the soul.
You really do come away feeling you have been given a gift by the Saint.
If every body read this book, what a difference it would make in the world.
Yes, I've heard that Autobiography of a Yogi has transformed many people's lives. I could feel his presence often while I read it. I found myself bursting into tears on several chapters, (and that isn't like me at all!)
In this age of materialism, I believe many Westener's are turning towards spiritual matters. You can't go far wrong with this book to find Truth and guidance.



Amazing, thought proving, insightful, i could go on, 15 Feb 2008
This is a wondeful book. Having just started down the route of self-relisation with my own Guru he recommended this book to me. This book has helped bring God closer to my life. It is something I will read again and again. I am certainly not of an age where God has become important to me because of "that time of life". This book has opened my eyes and given me the strength to go forward with what my heart (and I now realise God) want me to do with my life. Yogananda stands beside you whilst you read it. I cannot recommend it enough.

an elixir of light, happiness and youth for the soul, 17 Jun 2007
This is one of my favourite books. Everybody i gave this book to equally worships it. It is a treasure. I wish i could repeat the personal transformation gained after reading it for the first time. I can not recommend it enough to anyone, any age, any religion, any place, any time! I wish i could find something else equally uplifting, mind-bogging and divine!

Good precautionary tale, maybe too cautious., 20 Aug 2007
This book is an excellent testament to the power of good research. Unwittingly, Gopi Krishna set something off that he didn't realise the consequences of and he lived a nighmarish existance for quite some time due to it. Most of this book is an excellent example for this, though I do feel it's a little extreme as this man was the exception rather than the rule. Most people who awaken the Kundalini do it over a period of time. This book is at best , an example of what can go wrong if you rush things like this. If you're a spiritual seeker i'd read this and Path Notes of an American Ninja Master before going into the more practical Kundalini books.

read it through the day it arrived, 01 Dec 2001
a simple and succinct discription of the physical and mental effects of awakening the kundalini all of a sudden. the basic testimony opens your eyes and mind wider to the universal energy tapping possibilities inherent in all of us. the inspireation to delve into the rhelms of evolutionary energy and turn the science of kundalini into a living art.

This book is a must for anyone interested in evolution, 12 Nov 1997
While in Canada in the 70's I had the good fortune to come across books written by Pandit Gopi Krishna. I also had the opportunity later to meet and talk with this Indian writer. After going through nearly all of the books he wrote during the last 25 years of his life, I am certain that his unusual insights into the biology of the brain and the physical roots of mysticism will form the basis for a brand new direction for both science and religion. The man was far ahead of his time. When the mystery of the brain and its still hidden potentials are gradually unfurled, Gopi Krishna's books will, I am certain, be the inspiration for a new generation of unbiased investigators, who are certain to shed new light on the mystery contained within all of us. Should be required reading in schools!

Fantastic and inspiring, 25 Jun 2000
This is one of the best books on spirituality I have ever read. The Swami explains in clear and lucid terms the timeless and inspiring teachings of the Himalayan sages. He gets straight to the heart of these teachings with simple and meaningful anecdotes and examples, sharing with us his own experiences. Many seekers will identify with the questions he raised, the answers to which he gives with amazing clarity, without any hint of mysticism.

If I was to name one book which has affected me most profoundly, it would be this one.

Very descriptive spiritual tour of india., 17 May 1999
I read this book twice and I feel like reading it again. This book is a tour about life and spiritual experiences of Sages and Saints who do pennence in search of the divine light. A must read.

!Happy Reading!

One mans search for the reason for living in a body, 17 Feb 1999
This fantastic book and its information has in-fact change my entire reading materials and the approached I made towards medicant, sadhus or sages. The subject materials has made me an ardent reader of any book in relation to such people. I have introduce this book to many of my friends who have also changed their way of selecting book for their knowledge. It should be rated as one of the best read book.

Excellent inspirational book one can have in his life, 26 Jun 1998
This book clearly gives true life story of Great student of Yoga and sincere followers of Yogic Philosophy. It depicts Swami Rama's day to day learning and life of true Sadhakas. It is inspiration for all of us to lead our life in more successful way by facing all stumbling blocks through Meditation and Sadhana.

It is impossible to explain the value of this book through mere words, so far I have presented this valuable book to whom so ever I respect most in my life. That is the best way I can show my respect to them.

A Miraculous Read, 02 Oct 2008
I was recommended this book by several friends, which is why I bought it. Curious as to what they were raving on about: "It will change your life!" I was told. 'Yeah, right!" I cynically replied. However, once I finally got around to purchasing it I devoured every word. It is a feast for the soul.
You really do come away feeling you have been given a gift by the Saint.
If every body read this book, what a difference it would make in the world.
Yes, I've heard that Autobiography of a Yogi has transformed many people's lives. I could feel his presence often while I read it. I found myself bursting into tears on several chapters, (and that isn't like me at all!)
In this age of materialism, I believe many Westener's are turning towards spiritual matters. You can't go far wrong with this book to find Truth and guidance.



Scientific rigour and intuitive perception are the two sides of the same coin, 23 Aug 2008
This is the story of one man's training in one of the esoteric Traditions of India. It was Yogananda's task to bring that particular Tradition (spiritual path) to America so that, in the fullness of time, the Wisdom of the East can transform the Activity of the West.

We are used to thinking of Traditions as eternal but in fact they come and go. More accurately, they are obscured from human gaze until humanity has matured enough to utilise them. Although ancient, the Tradition to which Yogananda belonged was withheld from the human sphere until the mid-nineteenth century when it was revived by Yogananda's Guru's Guru's Guru.

The book describes in detail not only the remarkable Being in who's ashram Yogananda was trained but also the others in the lineage. Although the outward appearance of such Beings is unexceptional, they are transformed at the level of consciousness and are capable of feats far beyond that of ordinary mortals. When he died, for example, Yogananda's Guru materialised before him a physical body indistinguishable from the one Yogananda had known - one which he could actually embrace.

At the head of this lineage is Mahavata Babaji - the Deathless Guru. He remains in obscurity in India accessible only to those who are ready. He will remain upon the physical plane until "the end of the Age" which, I guess, in the language of Theosophy, is the end of the current 5th Root Race.

The Tradition which Yogananda brought to America is that of Kriya Yoga. It is billed as a scientific method - with the precision of mathematics - of bringing rapid Enlightenment to the individual who practises it. A correspondence course is available from the Self-Realisation Fellowship in America with application forms on the website at: yogananda-srf.org

In addition to the above, the book contains chapters on Yogananda's meeting with Gandhi, Non-eating and Sleepless Saints and Therese Neumann the Catholic Stigmatist who effectively neither ate nor slept - a remarkable feat before the advent of the Xbox.

Before I read this book I assumed Yogananda was just another Eastern Geezer peddling unassimilable spirituality to an non-critical Western audience. Now I think that assumption was a little hasty. Although his devotion to his Guru is comical to the Western mind and his mode of expression is of a bygone age Yogananda has something to say to those who have an open mind as to the nature of reality. The whole point of the book as far as I'm concerned is to show clearly that the materiality of the West is not the complete picture and that the so called miracles of the East are possible for anyone who is prepared to investigate the phenomenon in a scientific manner. The Eastern Yogi knows that science is not just about the investigation of the physical world and that rational thinking is equally applicable to the investigation of inner phenomena. For a phenomenon to be investigated scientifically it must be repeatable - and that is the explicit promise of Kriya Yoga. Hopefully the correspondence course will open for many the gates of Internal Science which have remained closed for so long and give them their first indications that the claims of the ancient sages is reality based - that scientific rigour and intuitive perception are the two sides of the same coin.

Race you to Enlightenment!




Amazing, thought proving, insightful, i could go on, 15 Feb 2008
This is a wondeful book. Having just started down the route of self-relisation with my own Guru he recommended this book to me. This book has helped bring God closer to my life. It is something I will read again and again. I am certainly not of an age where God has become important to me because of "that time of life". This book has opened my eyes and given me the strength to go forward with what my heart (and I now realise God) want me to do with my life. Yogananda stands beside you whilst you read it. I cannot recommend it enough.

an elixir of light, happiness and youth for the soul, 17 Jun 2007
This is one of my favourite books. Everybody i gave this book to equally worships it. It is a treasure. I wish i could repeat the personal transformation gained after reading it for the first time. I can not recommend it enough to anyone, any age, any religion, any place, any time! I wish i could find something else equally uplifting, mind-bogging and divine!

Avatar, 02 Mar 2004
This wonderful book makes you really feel that you are in the presence of the greatest Spiritual teacher of the Age.Thakur Ramakrishna is the teacher for the Kali Yuga.After the first few chapters I had a natural high, and feelings of great devotion. I cannot recommend this book enough to any seeker.

Puribhai

The Essence of the Divine, 26 Jun 1998
In this amazing book, Lex Hixon takes on the formidable task of trying to anticipate questions, thoughts and feelings that a reader may have on Spiritual Development/God Realisation and makes it a part of the Encounters of Sri Ramakrishna. It does not matter whether one has heard or read of Sri Ramakrishna before, Lex Hixon makes us aware of his presence nad grace in every page of the book. A very rare and enlightening book. Like a blessing.

One of the SWEETEST teachers around..., 17 Apr 1997
Ramakrishna was a heart so huge he envelops you directly off the page so beautifully conveyed by Lex Hixon. I got chills of sweetness from the passages directly quoted from this jewel of a human being.....