Neither am I of a spiritual bent of mind nor do I usually have the patience of sitting through someone’s autobiography. So, I was naturally disappointed when my hubby gifted me a copy of ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’. He praised it to the skies telling me that it is a must read. Despite all the recommendation, I could not bring myself to read the book and it adorned my bookshelf for over a year, untouched. It was only recently, when, due to lack of reading material, that I took it out of its nestling place for a read. A few pages into it and I was hooked. I regretted having procrastinated for a year. Anyway, better late than never.
What makes it immensely readable is the fact that the Yogi himself has penned down the events of his life and so there is no foreign intrusion. W Y Evans-Wentz appreciates this point in the preface. He says “The value of Yoganandji’s Autobiography is greatly enhanced by the fact that it is one of the few books in English about the wise men of India which have been written, not by a journalist or a foreigner, but by one of their own race and training-in short, a book about yogis by a yogi. As an eye-witness recountal of the extraordinary lives and powers of modern Hindu saints, the book has importance both timely and timeless.”
In this book Yogiji recalls his childhood, his encounter with his Guru Swami Yukteswar and the time in his master’s hermitage, his meetings with great personalities like Sri J C Bose, Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore and others, his voyage to America and his sojourn in South India.
In this book, two things about Yogiji fascinated me.
One was that he never prepared beforehand for any speech that he gave, and never had any reference with him. Whatever he said was extempore. And he never faltered during his speeches. It was as if he could see the writings on a screen before him and he just read off it. Actually, he got his ideas from a higher plane. This incredible gift of his reminded me of Akashic records, a concept I had read about elsewhere. The theory of Akashic records says that everything that has happened and will happen is recorded somewhere in the skies. All one needs to do is mentally tune into the substance and just download it into his memory. It is similar to a radio station, which beams out various programmes. All you have to do is tune your radio set to the right frequency and you can listen to the programme.
The second thing that is awe-inspiring is the lesson of emotional stability that Yogi ji imparts. He says that one should not be too attached to anything in life and no problem will seem difficult or harsh. Everything that happens in life is a phase and it will pass. Nothing is permanent. This is such a simple solution to all the worldly worries and it is not too difficult to practise too.
Here, Yogiji has also explained the incredible concept of Kriya Yoga. His explanation is that “Kriya Yoga is a simple, psychophysiological method by which the human blood is decarbonised and recharged with oxygen. The yogi is thus able to lessen or prevent the decay of tissues. The advanced yogi transmutes his cells into energy.”
Yogi ji also says that the day we realise that we are one with God all our worries will cease to exist.
“Self realisation is the knowing- in body, mind, and soul- that we are one with the omnipresence of God; that we do not have to pray that it comes to us, that we are not merely near it at all times, but that God’s omnipresence is our omnipresence; that we are just as much a part of Him now as we ever will be. All we have to do is improve our knowing.”
I have tried to tabulate the essence of the book as briefly as I could. I would suggest you read a copy the autobiography. Do not be deterred by the volume (510 pages). As you read it your interest will grow. The language is lucid and simple. So, it will never be a hindrance in your reading the book. But you have to be at peace with yourself to appreciate this work. Do not read it in a hurry. Just enjoy it at leisure. You will never regret the decision.