A reading and discussion of Paramahansa Yogananda's iconic 1946 autobiography.

Autobiography of a Yogi introduces the reader to the life of Paramahansa Yogananda and his encounters with spiritual figures of both the East and West.

As a complement to the library's ever-popular Community Yoga Practices, the occasional convening of the library's Yoga Reading Group is designed to give yogis an opportunity to read and discuss books that delve deeper into the history, philosophy and culture of the yoga practice. The Yoga Reading Group is a community discussion for all levels of experience, whether you're a brand-new practitioner or a life-long, well-read yogi.

This book discussion is a complement to the library's free community screening of the new documentary film Awake at 7 pm on Friday, April 3, in Library Hall.

About the book
Autobiography of a Yogi is at once a beautifully written account of an exceptional life and a profound introduction to the ancient science of yoga and its time-honored tradition of meditation. Profoundly inspiring, this book that was first published in 1946 is at the same time vastly entertaining, warmly humorous and filled with extraordinary personages.

Paramahansa Yogananda tells the inspiring chronicle of his life: the experiences of his remarkable childhood, encounters with many saints and sages during his youthful search throughout India for an illumined teacher, ten years of training in the hermitage of a revered yoga master, and the thirty years that he lived and taught in America. Also recorded here are his meetings with Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Luther Burbank, the Catholic stigmatist Therese Neumann, and other celebrated spiritual personalities of East and West. The author clearly explains the subtle but definite laws behind both the ordinary events of everyday life and the extraordinary events commonly termed miracles. His absorbing life story becomes the background for a penetrating and unforgettable look at the ultimate mysteries of human existence.

Selected as "One of the 100 Best Spiritual Books of the Twentieth Century", Autobiography of a Yogi has been translated into more than 30 languages, and is regarded worldwide as a classic of religious literature. Several million copies have been sold, and it continues to appear on best-seller lists after more than sixty consecutive years in print.

Join the discussion
Participants are asked to commit to the reading and come prepared to discuss the book. The library has extra copies of Autobiography of a Yogi to loan for this book discussion. To sign up, contact Adult Programs Coordinator Jennie Lay by email or by calling 879-0240x317.