I’ll admit it:
I love Paramahansa Yogananda.
I fell in love with him when I read Autobiography of a Yogi. I was blown away by the liveliness of his voice, the freshness that came through the pages. Despite the fact that he wrote the book in 1946??, it seems like it was written yesterday. There’s something about his personality that sparkles.
He also makes some profound parallels between Christianity and Hinduism, especially interesting for me as a recovering Catholic.
He was obviously a human who was very much in contact with his own divinity; the name of his organization was the Self-Realization Fellowship. SELF realization. Realizing that each and everyone one of us are divine. And I love the equality implicit in the word “Fellowship.” We’re all in this together.
HOWEVER, Parmie was speaking to the people of his time – Americans during the 1920s through the 1950s. The consciousness of the Western world, steeped in original sin and Puritan harshness, was nowhere near healed and whole enough to begin to grasp the idea that we are each divine beings, rays of the sun of go(o) in skin sacks. So, though I love him, I believe that we’ve evolved past his metaphors (and all the other metaphors) of us being children of god. We ARE god – which means that we ARE infinite creative consciousness. No longer any need for coded hierarchical father/son mother/daughter symbolism; no need for speaking as though go(o)d is separate from us with the Thy/Thou/Lord talk.
We’re ready for this now. We no longer reject our divinity, believing we’re not worthy enough. Well, ok, maybe we’re not 100% ready, but we’re working on it. We’re getting close. Even if we don’t quite believe it experientially, we intuitively know it’s true.
Though we’re evolving into the next level of consciousness, some of Paramahansa Yogananda’s quotes are still good Divine Reminders. Take one of these jewels that resonate, put a stickie note somewhere you see it daily. Remember that the word “God” does not mean something separate from you, but your own innate access to divine creative consciousness, the life force of love and goodness that flows through you, that’s beating your heart and breathing your breath:
“Live quietly in the moment and see the beauty of all before you. The future will take care of itself……”
― Paramahansa Yogananda
“You must not let your life run in the ordinary way; do something that nobody else has done, something that will dazzle the world. Show that God’s creative principle works in you.”
― Paramahansa Yogananda
“You have come to earth to entertain and to be entertained.”
― Paramahansa Yogananda
“Forget the past, for it is gone from your domain! forget the future, for it is beyond your reach! control the present! Live supremely well now! This is the way of the wise…”
― Paramahansa Yogananda
“Persistence guarantees that results are inevitable.”
― Paramahansa Yogananda
“So long as we believe in our heart of hearts that our capacity is limited and we grow anxious and unhappy, we are lacking in faith. One who truly trusts in God has no right to be anxious about anything.”
― Paramahansa Yogananda
“To work with God’s happiness bubbling in the soul is to carry a portable paradise within you wherever you go.”
― Paramahansa Yogananda
“Self-realization is the knowing in all parts of body, mind, and soul that you are now in possession of the kingdom of God; that you do not have to pray that it come to you; that God’s omnipresence is your omnipresence; and that all that you need to do is improve your knowing.”
― Paramahansa Yogananda
“Every morning I offer my body, my mind and any ability that I posses, to be used by Thee [Me], O infinite creator, in whatever way Thou[I] dost choose to express Thyself[Myself] through me. I know that all work is Thy[my] work, and that no task is too difficult or too menial when offered to Thee[Me] in loving service.”
― Paramahansa Yogananda
“The entire universe is God’s cosmic motion picture, and that individuals are merely actors in the divine play who change roles through reincarnation; mankind’s deep suffering is rooted in identifying too closely with one’s current role, rather than with the movie’s director, or God.”
― Paramahansa Yogananda
“Before embarking on important undertakings sit quietly calm your senses and thoughts and meditate deeply. You will then be guided by the great creative power of Spirit.”
― Paramahansa Yogananda
“It is not your passing thoughts or brilliant ideas so much as your plain everyday habits that control your life….Live simply. Don’t get caught in the machine of the world— it is too exacting. By the time you get what you are seeking your nerves are gone, the heart is damaged, and the bones are aching. Resolve to develop your spiritual powers more earnestly from now on. Learn the art of right living. If you have joy you have everything,so learn to be glad and contented….Have happiness now.”
― Paramahansa Yogananda
“Release for constructive purposes the power you already have, and more will come. Move on your path with unflinching determination, using all the attributes of success. Tune yourself with the creative power of spirit.”
Paramahansa Yogananda
The Divine Reminder-er 