Philip Goldberg - The Life of Yogananda: The Story of the Yogi Who Became the First Modern Guru

Praise for
THE LIFE OF

YOGANANDA

Philip Goldberg sheds new light on the incredible story
and illuminates the forces that made Yogananda a
spiritual teacher and role model for the ages.

Deepak Chopra, M.D., author of The Healing Self

The Life of Yogananda is a profound and exquisitely written
account of the life of one of the most renowned spiritual masters
of our time, and is essential reading for anyone on a spiritual
path.... In a mysterious but unmistakable way, this book
pulsates with the very presence, blessing, and transmission of
Yoganandas limitless wisdom and grace. With insight, clarity,
and his own depth of consciousness, Philip Goldberg takes you
on a virtual pilgrimage that will uplift you, inspire you, and
illuminate your own journey of awakening.

Dr. Barbara De Angelis, #1 New York Times best-selling author
of Soul Shifts and The Choice for Love

A brilliant account of what history will recognize as one of the most
significant lives of the 20th century.... Sympathetic yet critical, the
book brings to light an enormous number of facets of Yoganandas
life, times, spiritual realization, culture clashes, and personal
dimensions.... I highly recommend you read this book, and get
a profound reminder of what the spiritual search is all about.

Ken Wilber, author of The Religion of Tomorrow

In this intensely researched book, Phil Goldberg describes the
deep commitment and tireless effort of Paramahansa Yogananda
to bring the spiritual teachings of India to the West. He reveals
the many obstacles that Yogananda had to overcome in
order to bring a light into the darkness.

Krishna Das, Chantmaster and author of Chants of a Lifetime

A precious dive into the life and times of Americas most
famous yogi. Anyone who has read the classic Autobiography
of a Yogi... will thrill to the untold story of Yoganandas life
in this graceful, insightful biography. It is a worthy companion
to Yoganandas masterwork, informed both by Goldbergs
scholarship and by his deep spiritual practice.

Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., author of Minding the Body,
Mending the Mind and Seven Paths to God

With spiritual elegance and integrity, Goldberg provides
an intimate portrait of the life of Yogananda.... Through
engaging stories and unique perspectives, Paramahansaji
shines through this biography as an enlightened
master and creator of a great spiritual legacy.

Michael Bernard Beckwith, founder of Agape International
Spiritual Center and author of Spiritual Liberation

Paramahansa Yogananda is probably the dominant figure behind
the Western Yoga movement and its spiritual roots, the veritable
father of Yoga in the Western world, living and teaching in America
for more than three decades. Philip Goldberg presents a detailed
and informative biography of the great master.

Dr. David Frawley, D. Litt., director of American Institute of
Vedic Studies and author of Yoga and Ayurveda

This exceptionally written, wise, profound biography of one
of the 20th centurys greatest spiritual pioneers is essential
reading for all those who want to understand deeply the
growing marriage between Eastern and Western spirituality.
I am so moved by and grateful for Phil Goldbergs humble
mastery of tone and truth in this marvelous book.

Andrew Harvey, author of The Hope and co-author of Savage Grace

Philip Goldberg has masterfully assembled a colorful tapestry
of stories detailing the intricacies and complexities that comprise
the life of Paramahansa Yogananda. Goldbergs work enables
us to understand Yogananda as both mundanely human and
extraordinary, while providing a detailed inside understanding
of this remarkable human being and spiritual leader.

Richard Miller, Ph.D., author of Yoga Nidra and the CD iRest
Meditation: Restorative Practices for Health, Resiliency, and Well-Being

The Life of Yogananda is a tremendous gift: a chance to meet
from the outside the spiritual genius we met on the inside in
Autobiography of a Yogi. That book shared what was important to
Yogananda; this biography shares why Yogananda is important
to you. If youve read the Autobiography, you must read the
biography. If you havent read either, you must read both.

Rabbi Rami Shapiro, author of Holy Rascals

Yogananda was more than just a popular guru who brought
Indian spirituality to the United States. He was also a spiritual
genius in the art of living, and his impact and legacy transcend
the traditional divides of race, ethnicity, nationality, politics, and
religion. In The Life of Yogananda, Philip Goldberg meticulously
peels back the mystical layers in order to reveal the man behind
the myth [and] continues his extraordinary work as our foremost
chronicler of Hinduism in the United States.

Varun Soni, Ph.D., Dean of Religious Life and Vice Provost for Campus
Wellness and Crisis Intervention, University of Southern California

When I was 15, Ram Dass gave me a copy of Autobiography
of a Yogi and the gates of the universe opened. Yoganandas
account of his spiritual journey emboldened me to commence
mine. Now, all these years later, Phil Goldberg has compiled
the stories behind the stories! What a treasure.

Mirabai Starr, author of God of Love and Caravan of No Despair

This book is a gift for anyone interested in the yogic journey.
Deeply informed by Phil Goldbergs years of practice and study,
it explores the life of one of the great spiritual masters of the 20th
century.... A delightfully written, juicy, and inspiring portrait
that takes us right into the heart of the yogic experience.

Sally Kempton, author of Meditation for the Love of It
and Awakening Shakti

Learning who Yogananda was historically can help us to
understand who he is spiritually. As with all great spiritual
masters, understanding who Yogananda is spiritually helps us
to understand who we deep down really are and are called to be.

James Finley, Ph.D., core teacher at the Center for Action and
Contemplation, author of Mertons Palace of Nowhere and
Christian Meditation

The story of meditative, Eastern spirituality in the West doesnt
exist without Yogananda; yet the story of Yogananda, in anything
like a full telling, hasnt existed till now. Philip Goldberg, with
the clear eyes of the diligent scholar and the open heart of the
passionate, lifelong spiritual voyager, is the right person to tell it.

Dean Sluyter, author of Fear Less and Natural Meditation

When I was informed about the authors intention to write this
book, I knew that gathering information from reliable sources almost
seven decades after the subjects passing would be a
major endeavor. The result is satisfying. It is enjoyable to read,
presented in a clear, forthright manner, and is fair and honest.

Roy Eugene Davis, direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda
and founder of Center for Spiritual Awareness

The book admirers of Yogananda and scholars of Yoga alike have
been waiting for.... Religious culture, across nations and traditions,
continues to be informed and influenced by [Yoganandas] unique
visionwhether acknowledged or not. This book tells the story of
how he accomplished the extraordinary and, thereby, transformed