Paramhansa Yogananda in Lotus Pose on Verandah
Poems

Peace

I obey Thee in the temple of discipline. I love Thee in the temple of devotion. I worship Thee in the temple of my love. I touch Thy feet in the temple of stillness. I behold Thy eyes in the temple of delight. I feel Thee in the temple of emotions. I fight for Thee in the temple of meditation. … Read More

Paramhansa Yogananda with Motherly Glance
Poems

My Littleness Changed

When I woke in You And my body-dream was no more, I found my littleness changed into Thy vastness, My body into Thy body. My eyes I found In every speck of space. My hands I found Working in all energies. I found all space The sensitive derma Of my vast body. And I can feel All creatures Of creation … Read More

Paramhansa Yogananda Standing
Poems

Leaving Thy Vow

Blossoms come and seasons change, They all speak of Thee. The moon slightly shows Thy smile, The sun holds Thy lamp of life. When wilt Thou talk to Me, Leaving Thy vow of silence? Wake! Wake! from Thy sleep Speak to me now, O Lord. I have been swimming for Thee In the sea of my tears. In the arteries … Read More

Paramhansa Yogananda Looking Up to the Sun in the Woods
Poems

I Looked for You

I looked for You Ever since You breathed individuality Into my soul’s dew And separated me from You. Because I am the wave Jerked out of Your sea and have Ever tried myself to reunite With Your boundless bosom of freedom and light; Though lashed And by other waves and by karma dashed Yet again and again The storm of … Read More

Young Paramhansa Yogananda in Lotus Pose
Poems

God Alone

I drank the crushed beauty of a sextillion stars; I sipped the sap of all sane pleasures; I made a bonfire of all sorrows and basked in the blaze of bliss. I quaffed the commingled love of all hearts; I mingled paternal, maternal, and fraternal love together, And drank that to the dregs. I squeezed the Scriptures for a drop … Read More

Paramhansa Yogananda
Poems

Freedom

Brave cords bind me hand and foot Yet lo, I am free, ever free. Disease, try your tortures, Yet, I am free, ever free. Health, try your lures, Yet, I am free, ever free. Death, destroy my body-prison if you will, Yet, I am free, ever free. Long chains of desires Forged in the furnace of incarnations Have tried to … Read More

Paramhansa Yogananda Playing the Esraj
Prayers

Divine Joy

Bless us with Thy intoxicating, ever-new, joyous, supremely satisfying contact. Teach us to drink Thee, that every blood cell, every thought, and every feeling may become saturated with Thy joy and have their pleasure-thirst quenched forever. After tasting Thee, lead us to temptation if Thou wilt. After we are sure of Thy most tempting, everlasting gift of Thyself, then test … Read More

Paramhansa Yogananda
Poems

The Awakening

Make me transparent with purity, that Thou mayest shine through me. Make me luminous with wisdom, that I may behold Thee in me. Still the moving mirror of my mind, that I may behold Thy Mooned Face, undistorted by my restlessness, ever reflected there. Open all the windows of Faith, that I may behold Thee in the Mansion of Peace. … Read More

Paramhansa Yogananda in Lotus Pose on a Rock
Devotion and Prayer

God First

Before the baby sky was born as the blue, out of the dark breast of Eternity, who existed? God first. It was He who with His omnipresent brush spread blue all over the ceiling of dark space. Who was it who peopled the hall of space with the family of planets? – God first. Naught could breathe without His first … Read More

Paramhansa Yogananda Gazing to the Side
Letters by Yogananda

A Christmas Letter to Students, All Individuals, and All Nations

Dear Friends: Let us decorate the growing Christmas Tree of Civilization with the flaming flags of all brother nations. Let us drown our differences and behold the branches of our National Life spreading out from the tree of one International Life. Let us demand that America, India, Germany, Russia, France, China, Japan, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Mexico, Egypt, and all … Read More

Paramhansa Yoganda Blessing a Devotee
Letters by Yogananda

Christmas Greetings

To Friends, Students, And All Eastern And Western Brothers From Jerusalem and India, reinforced by the perception of the Sons of God, I bring unto you a new message of Spirit. Blessed is the Soul, instrument divine, to occasion this. Earth-bound possessions and glory must all fade away sometime, but God-possessions hold through eternity, serving supreme usefulness. The best way … Read More

Jesus Christ
Original Christianity

Be a True Christ One

This is my Christmas song to you: that by daily meditation you will so prepare the cradle in your consciousness that you will behold the Infinite Baby Christ laid there anew. From today until Christmas pray deep and long until every day becomes a true Christmas day of Christ-communion. Spiritualize the social ceremonious Christmas celebration around the Christmas tree of … Read More