Paramhansa Yogananda Instructing Hatha Yoga
Stories of the Masters

I know Every Single Thought you think

One day, after a gathering in Beverly Hills, I had been invited to perform yoga postures at a Jewish Bar Mitzvah. Afterward, a materialistic Jewish psychiatrist cornered me and challenged my beliefs. I defended them as reasonably as I could, and then, to clinch my argument, spoke of certain miracles to which I’d been a witness. It did no good at all. In fact, I could see the thought forming in his mind, ‘Perhaps I could find time for this ‘patient’ next Wednesday morning.’

A few days later, I served lunch for my Guru and several guests, and followed the meal with a short demonstration of yoga postures. After the guests had departed, I sat alone at the table for a few minutes with my Guru. During our conversation he paused briefly, then commented, ‘By the way, when you are with atheists and materialists, don’t speak to them of miracles.’

‘You knew!’ I exclaimed.

Looking at me deeply, he replied, ‘I know every single thought you think.’ Often, during our time together, he demonstrated the truth of that extraordinary statement.

Paramhansa Yogananda in American Suit
Stories of the Masters

The Hamburgers

An incident narrated by James Coller to Swami Kriyananda

James Coller, another disciple, visited us at about this time from Phoenix, Arizona; Master had appointed him to be the minister of our church there. James, though deeply devoted to God and Guru, had a tendency to be a little casual about hermitage discipline.

‘I was driving from Phoenix to Encinitas recently,’ James told us, ‘to see Master. It was late at night, and I was getting hungry. After some time I came to a restaurant that was still open, and eagerly went in. As bad luck would have it, all they had to serve was hamburgers. What was I to do? I knew Master wanted us to be vegetarians, but still. . . . I mean, I was really hungry! ‘Oh, well,’ I decided finally, ‘he won’t know!’ So I ate two hamburgers. After I reached Encinitas, I spoke with Master. At the end of our conversation, he remarked gently:

”By the way, James, when you’re on the highway late at night, and you come to a place that serves nothing but hamburgers’better not eat anything.” It may comfort those who have similar problems with self-discipline that Master said James would be spiritually free in this life. His saving grace was deep love for God.