Finding God through Yoga: Paramahansa Yogananda and Modern American Religion in a Global Age

Paramahansa Yogananda, a Hindu missionary to the United States, wrote "Autobiography of a Yogi," which is one of the world's best-selling spiritual philosophy titles. David Neumann's critical biography interprets Yogananda's position in religious history, transnational modernity, and American culture. He argues that Yogananda universalized Hinduism, creating the vocation of Hindu yogi evangelist, generating fresh connections between religion and commercial culture in a deepening American religious pluralism.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 30 March 2019
Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press

Paramahansa Yogananda, a Hindu missionary to the United States, penned one of the world's most celebrated spiritual classics, Autobiography of a Yogi, which was first published in 1946 and remains one of the best-selling spiritual philosophy titles of all time. In this critical biography, David Neumann explores the fascinating life of Yogananda while interpreting his position in religious history, transnational modernity, and American culture.

Beginning with Yogananda's spiritual investigations in his native India, Neumann traces how this early global guru emigrated to the United States in 1920 and established his headquarters, the Self-Realization Fellowship, in Los Angeles, where it continues to thrive today.

Preaching his message of Hindu yogic philosophy in a land that routinely sent its own evangelists to India, Yogananda was fueled by a religious nationalism that led him to conclude that Hinduism could uniquely fill a spiritual void in America and Europe. At the same time, he embraced a growing belief that Hinduism's success outside South Asia hinged on a sincere understanding of Christian belief and practice.

By universalizing Hinduism, Neumann argues, Yogananda helped create the novel vocation of Hindu yogi evangelist, generating fresh connections between religion and commercial culture in a deepening American religious pluralism.

Yogananda's legacy continues to inspire individuals worldwide, offering a path to inner peace and personal growth through the teachings of Hinduism and yoga. His profound insights into the nature of reality and the interconnectedness of all beings have left an indelible mark on the spiritual landscape, and his teachings continue to resonate with people seeking a deeper understanding of their faith and themselves.

Weight: 578g
Dimension: 158 x 233 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781469648637