Inspiration and Counsel From Paramahansa Yogananda

 

Yoga is a system of scientific methods for reuniting the soul with the Spirit. We have come down from God, and we must reascend to Him. We have seemingly become separated from our Father, and we must consciously reunite with Him. Yoga teaches us how to rise above the delusion of separation and realize our oneness with God. The poet Milton wrote of the soul of man and how it might regain paradise. That is the purpose and goal of Yoga − to regain the lost paradise of soul consciousness by which man knows that he is, and ever has been, one with Spirit.

 The world's various religions are based more or less on the beliefs of man. But the true basis of religion should be a science that all devotees may apply in order to reach our one Father-God. Yoga is that science. The practice of a science of religion is imperative.

   

It is all right to enjoy life; the secret of happiness is not to become attached to anything. Enjoy the smell of the flower, but see God in it. I have kept the consciousness of the senses only that in using them I may always perceive and think of God. "Mine eyes were made to behold Thy beauty everywhere. My ears were made to hear Thine omnipresent voice." That is yoga, union with God. It is not necessary to go to the forest to find Him. Worldly habits will hold us fast wherever we may be until we free ourselves from them. The yogi learns to find God in the cave of his heart. Wherever he goes, he carries with him the blissful consciousness of God's presence.

 

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We are pleased to announce the launch of our new Self-Realization Fellowship online bookstore. With an exciting redesign and enhanced features, you can browse and sample our extensive inventory of books and recorded talks by Paramahansa Yogananda and his monastic disciples, along with other items from Self-Realization Fellowship − including videos, music CDs, photos, incense, and current and back issues of our magazine.
 
In addition to a brand-new look, the new online bookstore offers many new features that will enhance and simplify your shopping experience, including:

• "Look inside" book preview function.
• Listen to samples of audio talks and music CDs.
• MP3 downloads are now available. Several talks from our popular Self-Realization magazine audio series are now available for download, and more talks and music CDs will be available soon.
• Mobile-friendly − you can shop on the go with your smartphone or tablet.
• Improved product categories and search function to help you find the products you're looking for.

 
(Please note that you will need to enter new account information to make purchases, even if you were previously registered on the earlier version of our online catalog.)
 
Visit the bookstore

  

 

Celebrating Yoga Worldwide and Paramahansa Yogananda's Mission to Bring Yoga to the West 

The first ever United Nations-sanctioned International Day of Yoga will take place on June 21, 2015. Widely recognized as the father of yoga in the West, Paramahansa Yogananda introduced millions of seekers to India's ancient Yoga science.

 

DaijiWorld, an online news portal, wrote in an article dated March 5: "If India's idea of an International Yoga Day has found easy acceptance in the UN, much of the credit must go to Paramahansa Yogananda, India's first yoga guru in the U.S....He played a huge role in laying the foundation for yoga in the United States a century ago." 

 

We invite you to visit a Self-Realization Fellowship temple or meditation center near you, many of which will hold special meditations and other functions to commemorate the International Day of Yoga.

 

Read more and explore Paramahansa Yogananda's teachings and the many yoga resources on our website. 

  

CounterPoint Films and Self-Realization Fellowship will host a special screening of the award-winning documentary AWAKE: The Life of Yogananda to honor the pioneering role that Paramahansa Yogananda has made in introducing millions of seekers to the ancient science of Yoga. Designed to celebrate the International Day of Yoga, the screening will take place on Saturday, June 20 at the Pico Union Project, a multi-faith venue near downtown Los Angeles. The special evening will include remarks by the filmmakers, Paola di Floria, Lisa Leeman, and Peter Rader, as well as by senior monastics from Self-Realization Fellowship who are featured in the film; a kirtan and guided meditation; and the screening of the film. 

 

• Doors will open at 7 p.m. and the event will begin at 7:45 p.m.
• Tickets, priced at $15, will be available exclusively online. 
• Valet parking will be available.
• Pico Union Project is located at 1153 Valencia St., Los Angeles, CA 90015.

  

Self-Realization Fellowship
How-to-Live Youth Programs

 

Girls' Program: June 22 − 26
Boys' Program: June 29 − July 3

  

 

Self-Realization Fellowship will be conducting a five-day How-to-Live program in Encinitas, California, for children 7 to 12 years of age; as well as a five-day teen program for 13- to 18-year-olds.

 

The programs will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily at the Encinitas Country Day School. Learn more and register online.  

 

  

Join SRF members and friends at the 2015 Self-Realization Fellowship World Convocation for a week of classes on the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, spiritual fellowship, meditation, kirtan chanting, and more.

August 16 - 22, 2015
Westin Bonaventure Hotel
Los Angeles

Visit our website for event and hotel information and to register online.

  

Public Lecture Tours
Sept. 25 - 27	Austin, TX (public lecture and Kriya Yoga Initiation)
Oct. 1 - 4	Innsbruck, Austria (public lecture and Kriya Yoga Initiation)
Oct. 8 - 11	Aschaffenburg, Germany (public lecture and Kriya Yoga Initiation)
Oct. 16 - 18	Seattle, WA (public lecture and Kriya Yoga Initiation)
	See more dates and locations. Learn about the lecture tours.
How-to-Live Retreat Programs
June 5 - 7	Seattle, WA (general retreat)
Sept. 18 - 20	Front Royal, VA (general retreat)
Oct. 2 - 4	South Bend, IN (regional retreat)
Oct. 9 - 11	Atlanta, GA (regional retreat)
Oct. 16 - 18	Toronto, Canada (regional retreat)
Nov. 6 - 8	Maui, HI (regional retreat)
	See more dates and locations. Learn about the How-to-Live Retreat programs.
2015 SRF World Convocation
Aug. 16 - 22	Los Angeles
	Visit our website for program, event and hotel information.