Paramahansa Yogananda

The great yogi Paramahansa Yogananda is considered one of the most prominent spiritual symbols of modern times. As a native of India, the guru emigrated to the U.S. There he taught and practiced spiritual matters for over thirty years. He is so respected in the West that he earned himself the title of 'Father of Yoga' in the U.S. He was born as Mukunda Lal Ghosh to a devoted family and showed a deep interest in spirituality from an early age. Even as a child he seemed to know more about spiritual things than what was considered normal. His passion for yoga and spirituality was intertwined as both his parents were students of the famous king, Lahiri Mahasaya. As a young man, he sought out the holy saints and nurses in his quest to find a guru who would guide him in his spiritual path; His quest ended when he met guru Swami Yukteswar Giri. A few years after joining the Monastic Swami Order, he traveled to America where he established a Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) to spread his teachings on ancient Indian spiritual practices such as yoga. He spent his entire life teaching in America and was interrupted only by a trip to India where he founded the Yogoda Satsanga Society of India.