An Autobiography of a Yogi
by Paramhansa Yogananda · first published 2009
58% recommend42% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Inspirational, readable window into yoga, meditation and Eastern spirituality, suited to readers curious about consciousness or who grew up around these practices. Often cited as a favorite of Steve Jobs.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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…every human being is fighting inside themselves. The "good" versus the "bad" or virtues versus vices. That's the whole reason why we suffer. It's all an inner journey :) I'd highly recommend reading The Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramhansa Yogananda as his Master and other great saints explain more about it than I can.
on “Oppenheimer and the Gita (2014)” ↗The Surrender Experiment Autobiography of a Yogi
on “Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything?” ↗Read quite some. Here are my favourites: -Poor dad rich dad -Elon Musk's biography -The republic (Plato) -Man's search for meaning -Autobiography of a yogi
on “Ask HN: What are some interesting books you read in 2017?” ↗I'd suggest reading the book The Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahamsa Yogananda. Don't worry, it's not about yoga in the western (posture) sense. Yoga means union. It's about realizing your "true self" as a tiny fragment of the greater whole. Like a water…
on “Ask HN: How Do I Know My True Self?” ↗"Autobiography of a Yogi" by Paramahamsa Yogananda as its a book thats on one level about a chockful of miracles in India and weird bugs about reality (like what you see if not what you get) but on a deeper level about reality in…
on “Ask HN: Which book would you pick to re-read for the rest of your life?” ↗But he forgot what was said to have been the one book on Steve Jobs’ iPad - the one that was handed out after Jobs’ memorial service: Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi. As Marc Benioff said, Steve’s last message was, "Actualize yourself."
on “The 40 Books That Saved My Life” ↗Both biography and autobiography Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! by Richard Feynman Elon Musk by Ashlee Vance My Life and Work by Henry Ford My Inventions: The Autobiography of Nikola Tesla by Ben Johnston…
on “Ask HN: Biographies recommendations – both Westerner and Non-westerner” ↗Autobiography of a Yogi and Yogananda's Man's Eternal Quest are pretty good as far as inspirational goes...
on “Ask HN: What are some good inspirational and uplifting books?” ↗…dreadful g-o-d word by many cultures but if we can understand this under that light, the readings of the second ever yogi that came to the west called Paramhansa Yogananda are highly recommended. His Autobiography of a Yogi was Steve Jobs favorite book and he made everyone that attended his funeral to get a copy of it. Not that that means a whole lot, as he was by far not an embodiment of love, but I feel he had the capacity…
on “Brains are not required to think or solve problems – simple cells can do it” ↗1. Continuous discovery habits by Teresa Torres 2. Life at the speed of play by Mark Pincus 3. The Antidote by Oliver Burkeman 4. Autobiography of a Yogi by Pramahansa Yogananda
on “Attention is all you have” ↗Autobiography of a Yogi by Sri Paramahamsa Yogananda
on “Ask HN: What is the most mind blowing book you've ever read?” ↗Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda
on “Ask HN: Similar Book to Power of Now / Tolle?” ↗The Alchemist Autobiography of a Yogi
on “Ask HN: What books do you highly recommend?” ↗autobiography of a yogi
on “Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read?” ↗Have you read "Autobiography of a Yogi"? I'm half way through the book and am loving it.
on “Ask YC: Meditation Advice” ↗