How to be a Yogi

by Abhedananda

A yogi is a term for a person who practices various forms of the path of Yoga, maintaining a steadfast mind, the process of transcending the lower self. These designations are mostly reserved for advanced or daily practitioners. The Shiva-Samhita text defines the yogi as someone who knows that the entire cosmos is situated within his own body.

Genres: Philosophy, Spirituality, Mysticism

92 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 1940

About the author

Swāmi Abhedānanda (Bengali: স্বামী অভেদানন্দ), born Kaliprasad Chandra (Bengali: কালীপ্রসাদ চন্দ্র) was a sanyasin associated with the Bengali Rennaisance of Vaisnavite Vedanta. Swami Vivekananda encouraged him to head the Vedanta Society, New York in 1897, and spread the message of Vedanta, a theme on which he authored several books. In 1921 he returned to India, and the next year he traveled to Tibet to study with the lamas there. He later founded the Ramakrishna Vedanta Math in Calcutta (now Kolkata) and Darjeeling, India. At the time of his death, he was last surviving direct disciple of the 19th century mystic Sri Ramakrishna.

Reviews

[Nikhil Kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise yet well-explained description of different types of "yogas" - Hatha, Raja, Karma, Bhakti, and Jnana.

[Wanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since taking yoga for a year, I wanted to learn more about the history and different branches of the practice. Found this book cheap at Half Price Books and thought it might enlighten me. It did, but not wholly in the way I was looking for. Still, I learned some things I didn't know. It read a little funny to me and after looking it up on Good Reads and seeing it was originally published in 1940, it kind of explains it. My book is from an Australian publisher, copyright 2006.

[Abhishek Kumar · Rating 1 out of 5]

The same could have been said in one or two blog posts.

[Abhi Yerra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of it is pretty generalized information on the different paths of yoga, but the last chapter was worth the read.

[Siwani Agarwal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only an enlightened soul could have explained it so well. The history hasn't been interpreted correctly and illuminated beings like Swami Abhedananda have rightly fulfilled the task of elaborating and deciphering the metaphorical historical texts.

[Abani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definition of a true yogi

Nicely explained and that too these are the words from realised one, the highest of the mankind .Let us adopt these principles in our lives.