Where There is Light (Insight and Inspiration for Meeting Life's Challenges)

As our world civilization moves into the twenty-first century, a new vision of the tremendous potentials latent in the human mind and spirit is gradually emerging. But to make the promises of this vision a reality is no simple challenge. The ceaseless demands on our time and energies, the avalanche of information we are forced to process and act upon, the constantly shifting currents of theories and advice for a fulfilling life—these often make it difficult to keep a sense of direction and continuity in our efforts to help ourselves and others.

Where There Is Light brings clarity and focus to our search for inner and outer harmony by highlighting unchanging universal principles vital for well-being of body, mind, and spirit. From the many volumes of writings and talks by the world-renowned spiritual teacher Paramahansa Yogananda, author of the classic Autobiography of a Yogi, gems of thought on more than 40 timely subjects have been selected, arranged by topic, and indexed for easy references. The result is a unique handbook to which readers can quickly turn for a reassuring sense of direction in times of uncertainty or crisis, or to find a more direct connection with the limitless inner resources and the ever present power of God that we can draw in our daily lives.

Born in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, on January 5, 1893, Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda devoted his life to helping people of all races and creeds to realize and express more fully in their lives the beauty, nobility, and true divinity of the human spirit.

After graduating from the Calcutta University in 1915, Sri Yogananda was initiated into sannyas by his guru, Sri Sri Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri. Sri Yukteswar had foretold that his life's mission was to spread throughout the world, India's ancient meditation technique of Kriya Yoga. He accepted an invitation, in 1920, to serve as India's delegate to an International Congress of Religious Liberals in Boston, USA.

Paramahansa Yogananda founded Yogoda Satsanga Society of India/Self-Realization Fellowship as the channel for the dissemination of his teachings. Through his writings and extensive lecture tours in India, America, and Europe, as well as through the creation of numerous ashrams and meditation centres, he introduced thousands of truth-seekers to the ancient science and philosophy of Yoga and its universally applicable methods of meditation. Paramahansaji entered mahasamadhi on March 7, 1952 in Los Angeles.

Today the spiritual and humanitarian work begun by Paramahansa Yogananda continues under the guidance of Sri Sri Mrinalini Mata, personally chosen and trained by Paramahansa Yogananda to help guide the work after his passing. As Sanghamata and President of Yogoda Satsanga Society of India / Self-Realization Fellowship, Sri Mrinalini Mataji faithfully carries out Paramahansa Yoganandaji's ideals and wishes for the dissemination of his teachings worldwide.

During the years in which I was blessed to receive the spiritual training of Paramahansa Yogananda, * I came to see that the mark of true wisdom is twofold: First, it encompasses every aspect of our being— body, mind, and soul; our personal lives as well as our relationships with family, community, and the world. At the same time, it is so simple and direct that we inwardly feel, "Yes, of course! I have always known that!" There is a sense of reawakening to an understanding that was already present within. When we are touched on this deeper level, truth is instantly translated from mere philosophy into active, workable solutions to our problems.

Such were the truths that flowed in a ceaseless stream from my guru, Paramahansa Yogananda—not as theological abstractions or platitudes, but as practical expressions of that supreme wisdom which brings success, health, enduring happiness, and divine love into all the circumstances of life. Though the full range and depth of Paramahansaji's teachings fills many volumes, we are pleased to present in this compilation a few of the individual gems of thought that sparkle throughout his writings and lectures— profound truths conveyed in a few potent words that kindle a renewed awareness of our limitless inner resources, and that provide a reassuring sense of direction in times of uncertainty or crisis.

It was these innate capabilities of strength and intuitive understanding that Paramahansa Yogananda endeavored to awaken in those who sought his training. When difficulties arose in our personal lives or in the affairs of his worldwide society, we would hasten to him for a solution. However, it often happened that before we even had a chance to say anything, he would motion for us to sit and meditate. In his presence, our minds became calm and centered in God; and the restlessness and confusion created by our problems were completely dissolved. Even if he said nothing in answer to our questions, when we returned to our duties our thoughts formed more clearly, and we discovered that something within us had discerned the right way to proceed.

Paramahansaji gave us a solid grounding in the principles needed to guide our thoughts and actions with wisdom, courage, and faith. But he didn't do our thinking for us; he insisted that we develop our own discrimination by deepening our attunement with God, so that we could perceive for ourselves the best course of action in any particular situation.

It is my deepest hope that each reader will find in this sampling of Paramahansa Yogananda's words the wisdom and inspiration to chart a victorious path through the challenging circumstances of his or her own life. Above all, may these truths bring a lasting incentive to seek those inner resources of strength, joy, and love that spring from our eternal relationship with God. For in that discovery lies the highest fulfillment life can bring.

As our world civilisation progresses, our greatest cause for optimism is the emerging recognition of the underlying oneness of life. Humanity's loftiest spiritual traditions have taught for centuries that our lives are integral parts of a universal whole; today they are being joined by physicists, the new "visionaries," who are proclaiming that one cord of unity links the farthest galaxies with the smallest cells of our bodies. And as their findings begin to coalesce with those of biology, medicine, psychology, ecology, and other fields, we find ourselves poised on the brink of a revolution in human understanding—catching glimpses of a unity and harmony so vast, so breathtakingly perfect, that we are left with a radically different view of ourselves and our potentials.

This new vision offers a deep sense of reassurance in the face of the profound challenges confronting our world today. We are beginning to see that we are not helpless victims of a randomly chaotic cosmos. Diseases of body and mind; the equally alarming "dis-eases" affecting our family, social, and economic stability; the ecological threats to the earth itself —all these arise from a lack of accord with the essential harmony and unity of the cosmos, whether on the personal, community, national, or planetary level. By learning to integrate our lives with this universal harmony, we can victoriously meet any challenge to our well-being. *

Our age has been the recipient of an unprecedented number of theories and methods for achieving that well-being. Medicine, psychology, and the burgeoning number of metaphysical approaches all offer solutions from their specialised perspectives; but the resulting avalanche of information, much of it seemingly contradictory, often leaves us unable to discern a continuity, an order that gives focus to our efforts to help ourselves and others. We find ourselves yearning for a larger perspective, some way of harmonising and transcending the partial views resulting from our era's overspecialisation.

That larger perspective—anciently discovered by the founders of the world's great spiritual traditions and newly glimpsed by pioneering scientists of modern times—reveals that underlying both science and religion are universal principles that govern all creation. "Science looks at truth only from without," Paramahansa Yogananda said. "The metaphysician looks at truth from within to without. That is why they clash. But realised souls who understand science as well as metaphysics find no difference at all. They sec the parallelism between science and truth because they see the whole picture."

Paramahansa Yogananda's lifework* was to show how each of us can transform that vision of harmony from an intellectual possibility into direct personal experience that is applicable to our daily lives. A world teacher who brought the ancient science of yoga meditation+ to the West in 1920, he dedicated his life to uniting East and West in the lasting ties of spiritual understanding, and to helping others toward realisation of the infinite resources of peace, love, and joy that exist within every human being.

Where There Is Light contains but a small sampling of his teachings. The diverse flavor of its contents re- flects the wide spectrum of sources from which they are drawn: Some passages are taken from public lectures or classes; others come from informal talks to small groups of disciples and friends; additional selections are from his writings.

A more detailed discussion of the principles referred to in the present volume can be found in the publications listed on page 219. For readers unfamiliar with the philosophy and spiritual ideals of Paramahansa Yogananda, Where There Is Light will serve as a useful introduction. And for all who have begun the inner journey toward the Source of that light, this compilation is offered as a hand-book of spiritual counsel—a unique resource of insight and inspiration for daily life.