Summary

The author's life was profoundly transformed by the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, who taught them meditation, self-discipline, and habit formation.

Abstract

In the summer of 2018, while at Plötzensee lake in Berlin, the author encountered the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda through one of his books. Despite initial hesitation, the author delved into Yogananda's wisdom, which led to a pivotal shift in their life. Yogananda's guidance on meditation provided the author with control over their mind, breaking free from negative thought patterns. The importance of self-discipline was emphasized as a means to achieve long-term happiness and inner peace. Additionally, the author learned the significance of eliminating bad habits and fostering good ones, which is crucial for personal growth and fulfillment. The book "How To Awaken Your True Potential" is recommended as a starting point for those interested in self-realization and life transformation.

Opinions

The author believes that meditation is essential for mental control and inner peace.
Negative thoughts are seen as detrimental to one's life, and meditation helps in overcoming them.
Self-discipline is considered non-negotiable for sustained happiness and is compared to building muscle, becoming easier over time.
The author values the importance of setting and achieving goals, suggesting that it leads to the release of dopamine and a sense of accomplishment.
Bad habits are viewed as enemies that hinder personal progress, while good habits are seen as friends that support one's goals.
Yogananda's teachings are highly regarded, with the author asserting that they can lead to significant life changes for those who apply them.
The author encourages readers to engage with Yogananda's work, suggesting that it could have a similarly profound impact on their lives as it did on their own.

The Astonishing Man Who Unexpectedly Changed My Life Forever

How one man shaped the course of my life with his timeless teachings.

It was the summer of 2018, shortly after I had moved to Berlin. One of his books was recommended to me on Amazon during my personal-development reading frenzy, so naturally, I ordered it.

One sunny afternoon, I packed it in my beach bag and brought it with me to Plötzensee, one of my favourite lakes in Berlin. It was the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Plötzensee reminded me of a lake back home in Saskatchewan, only smaller, much smaller. The cool green water, the pine and oak trees surrounding the lake and the soft yet scoldingly hot sand in the mid-afternoon sun.

The sand filled my Birkenstocks as I thoughtfully chose my spot on the beach. I laid down my blanket, careful not to get any sand on it, then laid myself down and began basking in the sun a while. I felt this instant connection to my home as I lay there, to a feeling of love and beautiful memories deep inside of me.

I decided to practice some deep breathing because I was new to meditating. Like waves rolling in, my breath filled my body. Energy rose from the tips of my toes higher and higher to the crown of my head. I felt utterly high on life. After doing this for some time, I sat up to bite into the apple that I packed with me. It was crisp as I bit into it, and the sweet juice dripped down my chin. I couldn’t help but smile to myself. It was the most perfect apple I had ever tasted. Suddenly everything began to feel weirdly in sync, connected. Like I was destined to be there in that moment.

I finished the apple and laid back down. I closed my eyes only to be awoken by the gentle sound of a heron calling in the distance. I sat up to look for it when a flash of silvery-blue caught the corner of my eye. Long, slender, and silvery grey gliding gracefully over the lake. I watched as he flew effortlessly across the water. He soared upwards to land on a branch amongst the pine trees. I moved my gaze to focus on the tops of the trees; it looked as if a golden glow surrounded them. I felt so in awe. Everywhere I turned to look was now kissed with this golden glow. I had never felt such inner peace and stillness simply through being. Tears welled up in my eyes and rolled down my cheeks as I became almost overwhelmed by pure happiness and love emanating from inside me. Here I was in a land so far away from everything and everyone I knew, yet I had this overwhelming feeling that I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

I soaked in the moment a bit longer before picking up his book.

I laid on my stomach flipping through the first few pages, and remembered thinking to myself, “I’ve already read a lot of this stuff in the last few books I’ve read, so maybe I don’t need to read this one.” I tossed it to the side and laid back down, but some impulse made me decide to pick it up again and read a little further.

That day I found Yogananda.

Paramahansa Yogananda, the man who unexpectedly changed my life forever.

First and foremost, he taught me how to meditate. Second, he taught me why I should practice self-discipline. Third, he taught me how to kill bad habits and cultivate good habits.

These three things alone can change your life.

Let me tell you why.

Meditation gave me the ability to take control of my mind. I am no longer a slave to my negative thought patterns. Thoughts of worry, fear, insecurity, and regret used to eat me alive. Do you know how crippling this is to your life? How much do these thoughts hold you back and sabotage you? Your thoughts literally make or mar your life. Without meditation, I would never have control over my mind like I have today. Today, I experience an almost constant level of inner peace despite what happens in my life.

Meditation involves slowing down your mind to a place of no thoughts, which gives you the ability to be more aware of what you think throughout the day. You can decide if the thoughts that occupy your mind positively serve you or not. Is it helpful for me to be thinking about something regrettable I did six years ago? No. Does worrying about something that hasn’t happened yet make me feel good? No.

Stop the thought and focus on something positive. Continuously do this until you can reprogram your mind to think in a way that benefits your life and well-being.

Long-term inner peace and happiness are unattainable without self-discipline. Period. I know this sucks because self-discipline is hard, but suck it up for a while, and you will thank yourself later. Short-term sacrifices for long-term happiness. Start with small attainable goals and do it. Just do it! Wake up early five days a week. Make a realistic to-do list each night before you go to bed for the following day, and then check it off. You will feel so good when you hold yourself accountable. Your body releases natural dopamine when you complete tasks. It’s like building muscle at the gym. It gets easier over time. Slowly add on more self-discipline goals and watch your life change for the better. Don’t beat yourself up if you fail once in a while and sleep in or don’t get something done. It’s ok. Live your life at your pace, and don’t give up no matter what.

Lastly, kill those bad habits once and for all!

“A good habit is your greatest friend — a bad habit, your mortal enemy.” — Paramahansa Yogananda

Your bad habits will hold you back if you don’t do something about them. For all we know, we have one life. As much as I love sleeping in and being lazy, I love working on my goals and creating the life I dream about more. I don’t want to get to the end of my life and realize all I did was watch tv shows, party, and sleep. I can do that when I’m dead. I want to get to the end of my life knowing that I went after my goals and continuously grew into a better and more authentic version of myself. Surround yourself with people who have a similar vision of growth and personal development. Stay consistent and remember why you’re doing what you’re doing — choosing a bowl of vegetables over fast food, waking up early vs. sleeping in late, working on your priorities instead of Netflix and chilling. Cultivating good habits will make your life easier and happier in the long run.

How To Awaken Your True Potential: The Wisdom of Yogananda is a wonderful book to kickstart your journey of self-realization. Yogananda is a great teacher who gives you the wisdom and tools you need to meditate so you can control your mind. He teaches you why self-discipline is necessary and how to replace your bad habits by cultivating good habits.

Maybe it’s time you also discovered him.

He changed my life, and if you let him, he’ll change yours too.