Awake: The Life of Yogananda

I'll make it clear from the start, that I am not fully objective. I've been a devoted follower of the Self-Realization path for 34 years now. But I'm deeply impressed at the care of the filmmakers and the courage of Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) in opening up to a film project in which they desired an outside, award-wining team of documentarians to tell Yogananda's story with objective journalism.

Yogananda's life is full of miracles, which a reading of his Autobiography of a Yogi will reveal. The movie did not emphasize the miracles at all. When it referred to a few, it was with such a light touch that you could miss it if you weren't paying close attention. Some members were disappointed in this. One omission was the fact that a month after Yogananda's death, his body still did not show any signs of decay. The morticians at Forest Lawn signed a letter attesting to the incorruptibility of the yogi's body. In Yogananda's humility, I believe he himself would be very pleased with the film. The heart of his message was crystal clear: the purpose of SRF is to help sincere souls awaken to God's presence within by forming a personal relationship with God through meditation on His/Her peace, love and joy.

As a devotee, I had never heard the detailed stories of betrayal and threats on his life that the film revealed. It impressed me that a number of times, the tests and trials tempted Yogananda to give up his mission and return to his beloved Guru in India. However, his sincere, intimate relationship with God always helped him return to his work, and at one point rebuild his organization from the ground up after one very close friend/brother disciple betrayed him in a number of ways. This deeply touched me. I respect that Yogananda himself, and SRF as a whole did not waste time bemoaning difficulties or gossiping about the weaknesses of others. They kept their focus on the mission. The information only came out once journalists determined it was important information about Yogananda, putting him in the context of a life of challenges, and an American culture with its racism and fear of new ideas and foreign persons.

The movie will come out in select theaters in October 2014. Watch for it in your city. I think you will find it inspiring, interesting, unique. It was created with a wisdom and a devotion that is rare in filmmaking. Congratulations to the filmmakers! I think it is worthy of an Academy Award Nomination for Best Documentary.

The documentary has many of Yogananda's teachings. That in itself is a good enough reason to go in the first place. It has made me more grounded in my own yoga practices. The filmmakers show the history of this Sad Guru, his lineage, and the love between Guru and disciple. It has filled me with awe and gratitude for how he and his devotees have built up so much in the USA and India. The imagery is as close as one can get to the experience of the divine. The music is appropriate and runs well. The talking heads are all interesting to watch. For a change they actually have something to say. :-)

I'm very happy to be a human being.

The film makers have done an exceptional job of conveying an atmosphere of mystical reverence to this film. I was catapulted into an elevated state of awareness— captivated from start to finish, with only a few moments late in the film of dropping back into 'ordinary reality'. The mood is haunting and compels your attention. The story itself is poignant. The scenes of Yognanda's meeting and reunion with his guru are exceptionally moving and well-crafted. I am recommending to all my spiritually- minded, seeker friends. They say that spiritual teachers are here primarily to show others that it is possible to break through to a deeper reality of love and truth. This film shows just how much Yogananda radiated this gift to the world around him. Truly an amazing accomplishment!

I am a Paramahansa Yogananda disciple since 1990, and it seems to me that the reviews about it are full of fanaticism , and that fanaticism is quite contrary to Yogananda's teachings. I hope mind-balanced people will not be mislead by this, and will take care to learn more about Master's teachings and life, that are so important for modern time people. According to my personal experiences, Yogananda's teachings are an effective, scientific method that enables man to consciously and voluntary accomplish his own spiritual, mental and material evolution, and, as far as possible, the evolution of the world he is living in. Through such evolution, mas can free himself and the world from suffering, and can reach and help the world reaching true, ever-increasing happiness. I hope my poor English is understandable. God bless us all.

In the past year, I have been 'changed' by Yoga and Meditation. The Life of Yogananda is an amazing story of the man who brought True Yoga and Meditation to the West.