Guru

One of the first books I ever read about yoga beyond just the poses was, “Autobiography of a Yogi” by Paramahansa Yogananda. In it he recounts his life in India and his journey to America over 50 years ago to bring yoga to the west. He also lists a number of ‘miracles’ performed by various gurus and swamis. One of the main influences in his life was guru to both his parents and his own guru— Lahiri Mahasay.
I remember reading about this legendary guru with such excitement when I was 20 years old. In a very direct way the stories about him influenced me to make yoga my main spiritual discipline in life. In fact, for many years I had a photo of him on my altar at home. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to visit his home, so see the remains of his well-worn meditation cushion and to pay my respects at a mausoleum, which contained his ashes. It was an important moment for me and one that I have been waiting nearly 15 years for. Actually it is one of the reasons I chose to include Varanasi in my travels.
It took us the better part of the morning to find this tiny ashram, which was tucked deep in the maze of ally ways behind the Chauthasi Ghat. It was like a hot steam bath and it took us far from where most tourists usually go. Our journey took us past squalors the likes of which I have never seen, and everything smelled of urine and cow dung. Still, we pressed on with no address, just a note in a book that gave a very general location.
When we finally found the place, I felt like someone had dumped a bucket of sweat over my head. It was almost embarrassing to enter this Ashram looking the way I did. To our surprise, white woman who must have been pushing ninety opened the door. I don’t think she spoke English, but I can’t tell for sure. In any event, she invited us in and motioned to us to bow before the statue of Lahiri Mahasay after which she promptly disappeared leaving Christopher and I to simply stare at each other. The ashram was cool and clean, so we decided to stay for a bit, not knowing what to expect.
Eventually a little man in a loincloth call us up stairs to a small room where we sat down and learned more about this great guru. Today, his great grandson has taken over running the ashram and instructing people in this powerful meditation technique. Unfortunately, he was not there, so we were not able to study with him. Still it was a great honor to pay my respect to a man that, though dead for many years, had changed my life.
Given all my writing about Gurus, I thought I would include a blurb here about that subject and about Yogananda’s work. Important to the way yoga has traditionally been taught has been the Guru-disciple relationship. That has changed quite a bit in the west for better or worse, but it is an important part of yoga’s history. Basically, a seeker would find a Guru and study with him/her. When the Guru enters mahasamadhi (a conscious exit from the body at death) another person or group of people are chosen to continue passing the information down through the generations. Just as the Pope is believed by Catholics to be the direct successor of the Apostle Peter, who, according to the Gospels was Jesus point man; Gurus pass things down from teacher to student for many generations.
Yogananda, one of the most important figures in western yoga also falls into a succession of gurus who taught a meditation technique referred to as Kryia Yoga. Here is a brief list of the line of Gurus that led to Yogananda coming to America with yoga.

Bapuji- believed to be alive still and walking around the Himalayas. According to legend, he is thousands of years old and will appear to anyone devoted enough to go looking for him. He is the Guru of Lahiri Mahasay

Lahiri Mahasay- There is only one photograph of him known to exist as in all others his image would not photograph. Yogananda writes about him extensively in his Autobiography. Lahiri Mahasay is the Guru of Sri Yukteshwar.

Sri Yukteshwar.- Is the Guru of Paramahansa and the one who sent him to the west to teach Kryia yoga to non-Hindus. (A very controversial move at the time).

Paramahansa Yogananda- One of about five major Gurus to come to the west with yoga. His autobiography is used in many college courses on Eastern philosophy and a must read for any serious student of Yoga. In America, he founded Self Realization Fellowship, which now teaches Kryia Yoga to thousands around the world.