The life of Paramahansa Yogananda, an Indian yogi with thousands of followers in hundreds of countries, was of utmost importance for the paths and patterns of meditation worldwide.
Yogananda was responsible for the dissemination of meditation techniques around the western world, which guide the development of the practice until the present day.
His life was a story full of “miraculous” and impressive events, which rely on the observation of gurus' powers for healing and personal knowledge.
Yogananda's trajectory is recounted in the book Autobiography of a Yogi, first released in 1946, in the USA, and later expanded by Self-Realization Fellowship, in a new edition. Self-Realization Fellowship is an institution founded by the yogi himself during his life in the USA, from 1920 to 1952, when he passed away. Through this organization, Yogananda was able to disseminate his knowledge and techniques of learning and practicing meditation.
The book is classified as a best seller, it was and is very successful inside and outside the spiritual field.
After the success of the literary work, Yogananda's life was also told in cinema, in the film Awake - The Life of Yogananda.
The film
The film Awake is directed and scripted by Paloma di Florio and premiered in the US in 2014. In España, it premiered in 2015, in November, and was a great success.
It is a documentary that, in the same way as the book, narrates the path of the yogi. The work is full of striking scenes that represent the events of the guru's life and even several testimonies that make the plot more realistic and practical.
With a scientific tone, it introduces the philosophy and teachings of Yoga and meditation from Yogananda's biography. The documentary also has explanations of how these practices are inserted in the West.
The work has Russell Simmons, Anupan Kherr and George Harrison in its cast.
With extensive teaching and information, the production featured footage and contributions from 30 different countries and goes far beyond the simple biography and portrayal of Paramahansa's achievements. The documentary uses the yogi's knowledge and dissemination as a basis to expand the clarification and explanations around the world of Yoga and meditation, and how they are part of the famous "pursuit of happiness".
- Written by Julia Zayas of Team Me Without Borders.
