By Paramahansa Yogananda - How You Can Talk With God (2nd Edition) (1957-08-20) [Hardcover]

by Paramahansa Yogananda

Excellent Book

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Religion, Self Help

Hardcover

First published August 5, 1957

About the author

Paramahansa Yogananda (Bengali: পরমহংস যোগানন্দ Pôromohôngsho Joganondo, Sanskrit: परमहंस योगानं‍द Paramahaṃsa Yogānaṃda), born Mukunda Lal Ghosh (Bengali: মুকুন্দ লাল ঘোষ Mukundo Lal Ghosh), was an Indian yogi and guru who introduced many westerners to the teachings of meditation and Kriya Yoga through his book, Autobiography of a Yogi .

Reviews

[Dr. Appu Sasidharan (Dasfill) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary
Is prayer a method of two-way communication with God? Is it possible to have a deep, fulfilling personal relationship with God? Is God omnipresent and omnipotent? This book is trying to answer all these questions in the simplest manner possible.

Three things I learned from this book
1) God and Love
We human beings are the ones who always pray to God for one thing or the other. Does God want something from us in return? Sri Paramahansa Yogananda is trying to answer this question in a manner that can never be refuted.

“God, who created us yearns for our love. He wants us to give it spontaneously, without His asking. Our love is the one thing God does not possess unless we choose to bestow it. So, you see, even the Lord has something to attain: our love. And we shall never be happy until we give it. So long as we are wayward children, pygmies crawling on this ball of earth and crying for God’s gifts while we ignore Him, the Giver, we fall into many pits of misery. ”

2) Cosmic consciousness and the meaning of the image of God
The author is mentioning the true meaning of cosmic consciousness and the image of God in this book.

“ Consciousness is aware of itself; it intuitively feels itself. God, through His cosmic consciousness, is aware of Himself in every atom of creation.

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without (the awareness of) your Father. (Matthew 10:29)

The man also has the innate power of cosmic consciousness, though few develop it. The man also has the will, whereby he, like the creator, can create worlds instantaneously; but few develop that power which is within them. The animals cannot reason, but man can. All the attributes that God has- consciousness, reason, will, feeling, love- man has too. In these qualities, a man may be said to be made in the image of God.”

3) What is human body according to Sri Paramahansa Yogananda
The author’s idea of the human body is entrancing and paradigmatic.

“It is because you think you are made of flesh and blood that you sometimes imagine yourself to be a weakling. But if you register the consciousness of God in your body, you will realize that flesh is nothing more than a physical manifestation of the five vibratory elements of earth, water, fire, air, and ether.

The five fingers also represent the five vibratory elements of the Cosmic Intelligent Vibration that maintain the structure of creation. The thumb represents the grossest vibratory element, earth; hence its thickness. The first finger represents the water element. The second finger represents the darting fire element; that is why it is the longest. The third finger represents air. The smallest finger represents ether, which is very fine. ”

Other vital topics like Is God personal or impersonal?, the physical body is not matter but energy, God talks through vibration, Why postpone happiness? are also discussed in this book

My favourite three lines from this book

“Our relationship with God should be one of unconditional love. ”

“It is because we are Divine, a part of God, that we are unable to find lasting satisfaction in anything material. In fact, do not be satisfied with less than the highest ”

“God also talk to man through his intuition.”

Rating
4/5 This is not a book that is palatable to all, especially if you are an ardent outspoken partisan of Richard Dawkins. But if you are a person who gives importance to spiritual and emotional aspects along with logical aspects, this book will be a great read. Even though this book is a small one, it will take at least a couple of re-reads for you to fully grasp the essence of this book as it is exploring multiple complicated realms of life. I liked this book more than any of the three books of The Complete Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue series by Neale Donald Walsch. If you are into spirituality, this is definitely a must-read book.

—————————————————————————
You can also follow me on
Instagram ID - Dasfill | YouTube Channel ID - Dasfill | YouTube Health Channel ID - Dasfill - Health | YouTube Malayalam Channel ID - Dasfill - Malayalam | Threads ID - Dasfill | X ID - Dasfill1 | Snapchat ID - Dasfill | Facebook ID - Dasfill | TikTok ID - Dasfill1

[Vivek V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply a book to reinforce yourself with the power of belief. Read the complete review here https://wp.me/p6rxcY-eT.

[Choko · Rating 5 out of 5]

I owe much to this gentle great man's books. My mom and I met him early in my life and his outlook on life and G-d influenced my formative years in a way which shaped me as a person! I am so grateful to my mom, making the reading, meditation and discussions over his books some of the best, most spiritually intimate moments with her in my memory! She has been gone 13 years now and still when I think of her in moments of profoundly missing her and other loved ones who have passed, the moments of feeling so close to all the sparks of Creation while cuddling up in bed reading and discussing Yogananda, come forth in my mind and my spirit finds peace...

His books are not only for people interested in the Eastern Religions. They are deeply spiritual and give some great ideas and advice on being in harmony with nature and mostly, yourself!

[Shikha Rawal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A always, Paramhansa Yogananda books are easy, precise and to the point. In this short read, he beautifully explains who god is and how you can communicate with him. He says, God is basically energy, light and if you make up your mind that you want to speak with him then he will speak to you cause he is your father after all.

Growing up in India, what Paramhansa Yogananda says in this book is what has been part of our day to day conversations/culture from long back. If you have faith, you can move mountains and you don’t give up the longing, he will answer.

[Aakanksha Kulkarni · Rating 5 out of 5]

You need to be in the right frame of mind and the right place to.understand and appreciate what is being told in this book. That said it's a book that needs to be internalised , read slowly and surely And also.read over and over again.
it's written in very simple language though the concepts are deep. Regardless the book needs to be read slowly with emphasis on each word for it to completely move inside and become a part of you.
He talks about energies and frequencies and scientific logical things and also philosophical thought processes.
It is a small book and can be read in one sitting..Overall gives a great boost to one s thought process but one is left craving for more knowledge and understanding and luckily there are many publications and books and material available.over and above this. A great start and I am going to take this forward.

[Iona Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This super-short book by the master Paramahansa Yogananda is from 1957 (or before), so it is obviously not written in a modern style, and is thus not particularly readable.

However, this will not deter the reader interested in the book’s spiritual content.

Yogananda informs us that he receives much of his knowledge from God rather than books since he seldom reads. He tells us that in the vibration of his cosmic energy God is talking all the time. Saints hear the voice of God.

But as far as “more ordinary mortals” are concerned (though none of us are actually ordinary but are all valuable), though God hears our prayers, He doesn’t always respond. If we keep asking Him to respond, He will begin to give us gifts. But if we make it clear that it is not his gifts but Himself that we want, He will finally give us an answer. We may in a vision “see a face of some saintly being”, or we may hear a Divine voice talking to us, and will know it is God. When our “heart-call” is intense and we do not give up, He will come. It is important that we remove from our mind all doubt that God will answer.

This is a worthwhile little book if you’re interested in communion with God, though more modern alternatives exist, such as “How to hear the voice of God” by Susan Shumsky.

[Kali Srikanth · Rating 4 out of 5]

How you can talk with God?

But firstly, Who is God anyway? Is he also a person like You & Me?
"I and my Father are one."
~Jesus Christ

Is he really the creator of the creation around us?
"Be, and it is."
~Quran

Or, is he merely a form of energy?
"I am Spirit and Thou art that."
~Swami Shankara

Or, is he just a consciousness of different dimension?
"There is no God, there is only Godliness."
~Osho

YP clarifies about God in the early pages itself. He carefully elaborates how this Universe came into existence, how this creation evolved and how we all are created in the image of God (his analogy about five elements and the very identical nature of atomic and cosmic universes is particularly thrilling), then and then only he plunges into the nature & tools to reach out to God and explains his own Meditation/Prayer experiences.
He also mentions about the signs/indications/signals to look for, while sitting for Meditation/Prayer that confirms the language, exchange, and intimacy between You & YOUR God.

This is small, simple, yet deep. This is probably more of HOW TO HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD than talk to one.

My Highest recommendations.

"Call Me, speak unto Me from the depths of your heart, from the core of your being, from the very depths of your soul, persistently, majestically, determinedly, with a firm resolve in your heart that you will go on seeking Me, no matter how many times I do not answer. If you unceasingly whisper in your heart to Me, 'O my silent Beloved, speak to me,' I will come to you, My devotee."

[Amit Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something which changed the way of my life. An amazing book. Highly recommended for all.

[Rajesh R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every page I read is making my crown bigger; this is a very charged book. A definitely not to be missed book.

[Disha · Rating 1 out of 5]

AVOID AT ALL COSTS!

[Shibnath Das · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written on realisation and hence may prove useful to seekers. There is no doubt that once you start talking to God, all your effort should be in the engagement of His company, rest assured.
This book can give some ideas to a certain point, neither discussing the limitations nor beyond that point.

[Koduvayur Harikrishnan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This mini book by Swami Paramahamsa Yogananda is one of those that you need to read again and again, to get more and more meaning out of it. The book is best kept by the bedside, or in one pocket while travelling. It applies across all religions, and hence its successful translation into most of the world languages. A true joy to browse, whatever your mood.

[Pramod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful experience

Superb, it touches you and changes your perspective. I strongly recommend that those you sincerely want to communicate with the Almighty, must read this book. Jai Swami Yogananda

[Bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

Amazing book on reflections about God. God speaks to you every day. It is like a frequency only if you tune into it you can hear it. Tuning process is the work we have to do in this life

[Vatsal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A guide to how to talk with God.

This book gives very clear guidance on how you can talk with God. Of course you need to apply your self very sincerely to the guidance.

Vatsal Dixit

[Beklan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

I love the way Yogananda speaks about the Divine Mother. And he really gives some good advice on how to talk with God. Every page of this little book made me happy and smile joyfully as I sincerely believe he had Her respond and talk to him..

[Jilles · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too small to really have in impact, but still a good reminder that we are in communication with God.

[Dwarakanath Reddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book.

[Niel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the rare booklet you can find out in the market that is insightful.

[Jimmy Joseph · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think this is only a method pf talking to God. As per the catechism of the catholic Church (ccc) there are different methods of prayer.

[Mayank Verma · Rating 5 out of 5]

He makes you fall in love with God

Faith is the armour you should have and Yogananda ji talks about it and gives reasons as to how it will work or not

[Betty Soto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional

Highly recommend: the real essence of our purpose in life is seeking God unconditionally and not attaining materials things. Live simple.

[Charles Horch · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can talk to God according to this book, Mystic.

[Diana Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

I loved it so much! Enlightened my soul and spirit. I am forever humbled by the presence of my Lord. I want more!

[Rhue McDonough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect

So many inspiring points to ponder. Just reading these powerful words makes a heart sing with the desire to push farther.

[肥啾 H · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found that this book is programmed.

[Mridula മൃദുല · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a really a how to talk with God. And I, like many, owe much to Swami Yogananda for this .

[Shiema Shah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very philosophical, yet basic introduction about how one can connect to God.

Yogananda places a strong emphasis on the ability of prayer to open the mind and heart to inspiration and guidance from above. He provides helpful guidance on successful prayer, stressing the value of sincerity, trust, and surrender in one's spiritual life.

In addition, Yogananda examines the transforming potential of meditation as a direct channel for divine communication. He takes readers on a voyage of self-discovery and inner awakening by introducing them to a variety of meditation practices, such as breath awareness, mantra repetition, and visualization.

[Harshit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of book is summary and abstract of instances and conclusion taken from AutoBiography of Yogi. The key part start in later half of the book, explanation of vibrations, senses and three layered body, this book also light up on law of attraction and shaping your life with it and practicing vibration in daily life.

Love and originality in self it utmost attainment and this explains in notes on keeping them aligned.

In short a reference book to keep your soul in good spirits and maintaining magic around you.

[Jina Juiliano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talking with God

This is a book for contemplation it's not easy to read in one sitting because you have to consciously think about every word written. Paramahansa Yogananda does put into simple words so every lay person will be able to understand this book but to get the entire Geist of this book you have to contemplate its meaning. Another excellent book by Yogananda. Anyone on the spiritual path should read this.