Paramhansa Yogananda’s mission was one of world peace and harmony, as well as individual Self-realisation, both of which he said could be achieved through the practice of transformative meditation techniques such as Kriya Yoga, which he referred to as “the airplane route to God.”

Yogananda  published his now famous Autobiography of a Yogi. In 1946. The book has had tremendous influence, and is known as a must-read for any spiritual seeker. He has inspired spiritual leaders in the growing counter-culture movement which blossomed over a decade later.

Through his books, teachings, and practices of meditation and yoga, Yogananda helped to usher in the sweeping increase in interest in peace, consciousness, and self-transformation. For this, he is often known today as the “father of yoga in the West.”