Real Yoga

When I first met the Swami, I had didn't know anyone in the Yogic community. The Internet was in its infancy. So when I met the Swami I asked him, who are some of the Great Yogis or Masters? He told me names and stories. Here's some of the Great Masters the Swami wanted people to be aware. Plus, I am adding some of my own to the list too.

This great friend of mine taught me Yantra Yoga in the 1950's. He became a Great Master. His forte was in the magic of his speech. He had opened his 5th center to such a degree that he could speak endlessly on any given Yogic topic. This ability to speak endlessly was a miracle to behold. He was one of the Great Teachers of the 20th century.

The greatest Gnani (Jnani) of the early part of the 20th century. Just being in his presence and receiving his look altered people's lives forever. Ramana taught in silence, a feat that is substantiated by millions of people so affected by his look. When you looked into his eyes, it was like looking into a mirror and seeing the stillness within. Ramana stare was enough to put people into a state of Samadhi.

Ramakrishna has been called the Greatest Spiritual Teacher of the 19th Century. A true and great Bhakti Yogi. Read the book on his life notated by his disciple and attendant M.

Master Mahsaya who wrote Ramakrishna's life story since he knew him, wrote under the name of M. For a great Yogic read, get that book.

The essence of Cosmic Love. Yogananda could sweep an entire audience with such a sweeping movement of love, that his goodness virtually changed people's lives. He was the great initiator of Kriya Yoga in the West. His capacity for work, for writing and for organizing one of the great Yoga foundations in the world, The Self Realization Fellowship, surely makes him a complete Yogi, encompassing in his activities all the yogas into one great life.

The man who changed everything and gave us Choiceless Awareness. A late 20th century Gnani. A man who taught us how to Listen. A man who lectured tirelessly all over the world.

My Kriya Initiator, Master Yogi, Dr. Lewis, put me in to a state of Samadhi with the slightest tap to the heart center. That singular experience was enough to propel me forward on to a Yogic Life.

Dr. Lewis's stentorian voice had such a ringing quality to it that I often thought what a great singer he would have made. He was a no–nonsense type of man that insisted with absolute clarity that visions of lights and sugar plum fairies were a hindrance to one's Yogic development.

Of all the Masters I have had the good fortune to meet and study under, Dr. Lewis seemed to me to have the most beneficent of Spiritual authorities. Dr. Lewis was an in–line Yogi of that famous Babaji–Lahiri Myasha–Sri Yukteswar–Paramahansa Yogananda line. He was Paramahansa's first disciple in America.

Karmananda's List

How can this Great Master not be on the list? His life was short but his method still rings true to this day.

This Great Yogi's powerful yet simple book on Karma Yoga changed my life. His books may be written in older English, but his message is as clear as day. For anyone that is in need of a Guru, look no further than Vivekananda.

While Swami Harinanda played an important role in my life and development, Swami Vivekananda will forever by my Guru.

This Great Yogi's life is shrouded in mystery and yet, this great Bhakti had a profound effect on me.

In Vivekananda's book on Karma Yoga he stated that once a dog ran away with a piece of Pavhari Baba's bread while he was out for a walk. As Pavhari Baba was returning to his hermitage he saw the dog running away with his bread and then yelled Come back, come back, let me butter your bread. Pavhari saw everything as God and if God wanted to steal his bread, he wanted to butter it. This simple story taught me everything I needed to know about Bhakti Yoga.

William Walker Atkinson (December 5, 1862 – November 22, 1932), better known as Ramacharaka wrote more than 100 books in the last 30 years of his life. The purity of his information combined with a truly giving spirit makes him one of the Great Masters of the early 20th century. His book on pranayama yoga, The Science of Breath, is a must read for all aspirants.

Vishnudevananda Saraswati (31 December 1927 & 9 November 1993) was a true Hatha Yoga Master. His book The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga is a must have for all those interested in pure Hatha Yoga. His book, combined with Swami's Harinanda's own personal experiences, are the foundation of the Hatha Yoga Lessons 1 to 5 found on this website.

While adding The Buddha might seem strange, the reality is that The Buddha was one of the Great Jnana Yoga Masters in history. His teachings are still followed to this day. Walk into any Buddhist temple and sit in front of a statute of The Buddha and you can't help but fill stillness.

While there may be a religious and ceremonial aspect to Buddhism, if you can get past this and go to the core, The Buddha offers powerful guidance to help us move into silence.

The word Buddha comes from the Sanskrit word Buddhi which refers to the intellectual ability and the power to form and retain concepts, reason, discern, judge, comprehend and understand. One could say Buddhi means Wisdom and Buddha means Wise Man.

Articles by Swami Harinanda and Yogi Karmananda are © 2026 and are licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

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