Sri Yogananda's Vision of Communion With Christ

THE TIME-TESTED SCRIPTURES of the world are one in essence, inspiring man on his upward journey. One of the happiest periods of my life was spent in dictating my Bible interpretations. Fervently I implored Christ to guide me in divining the true meaning of his words, many of which have been grievously misunderstood for twenty centuries.

One night while I was engaged in silent prayer, my sitting room in the Encinitas hermitage became filled with an opal blue light. I beheld the radiant form of the blessed Lord Jesus. A young man, he seemed, of about twenty-five, with a sparse beard and moustache; his long black hair, parted in the middle, was haloed by a shimmering gold.

His eyes were eternally wondrous; as I gazed, they were infinitely changing. With each divine transition in their expression, I intuitively understood the wisdom that was being conveyed. In his glorious eyes I felt the power that upholds the myriad worlds. A sacred chalice appeared at his mouth; it came down to my lips and then returned to Jesus. After a few moments he spoke to me in beautiful words of reassurance, so personal in their nature that I keep them in my heart. - From Autobiography of A Yogi