The ShinsungHwa of Yogananda (2019)(2022) – Art Capturing the Light of the Soul
Introduction to ShinsungHwa
ShinsungHwa is my unique artistic practice of visualizing invisible spiritual energies through meditation and bringing them to life on canvas. Though this may sound unconventional, these works reveal geometric patterns and forms that surface during deep meditative communion. Common elements that appear include spiritual centers, centerlines, light symbols, and cosmic principle markers—each shifting in meaning based on where they appear in the composition.
The 2019 Yogananda ShinsungHwa
When I first painted Yogananda’s spiritual essence in 2019, I witnessed energy flowing around his physical presence and radiating outward from his spiritual core. Yet something caught my attention—disrupted flow weaving through this otherwise harmonious flow.
These irregular movements intrigued me at the time, though I resisted drawing conclusions about what they might mean. A future work would eventually shed light on these mysterious observations.
Three years later, lingering questions drew me back to Yogananda as my subject.
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Why Negative Energy Appears in ShinsungHwa and Its Meaning – The Essence of Spiritual Art I never know what the finished ShinsungHwa will look like. When I begin creating, I’m more like… |
The 2022 Yogananda ShinsungHwa
This second piece unveiled light symbols blooming from his spiritual center while energy spiraled in graceful currents, bathing his entire form in luminous radiance. But one detail stopped me in my tracks—a small, independent light symbol in the upper left, tethered directly to Yogananda’s mouth. This revealed a luminous presence offering guidance and support throughout his spiritual mission.
The Monk Who Changed the West: Paramahansa Yogananda’s Journey to America
In 1920, a young Indian monk arrived in Boston with ancient wisdom and a strong conviction that Eastern and Western spiritual traditions could enrich each other1. This quiet teacher would go on to introduce millions of Americans to meditation and yoga philosophy, creating a lasting influence that continues today.
A Childhood Touched by Divine Purpose
Mukunda Lal Ghosh entered the world on January 5, 1893, in Gorakhpur, India, but even as a baby, something set him apart. His parents were followers of a renowned spiritual master named Lahiri Mahasaya, who took one look at the infant and made a startling prediction: “Little mother, thy son will be a yogi. As a spiritual engine, he will carry many souls to God’s kingdom”.
From his earliest years, young Mukunda felt an intense longing for something beyond the ordinary world. While other children played with toys, he spent his time seeking out holy men and saints across India, searching for answers to life’s deepest questions. This wasn’t just childhood curiosity—it was a soul on a mission.
Finding His Guide
At seventeen, Mukunda’s search ended when he met Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri in 1910. This meeting wasn’t coincidence but destiny. His new teacher immediately recognized the young man’s purpose and began preparing him for something extraordinary: bringing the ancient science of Kriya Yoga—a powerful meditation technique—to the Western world.
For the next decade, Mukunda lived in his master’s hermitage, absorbing not just spiritual knowledge but also the wisdom of how to bridge two very different worlds. After graduating from Calcutta University in 1915, he took formal vows as a monk and received the name Yogananda, meaning “bliss through divine union”.
The Great Adventure Begins
In 1920, opportunity knocked when Yogananda received an invitation to speak at a religious congress in Boston. His teacher’s words rang in his ears: “The West is high in material attainments, but lacking in spiritual understanding. It is God’s will that you play a role in teaching mankind the value of balancing the material with an inner, spiritual life”.
What started as a single speaking engagement became a lifelong mission. Yogananda traveled across America, drawing crowds of thousands who were hungry for something their material success couldn’t provide. He eventually settled in Los Angeles, establishing the Self-Realization Fellowship to share his teachings.
Revolutionary Ideas That Changed Everything
Yogananda didn’t just teach meditation—he brought revolutionary concepts that transformed Western thinking. His message was simple yet profound: “Only God exists,” and everything we see is like a cosmic movie with God as the director. This ancient Indian wisdom was brand new to most Americans.
He taught that daily meditation could help people “see behind the dream” of everyday life. When Yogananda arrived in America, almost nobody meditated—now millions practice daily. He also introduced the concept of prana, or life energy, teaching that controlling this subtle force could improve every aspect of life.
Perhaps most revolutionary was his teaching about karma and reincarnation—that our thoughts and actions create waves of energy that return to us. In a world built on prejudice and separation, Yogananda preached radical oneness. When he discovered that only white people could attend his lectures, he founded a center for African Americans. He even officiated the marriage of an Indian man and a white woman, challenging society’s racial barriers.
The Book That Changed Millions
In 1946, Yogananda published “Autobiography of a Yogi,” a spiritual masterpiece that would become one of the most influential books of the 20th century. The book sold over four million copies and has been translated into more than fifty languages. Famous admirers include Steve Jobs, George Harrison, and Elvis Presley.
What made this book special wasn’t just its spiritual teachings, but its accessible storytelling. Yogananda shared miraculous encounters with saints and sages, making the mystical feel real and attainable. The book fulfilled a prophecy made by his teacher’s guru fifty years earlier about yoga spreading to the West.
A Saint’s Departure
Yogananda’s earthly journey ended as remarkably as it began. On March 7, 1952, during a banquet in Los Angeles, he collapsed while reading from his poem “My India”. But even in death, he remained extraordinary. The mortuary director wrote a notarized letter describing how Yogananda’s body showed no signs of decay even twenty days later, with a slight smile remaining on his lips.
“The case of Paramahamsa Yogananda is unique in our experience,” the director stated, adding another mysterious chapter to an already extraordinary life.
Today, Yogananda’s influence extends far beyond his immediate followers. He paved the way for the spiritual awakening of the 1960s and 1970s and helped establish meditation as a mainstream practice. His vision of uniting East and West, science and religion, continues to inspire millions worldwide.
