Spiritual teacher Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952) was born on this day in Gorakhpur, India. In the 1920s he founded the Self-Realization Fellowship in Los Angeles. He conducted speaking engagements, "spiritual campaigns," throughout the U.S. to share his message of love, meditation, yoga, and self-healing.

"He who conquers the mind, conquers the world," he taught.

The Yogi encouraged others to find a direct, personal experience with God and to celebrate the magic of human potential. "Nothing is impossible, unless you think it is," he said.

A pioneer of yoga in the West, Yogananda taught how to balance inner needs with outer demands and create a more compassionate and peaceful world. His book, Autobiography of a Yogi (1946), considered a  spiritual classic, has been translated into 18 languages.

To Paramahansa Yogananda, "love is the heartbeat of all life."

Live with peace in your heart.