SWAMI YOGANANDA IN MINNESOTA -1927

" Miracles are simply the working of universal super-laws and they can be performed ordinarily, in a common way, when one is acquainted with the scientific relation between matter and mind. "

-- Paramahansa Yogananda

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Our Guru, Paramahansa Yogananda, has told us in his Autobiography of the many times when he went on pilgrimage throughout India and far-off lands. One of the most memorable was his pilgrimage to Palestine. In his autobiography we read, “We took ship over the sunny Mediterranean, disembarking at Palestine. Wandering day after day over the Holy Land, I was more than ever convinced of the value of pilgrimage. The spirit of Christ is all-pervasive in Palestine; I walked reverently by his side at Bethlehem, Gethsemane, Calvary, the holy Mount of Olives, by the River Jordan and the Sea of Galilee. Our little party visited the Birth Manger, Joseph's carpenter shop, the tomb of Lazarus, the house of Martha and Mary, the hall of the Last Supper. Antiquity unfolded; scene by scene, I saw the divine drama that Christ once played for the ages.” Why did our Guru go to these pilgrimage spots? What motivated him? – He went there because the Lord Jesus and other saints had sanctified and blessed the very soil upon which they lived. He also knew that whomever comes to these pilgrimage spots receives a divine blessing.

Present-day devotees of Paramahansa Yogananda also know of the blessings of pilgrimage. Merely to enter the Self-Realization Fellowship grounds at Mt. Washington, and Lake Shrine, and Encinitas, as well as numerous other SRF pilgrimage spots is to feel the spiritual power and blessings of God and Guru. “The vibrations of great saints and divine souls remain where they once stayed,” Yoganandaji said. “Wherever they meditate, they leave a permanent impression of their exemplary lives and God-communion, and all receptive souls may feel those vibrations and behold their presence. That is why it is a great blessing to go to such places.”

        Local devotees of Paramahansa Yogananda are blessed that the great Premavatar visited Minnesota several times. During his first visit in 1927 he stayed here continuously for nearly three months lecturing and spreading the message of kriya yoga. Because of this extended visit, local devotees who are attuned may feel his holy presence and receive the blessings of the Guru. It is in this spirit that we present this web site documentary of “Swami Yogananda in Minnesota – 1927.” 

 

        Numerous ads were placed in the “Amusements” section of the Minneapolis Daily Star newspaper advertising his lectures. Before Yoganandaji's first lecture a Mpls. Daily Star ad stated, "He comes a stranger. He will depart a friend." The day after his first lecture on September 17^th another ad stated, "Minneapolis people thronged the Lyceum Theater last evening to hear Swami Yogananda. Every one of the 2,200 seats were occupied by an audience that sat spell bound for one and one-half hours." Other Minneapolis Daily Star newspaper articles proclaimed, "Unnumbered thousands have found new hope, health and happiness in Swami Yogananda's inspiring "Scientific Spiritual Healing." Come and bring your sick friends and receive the priceless gift of his illuminating wisdom” and an October 1st ad stated "Learn the great Yogic secret that makes meditation the most blissful experience in all the universe." The titles of some of his lectures were: “Everlasting youth,” “Art of overcoming nervousness. How to culture poise,” “Vibratory healing by Christ power, holy ghost, Yogic chants,” “Solve your marriage problems,” “What is super love? Great revelation for beautifying body and mind,” “Jesus Christ and the Yogi of India and the modern Christian,” and his final lecture in Minneapolis was on “The mystery of life and death.” Yoganandaji's lectures typically included an excellent musical program for entertainment by the Florence E. Reinmuth Trio.  The Milch Sisters' Trio, Madam William A. Bessesen, and Mrs. James Bliss also performed musically at the lectures. The Minneapolis lectures were a tremendous success and word was sent back to Mother Center in California. A headline in the November-December 1927 issue of East-West Magazine said, “SUCCESS IN MINNEAPOLIS.” In this article it states that audiences of several thousand people attended his lectures each night.  

 

Swami Yogananda's Classes in Minneapolis

        Following the completion of his free public lectures Yoganandaji taught two series of Yoga classes at a couple of different locations. From October 17-24, 1927 he taught his Yogoda classes in the Gold Room of the Radisson Hotel.  In the East-West Magazine it states that over a thousand students attended these classes. Here is a picture taken of Yoganandaji with more than 200 of his Minneapolis students in one of these classes. One of the students, shown in the left-center of this picture, attended the Minneapolis Meditation Group services in the late 1970s and 1980s. Here is a picture of Dr. Friedell, a physician and surgeon, seated second from the right in the front row, taken with other Minneapolis Meditation Group devotees in about 1978. At the end of this first Yogoda class in Minneapolis, his students wrote him a letter of appreciation, signed on behalf of the entire class by Dr. Joe S. Riley. Quoting from this letter we read, “This course of instruction has brought to our minds a world of knowledge not hitherto known to us, making our lives longer and more useful, our minds clearer to receive wisdom, our health more radiant, giving us brighter glimpses of eternity and the things of God… There is no conflict between the Swami’s teachings and the Christian religion, as shown by his reverence, faith and eloquent utterances concerning the majesty and glory of the Christian Bible and Jesus Christ. The beautiful spirit here manifested endears him still more to us who have heard his lessons….”   

      At the end of Swami Yogananda's first Yogoda class in Minneapolis, his students wrote him a letter of appreciation, signed by Joe Shelby Riley, M.D., for the whole class, part of which read as follows: "This course of instruction has brought to our minds a world of knowledge not hitherto known to us, making our lives longer and more useful, our minds clearer to receive wisdom, our health more radiant, giving us brighter glimpses of eternity and the things of God.... "There is no conflict between the Swami's teachings and the Christian religion, as shown by his reverence, faith and eloquent utterances concerning the majesty and glory of the Christian Bible and Jesus Christ. The beautiful spirit here manifested endears him still more to us who have heard his lessons...." [Excerpts from an article in the November-December 1927 issue of East-West magazine]

      From October 25^th through the 31^st Swami Yogananda taught his “Advanced Course on Practical Metaphysics” at the Former Woman's Assembly (or Women’s Club) located at 1526 Harmon Place.  We understand that these were his Kriya Yoga classes. The Woman’s Club “Assembly” was the name given to the relatively large auditorium visible behind and to the left of the main building. When we first began researching the activities of Swami Yogananda in Minneapolis during 1927 we thought that he might have given this course at the current Woman’s Club, which was the site of SRF Lecture Tours in 1998 and 2002.  We originally were lead to think this because the original auditorium at the current Woman's Club was also called the “Assembly” when it was constructed. Upon further investigation, however, we learned that construction of the current Woman’s Club was not completed until late in 1927. Thus, it was in the Former Woman's Assembly where our Guru gave his Kriya course. This building was torn down some years later and currently is the site of the Minneapolis Community & Technical College, on the north side of Loring Park. Here is how the Minneapolis skyline looked from Loring Park in 1927. The former Woman’s Club is behind the trees on the left.  

 

  Swami Yogananda Met Many Local Devotees in Minneapolis

     During his 1927 visit local devotees wishing to set up an appointment to meet with Swami Yogananda, or to enroll in one of his classes, could do so at his offices, which were located in rooms 606-610 of the Plymouth Building at 6^th Street and Hennepin Avenue.

         In addition to his public lectures and classes, Yoganandaji spoke to more than 20 clubs in Minneapolis on numerous different subjects, depending on his audience. For example, on September 19^th he spoke before 200 members of the Kiwanis Club at the Nicollet Hotel, between Nicollet and Hennepin Avenues on Washington Ave., on the subject of “How to recharge business batteries.” At this talk he said, “Unnecessary necessities are objects of extreme luxury which degrade our taste and set bad examples and wrong desires in others. Necessary necessities are those that supply the needs of the body, mind, and soul – ranging from material articles of use, and books, to spiritual methods, making life permanently happy.” On September 27^th he spoke to the Optimist Club at the Leamington Hotel, 10^th Street and 3^rd Avenue South, on the subject of “How Oriental methods can help Occidental businessmen.” The next day on the 28^th he spoke on the subject of “Art in India” at the Kappa Tau Alpha Tau chapter of the Delphians at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 2400 3^rd Avenue South.  On October 6^th he spoke to the Hoo Hoo’s Club on the subject of “How to Develop Personal Magnetism.”  The Hoo Hoo’s Club was an international lumbermen’s fraternal organization; we don’t know how they selected this rather unique name. They met in the Gold Room of the Radisson Hotel.  On October 13^th he addressed a meeting of the Grafil Club in the Minneapolis YMCA with about 50 businessmen present. An article in the Minneapolis Daily Star newspaper announced this meeting.

      During his stay in Minneapolis Yoganandaji also spoke before much smaller gatherings at the homes of local devotees.  For example, he spoke to a group interested in metaphysics at the home of Mrs. F.W. Cappelen at 2129 Girard Avenue South and also attended a reception in his honor at the home of Dr. and Mrs. K.R. Egilsrud at 2200 Sheridan Avenue South.  About 50 guests attended this gathering. On October 21^st, he spoke to the Casseopia Club, which was a study club belonging to the 5^th District of the Minnesota Federation of Women’s Club. The meeting was held in the home of Mrs. Josephine Lucker, 2742 Girard Avenue South on the subject of “Literary Life in India.” This home was torn down some years ago so a picture is not available.  

      Yoganandaji gave many personal interviews and got to know many local dignitaries during 1927. He met with the Honorable Thomas Barlow Walker at his world-renowned and newly completed Walker Art Galleries near Loring Park that bear his name.  Mr. Walker was a financier and lumber magnate and spent sixty years in collecting the famous works of art with which his galleries were abounding. On Friday September 23^rd Mr. Walker conducted the Swami through the galleries and explained the various works of art telling interesting anecdotes connected with the production of the pictures and their acquisition. In a Minneapolis Daily Star newspaper article  Yoganandaji is quoted in an article in the November-December, 1927 issue of East-West magazine as saying, “Indeed it was a marvelous experience. As a Hindu coming from a land of jewels and precious stones, I was quite struck by my first experience of the green jade of transparent splendor. In Walker’s gallery Occidental and Oriental Art fulfill the demands of truth.”

      Madame Amelita Galli-Curci was a devoted disciple of Swami Yogananda who kept a home in St. Louis Park with her pianist husband Dr. Homer Samuels, a native of the area. Galli-Curci was a world-renowned opera singer who sang to throngs in Minneapolis and numerous cities throughout the world. Yoganandaji called her the “Coloratura of Celestial Choice.” In the January 1946 issue of East-West Magazine Yoganandaji wrote, “I never liked Western songs when I first heard them, after arriving in America. But the first time I heard Galli-Curci sing, accompanied by the master pianist, Homer Samuels, I caught the universal appeal in her warbling. It reminded me of Radha (representing the feminine aspect of Nature) singing to her consort Krishna (representing the masculine Spirit). Galli-Curci sang from the soul to the ever-calling Spirit… Her voice will ever echo in the hearts of those who heard her, and forever reverberate in the hall of fame and in the souls of music-lovers of all nations. She has left lasting spiritual song-prints in her recordings, and music-lovers can follow these to the paradise of music of the Infinite Spheres… She and her husband, Homer Samuels, are the greatest lovers I have met in the West. Their love is beautiful because they practice these ideals of which I speak. When parted even for a short time, they eagerly look forward to seeing each other again, to being in each other's company, to sharing their thoughts and love. They live for each other.” Galli-Curci paid tribute to her Guru in the following words quoted in a Minneapolis Daily Star advertisement, “The teachings of Swami Yogananda give to life a purpose.  Joy, happiness and bliss come to one.  It is the science of living and it is applicable to All our daily problems and activities.” [Note to reader: The voice of Galli-Curci can be heard at the following web site - http://www.percep.demon.co.uk/light/amelita.htm] On November 2^nd Galli-Curci gave a singing performance at the newly constructed Minneapolis Auditorium, located at Grant and 3^rd Streets.  Although there is no written record of our Guru attending this performance, it is most probable that he was there to hear his beloved disciple. Here is a picture of the inside of the auditorium taken in 1936 giving us a glimpse of how it must have appeared during the Galli-Curci performance.  Yoganandaji visited Galli-Curci's St. Louis Park home during one of his visits and greatly admired their dining room table and chairs, so much so that a similar set was installed at the Encinitas Hermitage. Our Guru honored Galli-Curci by asking her to write the Forward to his book “Whispers From Eternity,” first published in 1935, and mentions her in several of his writings. Galli-Curci retired in the La Jolla area of California in 1930 and lived there until her passing in 1963. In her retirement she turned to painting to express her creative spirit. "All art is one," she said. It is interesting to note that Madame Galli-Curci was made an honorary member of the Woman’s Club in 1926. Thus, there were a couple of ties between our Guru, the Minneapolis Meditation Group, and the Woman’s Club.

      Swami Yogananda visited the homes of many local devotees. He stayed at 2201 East Lake of the Isles Blvd. on at least one occasion, according to Dr. Aaron Friedell, a local devotee. This was the home of Mrs. Elizabeth Backus, a devoted disciple of Yoganandaji and one of the early leaders of the Minneapolis Yogoda Center. While staying at the Backus home he undoubtedly took many a stroll around beautiful Lake of the Isles or perhaps he took an excursion boat ride on the lake.  Mrs. Backus moved to the San Diego area in about 1940 to be closer to her Guru. It was at about that time that she donated a magnificent, large pipe organ valued at $23,000 to SRF that was installed in the Chapel at Mt. Washington.    

      Audrey Patton, a local devotee who attended Swami Yogananda's public lectures and attended Minneapolis Meditation Group Services in the 1970-80s. Here is a picture of Audrey taken in March, 1985.  Audrey recalled that the Swami usually wore a dark blue suit underneath his robe. On stage the Guru was “very dynamic,” she said. “He spoke sincerely, with great emotion and energy, emanating health and vitality.” Audrey said that Yoganandaji "strode" across the stage, he didn't walk. “One of the most dominant personality traits he exhibited during his lectures and classes,” she said, “was a wonderful sense of humor, just like in the Autobiography of a Yogi. He was a wonderfully easy person to talk to, sometimes on the most intimate of subjects.” Audrey also said, “He just had a way about him that made you feel at home. He didn't show morbid curiosity but showed genuine interest and concern in anything you said. It was funny, on the stage he could be very eloquent, especially when he prayed, but in personal interviews he would talk as plain as could be. He was very quiet, frank, simple, direct, and had the air about him of a child. He had a calm face. You always sensed a great vitality and energy emanating from him." The following link contains excerpts from an interview with Audrey Patton in 1993, on the anniversary or the birth of her Guru, where she recalls her meetings with the Master.

      Through his classes and personal interviews Yoganandaji powerfully affected the lives of local devotees, and many were miraculously healed of ailments. Numerous testimonials from the local devotees were published in the East-West Magazine. Following are a few examples of these testimonials from Minneapolis students. Dr. Aaron Friedell, a physician and surgeon who attended Minneapolis Meditation Group services in the 1970-80s (he is seated second from the right in the front row of this picture taken circa 1978), said, “When I heard Yogoda lesson 4 from Swami Yogananda, presented so admirably and so thoroughly scientifically, I was completely taken off my feet with admiration. To that admiration was gradually added, love and keen devotion. Yogoda is an excellent method for self-development. I heartily approve of it.” Mrs. A.E. Exton said, “I am most thankful for a healing of my eyes. I have worn glasses for eighteen years. A prominent Minneapolis eye specialist said I would have to wear them all my life. Imagine my great joy when I removed my glasses at Swami Yogananda’s healing meeting, at which my eyesight was completely restored… Only those have tasted can know the richness of Yogoda.” Baroness Theloma Goldeska exclaimed, “My body has been energized, my mind made peaceful. My outlook on life is clearer and I have acquired an understanding of spiritual truths and how to make them practical in my everyday life.” Mrs. R.L. Race of Robbinsdale stated, “Through Yogoda I have recovered almost entirely from nervousness; my eyesight is better, and I am now able to have the use of my right ear for the first time in three years.” “At the healing meeting, to my great joy and surprise,” John P. Weiss said, “I was cured of my tobacco habit completely and without any effort on my part. I have always been a very heavy user of tobacco and cigars.” It is possible that the healing meeting referred to by several of these students was on September 25, 1927 which was advertised at the bottom of this Minneapolis Daily Star Newspaper article. 

      A farewell social gathering was held in Yoganandaji’s honor in the ballroom of the Nicollet Hotel on October 30^th.  An article in the November-December 1927 issue of East-West magazine stated that Miss Ida Larsen, an English teacher at Roosevelt High School, made a beautiful speech of appreciation and gratitude for bringing the Yogoda message to Minneapolis “…which is teaching us,” she said, “to unfold our inner spiritual faculties, as well as aiding our development of physical and mental powers.” On this occasion the Minneapolis Yogoda students presented Yoganandaji with many thank you gifts including a beautiful pin in the design of a Yogoda emblem. It had a diamond setting within a platinum star. They also gave him a large check “to be spent as he wishes.” 

 

      In November Swami Yogananda’s students organized themselves into a Yogoda Center and met initially at the Hotel Radisson. The Center was under the leadership of Mr. Stanley S. Staring, a leading Minneapolis realtor and a member of the advertising committee of the National Association of Real Estate Boards. The first meeting had 600 students present! Thanks were extended by Swami Yogananda to the Minneapolis “Lake District Advocate” and to its Club Correspondent, Mr. D.R. Morrisey, for their kindness and cooperation in spreading the Yogoda message in Minneapolis.

 

Swami Yogananda Composed a Poem at Forest Lake, Minnesota

      Sometime during his stay in Minnesota during 1927, Paramahansaji traveled to Forest Lake, about 20 miles north of Minneapolis and St. Paul. While observing the phenomenon of the northern lights, or aurora borealis, Paramahansaji experienced a corresponding inner vision. In his poetic rendering entitled "To the Aurora Borealis" he makes a comparison between his external perception of the beauty of the aurora and the glory and expansion of his internal state of samadhi, or God-consciousness. A copy of the poem, published in his book of poems Songs of the Soul, is included through this link.

 

Swami Yogananda's Lectures in St. Paul

On November 6, 1927 Swami Yogananda began a series of at least 9 lectures in St. Paul. The residents of St. Paul were also ready for the message of the Masters of India. Here is a picture of how downtown St. Paul looked from Harriet Island when Yoganandaji lectured here. Most of the free lectures were given at the Peoples Church at Pleasant and Chestnut Streets.  It was a beautiful building that was located just northeast of present day United Hospital. It was torn down many years ago to make way for the Hospital as well as Interstate Highway 35E. Here is a picture of the stage inside the Peoples Church where Yoganandaji gave his lectures.  Yoganandaji also gave one lecture at the Garrick Theater at 34 West 6^th Street on November 10^th. This theater has since been converted into offices and shops but still stands to this day.  While giving his series of lectures and classes he stayed at the Lowry Hotel at 4th and Wabasha. It was while staying here that Yoganandaji wrote a letter on November 14^th to his beloved disciple Dr. M.W. Lewis of Arlington, Massachusetts.  This hotel stands to this day.

Many ads were placed in the St. Paul Pioneer Press newspaper advertising his lectures and classes. Before Paramahansaji's first lecture an add stated "Hear the wonder message of the Sage from the Far East. Unnumbered thousands have marveled at his Life Revolutionizing Science." He was described in the newspaper articles as a "Hindu psychologist, Metaphysician, and Hindu wise man." Special music was played as part of some of Yoganandaji's St. Paul lectures. Before Yoganandaji's first lecture an ad stated, "Hear the wonder message of the Sage from the Far East. Unnumbered thousands have marveled at his Life Revolutionizing Science." As was the case in Minneapolis, his final lecture in St. Paul was on the subject of “The Mystery of Life and Death.”

 

Swami Yogananda's 1927 Classes in St. Paul

      Following his last lecture in St. Paul on November 20, 1927 Yoganandaji gave a course of 12 practical lessons in Yogoda beginning Monday November 21^st. The classes were provided at the Christ Church Parish House at 155 W. 4^th Street, where the St. Paul Xcel Center currently is located.  Here is a picture taken of Yoganandaji on November 28^th with more than 200 of his St. Paul students in one of these classes.  

      One of the distinguished Yogoda students in the St. Paul class was the Rev. Walter S. Howard, rector of the Christ Episcopal Church of St. Paul. Father Howard opened the Christ Church Parish House for the Yogoda class meetings in St. Paul. Swami Yogananda said, “How beautiful it is to find such love and understanding from my Christian brothers as Father Howard has given me. He expresses the true spirit of Christ in his love for truth, from whatever source it may come. India would welcome such true examples of the Christian life as Father Howard typifies.” Father Howard drew such love from Swami Yogananda that on December 3^rd he gave a demonstration in the Parish House, for the first time in America, of his ability to vary the heartbeat by will power. An article in the January-February 1928 issue of East-West magazine stated that the Swami let Father Howard feel his heartbeat, which Swami varied at, will from 104, to 74, to 58, and then Father Howard could scarcely feel it at all. Swami Yogananda described Father Howard as one of the distinguished Yogoda students in the St. Paul class. He was rector of the Christ Episcopal Church and founder of the Parish House.  "How beautiful it is to find such love and understanding from my Christian brothers as Father Howard has given me," said Swami Yogananda. "He expresses the true spirit of Christ in his love for truth from whatever source it may come. India would welcome such true examples of the Christian life as Father Howard typifies."