Hamid Bey

Hamid Bey, Coptic Christian

The following historical report gives a unique account of how Paramhansa Yogananda had a devotee who was an Egyptian holy man.

His name was Hamid Bey. It is not known how years Hamid Bey and Swami Yogananda worked closely together, spreading the Yogoda, or Self-realization, message in the United States.

The attached poster and article by Paramhansa Yogananda gives an example of the guru’s spiritual openness in working with other spiritual teachers who were in tune with him.

Hamid Bey could be considered one of Yogananda’s most prominent African-American devotees of that time. Although Hamid Bey later went his own way, by founding the American based, Coptic Fellowship Church headquartered near Detroit, Michigan.

Hamid Bey attends a wedding

One would think that Paramhansa Yogananda and Hamid Bey maintained a spiritual connection with each other over the years. In fact, I heard from some devotees at SRF that Hamid Bey visited Mt. Washington in the 1950s, after Master's passing, and spent some time there reminiscing of Guruji's life and meditating on the grounds.

The wedding photograph (right) is
apart of a newsreel from January 1931. Hamid Bey is shown with Master and the wedding couple. To see the live film footage, click this link: Yogananda Performs an Interracial Wedding.