In March 1973, Yes were on the Japanese leg of their Close to the Edge Tour to promote their latest studio album "Close to the Edge" (1972). By this time, the line-up had stabilised with singer Jon Anderson, bassist Chris Squire, guitarist Steve Howe, keyboardist Rick Wakeman, and drummer Alan White, who had replaced original member Bill Bruford after the album was recorded. While in Tokyo, Anderson was in his hotel room and explored ideas for the band's next album. One of which involved a "large-scale composition" as the group had success with longform pieces, including the 18-minute title track from "Close to the Edge". With the idea in mind Anderson found himself "caught up in a lengthy footnote" in "Autobiography of a Yogi" (1946) by Indian yogi and guru Paramahansa Yogananda which described four bodies of Hindu texts, named shastras, that Yogananda described as "comprehensive treatises cover every aspect of religious and social life, and the fields of law, medicine, architecture, art..." that "convey profound truths under a veil of detailed symbolism". Anderson recalled he "became engrossed" with the idea of a "four-part epic" concept album based on the four texts, though he later admitted that he did not fully understand what the scriptures were about. He was introduced to Yogananda by King Crimson drummer and percussionist Jamie Muir at Bruford's wedding reception on 2 March 1973. Anderson spoke about his meeting with Muir: "I felt I had to learn from him. We started talking about meditation in music—not the guru type but some really heavy stuff." Anderson gained further clarification of the texts from talking to Vera Stanley Alder, a mystic, painter, and author of spirituality books that had a profound influence on him.