diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0c17cd6..ca24129 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -32,4 +32,18 @@ To verify the automatically detected location, call
 
 ```python
 findspark.find()
-```
\ No newline at end of file
+```
+
+Findspark can add a startup file to the current IPython profile so that the enviornment vaiables will be properly set and pyspark will be imported upon IPython startup. This file is created when `edit_profile` is set to true.
+
+```ipython --profile=myprofile
+findspark.init('/path/to/spark_home', edit_profile=True)
+```
+
+Findspark can also add to the .bashrc configuration file if it is present so that the enviornment variables will be properly set whenever a new shell is opened. This is enabled by setting the optional argument `edit_rc` to true.
+
+```python
+findspark.init('/path/to/spark_home', edit_rc=True)
+```
+
+If changes are persisted, findspark will not need to be called again unless the spark installation is moved.
diff --git a/findspark.py b/findspark.py
index d3d3195..be8152a 100644
--- a/findspark.py
+++ b/findspark.py
@@ -7,8 +7,10 @@
 from glob import glob
 import os
 import sys
+import subprocess
+from IPython import get_ipython
 
-__version__ = '0.0.3'
+__version__ = '0.0.4'
 
 
 def find():
@@ -35,7 +37,67 @@ def find():
     return spark_home
 
 
-def init(spark_home=None):
+def change_rc(spark_home, spark_python, py4j):
+    """Persists changes to enviornment by changing shell config.
+
+    Adds lines to .bashrc to set enviornment variables 
+    including the adding of dependencies to the system path. Will only
+    edit this file if they already exist. Currently only works for bash.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    spark_home : str
+        Path to Spark installation.
+    spark_python : str
+        Path to python subdirectory of Spark installation.
+    py4j : str
+        Path to py4j library.
+    """
+
+    bashrc_location = os.path.expanduser("~/.bashrc")
+
+    if os.path.isfile(bashrc_location):
+        with open(bashrc_location, 'a') as bashrc:
+            bashrc.write("\n# Added by findspark\n")
+            bashrc.write("export SPARK_HOME=" + spark_home + "\n")
+            bashrc.write("export PYTHONPATH=" + spark_python + ":" + 
+                         py4j + ":$PYTHONPATH\n\n")
+    
+
+def edit_ipython_profile(spark_home, spark_python, py4j):
+    """Adds a startup file to the current IPython profile to import pyspark.
+    
+    The startup file sets the required enviornment variables and imports pyspark.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    spark_home : str
+        Path to Spark installation.
+    spark_python : str
+        Path to python subdirectory of Spark installation.
+    py4j : str
+        Path to py4j library.
+    """
+
+    ip = get_ipython()
+
+    if ip:
+        profile_dir = ip.profile_dir.location
+    else:
+        from IPython.utils.path import locate_profile
+        profile_dir = locate_profile()
+
+    startup_file_loc = os.path.join(profile_dir, "startup", "findspark.py")
+        
+    with open(startup_file_loc, 'w') as startup_file:
+        #Lines of code to be run when IPython starts
+        startup_file.write("import sys, os\n")
+        startup_file.write("os.environ['SPARK_HOME'] = '" + spark_home + "'\n")
+        startup_file.write("sys.path[:0] = " + str([spark_python, py4j]) + "\n")
+        startup_file.write("import pyspark\n")       
+        
+
+def init(spark_home=None, edit_rc=False, edit_profile=False):
     """Make pyspark importable.
 
     Sets environmental variables and adds dependencies to sys.path.
@@ -45,7 +107,13 @@ def init(spark_home=None):
     ----------
     spark_home : str, optional, default = None
         Path to Spark installation, will try to find automatically
-        if not provided
+        if not provided.
+    edit_rc : bool, optional, default = False
+        Whether to attempt to persist changes by appending to shell
+        config.
+    edit_profile : bool, optional, default = False
+        Whether to create an IPython startup file to automatically
+        configure and import pyspark.
     """
 
     if not spark_home:
@@ -58,3 +126,9 @@ def init(spark_home=None):
     spark_python = os.path.join(spark_home, 'python')
     py4j = glob(os.path.join(spark_python, 'lib', 'py4j-*.zip'))[0]
     sys.path[:0] = [spark_python, py4j]
+    
+    if edit_rc:
+        change_rc(spark_home, spark_python, py4j) 
+    
+    if edit_profile:
+        edit_ipython_profile(spark_home, spark_python, py4j)