Greetings friends,

There is so much happening in the expanding world of Ananda right now, one can tune into all the energy and enthusiasm or get a bit overwhelmed with trying to keep track of it all.

Illustration for affirmation

Illustration for affirmation, “God is Everywhere, Within Me and Around Me.”

Everyone connected to Ananda, at every level, is sharing light through the opportunities put in front of them. There are big projects and small ones, each affecting lives and the consciousness of the planet. That is what Yogananda came to do – change the consciousness of the planet. That is a really BIG project, and we all have a part, because we share in the consciousness of all that is.

In that spirit, I wanted to tell a bit about a medium size project I was involved in.

An association of Christian churches, who share what they call a “progressive” view, was struggling with finding a Sunday School curriculum for children that expressed their non-traditional Christian ideas. Through some interesting and divinely inspired circumstances, I was hired to write the curriculum they wanted. It was a team effort with Usha Dermond (Director of Living Wisdom School and author of Calm and Compassionate Children), Carol Malnor and Lisa Mundorff.

For almost two years we worked on a 36 lesson curriculum for 6 – 10 year olds. It was challenging, refreshing and a great privilege to find a way to express universal spiritual principles in a language that fit the progressive Christian view; was compatible with the age group we were addressing and was inspiring and expansive for adults and children alike. The result is something to be proud of and to share.

Swami Kriyananda has often encouraged members of Ananda to work with other spiritual seekers and to find ways to feel the one truth behind outward religious expression because the teachings Yogananda brought to the world will find expression through many venues, not just Ananda. Throughout this project I could feel a deep joy in the experience that told me my guru was pleased with the small role we played in his big project.

When we celebrated the completion of the project, we looked around the table at one another with the shared relief and joy of accomplishment. There was such a feeling of deep respect and friendship for one another. At the table sat two yogis committed to the path of Self-Realization, a woman raised as a progressive Christian who feels in tune with Buddhism, a woman raised in traditional Christianity who was overjoyed to find a more progressive expression of her Christian faith, and a couple who came to the project with willingness and curiousity, but no spiritual inclinations at all. We all knew the project had changed our lives and would be a source of inspiration for many, and we were all grateful for the light that had poured through us.

The curriculum will uplift and inspire those who use it. That is what all the projects are for – not to change the world, but to uplift consciousness and awaken people to their inner potential. It is good to remember that whatever project you may be involved in, God and Guru will always guide the spread of divine light wherever there are willing channels and sincere souls who are seeking truth.

In divine friendship,
Lorna

4 Comments

  1. This is so exciting ! Wonderful to hear that all the wealth that Ananda had accumulated over the years in education is now being shared with a wider public.
    Thank you !
    Eva

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