Often we remember GOD and GURU when are in trouble and many of us must have experienced during that tough time divine help as well as protection and guidance. But when I cultivated a habit of not forgetting master in everything I do he became like a living legend for me. Now…

Last week, Ananda Village and many fellow gurubais from as far away as the East Coast, and even via the internet, took time to go deep in spirit. This was our third annual Inner Renewal Week and it was hosted by The Expanding Light. Jyotish and Devi Novak came up from Los Angeles to share…

This month I wanted to give my best possible testimony to our awesome market here, which serves as an integral hub of our “downtown” activity. In this time of economic hardship, the market is struggling to make ends meet. Hearing this, we decided to try an experiment: make Master’s Market our first place to shop.…

“How do I know if I have overcome a particular karma?” Swami Kriyananda was asked by a student.

“When you are no longer afraid of it,” was his reply. I have often thought of these words and pondered their meaning.

Today I had the opportunity to ponder on those words of Swamiji’s, as they relate to physical pain, through a more direct experience than usual…

It’s time to reveal my secret to a larger circle of friends — that is, whoever might be taking the time to read this blog. I’ve not told many folks about what I’ve been doing in my spare time lately, but I think it’s OK to say more about it now. For the past two…

Our beloved friend, Nayaswami Maria, requested I blog about how I apply yoga teachings in the world as a householder and doctor living outside of Ananda Village. She said, “Those who read Ananda’s blogs have an abundance of information about living in spiritual community. Many people want to know how these teachings help folks in…

I was standing in the Baggage Claim section of the San Jose (CA) airport when I heard an unexpected sound. Someone was tentatively playing a few keys on a piano, like a tunesmith toying with a melody. Looking around a corner, I spied a baby grand situated in the middle of an open space. As…

Last June I initiated a project to film short video clips of Swami Kriyananda while he was at Ananda Village, promoting a few of his books from Crystal Clarity Publishers. This project kept getting postponed, possibly so I could learn a few lessons along the way. The original shooting date was postponed due to the…

Paramhansa Yogananda said many times that when we are in the vibration of AUM (creative vibration of God as Divine Mother, the Holy Ghost) no harm can befall us. Master told us of his close disciple, Dr Lewis, who was in trouble in a boat that was caught in a sudden storm. He was in…

Wherever we are, no matter how bad our life might look, we can take a step forward. It doesn’t matter what we’ve done, what we forgot to do, or what other people think of us — our choice is basically the same: to go forward. At a Sunday Service several years ago I heard a…

Swami Kriyananda has often told us to build a mental bonfire before we go to bed each night and cast into it all desires and attachments that we’ve collected throughout the day. I wanted to practice this but was never able to be consistent with it. I realized the problem was that I was making…

It is always hard to lose a great soul. Even though one mentally understands that the soul simply leaves the body as we all change the clothes at the end of the day, it is still very sad to say good bye to a great friend. I first got in contact with Maria through e-mails…

A few years ago I read a book entitled, The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin. Jyotish Novak, spiritual director of Ananda Worldwide, recommended it and I found it very enlightening and applicable to my own life. Josh Waitzkin is probably most popularly known from the book and movie, Searching for Bobby Fisher. Searching for…

Surrounded by a lovely, expansive garden, willow branches swaying in the breeze and brushing against the water of a large shallow pond just behind us, we watched the couple approach. Both American, they had met while attending College in Delhi, India. The decorations were festive and Indian, and the couple, their attendents and family, had…

The following is the second half of a two part interview with Dr. Aditya Gait, a resident medical doctor and member of Ananda’s Kriya Yoga Community in the countryside outside of Pune, India. Dr. Aditya is also a Brahmachari member of the Ananda Renunciate Order. Aditya and a fellow monk with Swami Kriyananda Jaya: There…

It has been several years since I made that first trip from Los Angeles to Ananda Village, but the experience stands out in my memory for several reasons. I still remember clearly the morning I stepped into the reception area of the Expanding Light Retreat. I don’t remember being ever greeted by strangers anywhere so…

Often I tell Kriya Yogis, particularly those who are math-challenged, that there are only two ‘mathematical equations’ one needs to memorize in order to achieve success on the path of Kriya. The first I mentioned in my blog post “Kriya Yoga Plus Devotion Works Like Mathematics” The other equation is this: “Twenty-five percent of spiritual…

Swami Kriyananda May 19 is Swami Kriyananda’s 84th birthday. We invite you to post your greetings and birthday wishes for him here. Thank you, Ananda Sangha Worldwide.

Many inspired and dedicated souls are, for many reasons, unable to live in Ananda communities.  So they read the website and books by Paramhansa Yogananda, Swami Kriyananda and others. They meditate. When possible many visit our communities worldwide for inspiration, renewal and spiritual satsang fellowship. Yogananda said that “Environment is stronger than will”.  In order…

This year I’ve been teaching a class at Ananda’s Living Wisdom Highshool entitled, “Sharing Nature Leadership Training.” The Sharing Nature with Children book series was written by Ananda Village member Joseph (Bharat) Cornell and is used in virtually every part of the world. Joseph wrote the Sharing Nature activities to give inspiring nature experiences and…