In June of 1976, most of Ananda’s homes were destroyed in a forest fire.
We faced the possibility of economic failure, but we chose, instead, to find the faith and conviction that our efforts to establish a spiritual community were based on truth, and that, ultimately, we would succeed. Ananda community had grown up. We had taken the opportunity to leave behind our failed experiments, to learn from our mistakes, and to rebuild the community in a way that better reflected our spiritual ideals. Through trial by fire, we realized that we had at last achieved the foundation of community — a group of people working cooperatively toward a goal of shared ideals. We were at last beginning to fulfill Yogananda’s and Kriyananda’s dream of a place where people could seek God among friends of like mind, where one’s outer life could reflect and support one’s inner spiritual efforts.
