What Is
Ananda?

Ananda is dedicated to the belief, born of experience, that you can live in joy. We teach effective techniques for expanding your sense of self, such as meditation, Kriya Yoga, spiritual Hatha Yoga, and divine friendship.

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Our Inspiration

Paramhansa Yogananda has been called the father of yoga and meditation in the West. His Autobiography helped spark and inspire a spiritual revolution across the world. Among the over three-hundred (influential spiritual voices) I interviewed about their key spiritual influences, a high percentage named a book, and by far the book most often mentioned was Yogananda’s unique memoir.

— Phil Goldberg, American Veda

Paramhansa Yogananda

Paramhansa Yogananda (1893 – 1952), best known as the author of Autobiography of a Yogi, was the first guru from India to make his home permanently in the United States.Paramhansa Yogananda showed how everyone, by means of meditation, can realize God in their daily lives as a tangible, loving reality. He taught an ancient meditation technique known as Kriya Yoga, by which one can quickly attain Self-realization. More

Swami Kriyananda

Swami Kriyananda (1926–2013), is a direct disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda and the founder of Ananda’s worldwide movement. At the request of Yogananda, Swami Kriyananda dedicated his life to lecturing and writing, and has also produced hundreds of pieces of music, to help others to find joy within. More

Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi

With the passing of Swami Kriyananda in 2013, Nayaswami Jyotish was named by Kriyananda as his spiritual successor. Jyotishji met Swami Kriyananda in 1966, working closely with him and his wife, Devi (who came to Ananda in 1969), to build Ananda’s work around the world. Both Nayaswamis Jyotish and Devi were named kriyacharyas by Swami Kriyananda, and disseminate the liberating and ancient Kriya Yoga technique of Paramhansa Yogananda’s lineage. More

Meditation & Kriya Yoga

Learn to Meditate

Meditation is a technique for personal growth that has been practiced for thousands of years around the world with repeatable results. There is no aspect of your life that cannot be improved by meditation, whether it be in business, relationships, or health. The highest purpose of meditation, however, is to discover your Highest Self.

We offer a free, five-day email series for a basic overview of how to meditate, specifying posture options, where and when to meditate, and a simple, effective technique. Signup includes a subscription to our weekly newsletter of inspiration and events.

Be a Warrior for the Light

God’s light is within me and around me. With the sword of faith in my hand, with the love of God in my heart, I am a warrior of light. I join my brothers and sisters everywhere to overcome fear with faith, hatred with love, and disease with health. We all are warriors of light. We fill the world with God’s light.

Completed Broadcasts

The prayer event hosted by Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi from Ananda Village on August 26 concluded the worldwide Warriors of Light live broadcasts. Please continue to affirm and share light and harmony for the healing of our globe.

Online Course: Ananda Course in Meditation

Whether or not you are new to meditation, this course will help you develop a deep and consistent practice. With ample feedback from meditators with decades of experience and your own persistence, you will awaken your true nature: a pure reflection of divine peace, joy, and love.

Ananda is known for its expertise in meditation, and for almost 50 years has trained teachers in techniques grounded in the highest yogic practices of India, as brought to the West by Paramhansa Yogananda.

Kriya Yoga

Kriya Yoga is an ancient meditation technique of energy and breath control, or pranayama. It is also a comprehensive spiritual path of additional meditation practices and guidance for living.

The Kriya technique is given through personal initiation by one of our Kriya Yogacharyas. Initiation requires preparation through practice of other meditation techniques and study of Paramhansa Yogananda’s teachings.

Community

Let us join together in this wave of social transformation, and through our practice of meditation create a spirit of global unity that can lead to lasting peace.

— Nayaswami Devi

Connect Online

Ananda is very active online: Live events, satsangs, group guided meditations, and personal support through email and chat. Learn More

Find a Local Center

Ananda has over 150 centers and meditation groups in over 45 countries which offer group meditations and classes. Learn More

Experience Community

Ananda has developed eight communities in the US, Europe, and India. Many offer internships where you can stay and experience community firsthand. Learn More

What's New

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Why Did My Father Have to Die of COVID?

September 23, 2021

September 20, 2021

31:46

Ananda Music, Right Living Through Music

Love is the Answer to All Our Questions – Why?, Ep. 9

September 20, 2021

Will God Give Me a Relationship?

September 19, 2021

Dear Souhardo, God does not bargain with us. I think you are asking for a bargain “If I give you so much devotion and spiritual practice will you give me ______? (in this case a particular girlfriend).” God is deeply

21:37

Be a Warrior for the Light, Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi

Healing Prayers for the World (With Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi)

September 19, 2021

3:39

Ananda Music

Home Is a Green Hill (by Swami Kriyananda)

September 19, 2021

Meditation and Insomnia

September 18, 2021

Dear Friend, I am very sorry to hear of these troubles. These are not typical of those who begin a regular meditation practice. If these symptoms were occurring while meditating it would be easier to correlate the symptoms with the

11:45

Meditation

Meditation: The Most Important Thing, Ever! (Podcast)

September 18, 2021

31:05

Ananda Music, Right Living Through Music

The Need for Inner Experience – In The Spirit, Ep. 8

September 18, 2021

A Touch of Light

Give God the Responsibility

September 17, 2021

Disharmony with My Roommate

September 17, 2021

Dear Natalie, I would suggest a spiritual solution. Here are 2 very effective spiritual tools. Peace and Harmony Prayer: Yogananda brought the Peace and Harmony prayer which is a powerful prayer to use whenever there is disharmony. It is simple

How To Dissolve All Astral and Causal Karma

September 16, 2021

Dear Karen, Even after the highest nirbikalpa samadhi, all yogis need to work out their astral and causal karma. All of them. Some succeed here on the material plane to achieve such full liberation (freedom from all material, astral causal

Righteous War

September 15, 2021

Dear Friend, Yes, we will certainly see righteous warfare, but perhaps we should ask what a righteous war might look like! Paramhansa Yogananda said that World War II was a righteous war. He saw it as part of the process

A Touch of Light

Relax Upward

September 10, 2021

Spiritual Growth

The Magnificent Bird of Paradise

September 8, 2021

Wise Use of Money for the Devotee

September 3, 2021

Dear NS, Think of money as a resource, as is your time and your energy. All our resources ultimately come from God, and as devotees we want to use them to live more completely in attunement with God and the

how to develop faith teachings of yogananda and babaji and christ watching over the world quote autobiography of a yogi

A Touch of Light

Have a Little Faith

September 3, 2021

Tinnitus and Inner Sound and Light

September 2, 2021

Dear Friend, I, too, have tinnitus. I understand that it takes many forms in terms of the sounds one hears and the way one describes those sounds. However, some of the terms you use to describe tinnitus sound suspiciously like

Dealing with Physical Pain During Meditation

September 1, 2021

Dear Marta, Is withdrawal possible? Yes, but the stronger the pain, the more difficult it becomes. It is also a personal thing: where we are at, meditatively speaking. Highly advanced meditators can withdraw their consciousness even during acute pain, during

Is Sadhana (Spiritual Practice) Enough?

Is Freedom from Karma Possible?

July 16, 2021

Sep 27 8:00 am PDT • Sep 27 15:00 GMT • Sep 27 20:30 IST

Satsangs and Sunday Service

“Whispers from Eternity” — a Daily Broadcast of Inspiration

Sep 27 12:00 pm PDT • Sep 27 19:00 GMT • Sep 28 00:30 IST

Satsangs and Sunday Service

Sunday Service

Oct 3 10:00 am PDT • Oct 3 17:00 GMT • Oct 3 22:30 IST

More Events

Featured

Living the Yoga Sutras: Practical Steps To Higher Awareness

In-Depth Online Course Starting October 6 with Self-Paced Version Also Available

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras are a stirring cry to us to transcend all religious differences. Their basic message is, “Here are methods that can be tested and proved. You can know what God is from personal experience.”

— Demystifying Patanjali, by Swami Kriyananda

Find out more

Supported Silent Retreat

New dates:
August 26-29 2021
September 2-5, 2021, September 16-19, 2021,
October 7-10, October 28-November 1, 2021

Still your mind and rejuvenate your spirit in a COVID-safe group environment at the Ananda Meditation Retreat, just 6 miles from Ananda Village. Our meditation gardens and serene forest setting provide the perfect backdrop for you to go deep into silence and re-connect with your true Self.

Learn More

Thank You, God – Tithing as a Spiritual Practice

Tithing is a spiritual practice, a conscious expression of gratitude given without condition to the source of your inspiration– God. We invite you to try it. Hear the stories of others but test this teaching in your own life and see what transpires.

Your support is a blessing for all

Ananda is a beacon of light, breaking through the darkness of this world with the universal teachings of Self-realization.

Thank you for being a part of this community of souls who support each other on our path to God.

Upcoming Events

Sunday Service from Ananda Village

Sunday Service Program

What IsAnanda?

Stay in Touch

Our Inspiration

Meditation & Kriya Yoga

Learn to Meditate

Be a Warrior for the Light

Online Course: Ananda Course in Meditation

Kriya Yoga

Community

Connect Online

Find a Local Center

Experience Community

What's New

Recent Posts and Videos

Online Events

Featured

Upcoming Events

Living the Yoga Sutras: Practical Steps To Higher Awareness

Supported Silent Retreat

Thank You, God – Tithing as a Spiritual Practice

Your support is a blessing for all

5 Essential Keys to Meditation

What Is
Ananda?