Nayaswami Anandi

An inspiring teacher and insightful counselor, Anandi was one of the founding members of Ananda. She was a staff teacher at The Expanding Light Retreat, and has taught countless classes on meditation and spirituality over her many years of service. Anandi transitioned in 2022. Anandi served as an editor for Crystal Clarity Publishers. These duties, in addition to her own spiritual practices, helped Anandi to develop a profound understanding of Paramhansa Yogananda's teachings.

Nayaswami Bharat

Bharat Joseph Cornell, a long-time Ananda minister and Kriyacharya (authorized Kriya Yoga teacher), created Ananda's Meditation Support site to help people learn meditation and receive ongoing support for their practice. He is the author of AUM: The Melody of Love.

Bharat has also helped people experience inner peace through his nature awareness work. He has written six Sharing Nature books, published in twenty seven languages and having sparked a worldwide revolution in nature education. He has been compared to John Muir for his impact on the world's awareness of nature.

Nayaswami Devarshi

A long-time Ananda minister and Kriyacharya (authorized Kriya Yoga teacher), Devarshi is the director of Ananda's Kriya Yoga Sangha. Devarshi's duties include preparing devotees to receive Kriya Yoga, conducting Kriya Initiations at Ananda Village and other parts of U.S., India and South America. An important part of his ministry is to provide ongoing guidance and support for Kriyabans (kriya yogis) all over the world.

Nayaswami Dharmarajan

joined Ananda in 1996 after completing a Master's in Computer Science from MIT. He has taught at Ananda’s Living Wisdom Schools and served as a spiritual director in various locations, including Ananda Los Angeles and Ananda Chennai in South India.

Nayaswami Dharmarajan is an Ananda minister. Before joining Ananda in 1996, he completed a Masters in Computer Science from MIT. He spent 8 years teaching children at Ananda's Living Wisdom Schools in Palo Alto and Ananda Village. He and his wife, Nayaswami Dharmini, served for years at Ananda India in Gurgaon (near Delhi) -- during which time he offered corporate training based on Swami Kriyananda's Success and Happiness through Yoga Principles Course. Dharmarajan and Dharmini have served as the spiritual directors of Ananda Los Angeles and now serve as the spiritual directors of Ananda Chennai in South India.

Nayaswami Gyandev

Gyandev Director of Ananda School of Yoga & Meditation, Co-Director of Ananda Meditation® Teacher Training, Level 2 Ananda Yoga® teacher: E-RYT 500, Raja Yoga Teacher, Writer and Lecturer, Ananda Minister, and Kriyacharya

Gyandev was a founding board member of Yoga Alliance, the non-profit organization which ensures professional standards for Yoga teachers in the U.S. Prior to embarking on the Yogic path, Gyandev received a PhD in Applied Mathematics from Stanford University. After deeply contemplating the purpose of life, he relinquished the outer science of math to explore the inner science of Yoga.

Nayaswami Hassi

Nayaswami Hassi is a Lightbearer at Ananda Village where she has lived since 1984. During her time with Ananda, she has raised 4 children, now has 4 grandchildren. She taught and developed the Ananda Living Wisdom preschool for 15 years as a certified teacher. Hassi has served the Ananda spiritual community in various roles. Currently Hassi manages the  Shrine of the Masters museum and gift shop and its online store. Throughout the year, especially for the Springtime Tulip Festival, Hassi greets thousands of visitors to Crystal Hermitage.

Nayaswami Hriman

A long-term teacher and minister, Hriman is one of the founding members of Ananda. He combines keen intellect and insight with a lively sense of humor, which makes his perspective on spiritual topics down-to-earth and practical. He is a Kriyacharya (authorized Kriya Yoga teacher).

Hriman and his wife Padma, as spiritual directors of Ananda Seattle, have led the Washington work since 1994.

Nayaswami Jaya

Nayaswami Jaya is a founding member of Ananda, a Lightbearer, and a Kriyacharya (Kriya Yoga teacher), and co-directs Ananda India. After leading for many years the development of Ananda Village, Nayaswami Jaya and his wife Nayaswami Sadhana Devi, also an Ananda founding member, served at Ananda U.S. East Coast, and then helped start Ananda's work in India.

Tyagi Jayadev

Director of Ananda Yoga Academy in Italy, Kriyacharya, author of 5 yogic books in Italy, husband, loves the Himalayas where he guides a yearly pilgrimage, happy to have lived for the last 25 years at Ananda as a disciple of Yogananda, with fantastic brothers/sisters on the path.

Nayaswami Maria

Nayaswami Maria served on the Ananda Organic Farm from 1976 through 1986. In 1979, she married Ananta in a ceremony performed by Swami Kriyananda. In 1986, Swami Kriyananda asked Maria and Ananta to direct and develop the Ananda community in Sacramento, where they served for 23 years. In 2009, Kriyananda asked them to return to Ananda Village. Since then Maria has served again on Ananda Farm, with Online with Ananda, Village Membership, and Ministerial Outreach. She loves chanting and singing, being in nature, and is an avid birdwatcher.

Nayaswami Mukti

Nayaswami Mukti is an Ananda Minister and long-time resident of Ananda Village. She facilitates meditation and spiritual life programs at The Expanding Light Retreat and is also a key member of the Ananda Music Ministry.

Nayaswami Nefretete

Nayaswami Nefretete lives in Ananda Village and serves in multiple roles in the community. She feels blessed to live and share the teachings of this beautiful path. She found her calling early on and began meditating as a teenager. She was committed to following a spiritual path and eventually found Yogananda and became his disciple. She made plans to move to the community immediately after reading the Autobiography of A Yogi.

Originally from the East Coast, she has a rich, diverse background in the Arts. Earning her doctorate from New York University, Nefretete spent many years in New York City as a performing artist and poet. She later leveraged her creative talents to support and enrich the lives of others as an educator, writer, and psychotherapist.

Nayaswami Parvati

Nayaswami Parvati is one of Ananda's most widely traveled and experienced ministers. With her husband, Nayaswami Pranaba, she helped to create and direct Ananda centers in Palo Alto, Portland, Seattle, Dallas, and Assisi, Italy.

Parvati currently lives at Ananda Village and administers the Janaka Foundation.

Nayaswami Pranaba

Pranaba has been an Ananda member and minister for decades, serving in many Ananda communities in the U.S. and in Assisi, Italy.

Pranaba has directed the membership training program at Ananda Village and coordinated Ananda's Meditation Centers and Groups. He now manages Ananda Sangha Worldwide, Ananda's outreach ministry. He travels frequently, bringing Yogananda's teachings and inspiration to Ananda devotees nationwide.

Mary Kretzmann

Mary Kretzmann, a Lightbearer, served in the Sangha Office as Director of the Ananda Healing Prayer Ministry. She is the author of Divine Will Healing, sharing Paramhansa Yogananda’s teachings on healing, and A Healer's Handbook. She also wrote an online e-book, Finding God in Your Family.

Nayaswami Premdas

Nayaswami Premdas is online instructor for Art and Science of Raja Yoga and Course on Discipleship. He is an Ananda Lightbearer-Minister and has been teaching meditation and yoga for many years. A resident of Ananda Village, he served for a decade as head chef and culinary instructor at Ananda’s Expanding Light Retreat. He is known for his joy, devotion and hospitality.

Nayaswami Savitri

Savitri has been an Ananda minister for decades. She has served as a counselor and staff teacher at The Expanding Light Retreat, where she directed the Meditation Teacher Training program and led seminars on the chakras and other aspects of Yoga philosophy. Savitri additionally is a musician, herb gardener, gourmet vegetarian cook, and nature lover!

Nayaswami Seva

Seva was a founding member of Ananda and lived at Ananda Village and other Ananda colonies from 1968. Her years of service included taking charge of the fledgling community's finances, helping start new Ananda centers on the West Coast of the US, Europe, and India, directing the Ananda Course of Self-Realization, and assisting with Crystal clarity Publishers. Seva was a true pioneer!

Seva resided at Ananda Village and before her passing in November 2021. Unfailingly cheerful and loving under all circumstances, Seva will be remembered for her deep understanding of the spiritual path, born of a lifetime dedicated to God.