Who Created the Ananda Logo?
Question
Kindly let me know who had created the logo of yours.
Is it by Yoganandaji or Krianandaji?
I want to know the meaning of this logo (the loop ). Is it any part of susumna nadi?
Because I used to get this illuminated vision (along with kundalini, chakras etc) which nobody could explain so far, and today for the first time I saw Krianandaji on the Sadhana TV channel, where I found this design and am surprised.
I am a devotee of Ramakrishna Paramahansa, into meditation for 20yrs and I respect Revered Yoganandaji.
—sujata banerjee, India
Answer
Dear Sujata,
Swami Kriyananda created the Ananda logo in the late 70’s. He said it came to him in a vision, but it took him a while to get it into picture form.
It is seen on most of Ananda-related materials, products, advertisements, etc., and is our formal, legally registered trademark.
Swami Kriyananda called it the “Joy Is Within You” symbol. The two little lines in the middle represent a bird, which in turn represents a soul. The two curved lines at the bottom come together to form a symbolic mountain. The other curves represent the flight-path of the bird/soul.
The bird flies off the mountain top and does a lot of flying about, searching, just as our souls fly out into the world in human bodies, searching for joy. We search everywhere outside ourselves until eventually we turn back within and find that it has been inside us all along.
It is a stunningly beautiful symbol, in my opinion.
As far as I know, Swami never mentioned any direct connection with this logo and the sushumna nadi, though there would have to be at least some sort of connection, since in a way, that is our inner “flight path” to freedom.
Alas we take many “detours” outside our selves, seeking happiness, before finally returning inside, to find that inner pathway to oneness with God.
