Nayaswami Diksha

An Ananda Lightbearer minister, Diksha is founder/director of Ananda Spiritual Counseling Training, as well as co-director of Ananda Meditation Teacher Training (Both offered in person and online). She teaches primarily at The Expanding Light Retreat, but her courses and retreats have also taken her across the United States, Canada, Europe, Costa Rica, Israel, and India.
Diksha began her spiritual journey in her early twenties, when she explored variety of meditation techniques. Her explorations ceased in 1990 when she came to the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, whose meditation techniques she has been using ever since.
A native Israeli who came to the U.S. in 1990, she is a powerful and dynamic woman who has shared yoga postures and yogic teachings across the United States, in Canada and Europe.
Diksha’s articles, blogs, and guided spiritual practices (on video) have inspired thousands on the Ananda School of Yoga & Meditation YouTube channel and the free Ananda Meditation App. She also created the Online Vegetarian Cooking for Health and Vitality a 4-season video series, and authored three successful vegetarian cookbooks, Global Kitchen, Vegetarian Cooking for Starters and The Healing Kitchen.
Articles and Videos
See allAnswers to Spiritual Questions
How Can I Meditate in a Noisy Environment?
Dear Subhasish, We need to be practical and creative in finding solutions for daily challenges. At Ananda Village in California, people use headphones in group meditations. These headphones do not play music — they block out sound, similar to the ... Read More
How to Meditate with Half-Closed Eyes
Dear Kavitha, For beginners and even people who have meditated for awhile, practicing with half-open and half-closed eyes is not easy. As a beginner, it can distract you from focusing on the meditation technique, and your practice becomes too physical. ... Read More
Pain Due to Breathing Practices
Dear Vishwas, Since I don’t know which breathing exercises you are doing, I can only respond in a general way. When you practice any breathing technique, you should not strain or overdo the practice. If you are experiencing intense pain, ... Read More
Exhaustion and Headache after Meditation
Dear Renatha, When you meditate, it is very important to relax first and to make an effort without tension. I don’t know what kind of meditation technique you practice but, in general, when you meditate you want to make sure ... Read More
Balance Meditation and Service
Dear Ashutosh, You have expressed well the battle that each devotee of God has to face: How to keep the inner flame of spirit while living in the material world with its constant demands! Having a daily sadhana (spiritual practice), ... Read More
When to Meditate?
Dear Liu Shen, It is best to have a daily, regular schedule to meditate. The yogis recommend meditating twice a day, when you get up in the morning and before going to bed at night. But you can adjust according ... Read More
What Is Will Power?
Dear Kumar, You are asking an important question. Paramhansa Yogananda explained in a simple way the important quality of will power. Paramhansa Yogananda definition of will power is: Desire + energy, directed towards fulfillment. There are three components of will ... Read More