The Golden Cord of Divine Love

Dear Friend,

For the month of March we were blessed by the return of Swami Kriyananda, who’s been living in Assisi, Italy for the past two years, guiding Ananda’s work there. This was a deeply moving time for members of our communities, and for new visitors as well. Wherever he visited, Swamiji poured himself into serving those who had come, bringing divine light and inspiration to all.

His schedule during this trip was strenuous—packed with satsangs, Sunday Services, and informal sharings. Although at times he was physically quite tired from the pace, he never let that stop him and found the inner reserves of energy to be a dynamic channel for Master.

In all his satsangs there was a radiant thread that silently wove its way throughout and remains with us as a lasting impression. This was the golden cord of divine love which unites us all—old friends and newcomers alike—into a family in God that transcends any human attachments or divisions.

To see the unspoken love and joy shining from the eyes of old friends of Swamiji’s was like getting a glimpse into a realm of eternal friendship. But equally inspiring was to witness the soul bonds that were formed with people meeting him for the first time. One man said, “We haven’t met before.” Swamiji lovingly took the man’s hands, and with sincerity and simplicity said, “Oh, yes, we have.”

As we were driving Swamiji to Ananda Village from Palo Alto, we stopped in Davis, California to get something to drink. In the small café we entered, there were students studying with some working on laptop computers. Swamiji went up to one young man and asked him what kind of computer he was using. A look of astonishment spread across the student’s face. “Aren’t you Swami Kriyananda?” he asked. “I’ve read several of your books and have been really wanting to meet you.”

Recently we came across this poem of Master’s, “The Splinters of Thy Love,” from the original Songs of the Soul, which reflects the inner experience of this visit:

The splinters of Thy love
Lie strewn in many a heart:
These little fragments of Thy love,
Descended from far above,
I find spread here and there, and charmed, I start
To seize all and with care collect.
I feel, as I reflect,
That I have certes seen somewhere
Thy whole unbroken love that’s everywhere;
And with devotion strong
I weld my varied collection
Of tiny bits of parental, friendly love in one
To match it with Thine own.