Spiritual Growth

The Inner Hike

by Ananda Sangha Worldwide

My daughter and I took a beautiful six-mile hike recently to Ramona Falls at the base of Mt. Hood. On the way, she asked, “Why do humans hike?” I said that we hike to satisfy our need as humans to explore, to move, and in some cases, to survive. Personally, I love the feeling of moving my body on a … Read More

Spiritual Growth, Spiritualizing Relationships

Watch My Smoke!

by Tyagi Jayadev

Swami Kriyananda had a delightful T-shirt which proclaimed, almost warningly: WATCH MY SMOKE! It immediately relaxed his visitors into a humorous mood. It was just good fun! At the same time, everyone knew that he indeed produced an amazing amount of “smoke” in his life, like Yogananda, creating a lasting and visible impact wherever he was. “Where there is smoke, … Read More

Spiritual Community, Spiritual Growth

Divine Friendship

by Nayaswami Diksha

What is the spiritual way to relate to other people—students, friends, or family members? When we hear that it is ideal to relate to other people in an impersonal way, many of us think that means to be cold and uncaring. But the true definition of impersonal love is very deep. In personal love there is some expectation of the … Read More

Spiritual Growth

Play the Game of Eight

by Mai Lee

The Eight Aspects of God The attributes or aspects of God are basically eight: Peace, Joy, Light, Calmness, Sound, Love, Power and Wisdom. True meditation is a state of intense awareness, being absorbed in an actual experience of God in one of His attributes. The practice of meditation is different, however, from the actual experience of meditation as a state … Read More