A founding member of Ananda, Nayaswami Anandi was one of the primary ministers who greeted and interacted with newcomers during their first visits. Anandi was a mainstay to the teaching team of The Expanding Light, our retreat facility at Ananda Village, in California. This meant that almost everyone who came as a visitor to Ananda met her! For that reason alone her absence will be keenly felt even as we realize her life mission has simply changed form. Anandi’s life was the epitome of a life dedicated to the search for God: cheerful, serviceful, energetic and willing. In the end, her God-centered life was the perfect example of inner calmness in the face of physical and spiritual challenges.
Nayaswami Devi writes:
Master and Swamiji came with a special mission to uplift human consciousness during a time of confusion and turmoil as we transition into Dwapara Yuga. A group of young people came to Swamiji in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s to dedicate their lives to serve this mission. Often with no prior spiritual calling or interest, they came from all over America with an inner recognition that this was what they were to do with their life. Without any thought for themselves; ignoring any hardship or personal sacrifice; they gave everything they had to serve God and Guru and to bring those blessings to everyone.
Nayaswami Anandi was one of the pillars of this generation. Though she had a brilliant and well-trained mind, she served in whatever ways were needed at the time. From gardening, to helping build houses, to starting small businesses, to helping with Ananda’s first master plan for the local county, to serving on the publications team, she was one of the builders of Ananda’s work. After spending 12 years in the monastery Swamiji created, Friends of God, she realized that being married to Bharat Cornell was the next step in her spiritual unfoldment.
Her marriage to Bharat Joseph Cornell was lived in the same spirit with which she did everything. When they were together, you could feel their deep, unspoken love and appreciation for each other, and see the joy that twinkled in their eyes at being together. She played an essential role in helping him edit his world-renowned Sharing Nature series.
In more recent years she focused on writing, editing, and teaching. Though she never took any credit for it, and her name doesn’t even appear in any of the books, she compiled the eight-book Wisdom of Yogananda series. Anandi’s classes are treasures of clarity, joy, sparkling wit, and practical advice.
Anandi worked with Swamiji on his books, his letters, his ideas for the future of Ananda.
She spent time with him in Assisi, the Holy Land, and India. She led the first 3 month long new members program at the Meditation retreat and lived there with Bharat for 8 years.
But her true spiritual gifts were in counseling and working with others. The lives that she touched in these ways were blessed and changed by her humble, deep wisdom and love. It was always a joy to walk through The Expanding Light dining room during meals to see Anandi talking with one of the guests (usually someone she had just met). You felt her support and caring for them was tangible as she embraced them in the aura of her joy, wisdom, and love.
“All the world is my friend/When I learn how to share my love” are lyrics from one of Swami Kriyananda’s songs that describe how Nayaswami Anandi related to everyone.
For you, as you read this and think of Anandi, try to remember this. Her life was a victorious one—she faced every challenge and overcame it. She loved God to her last breath, and now she has become one with the meaning of the name that Swamiji gave her: JOY!
With gratitude for the gift of divine friendship,
Nayaswami Devi