Nayaswami Maria (Maria Warner)

Born in the Soviet Union in 1958, Maria lost both of her parents while still a teenager. She and her older sister, Bella, were able to immigrate as refugees to the United States in 1979 with the intention of seeking the freedom to live a spiritual life. While traveling from the Soviet Union to America, they met a consulate employee, who later gave them Autobiography of a Yogi in New York. In 1980 she and Bella moved to Ananda Village.

Nayaswami Maria with her husband, Devarshi blessing during a Sunday Service at Ananda Village

Maria spent 30 years serving her Guru in various ways: in Ananda Assisi, in Ananda Seattle, on Swamiji’s staff at Crystal Hermitage, as a Lightbearer and teacher, and for the last five years of her life she was the driving force and creative energy behind Ananda.org. Through this website, she was able to bring inspiration to millions of people around the world. With no background in website development, Maria taught herself this skill through seeking out the training she needed. Under her direction, our website emerged as the single most important tool that Ananda has for serving people at a distance. In 2009 she and her husband, Devarshi, the head of Ananda’s Kriya Ministry, took Nayaswami Vows.

Within ten years, Maria survived two serious bouts with cancer involving major surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Still she continued to serve whole-heartedly in the demanding work of keeping a website vibrant. Once when she came into work during the middle of radiation treatment, someone said to her, “Maria, you don’t have to come in to work.” She replied, “You don’t understand, I must come in to work. It’s what gives me the strength to fight this battle.”

Maria chanting with Ananda members in Dallas, the day after she realized what was happening in her brain. Photograph by Lee Courtney

Maria first realized that she had a brain tumor while helping to lead a Kriya Retreat at Ananda’s Dallas center. In spite of starting to experience headaches and extreme dizziness, she gave the Sunday Service talk that Devarshi said was the most beautiful and inspiring he’d ever heard her give. When she told Devarshi that she knew she had a brain tumor, thinking more of consoling him than of her own needs, she said to him, “Don’t worry. I’m free.”

Within a few days, she was unable to walk or open her eyes. As Devarshi was taking her in a wheelchair to get a brain scan, she could feel his concern for her, and said to him kindly but strongly, “Detach yourself, control the reactive process, live the teachings.”

Maria holds the door, and an umbrella, for Swami Kriyananda

After being medically diagnosed with brain cancer, she spent the remainder of her time consciously disconnecting from any involvement with the world, and going deep within to commune with God. During this time, there was constantly a vibration of great peace and sanctity around her.  Maria passed on December 7, 2010.

In a recent talk, Swami Kriyananda said of Maria, “I have seen her change over the years — she had cancer of the breast years ago, and she had chemotherapy and went through a great deal of pain because of that — and now she’s reached a point of maturity where nothing can touch her.”