Stories are great teachers. They involve the listener emotionally, and stick in the mind much better than mere concepts. For example, we all know that that we should think of others and not only ourselves. But the principle comes alive when packaged in a good story. Here is that same teaching delivered by Krishna and Arjuna. Krishna and Arjuna were … Read More
“I’m feeling so discouraged and anxious when I look at everything that’s happening in the world today,” a friend recently wrote us. It’s hard not to respond in this way when we see violence and hatred running rampant across the globe. But spiritual teachings are not just pleasant sentiments that we dust off and display on a sunny afternoon. They … Read More
Dear Friends, During the years that Swamiji was with Master, he often heard him speak with great power and intensity about impending world disasters. As we know, Swamiji took this to heart, and it was one of the prime motivators for him in creating communities and urging us to organize emergency preparation. At this point, we’ve made such preparations throughout … Read More
Many years ago I saw a bumper sticker that said, “Visualize Whirled Peas.” I’m afraid that this image, humorous though it was, is truer today than the actuality of world peace. We seem to be whirling around, splintered into frenetic factions.
Today is January 5, 2016—the anniversary of Paramhansa Yogananda’s birth. There are numbers that convey some of the historical significance of his life: 123 years since he was born; 100 years since he created the Energization Exercises for recharging the body with energy; 70 years since his spiritual classic, Autobiography of a Yogi, was published; and, in 2020, 100 years … Read More
There was a full moon this year on Christmas Eve, a relatively rare event that last took place 38 years ago. The full moon occurs, of course, when the entire surface reflects the light of the sun back to the earth. As the moon makes its monthly revolution around the earth, it passes through all its various phases, from the … Read More
It is a great blessing to live at Ananda Village, where its members have chosen lives of simplicity, selflessness, and dedication to God. At Christmastime, we often give each other little gifts that remind us of our shared devotion and that inspire us to seek God more deeply. This year two friends gave to everyone copies of a letter that … Read More
You must go so deep within the great silence that you feel the one life which pervades all creation. Then you will find the Christ Presence. —Paramhansa Yogananda We invite all of you to take a vow this Christmas season: I will prepare for the coming of the Omnipresent baby Christ by cleaning the cradle of my consciousness . . … Read More
We have a tradition at Ananda called World Brotherhood Day. Each year we gather together in a celebration in order to make the first gift of the Christmas season. We suggest that people give one day’s income to help spread the light of the Christ consciousness throughout the world. Paramhansa Yogananda explained that the Christ consciousness (in India it is … Read More
Our recent time in India was life changing in many ways. Over time we’ll be sharing with you some of our experiences there, but one of the inner transformations that occurred for which we are very grateful is a strong desire for longer, deeper meditations. This grace began during our seclusion in the Himalayas, and has continued upon our return … Read More
What an amazing day! Six of us were in Pench Tiger Reserve with Satya Prakash, a friend and gurubhai, and a very high official in the Indian Forest Service. He is one of the world’s top experts in preserving tigers. India has taken a lead in this area and is helping some eighteen other countries that have tigers still living … Read More
“I really didn’t want to come on this trip, because I like to be alone and not around a lot of people, but a friend convinced me to go, so here I am,” said the slightly embarrassed young man. It was a strange comment to make, and one that stood out in contrast to what others were saying at the … Read More
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to practice gratitude to God. Take the time to thank God for everything: review your life with gratitude for absolutely everything that has happened and been given to you. Also, be thankful for that which has been taken away from you, as an expression of Divine Love meant to free you from ego consciousness. —Nayaswami Jyotish Enter into this … Read More
As Devi and I took our morning walk through the countryside near our rural Pune Ashram, we were met with a scene that has changed little in the last thousand years. Crops have just been harvested, and the farmers are plowing their small fields with wooden plows pulled by bullocks. They wave as we pass, and we somehow bridge the … Read More
The wheels of our bus were perilously close to the crumbling edge of the road as we drove up into the foothills of the Himalayas. The heavy monsoons earlier in the year had washed away sections of the road, or caused great pits to appear in the middle of it. Both of these obstacles had to be carefully negotiated to … Read More
Happy Diwali! A message from Jyotish and Devi this Diwali, Nov. 11, 2015: Diwali represents the victory of light over darkness – the Light of God, the Divine Light, over the darkness of our own consciousness. Now is the time to commune with the light inside of us. Give the greatest gift of all, the gift of yourself. Give that gift … Read More
By Paramhansa Yogananda Our Father, President of the United States of planets, galaxies, stellar systems, and universes, Thy democratic rule of free choice and individual evolution is bringing Thy citizen-children nearer and nearer to Thy high ideals. Born in Thy states of democratic free will, we inherited our celestial birthright of eternal, everlasting freedom. But, alas! we squandered that inheritance, … Read More
Dear Friends, It’s with joy and gratitude to God that we share with you the events that occurred during the past two weeks here in India. It began with the first of two consecutive weekend pilgrimages to Babaji’s Cave on Drongiri Mountain. A group of about forty-two pilgrims gathered in the cold, dark, and smog at the Delhi train station … Read More
We’re in India and recently had lunch with Indu Bhan, whom you may remember as the man who told us the fascinating story of how he and his companions found Babaji’s Cave. Indu is a font of amazing and inspiring stories, and he asked us if we would like to hear about the most memorable talk he had ever attended. … Read More
Swami Kriyananda invited us over for tea one afternoon to discuss a change he had in mind for Ananda. When he asked our thoughts, I responded with some emotion, because I felt that a principle was at stake. Swamiji looked at me steadily and said, “You may be right, but when you speak so emotionally, it’s hard to accept what … Read More
