In this Christmas season, it’s important to reflect on the deeper message of Christ’s life and birth. Paramhansa Yogananda told his disciples that it was Jesus himself who appeared to Babaji in the Himalayas, and asked him to send these teachings to the West in order to reveal the deeper meaning of Christianity. Through people’s practice of meditation, they could … Read More
Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi
Christmas Images and Their Spiritual Meaning
Many popular images associated with Christmas are actually rooted in inner spiritual realities. But over time the deeper meaning becomes lost, and the symbol becomes an end unto itself. Perhaps the most iconic symbols are the Christmas tree and Santa Claus. The use of evergreen wreaths goes back to the prehistory of Egypt, Greece, and Rome, while the more modern … Read More
Crossing a Threshold Opened Long Ago
We were sitting on the beach our first evening in Puri, India, gazing at the moonlight on the waves and listening to the crashing of the surf on the shore. Seventy devotees would be joining us in two days for a pilgrimage to sacred sites in this area, which is considered to be one of the holiest in India. A … Read More
Two Great Masters
Today was a remarkable day! We are in Puri, India, where Swami Sri Yukteswar had an ashram, and where his body is enshrined in a small samadhi mandir (shrine that holds the body of a great master). Paramhansa Yogananda used often to come here with his guru, and it was in Puri that Sri Yukteswar left his body in 1936. … Read More
Are You a Spiritual Success?
Recently while in Pune, India, I asked an old friend how he felt he’d changed spiritually over the years. He replied, “It’s hard to see change from one day to the next, but looking back I see that I’m not the same person I used to be, though my nature remains much the same. In the past I used to … Read More
Thanksgiving Message 2016
“Giving thanks—and the attitude of gratitude behind Thanksgiving Day—is one of the most fundamental aspects of the spiritual path.” —Nayaswami Jyotish “The deeper meaning of Thanksgiving is always to have a connection with the Divine. Always to be thanking the Divine for what is given to us. And to express that gratitude. We should express it to the people around … Read More
A Miracle of Protection
Sometimes we have doubts. Does God really care about us? Does He love us or protect us when we are unable to fend for ourselves? I heard an amazing account that shows that God and Guru are there when we most need them. Here is the story, as told to our center leader from Pune, India, and relayed to Devi … Read More
Building Spiritual Power Against Troubled Times*
America has made its choice now in this presidential election. The world may well be facing troubled times, as the United States and all nations come to terms with a dramatic break from past values and models of government. Already waves of uncertainty, confusion, and fear are moving across the planet. But whether the outcome was your personal choice or … Read More
A Letter to Ananda Members Regarding the Election
Dear Friends, The results of the election were quite a shock to us, as probably to most people. We are entering a new era in politics and many people will be unsettled, anxious, perhaps even fear filled. At times like this we all need to be, ever more strongly, instruments for God’s light. Remember, this is God’s dream and He … Read More
Letter from Delhi – Mumbai
Dear Friends, We started writing this letter to you earlier today, when we took for granted that Clinton would win the election. Now we are in a different land and mindscape, and will all need to come to terms with what lies ahead and what we can do in a positive way to help. So, for the rest of the … Read More
How to Avoid Doing Your Duty
A mother comes into her son’s bedroom and sees that he is still asleep. “Wake up, wake up. It’s late,” she says. The son responds by pulling the blankets up over his head. “Wake up,” his mother says again, “or you’ll be late for school.” “I don’t want to go to school,” the son says, “and there are two reasons. … Read More
The Banana Tree
As we gathered in the early morning sunlight for group sadhana in Chennai, everyone was filled with eager anticipation of what lay ahead. After months of effort, we would officially be dedicating the new Center that evening, and friends would be gathering from all over India for the event. As we went outside by the garden to do our Energization … Read More
How “Autobiography of a Yogi” Changed My Life
Autobiography of a Yogi changed my life. Really, it did. There is a power in that book that is far beyond the ordinary. Paramhansa Yogananda said to Swami Kriyananda on their first meeting, “I put my vibrations into it.” I read it when I was at one of the natural transition points in life, the changeover from school to adulthood. … Read More
Letter from Chennai
Dear Friends, We just returned yesterday from two remarkable weeks in Chennai, which were filled with many spiritually powerful events: the dedication of the new center; a large public talk; the first Kriya Initiation, and a retreat day at the center. In February 2016 when we were visiting Chennai, Dharmarajan and Dharmini, the center leaders there, showed us an old … Read More
My Personal Journey with “Autobiography of a Yogi”
We came into the world just weeks apart, Autobiography of a Yogi and I, born together in December 1946. Both of us were riding on waves of human hope: I was part of the “baby boomer” generation that emerged after millions of American servicemen returned from World War II. Hoping to leave the horrors of war behind, the soldiers wanted … Read More
The Game
This is a story about the power of our thoughts. Some years ago I was playing a game of doubles in racquetball, meaning there are two players on each side. The object of the game is to keep the ball in play, trying to force the opposing team to make an error. Unfortunately, my partner was making most of the … Read More
A Dream of the Future
I had an intriguing dream a few nights ago: It began as a conversation with a visionary scientist, reminiscent of Nikola Tesla, explaining to us his theories on the inner workings of the universe. Such conversations usually fly well over my head, but because he was communicating not with words but thought transference, I could easily understand his concepts. I … Read More
Spiritual Faire – Letter from India
Dear Ones, The Spiritual Faire on Sept 24 & 25 in Delhi was an extraordinary experience for everyone. For two days, about 200 Ananda volunteers served huge crowds by giving classes, talking with the guests, staffing dozens of booths, serving food, selling Ananda’s books and products, and leading demonstrations of meditation, healing, energization, and yoga postures. I don’t think anyone who … Read More
A Touch of Light and Joy
Toward the end of his life, Swami Kriyananda would often remark, “I feel so blissful, I can hardly contain it.” We had seen him maintain a joyful spirit during many difficult times: temples collapsing or burning down, car accidents, health crises. No matter what was happening around him, Swamiji demonstrated that it didn’t have the power to touch his inner … Read More
Letter from India – September 2016
The big news here is Ananda’s Spiritual Fair being held this weekend, 9/24-25, 10am-6pm, Delhi time. They’ve rented a big facility with three large halls to hold non-stop classes and workshops. There will also be about a dozen booths. This has been in the planning stage for months with 250 volunteers involved in different aspects of it. Large billboards and … Read More