We have been reading a very interesting book: Being Mortal, by Atul Gawande. It’s a thoughtful, well-written examination of aging and dying, subjects often ignored in modern society. Someday, perhaps, I will write a blog about that, but not today. This blog is about a small part of the process—about how helpful it is to prepare for difficulties before a … Read More
As I sat in a meeting on that warm summer afternoon, I wasn’t paying much attention to the crystals hanging in the window or to the faintly colored rainbows moving around the room. Those of us gathered were discussing some administrative matters for Ananda Village that I wasn’t too involved in; my mind, I must admit, was elsewhere. However, as … Read More
“I really want to meditate more deeply, but I have a hard time concentrating.” This is a complaint we often hear from devotees. The mind seems to be programmed to be restless. A recent study by Microsoft showed that in the last thirteen years the length of time people can concentrate has decreased on average from 12 to 8 seconds. … Read More
During the recent Dedication Weekend, May 15–17, we were meditating in Swami Kriyananda’s newly completed Moksha Mandir, the final resting place for his body. His living reality was so tangible to everyone that it was hard to imagine he was no longer physically present with us. The difference now, perhaps, was that his consciousness felt even more powerful, accessible, and … Read More
“Swami Kriyananda’s influence will expand greatly now that he is no longer confined to a body. I have seen this happen with many other great souls.” We were speaking with Sri D. R. Kaarthikeyan, one of the dignitaries who attended the dedication of the Moksha Mandir at Ananda Village this weekend. He speaks from experience, being an advisor to many spiritual … Read More
The Anniversary of Swami Kriyananda’s Birthday, May 19 For Divine Friends of Swami Kriyananda: Here is a video by Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi speaking to his life of service and devotion to his Guru, Paramhansa Yogananda. “Swami Kriyananda’s life is not just his own, but a completion of our line of gurus and the mission that they bring.” -Nayaswami Jyotish “As time goes by … Read More
“Kriya Yoga saved me, just not in the way I thought it would.” These intriguing words are from a letter we recently received from a friend. With her permission, we’re sharing her experiences with you, because her insights are potentially life changing and something from which everyone can benefit.
Recently a friend was sharing her story with us. Her long-term marriage had ended with the sudden death of her husband, and she was being tested on many levels at the same time. Her financial security had vanished, her health had deteriorated, and it seemed that her whole world was under attack. We could do little but listen quietly and … Read More
![How to be a channel of God's light [www.JyotishandDevi.org] A Touch of Light Blog](https://www.ananda.org/jyotish-and-devi/files/2015/04/how-to-be-a-channel-of-gods-healing-light-yogananda-jyotish-and-devi-blog-touch-of-light-150x150.jpg)
Helpless . . . hopeless . . . overwhelmed—it’s easy to get drawn into these negative emotions when we see so much suffering in the world around us. Whether through natural disasters or man-made conflicts, the result is the same: we feel people’s pain, but don’t know how to help them.
Paramhansa Yogananda explained that everyone in the world is driven by the same motivation: the desire to be happy and to avoid suffering. What makes life so complex is the variety of ways we chase happiness. There is a kind of Happiness Cycle that works like this: We have a desire. We act in an attempt to fulfill that desire. … Read More
Together we honor the second anniversary of Swami Kriyananda’s Moksha. In May we will have the dedication of the Moksha Mandir (May 15 to May 17), a place of pilgrimage and meditation for thousands of people, for decades, to come. Our celebration will have people from all over the world honoring the life of Swami Kriyananda. Together we will enter into a … Read More
“Is there anything I can do to help?” I asked, as I entered the crowded kitchen at Ananda’s Meditation Retreat. The staff was moving in high gear, busily preparing an elaborate Indian banquet for several hundred guests and residents to be served later that day. With a grateful smile, the head cook pointed to a twenty-five-pound box of lemons, and … Read More
The Ananda communities movement was born in the living room of Swami Kriyananda’s small apartment in San Francisco. Most nights he travelled, teaching classes in various locations, but every Thursday evening he gave a satsang in his living room. Ten to twenty “regulars” formed the nucleus of what would, in time, become a worldwide movement. A few months after I … Read More
There once was a man of such holiness and humility that he attracted the interest of the Heavenly Father. A messenger from God was sent to offer him any boon that he requested. At first the saint could think of nothing to ask for, but then he said, “In my travels as a wandering monk, many people’s paths cross my … Read More
I’m feeling better today. I fasted yesterday, in part to help clear out some respiratory congestion I’ve had since we got back from India a few days ago. For this particular purpose, I did a fast called the “Master Cleanse,” in which you drink a “lemonade” consisting of lemon juice, Grade B maple syrup, and a little cayenne powder, diluted … Read More
“I’d really like to practice meditation, but I just don’t have the time in my busy life,” is a comment people often make to us. We need to understand that just as the physical body needs food and water to survive, the soul needs the sustenance drawn from meditation to flourish. Once we begin this practice in our life, we … Read More
Restore your hope for a better world: Hundreds of people will gather together APRIL 11 at the Olympic Collection in Los Angeles for a guided meditation and prayer for world peace, based on the scientific healing techniques of Paramhansa Yogananda. The night will be led by Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi Novak. The first 200 attendees will receive a free copy of … Read More
A compilation of our blogs has just been released in India in book form, entitled Touch of Light: Living the Teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda. As we travel from city to city to offer programs here, we’ve been “launching” the book after our discourse with a simple ceremony: a copy is brought to us tied in a bright ribbon, which we … Read More
March 8, 2015 Dear Friends, Our time in India is drawing to a close now, and we finally have a moment to share a bit with you. The two main qualities of our travels during this trip are expansion and clarification of Ananda’s mission in India. Starting with our time in Singapore, we saw that dedicated leaders are emerging to … Read More
I read a wonderful statement recently by the British author C.S. Lewis: “Many people want to serve God, mostly in an advisory capacity.” At least some of the time, most of us think God needs our advice on rearranging things more to our liking. When everything is going well, we think He’s doing a pretty good job of managing the … Read More