Her name was Abigail. She was ten years old with shining brown eyes and a shy smile. Her parents were members of the Ananda Mexico City Center, where we were staying, and they had brought her over to meet us before she went to school. Putting her arms around my waist, Abigail hugged me and sweetly rested her head on … Read More
Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi
Out of the Silence
There was only stillness. A stillness so profound that no words existed to describe it. And bliss, a bliss so fulfilling that nothing more was desired or needed. But the nature of the bliss was to expand, ever to expand. And so a small part of the still, infinite bliss began to vibrate. And this was the primordial duality: stillness … Read More
Trusting First Impressions
It was quiet and cool in the interior of the dimly lit church – a dramatic contrast to the ceaseless activity on the college campus during this hot day in late spring of 1969. A friend had given me Autobiography of a Yogi to read, and it had awakened in me a keen desire to learn to meditate. My friend … Read More
Be Still and Know
In Psalm 46:10 of the Bible, there is the oft-quoted statement, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Usually this is interpreted as “sit still” or “be quiet.” But there is a deeper and more profound explanation. The yogic meaning is to still the prana, or life force, and then you will know God. I have been reading a … Read More
A Tale of Two Butterflies
Discouragement and moods are two obstacles that often assail us on the spiritual path. There was a time during my first few years at Ananda when certain things happened that left me feeling pretty discouraged and downhearted. Fortunately I had a dear friend, an older gentleman who’d been on the path a long time, to whom I could go for … Read More
Look to the Light
Devi and I led the first Ananda pilgrimage when we were living in Italy in 1984. After going to Assisi and other sacred places, we visited Florence for its great art and history. While there, we went with a wonderful guide to one of the world’s greatest museums, The Uffizi Gallery. She told us, “We don’t have enough time to … Read More
A Book and Its Cover
“A friend gave me a book to read, but something about the photo on the cover just put me off. I set the book aside and forgot all about it,” he said. A young man was telling us the story of how he found Autobiography of a Yogi. “Later that year,” he continued, “as I was getting ready to move … Read More
The Long Drawn-Out Twins
I’m writing this a few days after the New Year when people have already begun to break their resolutions. Let’s ask why. Will power alone, which Paramhansa Yogananda defined as “desire plus energy directed toward a goal,” is a weak ally. Like a muscle, will power suffers fatigue. An interesting study showed that the worst time to seek leniency in … Read More
In 2014 – Watch the Main Act, Not the Side Show
Swami Kriyananda often said that Ananda is like a living laboratory. By observing others, you can see which attitudes lead to deeper happiness and attunement with God, and which lead in the opposite direction. One of the things that inspired me during our recent time in India was observing my friends from America who are serving there. We’ve known many … Read More
I Am the Christ Within
This is something I wrote some years ago but perhaps you have never had a chance to read it. I hope it helps fill your Christmas season with God’s light. I am the Christ-consciousness, which has been with you always. Before you were born, I was there. Before even the world was, I was. I am the Spirit of God … Read More
Living in the Flow
As our plane landed in Delhi, India seven weeks ago, Jyotish and I looked at each other and said, “This is going to be…interesting.” It wasn’t as if we hadn’t been to India many times before, but we expected that this trip was going to be different. And it was. For one thing, it was the first time we’d come … Read More
Missing the Point
We’ve just had an interesting experience: our first Thanksgiving in Gurgaon, India. This holiday, so well known in America, is normally not celebrated in the rest of the world.
Build Your Character – Build Your Career
Most people worry about what their salary or position will be in the future, but a more valid question would be, “What qualities do I want to have in five years?” Your career is the canvas on which you will create that person.
A Sense of Timing
“This is where you’ll be staying here in the Pune.” With these words, our dear friends, Narayani and Shurjo, showed us into Swami Kriyananda’s lovely home in Ananda’s newest retreat center – outside of Pune, India. We were touched to be staying here, where we’d often visited Swamiji and enjoyed the blessing of his presence. Ever since he left his … Read More
The Secret Is Never to Compare
Devi and I are currently traveling to Ananda centers and communities around the world. Last month we were in Italy helping lead a pilgrimage and now we are residing for a while in India. There are many interesting aspects to travel and, especially, to living in a foreign country. Among other things, your comfort zone gets poked, prodded, and bent … Read More
Tourist or Pilgrim?
Recently we were part of a pilgrimage with fifty other devotees who traveled to Italy to enjoy her history, art, and, especially, her inspiration. Everywhere we went there were also thousands of tourists enjoying the cultural richness. But as I observed the other groups, I became aware that somehow we were different from them. The others moved hurriedly through the … Read More
Three Good Things
We recently showed the movie Finding Happiness to a group of about 150 students of the Sadhana Centre for Management and Leadership Development in Pune, India. These idealistic youths loved the movie, clapping spontaneously several times during the showing. Afterward they kept us for nearly two hours, chatting and asking questions. They are planning to make a field trip to … Read More
Signs and Wonders
Recently I had a powerful experience of how God gives us “signs” to guide our lives.
Self-Rating Your Spiritual Life
A while back I saw a self-rating system for artists. It asked painters to rate themselves on a scale from 1-5 for things such as composition, use of color, drawing, and two or three other areas important to a successful painting.
Whose Friend Are You, Anyway?
Picking up hitchhikers is always risky business. One day when Swami Kriyananda was driving, he spotted a hitchhiker who looked harmless enough and was apparently down on his luck.