Paramhansa Yogananda came to the West with a God-ordained mission: to bring teachings and techniques to help people attain higher consciousness. With wisdom and foresight, Master and the others in our line of gurus saw that a time of global upheaval was coming to the world. Out of compassion, Yoganandaji brought twofold gifts to help us deal with the impending … Read More
Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi
Mountains in the Mist
We recently took our annual period of seclusion at a guesthouse on Abbott Mount, nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas. As the crow flies, it is a mere eighty miles from Babaji’s Cave, and it seems as if Babaji still walks these very hills. He feels very close when we are there, especially during our long periods of meditation. … Read More
The Power of One
At Prince Siddhartha’s birth, his father, the king of the realm, was told that his son would be either a powerful ruler or a great spiritual leader. Wanting his royal lineage to continue, the king did everything he could to prevent the young prince from seeing the ephemeral nature of life. This, he hoped, would keep him from seeking higher … Read More
Show Me Your Friends
An Indian friend of ours recently mentioned a phrase that really caught my attention. While guiding her son through a challenging period she told him, “Show me your friends, and I will show you your future.” This phrase can also serve as a noteworthy reminder for ourselves. At times we can get a little careless about this aspect of life, … Read More
The Minutes Are More Important Than the Years
The cedar beams framing the large, picture window were old and rough, filled with tiny holes and cracks. As I began to apply a wood stain to seal the beams, I could see that many coats would be needed to make them look finished. Standing high on a scaffold, I dipped my brush in the can of stain and began. … Read More
What Is Essential
When a famous Hollywood actor, Herb Jeffries, met Paramhansa Yogananda for the first time, he asked a question that resonates with many, though few have the courage to voice it: “Religion seems to tell me you shan’t do this, and you must not do that. I’m not interested in what I can’t do. What I want to know is what … Read More
Afraid of Flying
San Francisco to Frankfurt . . . Frankfurt to Rome . . . Perugia to Rotterdam . . . Amsterdam to Delhi. This has been our journey since mid-August as we’ve traveled to various Ananda centers in Europe sharing Master’s teachings. (We just arrived in Delhi today.) International travel can be challenging and stressful, but fortunately Jyotish and I handle it fairly well. For some people, … Read More
The Trunk and the Branches
About six months after Swami Kriyananda passed from this world, Devi and I had a Nadi reading about our life—past, present, and future. This experience was fascinating on many levels. The pundit who did the reading had only our birth date, time, and place: the standard information needed to cast an astrological chart. Using this, he found in his storage … Read More
Walking The New Path
“I want to be your disciple.” Seventy-five years ago, on September 12, 1948, a young man knelt before Paramhansa Yogananda, and with intense yearning spoke these words. It was the beginning of a journey that changed his life, and by extension our life, and the lives of millions of others throughout the world. For the young aspirant was Swami Kriyananda … Read More
Navigating Life’s Dramas
Life is a journey filled with highs and lows. Sometimes it feels like a roller coaster, bursting with exhilarating peaks and gloomy valleys. At other times, it feels like the repetitive routine of a Ferris wheel that simply turns in endless circles. We will continue to ride the cycle of life from one incarnation to the next until we have … Read More
School’s in Session
In most parts of the world, the school year is about to begin. Children are assembling their new backpacks, books, and clothes for the year ahead. New subjects and tests loom on the horizon. It’s an exciting time for children and their parents, though perhaps for different reasons. Here in Assisi we were recently discussing why people on the spiritual … Read More
Spiritual Power
We are in Assisi, immersed in a Spiritual Renewal Week with the theme “How to Develop Spiritual Power Against Troubled Times.” There is a common misperception in which people confuse developing spiritual power with spiritual powers, the ability to perform miracles. In today’s class one of the speakers talked about the time when Paramhansa Yogananda visited Therese Neumann, the Bavarian … Read More
The Dual Nature of Divine Love
Some years ago Jyotish and I arrived at Ananda’s community near Assisi, Italy, where Swami Kriyananda was then residing. We hadn’t seen him for many months, and were eagerly looking forward to having some relaxed time with him to enjoy the blessings of his company. Much to my disappointment, however, it was evident that Swamiji was very busy with writing … Read More
The Inner Light
When Swami Kriyananda gave me the spiritual name, Jyotish, he said that it means “Inner Light.” Seeing light in the forehead during meditation has always been a cornerstone of my practice, which is probably why he chose this name for me. Yogananda explains that one of the hidden teachings of the Bhagavad Gita is that each character, good and bad, … Read More
Follow the Breadcrumbs
In The New Path, Swami Kriyananda recounts an amazing story about Señor J. M. Cuaron, one of Yoganandaji’s direct disciples and the SRF center leader in Mexico City: “I was badly in need of a job,” Señor Cuaron told Swamiji, “but for a long time could find no work anywhere. Then one day an excellent offer came from a company … Read More
Lessons Learned in Eighty Years
I will celebrate my eightieth birthday in less than a month. While my personal inclination would be to let the occasion slip by unnoticed, the precedent set by Swami Kriyananda impels us to honor the event with a celebration. He understood that these occasions are wonderful opportunities to knit our worldwide family together. I thought it appropriate to share a … Read More
Why We Meditate
As a lifelong meditator, I love to hear people’s experiences of how meditation has helped them. Here are a few such stories which, taken together, show a broad spectrum of benefits that meditation can bring. Recently I was talking with a friend, the mother of three children under the age of six, who has begun meditating during the past year. … Read More
Ups and Downs
Life is a journey of ups and downs. The immutable laws of maya (delusion) dictate that we will navigate through alternating cycles: day and night, birth and death, good and bad. Should we be surprised, then, if our spiritual life also has its peaks and troughs? There are times when we feel energized, dedicated, and in tune. Then we can … Read More
Awaiting the Unexpected
The spiritual path can sometimes seem like an endless struggle up a steep cliff, with little to show for our efforts along the way. But the ability to find the strength to keep going is what separates the dilettante devotee from the true seeker. Deep commitment is the secret to drawing God’s presence into our life. There’s a beautiful story … Read More
What Makes Us Happy
Ananda has a dear friend, Sri D. R. Kaarthikeyan. Swami Kriyananda considered him to be “my Indian brother” and, indeed, their camaraderie made them seem like two brothers. Kaarthikeyanji is a pivotal member of the Board of Directors of not only Ananda in India, but many other spiritual and humanitarian organizations as well. One of the ways this compassionate soul … Read More