“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
September 12th is the anniversary of the day in 1948 when Swami Kriyananda first met Paramhansa Yogananda. Those of us who are members of Ananda consider this day as our collective “Spiritual Birthday.” Devi and I are in Italy and will celebrate this sacred occasion by giving a talk to several hundred people at a Yoga Festival in Rome. I … Read More
The high-pitched whine of the chain saw startled me, breaking the stillness of tall moss-covered cedars and lush green ferns. We’d been visiting the Ananda communities in Oregon and Washington, and now were enjoying a day on Camano Island off the coast of Seattle. I’d been walking along absorbed in the forest’s peace and quiet, which was accented only by … 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 great American Botanist, George Washington Carver, said, “If you love it enough, anything will talk with you.” Much more than a nice sentiment, this is a fundamental truth of the universe. But in order to communicate with nature, we need to learn new and increasingly subtle languages.
Once when Swami Kriyananda was a young monk, he was sitting quietly at the feet of his guru, Paramhansa Yoganandaji. Filled with devotion for his master, Swamiji silently prayed, “Teach me to love you as you love me.”
There is a story of a woman with two pots. Each morning she fetched water from a well and carried it to her small hut. One of the pots was new and whole, but the other was old, worn, and cracked. A day came when the old pot began to weep, feeling like a failure in even the simple task of carrying water. The new pot, on the other hand, was proud and scornful. The woman knelt and whispered to them, “Come with me. I wish to show you something.”
God, of course, knows that impersonal love is difficult — after all He created this drama in the first place. He knows that loving the saints, His awakened sons and daughters, is the first step in devotion. At first the spiritual masters accept, even encourage, personal love.
We heard an inspiring story about a revered Tibetan lama whom the Chinese Communists had held in prison for many years. Eventually the lama was released and later met with the Dalai Lama, who asked him, “It must have been difficult to be a prisoner for all those years. Were you ever afraid?”
Our home at Ananda Village lies next to the beautiful gardens of Crystal Hermitage. Lovely all year round, the gardens reach their full glory during April when thousands of tulips burst forth in bloom. The story behind the gardens is worth telling. Nearly thirty years ago, when the grounds around the Hermitage were hardly more than dry clay and weeds, … Read More
Dear Friend, One evening during our recent trip to Mexico, we were having dinner at the home of Alicia, Ananda’s center leader in Monterrey. As we were enjoying one another’s company over a wonderful meal, the memory of another evening came to mind. It was in the early 1980s in Rome with Swami Kriyananda. We were walking back to our … Read More
There is a story of second-grade teacher who asked her students one day to make a drawing of whatever they would like. As she walked through the aisles of desks handing out crayons and paper, the teacher was soon pleased to see that each child eagerly began working on his or her picture.
Love is the light that drives out all darkness in relationships between people. If you have any problem with another person, it’s because the love between you has diminished.