This subject is very interesting “Who are the true Christians?” The same analogy in fact can be applied to “Who are the true Hindus”. One person may say – I go to church every Sunday, I am wearing a cross, I go to mass and I am a Christian. But is that enough? Because here if you see the word … Read More
Category: Devotion and Prayer

Many Faces of Divine Mother
by Nayaswamis Jaya and DhyanaNayaswami Jaya During this season of Navaratri and this time of year especially is a good time to be speaking about God in the aspect of Divine Mother. The approach that we take to God can sometimes be as father, it can be as friend, as beloved but I think one of the sweetest ways to approach God is as … Read More

Hold Him Tight
by Cheena ChawlaMy eyes gazing into His, and as if, holding His hand in a tight grip, I fervently kept praying to my Guru, Paramhansa Yogananda, for wading me out of the tormenting turbulence. Unbelievably, a slight sore throat and mild fever over three days were actually the signs of COVID-19 infection and this had, for a moment, shaken me! The positive … Read More

Effective Prayer
by Nayaswami JayaA woman once asked Swami Kriyananda to pray for her son who had been critically injured. She was deeply distraught by her own inability to pray without her mind wandering to worldly affairs, even in a moment of family crisis. Her mind, in the midst of her prayers, insisted upon drifting toward trivia, “What do I need to prepare for … Read More

“Thank you, God”
by Guest Writer
Tools of the Light
by Cheena ChawlaThe fight is on, yet again, between the two mighty warriors! One is the most advanced life form on this planet, superior to all creatures in intellect and having the prowess to manipulate anything to satisfy the survival instinct, while the second player is no less insignificant for it has, through the scourges of yester years, shown its power to … Read More

The Guru: Think Him Near, Draw Him Near
by Baraquiel CastelliMany blessings to everyone on this special day of Paramhansa Yoganandaji’s birthday! As humans, sometimes we feel lonely, we want to have our guru with us, we want to touch his feet, and we want to come close to him. Well, we have to uplift ourselves to be able to do that we have to raise our consciousness; we have … Read More

Blessed Are the Pure in Heart
by Nayaswami DevarshiI didn’t understand what the small girl in her mother’s arms was saying. I was staying with Ananda friends in Argentina, where little girls speak only Spanish, while I speak only English. Miranda was 2-3 years old, and very shy towards this stranger staying in her home with her parents. Miranda pointed to me, and with the quiet authority that … Read More

How I Got Devotion
by Dimple Singghmost Indians, having faith in God is easy, we are born with it. I feel it was the same for me too. Everybody would stress on the importance of devotion and I would think, “Well, that is not a problem”. When I came to Ananda, took Kriya initiation and started with my spiritual practice there was lot of excitement and … Read More

The Grace of Sorrow
by Cheena Chawla“In the valley of sorrow till thousand years or till tomorrow, My Lord I want only You, You, You, just You. My heart’s aflame, my soul’s afire, just to see You, You, You, just You.” These heart-touching words are of a song by Paramhansa Yogananda that convey to us with utmost clarity the heart-cries of a sorrow-stricken devotee whose only … Read More

Radhe, Radhe!
by Nayaswami Devarshi“Radhe, Radhe!” We greeted the saintly Gopali Maa in the traditional way, as we stepped into her humble room in Radhakund, near Krishna’s boyhood town of Vrindavan. The Ananda Monastery monks journeyed to Vrindavan to serve the widows who are supported by the Paramhansa Yogananda Public Charitable Trust. We were joined by Ananda friends from Kolkata and from the U.S. … Read More

A Spirit of Oneness
by SumitraDuring a nature walk on the retreat day of the Ananda Pilgrimage to Babaji’s cave (Oct 2018), my senses were drawn to a small plateau-like elevation with two trees growing together from it – like twins – sharing, as if going along in life together. Somehow, this took my attention to our group of pilgrims: East, West, North, South – … Read More