I came across Ananda around 7 years back. I wanted to learn meditation and I saw a small advertisement in a newspaper with Master’s (Paramhansa Yogananda) photo in it. At that time, I didn’t know anything about Swami Kriyananda, Ananda Sangha or Kriya Yoga, the only thing I knew was that the person’s name in the advertisement was Paramhansa Yogananda, … Read More
Growing in Selflessness and Strength by Taking Care of Children
Swami Kriyananda has often mentioned that one of the best antidotes against a mood is going out to help someone else. Whether we like to admit it or not, a mood is a state of being over absorbed in our own little self, the ego. We feel sorry for ourselves and our thoughts go in a downward spiral, bringing us … Read More
How to be Happy Always, Part 3: The Role of Gratitude
Read Part 1: The Search for Happiness Read Part 2: Let Your Body Affirm Your Happiness Even though, as discussed in previous articles, true happiness is to be found inside and is independent of external circumstances, as long as we live in this body we will need to relate to said circumstances in one way or the other. Although it … Read More
Success and Happiness
All prosperity is measured out to man according to the law of cause and effect, which governs not only this life but all past lives. That is why intelligent people are often born poor or unhealthy, whereas an idiot may be born healthy and wealthy. Men were originally sons of God and made in His image, having free choice and … Read More
Nurture a Stillness of Heart
Baba Hari Dass was a sadhu and spiritual teacher from North India who observed the spiritual discipline of “maun” (complete silence). His was not a life of seclusion but rather one of vigorous activity as an author, builder, and joyful teacher. When circumstances demanded, he communicated with a small chalkboard upon which he scribbled cryptic notes, and though his voice … Read More
The Practice of “Silence is the Altar of Spirit”
Paramhansa Yogananda, and indeed all great saints, lay great emphasis on “practicing” Silence. Swami Kriyanandaji relates the following charming experience with Yoganandaji in his autobiography, The New Path: My first visit to Twenty-Nine Palms was for a weekend. We visited Yogananda at his place. My first recollection of him on that occasion isn’t so much of the things he said, … Read More
Effective Prayer Requires Affirmation, Not Petition
A classic book by Arthur M. Abell, Talks with Great Composers, published in 1955 by Philosophical Library, reports fascinating conversations Abell had with a number of nineteenth-century composers on the question of how they got their inspirations. Johannes Brahms stated that he received his inspirations, always in a prayerful state. During those times of inner upliftment, he said, he felt … Read More