Andy Anderson worked as a foreman on several of Yogananda’s construction projects. Swami Kriyananda narrates the following story. During the months while Andy supervised our work at India Center, he developed a deep love for Master. Master, in return, was touched by Andy’s devotion, and by his simple, kindly nature. As Christmas 1950 approached, Andy took pains to buy his … Read More
Spiritual Communities
Some of my most impressive memories of Master are of his public lectures. While they lacked the sweet intimacy of talks with the disciples at Mt. Washington, they rang with the spirit of a mission destined, he told us, to bring spiritual regeneration to the world. I remember especially how stirred I was by a talk he gave at a … Read More
Yogananda and the Boston Skeptic
This is an excerpt from ‘The New Path’. One day in Boston, Massachusetts, Paramhansa Yogananda received a letter criticizing him for ‘sponsoring’ Jesus Christ in the West. ‘Don’t you know that Jesus never lived?’ the writer demanded. ‘He was a myth invented to deceive people.’ The letter was left unsigned. Yogananda prayed to be led to the writer. About a … Read More
Self-Realization teachings as the Fulfilment of Christ’s Promise
Christ gave techniques of salvation to St. John and the disciples, promising to send to them the Comforter, about which people understand little. Lahiri Mahasaya’s teaching is the Second Coming of Christ, not through a mere claim, but in actuality. His Kriya technique of meditation expands the cup of concentration so that it can be large enough to hold the … Read More
I know Every Single Thought you think
One day, after a gathering in Beverly Hills, I had been invited to perform yoga postures at a Jewish Bar Mitzvah. Afterward, a materialistic Jewish psychiatrist cornered me and challenged my beliefs. I defended them as reasonably as I could, and then, to clinch my argument, spoke of certain miracles to which I’d been a witness. It did no good … Read More
The Hamburgers
An incident narrated by James Coller to Swami Kriyananda James Coller, another disciple, visited us at about this time from Phoenix, Arizona; Master had appointed him to be the minister of our church there. James, though deeply devoted to God and Guru, had a tendency to be a little casual about hermitage discipline. ‘I was driving from Phoenix to Encinitas … Read More
All Bow to Thee
Thou art the One Infinite to the monist; Thou art God and Nature to the dualist; Thou art the finite many to the polytheist; Thou art everything, O God, to the pantheist. Thou art the God of monists, dualists, polytheists, and pantheists. Thou art both the Infinite Ocean and all its finite waves of creation. Because Thou art everything— The … Read More
Principles for Founding World Brotherhood Colonies
From East West Magazine, 1932 The following excerpts are from an article Yogananda wrote about his dream of World Brotherhood Colonies. While he modified the practical details later in his life, this article is a good example of the principles on which to found Colonies, and also the strong feelings Yogananda had about starting them. Ananda’s World Brotherhood Colonies were … Read More
Smile Forever
Smile when the roses are budding; smile when the petals of pleasure are falling. Smile when vigor is throbbing in your breast; smile when you have dreaming wrinkles in your brow. Smile when the flowers of praise are showered over you, and smile when the world erects statues of you after you are gone; smile at those monuments of glory … Read More
My Prisoner
Long You hid Beneath the static of my restless thoughts, Long You fled In the chambers of eerie ether, At last I found Thee Hiding behind the quiet desert dunes Of My desirelessness. Fastened with strong cords of devotion You are my Prisoner. I’ll keep You Locked in the dungeons of silence Fastened beneath the bars of my closed eyes. … Read More
Magic Sea
For You alone can make a sea With eyes of blue and measureless deep; With transparent heart All hidden with endless mystery. With flying fish perching, On Your silver hair of surf dancing, Somber sea-gulls resting On Your rich watery tresses As the sun bestows its kisses And makes them shine. O Goddess, blue Brine, Intoxicating all votaries with Your … Read More
Ocean of Intuition
Beneath the ocean vast Of intuition, deeply cast Yourself. You touch the Cause Supreme, Spread with pearly wisdom’s beam; And watch tumultuous difference and want retreat, When your soul the Supreme Soul would meet. Armoured by will of steel, Untouched by lamentation, worry sharks. Moving in deep wisdom’s light, Your darkness disappears. Soul solace will appear. With heart made pure … Read More