What Is Ananda?
“I’ve had experience with other paths, churches, and even other kriya lineages. But something was always missing…until I found Ananda. I feel like everything finally makes sense, all the pieces have fallen into place for me. Thank you! Thank You! Thank You!”
— B.G., West Hollywood
Ananda is...
- a worldwide network of meditation and yoga centers serving tens of thousands of people for nearly forty years
- thoughtful people who are serious about their spiritual lives
- a joyful spiritual community of friends
- a place where people aspire to grow in wisdom, humility, compassion, and a sense of humor
- music, laughter, and fellowship
- a haven of peace
“Ananda has helped me feel a much greater sense of inner peace and happiness. These teachings, tools, and techniques are life transforming.!.”
— S.M., Santa Monica
Ananda exists to help people grow spiritually. We honor the truths that are the heart of the great religions — that every soul must seek inward upliftment and Self-realization.
“Every week, often twice a week, I drive an hour each direction just to get to Ananda in Santa Monica. Ananda is my home and the incredible people there are like my family. Being a part of Ananda LA is participating in a greater reality that buoys the spirit, even in these times of uncertainty.”
— R.G., Torrance
The teaching at Ananda encompasses the essential truth of both of Western and Eastern spiritual disciplines, particularly the ancient, scientific practice of Raja Yoga from India and the original, mystic teachings of Christ. Ananda’s teachings are those of Paramhansa Yogananda, author of the spiritual classic, Autobiography of a Yogi, and his direct disciple, Swami Kriyananda, who founded Ananda in 1968.
“As a wanderer of the world, I have seen God in Nature in the far corners of the earth, I met him high in the Andes and he gently touched me in the depression of the Dead Sea. At Ananda, in a guided journey inside myself, He finally smiled at me and revealed Himself.”
— Mario M., Rome
Universal truths
The basis of this teaching is universal; all are welcome. Ananda is more than a physical location. It is a state of mind: the consciousness of inner joy. It is a growing awareness of the presence of God, touching every aspect of our lives.