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Have you seen “Tidying Up” with Marie Kondo? She is a beautiful Japanese woman who exudes a contagious joy. Her medium of sharing joy is through teaching people how to tidy up their homes. It’s a real blessing that she is entering the mainstream. She helps people understand how to let go of things that are holding them back. Not only that but also she invites them to keep only the items that spark joy. Her simple advice is to … Read More

A guru is a teacher. In general parlance he can be a school teacher, someone high up in the financial world, or somebody looked up to as an authority in virtually any sphere of activity. The original meaning of the word, however, derives from the Sanskrit, gur: ‘to raise or uplift.’ In ancient spiritual tradition,guru means more even than a wise teacher. In the highest sense, it refers to the satguru: one who has reached oneness with God, is empowered by God to bring people … Read More

After visiting Ananda, someone remarked to Swami Kriyananda about a number of inspiring souls they had met during their stay. Swamiji responded, “If you meet one or two people like that, you can say they’re special. But when you meet an entire community of people, it’s what they’re doing that makes them special.” I’ve often thought what are people at Ananda doing? If I had to sum it up in one word, it would be: discipleship. To me Ananda Sangha … Read More

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” I’ve often heard and thought about these beautiful words of Jesus Christ. On a visit to our Ananda Seattle community, I gained a new insight into what Jesus meant. During our travels there a few years ago, I met a man who was taking The Art & Science of Raja Yoga course. He told me how much he was enjoying his studies and, that through his practice of the … Read More

One time while Paramhansa Yogananda was still in his guru’s ashram he began to compare their spiritual work to another organization that had a larger outward following. He expressed this disappointment to his guru, Swami Sri Yukteswar. Sri Yukteswar scolded him saying, “What our organization is, no other is; and this is the way God wants to play through you and me, and you must never compare with others.” Yogananda said he learned a great lesson that day that made … Read More

By Nayaswami Dharmadevi February 4, 2019 “How do I know my dharma?” This question was asked of Swami Kriyananda during an informal gathering I attended in 2008. Dharma, in this context, refers to one’s life purpose. “If you have a guru, you ask him,” Swamiji said, “and if not, you follow your heart and do that which is put in front of you to do.” Immediately, when I got home, I emailed Swami and asked him, as the representative of … Read More

“I’m a white, male, overweight, from the South, Baptist minister. If you want to know about racism, and the product of it, look at me.” These words were uttered by a pastor during a Hindu Christian interfaith meeting I attended this past week. The room stood still with rapt attention for what he would say next. “The most defining moment of my life happened at the age of 10 years old.” Being from the South he shared that he grew … Read More

By Nayaswami Dharmadevi Last week we attended Spiritual Renewal Week at Ananda Village. It was a week filled with inspirational talks each morning by speakers who have dedicated their lives to Self-realization. Each evening was a unique expression of divine art – from a concert of Swami Kriyananda’s music to a performance of his play “The Jewel in the Lotus.” Our week ended with a Kriya initiation, like a crescendo in the most beautiful symphony. Early in the week, my … Read More