Lorna with the fellow trainees
Once we are sincerely seeking God, and the longing for truth becomes stronger than the call of the material world, God sends a guru. When we feel that we can give our life to the spiritual path …

The following is the second half of a two part interview with Dr. Aditya Gait, a resident medical doctor and member of Ananda’s Kriya Yoga Community in the countryside outside of Pune, India. Dr. Aditya is also a Brahmachari member of the Ananda Renunciate Order.

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This past weekend was a very busy and joyful for the folks at Ananda Village. We hosted people from all over to celebrate the 41st Anniversary of Ananda and Independence Day.

Friends from all over came to help us celebrate, of course, but especially they came …

It has been several years since I made that first trip from Los Angeles to Ananda Village, but the experience stands out in my memory for several reasons.

I still remember clearly the morning I stepped into the reception area of the Expanding Light Retreat. I don’t remember being ever greeted by strangers anywhere so lovingly, …

Ananda’s temple in AssisiGreetings dear friends

My husband, Michael, came out with the most profound statement the other day in the beautiful Ananda temple near Assisi, Italy, and he not being familiar with the teachings of yoga. He said, “You know what is blocking my path?….myself!”

Those who …

Yesterday was an interesting day. The morning at work began fine, outwardly, but my heart and mind were not in the right place. This showed up in a lack of kindness to some of my co-workers.

In the afternoon, this lack of harmony, as if reflecting itself in the world around me, began to express itself: …

I’ll be giving a live webinar on Thursday night on just this subject (which will include a first ever interactive kirtan with tabla, guitar, and harmonium) and wanted to give a little background of what chanting has meant to me.

When I came to Ananda and experienced chanting for the first time, my heart was …

Living in a spiritual community isn’t all it’s cracked out to be. It’s much, much more. Besides the fountainhead of bliss gushing forth amidst daily spiritual practice, service and fellowship, there come truly beautiful, blessed and rewarding opportunities. Such was our recent two-day trip, as myself, along with my six fellow 20-something-year-old gurubhais (fellow disciples) …

Over the past several years, the Yoga Festivals in Italy have grown in size and importance.

Ananda has been involved from the beginning, cooperating with the organizers and making presentations of Ananda Yoga and meditation at both the Milan and Rome venues.

The Rome Festival is held in the large park of Villa Pamphilli, an area of …

My husband and I returned to live at Ananda Village in March of 2009 after living at Ananda Sacramento, California for the last 23 years. There we served as the Colony Leaders and Spiritual Directors.

Ananda Farms today…
We are now working …

Often I tell Kriya Yogis, particularly those who are math-challenged, that there are only two ‘mathematical equations’ one needs to memorize in order to achieve success on the path of Kriya.

The first I mentioned in my blog post “Kriya Yoga Plus Devotion Works Like Mathematics”

The other equation is this:

“Twenty-five percent of spiritual success comes …

I recently completed the Yoga Teacher Training course at the Expanding Light. It was an amazing month filled with great joy and laughter, profound wisdom, and personal growth….

My blog this time is going to be a fairly shameless effort on my part to convince you that you need to take the Ananda Meditation Teacher Training Course. The next one starts June 18th.  It is 9 days long: a week plus two weekends on both ends.

Wait, wait, don’t go away! I’m guessing …

This past Sunday I was speaking at the Sunday service at our local Ananda Center in York, Maine and the scripture reading included Christ’s words in the Bible, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God”. One can contemplate and meditate upon these words for a lifetime or for many lifetimes …

Many inspired and dedicated souls are, for many reasons, unable to live in Ananda communities.  So they read the website and books by Paramhansa Yogananda, Swami Kriyananda and others. They meditate. When possible many visit our communities worldwide for inspiration, renewal and spiritual satsang fellowship….

I’ve lived in quite a few Ananda communities and centers over the years. While reflecting on my experiences, the thought occurred to me that Ananda is not a place, but rather, a choice.

Let me explain.

My first experience of Ananda took place in 1975, when I was in my teens. I had flown to California …

“My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” (Isa. 55:8)
To find God, it will help us to try to see, feel, and think of everything differently from what we are accustomed to doing. That is why, among devotees in India, much is …