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.
Yogananda said that “Environment is stronger than will”. In order to create an environment around them more conducive to spiritual practice, some feel inspired to sponsor or attend a local meditation group where souls of like mind and aspiration can gather in support of each other and meditate together. These groups often sprout other meditation groups nearby and so it goes. As Jesus said, “When 2 or 3 are gathered together”. Some groups even go further and found small centers where they can gather in a more centralized location for larger and varied activities.
Such is Ananda Tucson.
For many years here in Tucson, Arizona, a small group of dedicated individuals met in each others homes to meditate and discuss Yogananda’s spiritual principles. Many have visited and some have lived at Ananda village at one time or another. The greater Tucson area is very geographically widespread with 2 current active meditation groups thriving through weekly meditations, one on the East side and one on the West with travel time being over an hour between. And now, thanks to some very committed souls, the Ananda community in Tucson is growing with a real physical center closer to the middle on the north side.
Countless hours of selfless effort and numerous weekend work parties has resulted in the creation of a beautiful, peaceful harbor and spiritual center for those Tucsonians and their friends. This small unassuming house in middle an older neighborhood on a relatively busy street, was purchased and has been remodeled in order to provide a large meeting area with open kitchen for gatherings, a small meditation room and even guest quarters. The house also came with a prized second lot in the back, which can be used for off street parking. Landscaping is just being added to provide garden areas in both front and back for everyone.
It is easily identified from the street by a spiritual eye painted on the mailbox out front.
Now they can call themselves “Ananda Tucson” with a center that can support many additional activities such as study groups and special events can be held for larger groups. Last weekend, Sraddha and I led Sunday Service followed by a satsang with everyone complete with a feast provided by volunteers.
It’s not just the physical place, but the spirit of all involved who create this blessed experience for all in the coming years. This can happen anywhere and has in many locations. All it takes a vision along with dedicated group of cooperative individuals willing say, “God is the Doer here” then channel their time and energy into making it happen.
As every Ananda community worldwide has experienced early in their lives, this is a humble beginning for Ananda Tucson. Who knows what Divine Mother has in store for its future.
Thank you Ananda Tucson for your deep commitment and love of God!
This past week at Ananda Village and The Expanding Light has been filled with inspiration and spiritual friends. It seems impossible that 12 different talks in six days about the spiritual path could hold one’s attention from beginning to end. But it did. The theme for Inner Renewal week was: Going Deeper into God.
The weather generally has been pretty gray all week with some rain. Inside the Expanding Light temple was warm and cozy. The choir sang many of my favorite songs.
The talks were very insightful, encouraging and challenging.
Anandi gave a great talk on the energization exercises. If you need any new inspiration to fuel your love for these exercises you will like this talk. You can click here to watch it.
All the talks can be accessed through ananda.org or here. I am always amazed at the depth of spiritual understanding of our teachers and of the devotion of my fellow disciples.
The week also included Kriya initiations and the very special Pilgrim initiation.
This was a special evening for me. My husband, Dave, and 102 other people took Pilgrim Vows. I felt very blessed to be part of this ceremony. These are the vows:
I understand, and intend from now on to live by my understanding, that life is a pilgrimage, of which the final goal is to find and merge back into God.
I will endeavor resolutely, therefore, to direct all my thoughts and actions toward that end.
I will offer up all material desires for purification in the fire of divine bliss.
I will offer up all attachments for purification in that cosmic fire.
I will search my heart daily for any lingering desires and attachments, and will offer them to Thee, my Cosmic Beloved.
I will strive to be an example to others of a pure, discriminating, and noble life.
I will offer the fruit of all my actions and labors to Thee alone.
Bless me, and direct my footsteps ever to the summit of Thy holy mountain.
They are beautiful aren’t they? You can find out more about them here. There was such a sweet devotion and spiritual power in the room as we took our vows. I saw alot of joy in everyone’s face.
So, next week Dave and I will be going to India! We will be with Latika, and Jyotish and Devi. I can’t believe it is only one week away! We will be in Gurgaon for the Inner Renewal Weekend there. Swamiji is planning to be there. We will also get to celebrate Master’s Mahasamadhi in Pune. I am thrilled to be able to see the great work happening in India and to be with Swamiji and my gurubhais. I plan on trying to post to this blog and also onto my Twitter account. If you would like to see some of my posts you can follow me here. I don’t know how connected I will be to the internet, but I will try to update as best as I can. I hope you will connect with me!
May the Masters bless us all. Let us radiate peace outward and create a web of joy around the world. I have been visualizing joy as an unbreakable silver string through the center of my body. It connects me to the cosmos and God’s divine joy. It connects us all.
Happy New Year! I can’t believe it is almost the end of January 2010. We have had here in California some of the biggest storms in a long time. After several dry years we really need the water. It has snowed twice, but each time it melted pretty fast. Ananda Village looks very different in the winter, but always beautiful.
So it was on one of our stormy nights that we had a cheerful community meeting to plan for Springtime at Ananda, which is the new name given to our annual Crystal Hermitage Tulip Tour and Open house.
Last year, 1200 people came to visit the gardens on two separate weekends. Many of those visitors explored Ananda Village as well and ate lunch at The Expanding Light.
Visitors get to feast their gaze on tulips of course, but also flowering cherry trees, wisteria, pansies and other shrubs and the beautiful statues. For the Ananda community it is literally all hands on deck. We will all be helping in some way to host this event. Last year, everyone involved was so happy to be part of the open house.
Each year in the fall, preparations and plantings begin for the following spring. The core group of volunteer gardeners, lovingly referred to as the Green Team, are expertly and joyfully led by Jivada and Netri Mair. Together they plant at least 15,000 plants and bulbs. Last year the gardens were spectacular, I think the flowers loved that so many people visited them and appreciated them.
For the past several years I have visited many, many times to photograph the gardens in all kinds of weather, different times of day and all the seasons. The photos which are now part of the book, Crystal Hermitage Gardens, features excerpts from many of Swami’s writings.
One of the things I loved most about my visits was immersing myself in the gardens and getting to spend time watching Jivada and Netri, with the help of many others, create a garden that is so conscious and filled with love. Their attunement to Swamiji’s amazing vision of the garden and to Divine Mother and the “nature devas” is awe inspiring.
They consciously planned the sweep of colors in the carpet of tulips, and even considered what the reflections of flowers in the windows would look like. Jivada and Jagadeesh one of the other main gardeners were also very accommodating to this photographer and they would help me get the best angle to show off God’s Light, which could mean fetching a ladder for me to get up high!
The book also includes some excerpts from the vast works of Swami Kriyananda; songs, poems, books and articles. This is an exerpt from the forward to the book written by Devi Novak. I love her words. They express what Crystal Hermitage means to people.
The great American botanist, George Washington Carver, once said, “Everything in nature will speak to you if you love it enough.” Crystal Hermitage Gardens is a living testimony to the beauty that can be created in the natural world when we approach it with higher consciousness and with love.
The photographs in this book capture the luminous quality of this garden where each flower and tree is cared for with loving appreciation for the life present within it. In return, each blossom and leaf speaks to us, as one would to a friend, in its language of radiance and light. And the setting lets the visitor expand from a focus on a single blossom to a vista that reaches out to infinity.
Visitors to Crystal Hermitage are often moved to tears as they behold nature revealing her hidden realms of divine beauty. One guest recently commented, “I feel like I’ve come home.”
This garden is the creation of Swami Kriyananda, founder of Ananda World Brotherhood Village, where Crystal Hermitage is located. Kriyananda is a world traveler and a gifted writer, lecturer, composer, and a photographer in his own right.
When he first conceptualized and designed Crystal Hermitage Gardens, he tried to capture the beauty he’d experienced in his travels: the statuary and expansive views of Villa San Michele in Capri; the inspiration of Porziuncula Chapel in Assisi, Italy; the manicured beauty of the gardens along Lake Lugano in Switzerland; and the brilliant colors of the Keukenhof Garden tulips in Amsterdam, Holland.
I came away from this book project with a renewed appreciation for the great light that is Ananda. Paramhansa Yogananda’s ray of divine light, beautifully channelled through Swami Kriyananda and the many souls worldwide that live and tune into this vibration have created a place of beauty and peace.
For the month of April especially, the doors to the gardens are thrown wide open to invite those who feel so inclined to enjoy Mother Nature’s beauty and to drink in the peace that pervades every molecule of every flower, leaf and even the soil.
I hope you can visit and see these wonderful gardens for yourself. The following slideshow shares, I hope, some of the fun, smiles and beauty of Crystal Hermitage.
I want to share the lyrics that Swami Kriyananda has written to a song dedicated to the devas, or nature spirits:
You devas of woodland, of mountain and field:
Come show’r on us blessings and light.
The wonders that Nature, befriended, can yield
Reveal to our hearing and sight.
Your melodies, whispering joy on the air,
Affirm that God’s ev’rywhere.
O devas of woodland, of mountain and field,
Be with us in blessing this night.
The year 2009 was one of great expansion for Ananda Sangha outreach. All of it came through the grace of God, which is reflected in the title of this post.
Here are some of the year’s highlights.
From Swami Kriyananda
He began the year by rewriting two books: The Path, which is now The New Path: My Life with Paramhansa Yogananda; and Do It Well!, which he did because, in his words, “I realized Do It Now! needed to be a lot deeper.” (Editor’s note: Do It Now is available as a free iPhone and iPod Touch application, and Do It Well! appears on the homepage of Ananda.org with a new saying every day).
Swami Kriyananda also worked, in collaboration with Catherine Kairavi, on her upcoming book Two Souls; Four Lives – the Lives and Former Lives of Paramhansa Yogananda and His Disciple Swami Kriyananda. The book is due to be published in February.
In May of 2009, Swamiji had a health crises while traveling from India to Switzerland. However, through the grace of God and Guru, he experienced a miracle revival.
Ever since then, his health has been robust enough to permit him to travel and work extensively on a multitude of projects. In Swamiji’s own words: “In Lugano I’d had to go everywhere in a wheelchair. When I left Italy [a month later] I didn’t even take my cane.”
Right after receiving the miraculous healing, Swami Kriyananda conducted public events to launch his new book Religion in the New Age in Rome and Milan, gave many interviews, and worked on editing Images of Wisdom booklet, presented to him by the devotees of Ananda Assisi. It consists of excerpts from Swami Kriyananda’s lectures over the years.
Upon arriving to U.S. in July, Swamiji conducted the celebration of Ananda Village’s 40th Anniversary. Click here for video and audio of the celebration weekend.
This was followed by weeks of daily video recording of the Bhagavad Gita commentaries, now broadcast now on Ananda’s channel on YouTube and a TV station in India — 160 episodes in all!
September also saw a big public lecture in Los Angeles, during which he launched The New Path. Click here for the video and audio of the event.
Swamiji departed the U.S. for Italy in October. Upon arriving at Ananda Assisi, he proceeded to film a documentary of his life with the Italian TV station Anima. In Swamiji’s words: “The shows took only three days instead of the scheduled seven. No re-takes were necessary!”
In November Swami Kriyananda went on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina, to meet visionaries who communicate with the Virgin Mary. He describes a profoundly inspiring experience of divine love while meditating at the shrines. Click here to read about it.
Also in November he finished writing A Renunciate Order for the New Age, and launched the Nayaswami Order with a deeply inspiring initiation in Assisi.
Around the same time, Swami Kriyananda was giving a public lecture at a peace conference in Assisi. Padre Anthony, another speaker there, saw him in his Nayaswami blue robe, and asked about it.
In Swamiji’s words: “When I explained it to him him, he asked how many members we had. I said, ‘One.’ Then came the Nayaswami ceremony, and since then, we have over 200 in the new Order.” Click here to visit the new website dedicated to the Nayaswami Order.
Christmas activities at Ananda Assisi included Swamiji’s lectures and other public appearances. In the midst of a busy holiday season, he was writing a new screen play The Answer, based on his life as described in The New Path. Along with that, he was also working on a film script for The Wayshower, a story about Yogananda’s life and mission.
Around New Year’s, Swami Kriyananda traveled to New Delhi, India, where he had a public launch of The New Path and The New Renunciate Order books, immediately followed by a Nayaswami Order initiation he conducted for Ananda devotees there.
At the time of this writing, Swami Kriyananda is taking a well-deserved break. This will be followed by travel to Ananda’s new community in Pune, more public events in India, and the filming of more Bhagavad Gita commentaries for a daily TV show in India.
From the Expanding Light Retreat at Ananda Village
Hosted, taught, and inspired over 1500 guests from all over the world in hundreds of classes, programs, and retreats.
Completely redesigned our flagship website Ananda.org. Designed and published brand new websites for Ananda Clarity Magazine, Ananda Online Classes, and The Nayaswami Order. Created first-ever Ananda iPhone and iPod Touch application with Swami Kriyananda’s Do It Now!. Launched and expanded Ananda’s presence with the Social Media, counting over 15,000 fans and followers on Facebook and Twitter. In 2009 Ananda.org had almost half a million visitors from 205 countries, and well over a million pageviews.
Kriya Yoga Sangha
Conducted over 30 Kriya Initiations at Ananda Village, Sacramento, Palo Alto, Los Angeles, Seattle, Texas, Massachusetts, Virginia, Ohio, Argentina, Venezuela, and Mexico.
Ananda Ministers on the Road
38 ministers from Ananda Village traveled to conduct programs and retreats nationwide.
Ananda Village
Celebrated its 40th Anniversary on July 4! Established Ananda Farms and a Community-Supported Agriculture system. Conducted permaculture class series and planted a Forest Garden. Broke ground on the beautiful new Living Wisdom Center building as a flagship for education, the arts, and community workshops.
Contrary to the popular saying, the youth is NOT wasted on Ananda’s young!
They hosted a Living with Spirit summer program for over 30 participants, established Inspiration House, a young adults ashram at Ananda Village, and planning not one, not two, but three summer programs in 2010!
As always, we deeply appreciate your interest, prayers, and financial support as we strive to serve our ever-widening global community of spiritual seekers.
Ananda’s founder, Swami Kriyananda, spends his time primarily in 3 countries: America, Italy, and India. As he recently quipped, “Well I have these [8] communities that I’ve started, and I have to check in every now and then.”
Today Swamiji arrived safely and soundly in Gurgaon, India. As he stepped out of the car, he said, “So nice to see you all! Wow! You’re all looking well.”
Mr. Bij–who met Swamiji in India in 1959 and received kriya initiation from him then–said, “We’re glad you are looking so fine.”
“Yes, you know it’s a miracle,” Swamiji said. “When I left here, I nearly died. I had a mini-stroke the day before I left. Everything went black. Anyway, suddenly [in Italy] I had a miracle and I was well.” Smilingly, he added, “Maybe you’ll be stuck with me for a few more years now.”
The devotees in India are thrilled to have Swamiji back in India after 8 months. On January 4th he has a large lecture in Delhi, “A Celebration of Paramhansa Yogananda’s Life and His Mission”. On this evening he will launch his 100th book, The New Path: My Life with Paramhansa Yogananda, and another book, A Renunciate Order for the New Age.
And on the next day, January 5th–Yogananda’s birthday–Swamiji will conduct the first initiation in India into this new order (the third initiation worldwide).
Please keep Swamiji in your thoughts and prayers during these two historic events.
Swami Kriyananda has often said that music has the power to change consciousness, and I have always believed that to be true. But there are always new levels of understanding to discover.
I have been singing in the Ananda Portland choir now for many years and find that my consciousness is always uplifted when I concentrate on the music written by Swami Kriyananda; whether singing in choir practice, a performance, or singing to myself in the car. I know I feel more expansive and joyful at those times. But it is difficult to convey in words the power that is within each song.
This week we had two opportunities to sing in concert and celebrate the Christmas season. The first time was a Catholic sanctuary here in Portland. There is an annual festival of lights and a beautiful stone chapel with amazing acoustics. Choral groups sing every night in the chapel and we were honored to be one of them. The day of the concert, when I should have been meditating, practicing, and happily preparing for the evening performance, I was home feeling irritated and moody.
It was my one day off during the week and I felt pressured to get a lot done in very little time. The house was in chaos because of several unfinished projects. The Christmas decorating had just begun and boxes were everywhere. My daughter had a piano lesson and there was no place for the piano teacher to even sit. My oldest son was coming home for the holiday and there was no place for him to sleep or put all the stuff he was bringing with him. There were several stressful issues that came to a head on the one day I didn’t want to deal with them, and the idea of singing in a challenging concert became more of a burden than a joy.
When we arrived I was still feeling impatient and irritable while we waited our turn. After warming up and reviewing details, we all sat to meditate a bit before we were called upstairs to the stage. After meditating just a few moments, I felt calmer, but not exactly inspired. We stood in the lights to sing the first song and I could see friends in the audience. I prayed it wouldn’t be a disaster. The first song was Children of God:
Children of God, your time of trial has ended!
See where the dawn irradiates the night.
Soon all your tears will rise like dew to the sun,
Sorrow will turn to joy, your griefs to delight.
Children rejoice for lo, the kingdom of God,
Comes in full splendor,
It needs but your sight.
Listen to an earlier version (some of the words have changed, but the melody is the same) of the song:
My mood was gone and in its place was joy and gratitude.
When you sing a song with that message, there is no room for anything but joy. We sang for forty more minutes and the joy grew. As the story of Christmas unfolded through each piece, the little me disappeared and I felt a kinship with everyone in the audience and those beyond the gray stone walls. We were all blessed by Christ, and we could all experience the consciousness he manifested, if we turned our sight within.
A few days later was another concert. This time the setting was more intimate – just a small gathering of the Portland Ananda sangha. But the vibration of the music is the same, regardless of the setting. I felt blessed beyond measure.
I’ve reached a new level of awe for what Swami Kriyananda has given us. There is something about these two experiences that reach deep into my consciousness. I know the vibration of this music is changing much more than my emotions. It is not just an easy answer to mood swings (although that is a good place to start!). If I can feel it changing my consciousness, and my perception is extremely limited – I know there are subtle changes happening beyond my awareness.
I urge you to listen, sing, play, hum, and memorize the music of Ananda. I don’t know if it is the greatest gift Swami Kriyananda has given the world, he has given so many. But I am convinced it is the most accessible and powerful transformational tool available on the planet today.
Use the music of Ananda to experience the truth of Christmas. Open your heart to the message of light and love that Christ brought and that can be experienced by every soul. Children rejoice for lo, the kingdom of God,
Comes in full splendor,
It needs but your sight.
Free samples of music by Swami Kriyananda can be found at Crystal Clarity and at Ananda.
My name is Medardo Vargas Muñoz. I am an architect in Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan, Mexico. I am a Bramachari (1) at heart.
“Truth simply is, it cannot be created. Everyone has to perceive it in the Self within.” These are the words by my Guruji Yogananda, which stir my mind, a mind that is avid and likes to question everything.
Gardens outside Ananda Center in Lazaro Cardenas
Since my early childhood I had always wanted to be an architect. In my mind I had built a big white structure. It was divided into seven parts: a beautiful home for my mother, and one for each of my five brothers and myself. It was situated on a farm, and had beautiful gardens. In the center there was a big living room to celebrate Christmas.
That is how I grew up: thinking about giving to others, and how to change everything from darkness into light. In this way God prepared me to receive my Guru, whose soul is all-inclusive, and who achieves everything he has set out to do.
My soul rejoices with the mere mention of His name. I’m committed to his service, in the same way I serve Jesus, God, and you all.
And what can I do with that joy? Serve, love unconditionally, and share with others. The Ananda Center in my young city (Lazaro Cardenas is only 60 years old) was born from these principles.
Lazaro Cardenas is located in the Rio Balsas delta, and is bathed by the Pacific Ocean. Our busy city is not just any city anymore. Now it is blessed by God, our Guru, and the Yoga Masters.
Ananda Center
I have very vivid memories of the day I found the Center building. It was a dusty, forgotten, “full of nothing” yet joyful, day. That was the day God gave us a place to dedicate to Him and His service. Nothing was easy, but it was very inspiring.
Now it is a beautiful place where you can breathe calmness, hope, and peace. Many devotees have come here. I know Guruji will bring many more. Children have also arrived (2). They are my hope, my promise, and inspiration.
The luminescent inner star follows its course, always leading ahead. Right behind it, I follow its steps. I hear its voice and feel its warmth and love. Now it has taken me to another beautiful place, forgotten and marked by the imprint of time.
Ananda Ashram
The area, at its peak, was one of the most desired places to live in the city. The building had been abandoned, but it looked like it was waiting for a better future. We have rescued it and brought back its splendor. We are creating a better destiny for it: the path of prayer, chanting, and meditation.
Meditation room
Now you can visualize a beautiful Ashram (3). It’s like a diamond in the mud that is reclaiming its shining light. It won’t be easy. It’s going to be a challenge, but at the same time, it will be a place for inspiration.
I can see it full of joy, with flowers and wonderful magic, crowned with a high blue dome. Not just any dome — it will be a large beacon for peace, harmony, and divine union. I can hear a deep bell: it’s the sound of Ananda, uniting people and countries, sowing magic and love.
I always dream of a world without borders: riding on our camels of love, bringing gifts in our hearts to the Christ-child within. There is nothing better we can offer Him than following the star of our inner heart. One day we will arrive at the city of Bethlehem of Self-realization. I too, will see my King!
Medardo
Footnotes
1. Bramachari: Sanskrit for a dedicated spiritual seeker who practices celibacy
2. Medardo teaches yoga to children whose parents attend Ananda Center.
3. Ashram: Sanskrit for a place where devotees live and worship together.
Editor’s note:
Medardo organized a Kriya Yoga retreat in Lazaro Cardenas this fall with Anaashini Alzate and Dave Warner from Ananda Village.
