Life on the Path of Kriya Yoga

April 21st marks the 11th anniversary of Swami Kriyananda’s passing. He was the founder of the movement we call Ananda. What does it mean to be a part of a “movement”? Really what Swami Kriyananda was referring to is a movement in consciousness. It’s an ever evolving refinement of our focus on the subtler, higher realities of our existence and … Read More

We often focus on the heart’s energy in common parlance. We say we are heavy hearted, heart broken, big hearted, lose heart, heart of gold, etc. The heart’s expressions and the heart’s feelings play a huge role in our human experience. From a yogic point of view it plays a critical role in our ability to evolve spiritually and deepen … Read More

When folks visit our Ananda centers and meditation groups, they are often surprised to see Jesus among the pictures of our lineage of yogi masters. The response typically varies from a sense of comfort through familiarity to the uncomfortable and suspicious: “What’s Jesus have to do with yoga?” The latter is a good question and as we enter into the … Read More

As Easter approaches those of us brought up in a Christian tradition remember the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus talking about purity of the heart. As we strive to be “Christlike” yogis, the long and winding road of the heart’s purification can be discouraging. We often judge ourselves (and consequently judge others) when again and again we fall short. … Read More

A small contingent of Texans travelled to Ananda Village, CA recently. This beautiful spiritual community sits on 600 acres in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Northern California thirty minutes outside Nevada City. The Expanding Light Retreat Center is where we gather for yearly special events, like Inner Renewal Retreat that just finished and Spiritual Renewal Week in the summer. It is a beautiful place where the … Read More

It’s easy to compartmentalize our spiritual lives from everything else. We have our meditation practices, we do our yoga, we occasionally go to gatherings, and the rest of the time we are “living our lives.” But the true practice of yoga is integrated into everyday life. With right attitudes such as kindness, consideration for others, cultivating contentment and seeing the … Read More

February is designated as the official “heart” month in America where we see a plethora of “heart healthy” recommended foods and activities. We also have Valentine’s Day coming up. Indeed the heart, is the heart of all matters yogic as well: devotion, receptivity, and sharing with others to name a few. At Ananda, we often talk about the generosity of … Read More

It’s February, time when some of the pressures of the new year are increasing while our initial enthusiasms may need a second wind. Last weekend we held a workshop on experimenting with how to get the energy moving, harnessed and focused in a positive way to facilitate more harmony and well-being in our lives. Inevitably though, we meet resistance. As … Read More

In the middle of the winter as we are trying to harness the energy of the new year, we can easily meet our resistance. It’s hard to be hopeful at times, to muster up the energy, given the circumstances globally and just the challenges we are all faced with in our personal lives. And besides, it’s cold and dreary outside! … Read More

One of our meditation group leaders in Austin shared this inspiration with us recently and we’d like to pass it on to you today: I’m writing to you from the bleachers. I’m inside a high school gym watching my son’s basketball team warm up for their game. We drove 1 ½ hours to San Antonio for my son to play … Read More

Hope you are all ready for the first winter blast of 2024! Maybe this little bit of winter will help us take a breath and slow down a bit in our rush to get everything organized and to tackle the new year like a sumo wrestler! Swami Kriyananda often expressed that one of the most important things we could do … Read More

When opening a lecture, Paramhansa Yogananda would typically run out on the stage with a great burst of energy exclaiming, “How feels everyone?” The anticipated response was “Awake and ready!” It set the tone for alert anticipation. It created the conditions for a positive flow of energy. As yogis approaching the new year, this is the attitude we want to … Read More

New Year’s blessings to all our yogi friends! But let’s not forget that every day is a new opportunity to live life in higher consciousness and add our positive energy to the world. As we enter 2024, let’s let go of the past and forge ahead with renewed energy and commitment together. Nayaswami Devi, co-spiritual director of Ananda Worldwide wrote … Read More

Behold Christ-Peace descending upon your body, upon your possessions, and extending to your neighbors, to all countries, and onto the united altar of all hearts and all creatures. ~ Paramhansa Yogananda A few days before Christmas, as a tradition adopted by Paramhansa Yogananda, Ananda celebrates the inner Christmas. We take deep inside all the building energy of the Christmas season … Read More

It’s hard to believe, Christmas is almost here. Every year it comes so quickly! We enjoy the holiday rituals; we scurry to get the extra decorations up, the additional shopping done, the special outings, the expansion of our hearts in the spirit of giving and being more aware of those less fortunate, we enjoy the amazing food gatherings and all … Read More

As we take ourselves through the rituals of this holiday season, let’s remember that the expansion of our hearts through the familiar gift giving and sharing with others, is magnified tenfold when we anchor it in inner communion with the divine. The beautiful Christ child lives always in our hearts, waiting to be nurtured by our deepest desire to live … Read More

Across the country this time of year small children are now lining up to sit on Santa’s lap. They are making their Christmas wishes. Most likely (and thankfully) they are oblivious to the crazy happenings and sufferings occurring far from them on the other side of the world. Yet, on some level we are all affected. Still, what can we … Read More

The Candle of Peace Take the bowl of my mind and fill it with Thy understanding. Take my bottle of emotion and fill it with Thy mercy. Take the empty basket of my Soul and fill it with Thy Fragrant Wisdom. Use my life’s vessel to dip cupfuls of Thy Love and pour them into the desire-parched throats of others. … Read More

With Thanksgiving just around the corner we are officially entering into the holiday season! It seems fitting that it commences with the heart opening holiday that emphasizes gratitude. The heart is the gateway to higher consciousness, to our highest aspirations, to the”better angels” of our true nature. Science, too, has now confirmed that when we utilize gratitude as a tool … Read More

Today marks Diwali, a celebration that springs from the Hindu tradition symbolizing the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. It is a celebration of the inner light existing within each and everyone of us offering protection from the spiritual darkness that surrounds us. Swami Kriyananda says in his book The Art and Science … Read More

Last Saturday in Texas we had the rare experience of a “Ring of Fire” solar eclipse. In ancient times, many people had dramatic interpretations of this event that often took the form of a bad omen. Nayaswami Jyotish, Ananda’s spiritual director explains it in spiritual terms in this blog post on the subject. The moon is often considered to represent … Read More

The breath comes in and the breath goes out. It seemingly sustains life without us even thinking about it. The sages of ancient times realized though that the breath was more than just a physical phenomenon. They realized that it was subtly but intricately linked to the essence of our spiritual being. It is the pathway to Self-realization. This view … Read More

Imagine one cool, fall day you feel compelled to go on an afternoon hike to a nearby mountain famed for its inspired beauty and rumored preternatural qualities. As you amble along the path enjoying the lilting fragrance of the aromatic forest, you finally reach a small clearing where you look up to see the mountainside dotted with intriguing caves. Solitude … Read More

In the inspiring movie, It’s a Wonderful Life, Jimmy Stewart is the selfless town hero with a big vision of what he thinks will bring him personal fulfillment, a vision that is at odds with the simple life that destiny propels him toward. He faces crisis after crisis, always choosing on the side of sharing and giving to others, at … Read More

Ananda Texas has been a beacon of light in Texas for thirty years now. We are a small but vibrant community of yogis whose mission is to share the yoga teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda. In the early 1920’s, Yogananda was the first Yoga Master to come to the West sharing meditation. He remained here until his passing in 1952. Since … Read More

And even though it is still warm here in Texas, we feel the fall change beginning to happen. The days are now more often below triple digits (thank you, Divine Mother!) The morning sun rises later, the evening loses light quicker. There is almost an audible sigh of relief that the inward life is returning again as this hot, busy … Read More

It is difficult to find inspiration in the withering heat of the Texas summer. All of nature is withdrawing and contracting back into itself for pure survival. We are not unaffected by that. But fortunately as yogis, we have the unique ability to both withdraw and expand, as opposed to simply contract. It is a choice we can make to … Read More

In these hot, testy days of summer, we see how all of nature, including our relationships with one another are under a little more stress, and that sense of overwhelm is creeping up like the temperature! The practical steps in which we choose to handle our stress will be individual, but the bottom line is to observe whether our actions … Read More

Among other things, the recent popular movie, “Barbie” is a hilarious commentary on the male/female roles that society has instilled in us. In general, gender issues are very much in the political spotlight these days as well. The yoga teachings have an interesting perspective on this that goes beyond our surface identities. Yoga addresses the feminine and masculine in terms … Read More

Earlier this week I was in San Antonio for a work convention about education. As in most conventions, the keynote speaker was inspiring and comedic. She said, “Aren’t we all tired of hearing, ‘we are entering uncertain times’? Uncertain times? When have we ever said to ourselves, ‘Thank God for these certain times we’re entering!’? Never! Bring on the uncertain … Read More

We most often associate “yoga” with yoga postures, that wonderful practice which helps to unwind the tensions and stresses out of our physical body, and also introduces us first hand to the mind/breath/body connection. As we deepen our experience and understanding, we realize that the postures are only one small fraction of the complete lifestyle of a true yogi. If … Read More

“My guru was standing motionless before me; I started to drop at his holy feet in gratitude for the experience in cosmic consciousness which I had long passionately sought. He held me upright, and spoke calmly, unpretentiously. “You must not get overdrunk with ecstasy. Much work yet remains for you in the world. Come; let us sweep the balcony floor; … Read More

We can all relate to the feeling of dropping into a different reality — we do it all the time when we meditate, walk in nature, or go for a swim. Even getting into my car and driving gives me a sense of travelling the in-between space from point A to point B. I find this in-between space to be … Read More

This month we are highlighting the healing power of AUM through Saturday’s Melody of Love Retreat Day, through our online Tuesday discussion group, Treasures Along the Path, and finally at the end of the month our Immersive Sound Healing Workshop. Each offers different perspectives for attuning ourselves to the sacred healing sound that permeates the material universe. indeed AUM creates, … Read More

Happy Memorial Weekend to all!  This holiday weekend marks two important events—the commemoration of those who sacrificed their lives for a cause bigger than themselves, and also, on a more mundane level, the transition period of our schedules into summer mode. The latter is what is preoccupying many of us, there is a joyful, bustling energy in the air even if we … Read More

I owe so much to Swami Kriyananda. While living in Bangalore in 2006 — my husband was on an expat assignment with Texas Instruments at the time — I was so eager, even desperate, for the techniques taught by Paramhansa Yogananda, especially about meditation and Kriya. I was already on the path of Transcendental Meditation, had even started a TM … Read More

A few weeks ago we had the opportunity to share in many powerful programs celebrating the 10th anniversary of Swami Kriyananda’s moksha (liberation from this plane). In one of the online programs, Tyagi Narayani shared a deeply moving, real life experience where Swami Kriyananda gently guided her into being a channel of light to a troubled woman in an airport. … Read More

We recently enjoyed a blessed Easter weekend with perfect weather and lots of gatherings to inspire us. We are now fully into spring here in Texas! The landscape is blossoming into a beautiful rainbow palette. Inside us too as we move through our days,the transformative process is taking place within our energy body in all its array of chakra colors … Read More

Easter is almost upon us. There is much symbolism that comes with Easter whether you are Christian or not. At the very least it is a celebration of renewal as we move out of nature’s winter hibernation into the rich pranic (life force) explosion of springtime. As yogis, we acknowledge the truth of Christ’s resurrection and we rejoice in springtime’s green … Read More

Recently Ananda Texas had our first retreat day in our new Sangha House with folks coming from all over Texas and surrounding states to join us. Leading the retreat was our visiting teacher Brahmachari Sagar from Ananda Village.The topic was perfect,  How to Rise Above your Karma. Part of that process is connecting through meditation practices with the Infinite Intelligence that … Read More

Spring is returning to North Texas. It is time to stop and smell the roses so to speak. An aspect of the yogic path is to pay attention. Paramhansa Yogananda said, “The minutes are more important than the years…Never think of tomorrow. Take care of today and all the tomorrows will be taken care of.” As yogis, we pay attention … Read More

Practicing the presence of God in all that we do, and staying in the Light with a positive, expansive attitude toward life, is the constant challenge of any serious spiritual aspirant. There are many obstacles of which some of the most challenging are environment and our personal karma. Environment can be mitigated through our association with like-minded souls. Paramhansa Yogananda … Read More

Let’s be vigilant and alert to when our energy starts to fall and God’s presence seems to slowly leak away from our lives. This week we are sharing an excerpt of a recent blog by our dear friend, Jitendra from Ananda It is interesting that during the times that I feel the most challenged, I also notice that myenergy level … Read More

This week a number of spiritual seekers from our Ananda Texas community headed out from their various locations of Austin, Houston, and Dallas, to journey to the magical Sierra Nevada foothills of Northern California. There, nestled in the beauty of nature and this rolling mountainscape above the scenic Yuba River, lies a place of sanctuary and deep inspiration, Ananda Village. … Read More

A busy January wends its way to a close in this post pandemic era. While there are many things that seem the same as the “before times”, in reality as we live it, it is very different. The moral compass of mass consciousness seems to be listing on its axis, the stress of the past few years has taken an … Read More

Welcome to the new year and all its energy toward positive, dynamic change in our lives. It may seem odd then, to consider our “failures” at this juncture. But it can also be constructive to take inventory of the year that has passed and how we do want to forge new directions in our lives. It’s prep time for planting … Read More

We recently celebrated Paramhansa Yogananda’s birthday, he is the great avatar of these times who brought the tools of Kriya Yoga and inner communion with the Divine to millions of souls over the course of these last 100 plus years. Whoever holds their cup of yearning for deeper meaning, understanding and liberation from the sufferings of this world, will find … Read More

2023 is here! The mild winter weather we are currently experiencing in Texas, gives us an opportunity to clean up the dead plants, fallen leaves and general detritus from the end of last season. It is the perfect metaphor for the new year. Clearing out all that is no longer “alive”  or useful to us, and begin to  prepare and till … Read More

Christmas 2022 is here and it’s time to unwrap the Presence within. If you haven’t yet taken the opportunity to dive into the true essence of Christmas beyond the outward wonder and festivities of the season, there is still time. There is always time. The Divine patiently awaits our awakening. It’s just that at this time, the veil is thin … Read More

Yogananda said the Christmas tree is symbolic of the astral spine with the lights of the tree reflecting the colorful lights of the chakras; the star at the top of the tree, the spiritual eye. It can be helpful to use these symbols of the season to remember the true essence of Christmas, the “birth” or re-awakening of Christ Consciousness … Read More

It seems every year about this time in the holiday season, we experience an extra dose of darkness in our lives—literally, as we close in on the longest nights of the year, but also in our personal lives. People often have difficulty around the holidays for many reasons. It tends to bring up more “stuff”—memories, unresolved issues, extra pressures…..it just … Read More

As we enter the bustling season of Christmas, full of the energy of giving, sharing and an expansion of sympathies, it also poses a challenge to cultivating underlying peace at the same time. Yogananda said one of the goals of a yogi is to be “actively calm, calmly active.” This state is cultivated through a daily practice of meditation and … Read More

The gratitude continues here at Ananda Dallas with more special offerings to help prepare our hearts for the Holy Season ahead.  Our Ananda Sangha House is hosting more and more in person programs to support you in going deeper in your spiritual life, to help you be re-inspired with other like-minded souls, and to assist you in balancing your daily … Read More

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it brings to us a focus on gratitude. If cultivated, this “attitude of gratitude” has tremendous health benefits. “Benefits associated with gratitude include better sleep, reduced symptoms of physical pain, lower levels of inflammation, lower blood pressure and a host of other things we associate with better health,” according to Glenn Fox, an expert … Read More

Paramhansa Yogananda’s famous adage for the aspiring yogi is to be “actively calm, calmly active.” Indeed, one of the salient attributes of meditation is prevailing calmness. When we allow the breath to guide us deeply within, we touch that essential aspect of who we truly are. The trick is how do we integrate it into our daily lives? The grace … Read More

It was just a couple of weeks ago we were blessed with Asha Nayaswami’s inspiring visit. Since that time, we have been sharing about what that has meant to us through our various in-person gatherings and also online during our Treasures along the Path  gathering. It’s an introspective time of integrating those experiences collectively and individually. One of the things she mentioned … Read More

Today’s blog talks about  “right attitude”.  I thought I would share about how I solved my dilemma of yesterday, in which I (ego; self-directional) wanted to spend the morning working in one place, and my teammate ( a rule-follower) thought I should be somewhere else. Context: this conflict was playing out only between my 2 teammates and me . My duties … Read More

Hello everyone, Ananda Texas has been meeting every Monday at 11:00am CST, 9:30pm IST to discuss a chosen topic from the Treasures along the path audio series by Swami Kriyananda. The attendees have taken great joy speaking their thoughts about the talk and sharing their experiences on the journey of a spiritual path. I have noticed that all of us … Read More

When you travel the spiritual path life takes on new meaning and every day is an opportunity for increased awareness, inspiration and joy. Wasting Time with God Dear Ones, Many years ago, I grew discontent on my spiritual journey. I wasn’t looking for a change, yet there was a sense that something was missing. I wanted to “know” the truth … Read More

Dear Ones, Many years ago, I grew discontent on my spiritual journey. I wasn’t looking for a change, yet there was a sense that something was missing. I wanted to “know” the truth and “experience” God. But, I wasn’t sure what that meant. While reading a book by Thomas Green, S.J., I came across the line, “gracefully waste time with … Read More