We live in a world that celebrates multi-tasking. Getting hired for any management position seems to make this a priority skill. The presumption is that it facilitates productivity.
As any parent or teacher of small children knows very well, situations often arise that interrupt one’s focus. But is multi-tasking an optimal design for attentive living, for managing stress, for achieving success? Consider the creativity, inspirational impact and enormous body of work of Swami Kriyananda – his music, books, lectures, whole communities – all brought to life with total focus, one undertaking at a time.
Can you multi-task while meditating? It curses the intended effect. Concentration and stillness flee the scene.
An axiom often repeated by Paramhansa Yogananda is another key to success: “The greater the will, the greater the flow of energy; and the greater the flow of energy, the greater the magnetism.” Whatever you want, you have to act with commitment, confidence and courage. The weaker the will, the weaker… You get it.
Another secret of success is self-study. What is it that you want? If you have failed to achieve it, why? Yogananda would constantly remind his disciples, “The season of failure is the best time for sowing seeds of success.” Get back on that horse, but with a clear understanding of what will keep you from being thrown again. Too often we approach a challenge with the same mindset that didn’t work the first time or the second or…. Stop! It’s time to rethink what you thought.
With humor and truth, probably from an old Reader’s Digest, a one-liner claimed that when you want to get somewhere, you have to know three things: where you came from, where you are going, and where you left your keys.
Ultimately, of course, the vehicle is oneself, the destination is Self-realization, and the keys are the principles that comprise a dharmic life. But in our multi-task society, even with the best intention, help is needed to keep us from driving in materialistic circles, unable to locate the exit ramp. I, like many, once believed that I could find it on my own. I wasn’t ready for the true Guru to appear.
Worldly goals need not be at the expense of spiritual gain. They can, indeed, serve a higher purpose than personal ambition and self-indulgence, thereby serving also to invite the Guru’s appearance. The question then is who is given the lead, you or the Guru? “Open your heart to me,” the Guru says, “and I will enter and take charge of your life.” Are you ready for that too? How quickly do you want to reach where the Guru wants to take you? How willing is your will to let go of what’s in the way?
The Guru is an emissary of God. It is God’s guidance that is offered, along with God’s infinite abundance. Success in this world, no matter how great, vanishes the moment we die. The multi-tasker is instantly redirected to a whole new dimension of focus where that skill is of no use. Better to seek the true success of achieving our soul’s freedom. Eyes on the prize.
I don’t remember much from my childhood, but I have a clear memory of being a young, starry-eyed boy of about 7 or 8 years old, thinking that the age of 40 was a really mature and grown-up age where adults really have everything all figured out. I know that I retained this memory because when I turned 40 myself a few months ago, the image I had in my mind of what I thought being a 40-year-old would be like made me laugh out loud. While I’d imagined having a real grasp of what life is all about, and knowing how to operate effectively in this world, a big part of me still feels like that little boy: full of curiosity and unanswerable questions about the bigger questions in life without a clue of what I’m actually doing.
But instead of feeling inadequate because of this, I feel gratified, because I soon realized that these adults only seemed to have everything figured out because they had become, as Yogananda calls them, “psychological antiques.” This means they had all their opinions and ideas already formed, their regrets and longings on a loop, and their childlike sense of wonder and curiosity all but left by the wayside. And while that kind of psychological certainty looked good to me when I was a child, having been on the spiritual path for a decade and a half I see things a bit differently now.
And sitting here at this moment, thinking about what society says a 40-year-old ought to be like, I’m actually very proud of myself because of one very silly little thing I just learned how to do recently: maintain our community pool. In fact, I was sent to an all-day seminar put on by top-tier pool professionals who explained, in all the glorious scientific detail you’d expect from an all-day pool seminar, what exactly was going on between the various chemicals in my pool. And maybe it’s because I’m at the age where bird watching inexplicably becomes interesting, or maybe these guys were actually just great presenters, but I actually found the topic fascinating, like a complex real-world puzzle that I was now in charge of solving.
After a couple weeks of handling these various chemicals and processes, I started to notice something interesting: Our spiritual lives are a lot like a chlorine pool. There are various environmental factors working to change the pool every day, and in order to maintain the optimal state of a pool it needs constant care and attention, just like our sadhana and spiritual practices. We can often get caught up in thinking our spiritual well-being is somehow a reflection of our worth, that if we’re not doing well in our spiritual practices it must be because there’s something wrong with us. But the professional pool maintainer doesn’t see the pool that way, he just sees simple problems of water chemistry that require simple adjustments and fixes.
Yogananda said that Kriya yoga plus devotion is like “spiritual mathematics” and it cannot fail. Pool chemistry works in much the same way as mathematics, in that 1+1=2, and certain chemicals are needed to maintain optimal levels of other chemicals. For example, did you know if you just add chlorine to a pool of water it will quickly burn off from the sun? You actually need something called Cyanuric Acid in order to stabilize the chlorine and keep it from quickly dissipating. This reminds me a lot of the qualities cultivated in meditation, like inner Peace, Bliss, or Calmness. Without a bulwark like mental discrimination, or simply being careful about the environmental influences you subject yourself to, these inner qualities can very quickly be dissipated. Whereas carefully cultivating right environment can help maintain and grow these inner qualities much more effectively.
Similarly with pH of the water, there’s an acceptable range of acidity or basicity but not necessarily one perfect level required. This is a lot like our mental state, where we can be a bit more “happy” or “sad” depending on the moment, but keeping in the range of “even-minded and cheerful” is always the goal. Letting our emotions swing too far in either direction can be problematic in different ways, just like water that is too basic or too acidic. And whereas in our pool we can add an acid or a base to maintain a proper pH level, we can add in extra practices whenever our “spiritual pH” is a bit off. When we feel too excited, doing some grounding exercises can help us interiorize and focus our energy back into the spine, and when we feel depressed or down, some affirmations, chants, or spiritual satsang can be just the thing we need to come back into balance.
Now while a chlorine “shock” to a pool isn’t quite the same as the “liberating shock of Omnipresence” as Yogananda calls it, I could still go all day with this metaphor. However, I hope to leave you with the simple reminder that your spiritual development should be treated at times as impersonally as you would treat a chlorine pool. Just like a daily pH and chlorine check, you can do a daily Joy check, or Peace check, and see where you may need to add in a bit more sadhana, or service. Each pool is slightly different though, so make sure your introspection is filled with grace and compassion for all the karma you’ve built up to get to this point. And when we invite the Master to swim in our pool of consciousness, He helps take care of everything in even better ways than we could imagine. May His presence in your life bless you today and every day.
At Ananda, we often speak of the blessings that come from living in intentional communities rooted in high ideals and simple living. Paramhansa Yogananda envisioned these “world brotherhood colonies” as models for sustainable living in Dwapara Yuga. As he prophesied, “World brotherhood colonies will spread like wildfire!”
Community creates social connections that have a measurable impact on our health and wellbeing. Small, intentional communities allow for greater shared resources and a lesser impact on the environment. Intergenerational communities make caregiving less isolating and nurture friendships between the young and the old. For Ananda, community most especially supports our desire to center God in our lives.
Rarely will you hear one of us at Ananda speak of the challenges that community living brings to our lives. And yet we know as seekers of Self-realization that challenge is an important catalyst for spiritual growth. So, what are the hardest parts of living in a community? What can we learn from them? How can we overcome them?
Othering
This is one of the more recent criticisms of communities by scholars on the subject. Critics argue that communities, by nature, draw boundaries that create insiders and outsiders. While there’s some truth to this, it’s equally true of families, cultures, or any form of group identity.
Othering is something we must overcome if we are to experience our oneness with the Divine, which is the whole purpose of yoga. In his series of speeches titled, A World Without Boundaries, Paramhansa Yogananda lays out the road map to overcoming this human tendency. We begin, he suggests, within our own selves. We shed light on the prejudices that our personal experiences, family and society lodged within us. We release them in the realization that we are all children of God. Next, we expand our love until we love all the world as our family. To do this, we meditate to expand and uplift our consciousness.
In creating Ananda Village, Swami Kriyananda made it an early order of business to create a retreat center for people to stay and receive what we have to share. This was no accident. Ananda’s early and lasting emphasis on sharing the teachings is a positive, outward pulling force that helps our communities constantly seek to serve others beyond our ‘membership.’ Swami traveled the world, wrote books, lectured publicly, and touched everyone he met with his warm smile. He encouraged us to start schools, businesses, and philanthropic endeavors.
Here in Ananda Portland, we do this through our seva with local nonprofits and, like Swami, with our events, writings, classes and by supporting interfaith events aimed at uplifting consciousness. Community, by its nature, has a boundary yes, but that does not mean we cannot consciously expand ourselves to include others in meaningful and uplifting ways. As Swami says in his book Education for Life, maturity is,”the ability to relate appropriately to other realities than one’s own.”
Collective Over Individual
As a highly individualistic society, the idea that one might place the collective good ahead of our own self interest is seen as oppressive and absurd. And yet, the consequences of this extreme adherence to individual interest is a root cause of our social and environmental crisis today.
I study and teach wild horse behavior for precisely this reason. By understanding the social structure of horses, I see more objectively how a healthy community thrives when the collective good is placed first. Horses have roles, but not hierarchy. The roles exist for the health and safety of the herd. When a lead horse is injured or needs to rest, another will graciously take its place until the original horse is ready to serve. How is leadership assigned? By consensus, the herd follows the horse with the most consistent good judgement.
As with all things, the Buddha’s wisdom applies here, “the middle path is the way.” Through trial and error, those of us living in community learn that we cannot and should not suppress our individuality or abandon our own inner knowing. But we also learn that if we do not consider the impact our decisions have on the collective, for better or worse, we soon find ourselves walking away from our community entirely.
I recall a time when I was working with a mentor in my equine assisted learning practice who said to me, “when you talk about your life, it’s as if Ananda is another person in your nuclear family.” This was an astute observation. What we learn, if we are to make community living last, is that we do well to consider how our personal choices impact the whole because they do. The more we live in that knowing, the more we live congruent with this Divine truth: we are one.
Harmony Over Conflict
When we enter the social contract of community, much like marriage, we discover that what we say matters. There are no take backs. With our spouses and children, we learn very quickly that there are times to speak up, times to listen, and times to live and let live. An excellent rule of thumb offered by Swami Kriyananda when deciding whether to say what you see is this, “Is it true? Is it helpful?”
Through the course of community living we find ourselves faced with opportunities to decide what we will say, to whom, and how. It may be something small, like an annoyance from a neighbor. It may be more significant, like the observance of someone’s risky behavior.
During the pandemic, I sometimes received calls from fellow community members concerned about my choices. My family had created a small pod with a few other households to care for our young children. Though we kept public contact minimal, some still viewed our approach as risky and let us know. I didn’t love receiving those calls—but I reminded myself: this was a friend, afraid. I, too, was afraid. I made the best choices I could for my family, took precautions, and did my best to respond with kindness.
Another horse wisdom mentor of mine once said, “harmony is the resolution of conflict, not its absence.” This hit home as a balance point to the desire to maintain harmony over honesty. It is okay to disagree and have challenging conversations. Just pick your battles with discernment and remember that harmony is the goal. To achieve resolution, we should listen with an open mind and speak with an open heart.
The wedding vows that Swami Kriyananda wrote sum this up exceptionally well, “I will respect your right to see truth as you perceive it, and to be guided as you feel deeply within yourself.”
“You get your bachelor’s degree and think you know it all. Then you earn your master’s and realize you know only a little. But when you get your PhD, you understand you know nothing.”
One of my professors shared this with me long ago, and it struck such a chord that I both laughed and pondered it often in the years that followed. Over time, I began to wonder: what if we applied this same concept to the spiritual path?
In the pursuit of Self-realization, it might go something like this: You get initiated into Kriya Yoga and think enlightenment is just around the corner. Then, after a decade of daily practice, you know the technique, but your inspiration has run dry. If you remain determined, you seek further training, take deeper vows, redouble your efforts, and absorb all the wisdom you can find, only to realize you’ve been practicing just 1% of what your guru recommended, and even that imperfectly.
And then, finally, you smile. Because you understand that this is the Soul’s work, an undertaking that spans the vast cycles of time. It will take as long as it takes.
The journey to Self-realization is long, but the path becomes increasingly sprinkled with joy as we begin to experience life through the lens of Spirit. Many of us are empaths, deeply attuned to the suffering in the world: fear, anxiety, cynicism, and rage, often for good reason. Walking this path requires tenderness: to move through the suffering with an open heart while recognizing that each person is a fellow soul on their own journey. Some may be more lost than you. Others have found a better way—follow them. As Maya Angelou wisely said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
Paramhansa Yogananda’s Psychological Chart offers profound insight into this journey, mapping the development of human consciousness on the path to enlightenment. It is a powerful tool for Swadhyaya (introspection) , an essential step in Patanjali’s eightfold path of yoga. Certain qualities, he teaches, indicate an elevating consciousness. Some of them may surprise you:
Dutifulness—out of love, out of respect
Acting in accordance with the suggestions of superior minds
Quiet
Faithful
Patient
Amiable
Having a sense of propriety
At first, I wondered—why these? While undeniably noble, some might be perceived as weakness in certain contexts. But as I reflected, I saw their deeper significance. These qualities mirror the wisdom in my professor’s words: the more we learn on the spiritual path, the more we realize how little we truly know.
Ultimately, our own willpower and experience will take us far—but not all the way to liberation. To reach ultimate freedom, we need a guide. And to accept such guidance—to surrender to Divine wisdom—we must cultivate great humility.
It’s now Christmas time: the greatest, most holy time of year. We celebrate with so many traditions all over the world, including many other holy days and observances unrelated to the birth of Jesus Christ. But it is universally recognized as the sacred season where even the astronomical and astrological phenomenon align with an increase of light in the darkest of times. Every tradition, culture and expression in some way relates to the deeper meaning of Christmas time: not only the birth of the universal, divine Christ consciousness, but the awakening of that same divine light in everyone and everything. One of the most extraordinary special traditions is Paramhansa Yogananda’s 8-hour Christmas meditation, practiced at Ananda Portland and by devotees all over the world, meditating deeply to awaken in Christ’s light.
This world is both matter and Spirit, and the awakening Christ in all every thing, and each individual, is the scintillating super highway to become a Christ oneself and realize that divine consciousness everywhere. Swami Kriyananda wrote a beautiful song in which each line beautifully describes this path of awakening in Christ’s light:
When human hopes toward Thee aspire, dark woods of grief are set afire. When someone, anyone, consciously aspires towards higher consciousness and God, that same lamp of devotion ignites the fire that eventually transmutes all human grief, sorrow and suffering. Yogananda said: “Remember that finding God will mean the funeral of all sorrows.” The conflagration of these very real and difficult human experiences goes up in self offering, the rising smoke of blissful freedom in its release.
Beyond all reach of earthly skill, Thy love alone our hearts can fill. Nothing in this human experience can fill our hearts: relationships, money, travel, lavish gifts…this world is an unfortunate combination of endless pleasures (and pains) which will never, ever fill the void in our hearts. We may imagine or construct a series of false joys, but in the end we will always be insecure, lonely, fearful or otherwise incomplete without God. Fortunately it is a two way street: when we finally seek God earnestly with devotion, our hearts gradually and spontaneously become full with God-happiness and peace. In the prayerful words of St. Augustine “Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.”
Christ’s light that shone on earth from heaven opened for us the inner door. The guru or avatar, most famously represented beautifully as Christ, opens the inner door for us to enter the realms of divine consciousness. We cannot get there without kriya yoga: the practice of transmuting our inner energies by pranayam and Guru’s grace. Yogananda describes the path through the inner door as “deeper, longer, Guru-given meditation”, where at least comes the “celestial Samadhi”, final union with God through Christ.
To all who love the gift is given: joy and freedom evermore! Love is only a humble word which hints at the divine, cosmic power underlying and overarching everything in this universe and far beyond. Love is synonymous with God, and is the final answer and only solution to everything in this world. Sri Yukteswar said that “Divine love is without condition, without boundary, without change. The flux of the human heart is gone forever at the transfixing touch of pure love.” This is the love of God and Guru, the real and only summum bonum of this world, through which our own steadfast seeking, meditation and loving, will give us the ultimate gift of joy and freedom, evermore.
The pace of life is ours to make. Whether fast or slow on the outside, our attitude on the inside is ours to choose: anxious, unruffled or an adjective in between. Paramhansa Yogananda would remind his disciples to “make haste slowly.” In other words, strive to be “actively calm and calmly active,” and in a manner that is “even-minded and cheerful.”
Yet, most folks turn this life into a rat race. Busy is the norm, and that can be good, but when busy is more about adding stress, competing for perks, or keeping up with the crowd, where’s the calmness? Where’s the joy?
Most of us have much that requires our attention every day, and things can pile up. Sadly, though, our approach to meeting the challenge is often merely out of habit and routine. Getting things done is without a sense of in-the-moment freshness. The goal is to get our have-to’s out of the way so that we can get on with our want-to’s.
Thus, it is not surprising that our social conditioning, aimed at getting ahead and getting what we want, tends to block us from our greater creative potential and solution consciousness. And for what? The world appears to be in a rush for what mostly remains out of reach, and is not fulfilling even when attained.
In short, we seem to be running around for little more than the sake of running around.
Those of us in the West in particular have been trained to be impatient, on the premise that it drives us to succeed sooner than later, but it can also lead us into decisions that would fare better if based on a patient perspective. When we rush into relationships, or into choices that lure us with more comfort and convenience, the result is likely to speed us into what we have sought to avoid.
Do you ever worry? Rushing and worry are joined at the hip. We want things to be certain, and when something is not, we commonly hit the accelerator to get beyond it, worried about the outcome if we don’t. People today even rush through their good times – “It’s been lovely, but I have to go.” – because habit says we need to find out what’s next.
The oddity in all of this is that none of us wants to be as we are when rushing. It’s exhausting. But instead of slowing down and living more from within, the majority turn their hectic pace into a source of pride, a kind of consolation prize for continuing to endure pressure, tension and worry.
Trial and error reveals what we are here to learn: how to live well, both spiritually and successfully in this world. We just need to learn it. Thank you, Master, for your divine patience in guiding us onward and upward to that learning.
We recently celebrated a massive, beautiful week of Spiritual Renewal at Ananda Village with over 300 in attendance live, and at least that many tuning in online. The theme of the week resonated deeply with every heart: “The Battle of Life and How to Fight It”. Now is the time to keep our spiritual inspiration high, and to fight life’s battle with strength of heart.
The term “Fearless Heart” is an interesting concept and spiritual quality to contemplate. At some point on the spiritual journey, it becomes necessary to live from the heart increasingly not only by sweetness and love, but courage and fearlessness. The battle of life cannot be fought only with love–or if it can be, then sometimes that love must be fierce and fearsome, like the Hindu goddesses Durga or Kali.
What does a fearless heart look like? A devotee or spiritual seeker has to be willing to walk the talk, to live and embody the spiritual teachings, even and especially when faced with opposition, challenge and hardship. It takes a developed and sensitive intuition, or calm feeling, to know how to act. Whether fighting the good fight with courage, or taking the path of acceptance and peace, the heart of a spiritual warrior can remain calm and centered like the deep waters of the ocean, whether below a surface of glassy stillness or raging waves.
The practices of Kriya Yoga and all manner of yoga, meditation and other techniques are instrumental in developing this calm, clear center. But like the soldier who trains for battle, no preparation or simulation can ultimately compare to the actual chaos flying arrows, crashing swords, and deadly din of real battle. So too the yogi prepares diligently, whilst knowing that the most important preparation comes from a creative, unwritten whisper of the heart. That sensitive soul guidance will lead unerringly to smaller victories of right attitude and action, and the one true, everlasting victory of spiritual enlightenment.
Paramhansa Yogananda advised: “meet everybody and every circumstance on the battlefield of life with the courage of a hero and the smile of a conqueror.” This is the way of the fearless heart: armed with a brilliant smile of divine love and joy, plunging courageously into the battle of life wherever it leads.
There is a war constantly waging in this world, and inside every conscious being. The numerous battles taking place are fought on the everyday field of our relationships and habits, thoughts and actions, and in the quiet stillness of yoga-meditation.
It would be easier to avoid the many conflicts that beset us and the sufferings of life, but an easy life will not bring victory. Conflicts and sufferings are unavoidable, and only by prevailing with a brave heart will we continue to build the strength to win the battle. Then we can help others develop their own fearless hearts, and together win the final fruits of victory: freedom and joy forever.
There is a better way to live in this world, and we are helping to create and share that way together. People everywhere have had enough of selfishness, divisive politics, lack of right living and kindness and respect. While we cannot solve all the world’s complex and difficult problems, we can create a powerful momentum to help support the many necessary changes and solutions. By simplifying our lives, banding together in communities, and establishing universal spiritual ideals we are effecting immense positive change.
On July 31, 1949, at a garden party in Beverly Hills, Paramhansa Yogananda emphatically said: “This day marks the beginning of a new era! My spoken words are registered in the ether, in the Spirit of God, and they SHALL MOVE THE WEST! . . . We must go on—not only those who are here, but thousands of youths must go north, south, east, and west to cover the earth with little colonies, demonstrating that simple living plus high thinking produce the greatest happiness.”
Among the many gathered there that day, perhaps the only person present who truly took these words to heart was Swami Kriyananda. He would go on to dedicate nearly 65 years to this mission of Yogananda’s, founding and supporting successful spiritual communities all over the world. While our Ananda communities continue to thrive, we now have the responsibility to further the creative expression and expansion of spiritual community into the future. Of course there are numerous wonderful examples of community besides Ananda, and all over the world these little “cities of light” form a beautiful tapestry of harmonious living, trailblazing a path of light for the future of this world.
Today is the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere, the longest day of the year and an auspicious time of change and growth. Our miraculous and life-giving sun is a symbol of the divine Light that shines through all nature, in every heart and mind, and scintillates in every atom of creation. As we celebrate the official beginning of the season of summer, we also continue to tread the path of Light that brings great unity, peace and happiness in a yet confused and troubled world.
Ananda Portland is celebrating the solstice and community with an Open House, sharing the gifts of music, food and drink, playfulness and friendship with friends old and new. The essence of community is not only the important physical place and proximity we live, but the spirit of cooperation, unity and joy that pervades our relationships and lives. We hope you can join us for this special event, and in this special lifestyle which produces the greatest happiness.
Love is the cosmic glue which holds this universe together with its interplay of countless swirling celestial bodies, and multitudes of hearts and minds. Paramhansa Yogananda’s own guru Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri was a stern yoga master who yet knew this wisdom of love. He wrote that “The first and most essential thing on the spiritual path is to uncover the natural love of the heart; without that one cannot take one step on the spiritual path.”
What really is the “natural love of the heart”, and how can we cultivate it? This is at the very core of every human experience and the all-pervading reality of this world: seeking universal love. Paramhansa Yogananda identified the simple premise that all beings are striving only to attain happiness, and to avoid suffering and pain. Love then, is the uniting force that brings happiness, and the soothing balm that heals all pain. It is the answer to every question, the key to unlock every door, and the secret ingredient in every recipe of life.
Here are some all-important ways to cultivate divine love:
Love God. These two words comprise the summa totalisof all spiritual teaching. Loving God may be a challenge, an mystery, or a trigger for many people who do not understand, struggle with, or reject the very concept of God. And yet if we think of God as the highest potential within our own self, and the unifying consciousness of Spirit pervading and beyond all creation, there is an undeniable, beautiful truth to behold there. Even though we cannot comprehend God with the mind, by choosing to love God with the heart, we expedite our “understanding” and gradually, our oneness with God’s infinite love. We can love God more by directing our devotion to the Christ center at the point between the eyebrows especially in meditation, and by singing and devotional chanting to God.
Love others as expressions of God. This is the natural expansion of love as our hearts enlarge the capacity for love. These two concepts comprise the greatest teaching of Jesus Christ to “Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart” and “love thy neighbor as thyself” which is feel our oneness with all in the love of God.
Pray for devotion. It is a strange and mystical truth that only by offering our little love, can we receive the great love of God. Prayer can open our hearts to receive the very love that we long for. Swami Kriyananda said, “Devotion is a gift of God and by your very act of prayer you are putting out the magnetism to draw that gift to you. Pray this simple prayer as often as you remember: ‘Divine Mother, awaken your love in me, and then help me to awaken that love in all.’”
Tune into the Masters. The great masters of yoga and saints of all religions are those who have perfected love. Everything flows through channels in this world, and the perfect love of God is no exception. Focus on the perfect love of God expressed through these awakened masters in meditation, prayer and activity, and increasingly that divine love will fill your own heart and mind.
Of all the sacred lore of yoga scripture of ancient India, one of the most beautiful scenes depicts the monkey god Hanuman, the most devoted follower of Lord Rama, revealing the secret of his legendary strength and endurance. It is said that even sparring against his lord the great Rama himself, that Hanuman could not be bested. When asked why, Hanuman opened his chest to reveal both Rama and Sita, the perfected masculine and feminine principles of Spirit, residing in his heart. Victory and success in everything comes when the love of God becomes the only focus of the heart.
The ancient yoga master Patanjali identifies this principle in his famous Ashtanga Yoga, in one of the five Niyamas or observances, as Īśvarapraṇidhāna— supreme devotion, total surrender and commitment to the Lord. Once established in this divine self offering, the infinite Love of the God brings final yoga, or union with Spirit.
There is a place on this earth where friends come together, live side by side, and support each other in their individual search for God. Not a cloistered monastery or ashram only for those who renounce the world, a place for everyone. In fact, there are several such places. I have the great good fortune of being born into one such place – Ananda Village, the first of now eight Ananda communities around the world.
It all started on a dark and snowy night, just five years after the whole place had burned to the ground. In fact, because of the fire that tore through Ananda Village in 1976, I was actually born in a make-shift ashram in the nearby town of Nevada City, California. It took another five months for my parents to secure one of the newly built dwellings in Ananda Village proper and move our little family of four into the community.
My early memories are filled with more joy, magic, and adventure than I could possibly share in a single article. Suffice it to say, being raised in a community founded on the principles of Self-realization and filled with the kindness of people seeking a personal relationship with the Divine is a gift that keeps on giving.
Paramhansa Yogananda, whose teachings the Ananda communities are founded, once said, “Environment is stronger than will.” It is a strong statement, and one that has proven true for me again and again. When I set myself in an environment that supports the life I desire, it manifests with greater ease. That’s why I workout better in a gym, sing more beautifully in a temple, study better at the library, and meditate deeper in a sacred place.
This was such a challenge during the pandemic, right? For years, we had to set our homes up as a supportive environment for work, school, rest, and play.
Today, I live in the Ananda Community in Portland Oregon with my family. This is one of the most beautiful places I’ve had the joy to reside. When you enter from the quiet street, you are greeted by the lush landscapes leading up to home-like apartments, each unique yet harmonious. Smiling faces are often seen, as residents of the fifty units come and go in their daily activities. Many of us eat together on Sundays in the Living Joy Center, many meditate together in our little chapel. We host kirtans on the lawn in summer time and annual work days where we spruce up the community together. And while life continues to do its usual ups and downs, we all know that we are surrounded by a community of souls who care for our highest good.
Living in community supports my life in more ways than I can count, but today, I thought to share my top five:
Peaceful vibrations: as soon as I enter the property I can feel the shift. A soft peace and a sweet joy are permeating my surroundings.
Deeper meditations: when I am here, whether in my home or in the chapel, my meditations are deeper. I believe it is a result of 30+ years of meditators who have come before and uplifted the environment here.
Spiritual friendships: whether on this path or another, those who live here are all seekers. Friendships here are rooted in this shared search for the Divine and it makes for lifelong bonds.
Joyful service: there is nothing more fun or bonding than cooking a meal together for twenty, or pruning fruit trees together, or painting signs. My family loves workdays so much, we treat them like a national holiday! We toss on our overalls, pull out our gloves and tools, and are nearly always early to the coffee and muffin gathering and prayerful opening circle.
The long haul: for me, life is about Self-realization, the slow and steady journey toward my truest and highest self. To live among others with a similar purpose helps me remember this when I have become distracted, and be inspired when I need a lift. It’s like my favorite African proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
