“How should you love God? Love Him as the miser loves money; as the drowning man yearns for breath; as the desert wanderer craves water. Love Him with the first love of true lovers.… Union with the Cosmic Beloved is the most enjoyable experience possible. It is dream after dream, joy after joy; a thousand million divine romances in one, … Read More
“…the primary lesson to be learned on earth, as exemplified by God, is to every day share at least a little of your earthly possessions with worthy, needy persons, or, still better, with worthy, needy Divine Causes.” -Paramhansa Yogananda in the Second Coming of Christ When we give to others, whether it’s a smile, a gift, our love, time, energy, … Read More
“Enthusiasm is the spirit of joy channeled through the power of the will… To achieve happiness, one must work with happiness. To achieve divine joy, one must be keenly enthusiastic in everything one does!” ― Swami Kriyananda, Affirmations for Self-Healing When I first arrived at Ananda, I remember noting words and qualities that Master and Swamiji repeated in their writings … Read More
I didn’t know there was so much joy and fun in having birthday. It is because of your joy I enjoy so much. Words are inadequate to express what I feel. I remember when I went to India in 1935 and ’36, I remembered what Jesus said and why He said: “Who is my father, who is my mother, sister … Read More
The New Year has come to greet you with new hopes, new determination, new will-to-achieve, new activities. In the Temple of the New Year renew your reverence for the unlimited hidden power of God within you. The trails of trials and the yawning chasms of woe have been left behind in the dark night of the past: now you are … Read More
For the community Christmas Eve party, Swamiji suggested we serve alcohol-free eggnog. I was in charge of the Retreat kitchen, but I didn’t know how to make eggnog, so he sent me a recipe (known as ”Swamiji’s recipe,” though he always said he got it from the bulletin board at a supermarket!). Before I came to Ananda, I was a … Read More
“Christ must be lived, to be known. He is ever-living and is born in all good actions, in every act of material and spiritual service, and in the manger of meditation. ― Master in Inner Culture magazine, December 1936 Christmas, the season of peace, of comfort and joy. The first Christmas eve the angels sang, “Glory to God in the … Read More
Christ is only suggested in social Christmas festivities, but He is seen and felt as an everlasting, ever-joyous Fact in the cradle of Divine Ecstasy. Prepare yourself to celebrate Christmas in the real way, as humbly suggested in the following: l. Prepare your heart so that you may say to those who crucify you daily with unkind actions and words … Read More
“The greatest of all miracles is the love of God. Through His love, He is always talking to you… You are not seeking God; God is seeking you. You are flying away from God through doubts; you are hiding from Him through material pleasure. If you do not find contentment in God, you will not find contentment anywhere.” – Paramhansa … Read More
We are living in a time when all certainties, one by one, are crumbling. Everything that was built during the dark age of Kali Yuga at all levels is now somehow dissolving, while coming in contact with the higher frequency of Dwapara Yuga that we fully entered in 1899. Kali Yuga used to believe only in matter. The concept of … Read More
When we consciously show gratitude we open up to the flow of God’s abundant grace. We are touched and transformed on all levels of our being; spiritual, energetic and material. Our consciousness, our hearts and souls are all expanded, we feel more inspiration and all aspects of life are affected―our relationships, spiritual practices, work and service, finances and money, health … Read More
Years ago I was involved in the founding of an Ananda center in Rome. Although I scarcely had any prior experience with starting a facility like that, my enthusiasm was intense and sincere. It was not always kept under control though. Yogananda encourages us to interiorize our spiritual enthusiasm so that we might apply it judiciously. Properly used and placed, … Read More
