runbei

My former wife and I were at Swami Kriyananda’s to talk informally about our relationship. Swamiji gave us his wise counsel, then he began talking enthusiastically about how he had fasted for ten days, and how wonderful it had left him feeling. We listened politely, but in the back of my mind I wondered, “Why … Read more

(Told by Peter Kretzmann) I was born at Ananda and have lived here all my life. When I was six years old, Swamiji was in the dining room at the Retreat, and for some reason all the children started going up and hugging him. At first, I held back—I didn’t want to do it just … Read more

When people enter the spiritual path, they tend to take one of two approaches to their health. Some arrive at a comfortable accommodation with Paramhansa Yogananda’s common-sense advice: “Find a diet that agrees with you and forget about it.” Others search endlessly. At the Village, it seemed that a new health craze would sweep the … Read more

(Told by Sara Cryer) I have always appreciated the way Swamiji relates to children. He doesn’t patronize them, as some adults do. The soul is ageless, even if the body is young. But the consciousness of a child is different. Swamiji recognizes that and takes it into account. My son Rama was nine when we … Read more

From the day I first set eyes on Swamiji, I sensed that he knew me better than I knew myself. When I sought his advice, his answers were always directed toward the liberation of my soul. It was always a heartfelt reply that would plunge me into silent reflection. It could be disconcerting, because he … Read more

(Told by Helen Purcell) With no job, and two children to support, I felt all alone and in desperate need of spiritual guidance and inspiration. A friend had recently moved to Ananda and she suggested I come there for Spiritual Renewal Week. I knew nothing about Master, and had never met Swami Kriyananda, but I … Read more

The thought occurs that a more accurate title for this book might be The Countless Mistakes of a Clueless Disciple. But then I reflect that the stories that most reliably move us tell how a person has erred, and through difficult life experiences has grown wiser. We see our lives in those stories. They tell … Read more

After the earthquake in Assisi, Italy in 1998, tourism dropped off for a while. Many small businesses went bankrupt. The Ananda community there is twenty miles outside of town on a rural road. A small restaurant, serving mostly coffee and sweets, opened on that road just after the earthquake happened. “When so many businesses are … Read more

Three times in the last 18 months, I’ve had an easy run. Woo-hoo! Isn’t that special?! There has been a pattern to the awful runs. Typically it goes like this. It’s a beautiful Saturday morning in the Bay Area, and I’m feeling wonderful as I drive into the hills, but once out on the trail, … Read more

A Kiss (Told by an Ananda devotee)  The child was retarded, and the unaccustomed energy of having Swamiji and our whole tour group staying in her home as guests of her mother was making her loud and unruly. She was about fourteen years old and a formidable force in the middle of the kitchen where … Read more