NOTE: This is a long, combined posting of two chapters in Gurudas’s life, before and during the years when he worked closely with Swami Kriyananda as manager of Crystal Clarity Publishers, the company that published Swamiji’s books. For readers who are interested to know what it was like to work as one of Swamiji’s “right-hand men,” … Read more
Tom Taylor managed Master’s Market, a small health foods store at Ananda Village. Under Tom’s sure hand the market steadily improved its services, adding a baking business that delivered fresh breads, cakes, and cookies to stores in the local area, and remodeling and expanding the premises to include a deli and indoor seating. Tom eventually … Read more
Gangamata managed Mountain Song, a successful women’s boutique and gift store in Nevada City that was owned and run by members of the Ananda community. When Mountain Song was sold, Gangamata worked in Ananda’s management office. She now serves with her husband Daiva in Ananda’s Portland ministry. Q: How did you initially get involved in business? … Read more
We spoke with Paula in 1987 when she managed Mountain Song, a popular women’s clothing store and boutique in Nevada City, owned and run by Ananda members. Paula passed in 1997. Her thoughts on spiritual consciousness at work are a testimonial to her bright spirit. Q: How did you come to manage Mountain Song? Paula: … Read more
Tim Kretzmann managed Ananda Woodworking for many years together with his partner, Rick Toles. Their primary products were fine hammer dulcimers, autoharps, and meditation benches. But what Tim and Rick really sold was something else entirely. Q: How did you get involved in the business of making fine musical instruments and meditation benches? Tim: When … Read more
In the 1970s, Ric Moorehouse left law school to study blacksmithing at Turley Forge in Sante Fe, New Mexico. He later moved back to the Bayou Country of his native Louisiana where he sought out and began studying with old-time master blacksmiths. Ric eventually moved to Ananda Village, where he built a small blacksmith shop … Read more
Nitai: founded the Living Wisdom Schools in 1971 with six students, ages four to eight. The school grew gradually and by 1986 had ninety students in preschool through eighth grades. There are now Education for Life schools in America, India, Italy, and Slovenia. Q: Can you talk about your early experiences with Ananda, and how … Read more
Jaya has lived in the Ananda communities almost since the beginning. (The original community was started in 1968.) He managed the day‑to‑day operations and planning aspects of Ananda Village for many years, and now he and his wife, Nayaswami Sadhana Devi, serve as leaders of Ananda’s work in India. (Photo: 1990s) Q: This is the … Read more
We talked earlier with Jyotish about the beginnings of Ananda. Here, he shares his thoughts on work and the spiritual life. Q: Is it possible to do business in a spiritual way in the modern world? Jyotish: Paramhansa Yogananda came to this country to introduce an approach to the spiritual path that would be very … Read more
Q: The prerequisite for starting a spiritual cooperative community such as Ananda seems to be that a group of people must share high ideals. It therefore seems unlikely that the average urban neighborhood could become a successful community, because if there’s a single characteristic that stands out in modern life, it’s everybody’s willingness to argue … Read more