What Is a Devotee?
Dave Bingham
“Does a devotee have to be perfect and never make mistakes?
If a devotee had to be perfect, virtually all of us adorning
this planet would never qualify. I don’t think God so much
minds our mistakes as much as what we become through them.”
What happened on March 7, 1952?
By Nitai Deranja
“One perspective is that Master died that day, ending his
spiritual mission. All that remains to be done is to keep everything
just as it was, and to worship his life and teachings as a sacred,
if immutable trust. An alternative perspective is that Master's
work only shifted focus on that day, from his physical body to
a broader, subtler communion of attuned souls. The work, from
this vantage point requires an ongoing series of new insights
and applications to meet the ever-changing demands of life.”
What I Learned From Bertolucci’s
Lawyers
Asha Praver
“What we felt, was we had ceased to be ourselves. We were
no longer ‘Sheila’ and ‘Asha.’ We were just
‘members of the cult.’ We had no feelings, no needs
of our own, no shared humanity. We were just symbols to them
of what they had vowed to destroy. In order to justify what they
were doing, in order to stifle the voice of conscience that exists
within the hearts of all, they had to make us less than themselves.”
In Service to God & Guru
Diana Down
“For years, SRF claimed that Kriyananda had resigned. Then
when Kriyananda went public with the fact that he was expelled,
they claimed it was because he went against the wishes of the
board while he was in India. Now, it seems, he was expelled because
of a relationship he had with a woman. It is difficult to stay
abreast with the changing versions.”
Naturally Spiritual
Sharon Clark
“I was spooked by churches, and the idea of sitting in a
church for my inspiration was repulsive to me. I had never been
at home in highly structured and organized environments. What
drew me to Ananda initially was the relaxed and natural atmosphere.
Everyone was welcoming and very much themselves. No one made
any attempt to portray themselves as spiritual.”
My Experience at Ananda
By Clarita Poselli
“I’ve also heard someone say that at Ananda we are
more or less all zombies programmed by Kriyananda. This, for
those who really know Ananda, is really the most comical accusation.
In fact, sometimes— I must admit— I am a little discouraged
by the freedom of decision that people have in carrying out their
tasks. Sometimes we really risk making fools of ourselves because
of someone's absent-mindedness. But the great strength and wisdom
behind this educational choice of Kriyananda is that in the end
even the most irresponsible person becomes responsible. I have
seen with my very eyes people undergoing amazing changes!”
A Treasure I Hold In My Heart
Savitri Simpson
“I see Swamiji very seldom these days, but when I do he
always greets me and looks into my eyes with a look that says
to me, ‘I see you, Savitri, but not the little you with
all your struggles and faults. I see the Divine within you.’
In that look there is a blessing that far surpasses any human
love or friendship I have ever known. And that is the treasure
I hold in my heart given to me so freely from a man I still don’t
truly know well or could even begin to understand on every level.”
The Freedom to Grow
By Jan Lotichius
“When I started teaching meditation, the Ananda ministers
never tried to control me for what I was doing. On the contrary
they put great trust in me, knowing that when a man relies on
his own ego rather than on inner, divine guidance, his initiatives
won’t last anyway. This is exactly what Kriyananda said
about his own work at the dedication of the Temple of Light in
Assisi, Italy: ’Whenever something went wrong, it was because
of me, whenever things flourished, it was because of God.’
A very good example of self honesty indeed!”
Only Love
Richard Salva
“As a long-time Ananda devotee, I thought I would write
a few words in response to the charges made against Swamiji and
our community and church by those who list their writings under
the Ananda Awareness Network, and now, the Friends of SRF.”
Swami Kriyananda: A Loyal Disciple
Greg Dyal
“I strongly disagree with the recent posting on the Ananda
Awareness web site stating that Ananda members, particularly
Mr. Walters (Swami Kriyananda), was the driving force behind
the Los Angeles New Times article, in which it was alleged Yogananda
sired a son. In a manner typical of these few former members,
Mr. Walters’ letter to the New Times author was grossly
misrepresented.”
Many Ways to Enjoy a Garden
Cheryl Sargent
“All the counsel I have gotten is about trusting myself,
following my own way, not worrying about doing things the same
way everybody else does. It just doesn’t fit the picture
of a cult.”
Ananda Helps Me Help Others
David Kessler
“It wasn’t that Kriyananda felt I was right. In fact,
I wasn’t right. But he knew my feelings had been hurt, and
he was showing total support and respect for me as a sincere
devotee on the path.”
I am the Fruit of the Fruit
Patty McCarley
“It was the affirmations that Swami Kriyananda has written
to accompany the classic yoga poses that truly changed my life.
Those positive little phrases snuck into my brain when I wasn’t
looking, under the screen of my intellectual defenses. Slowly,
subtly, my self talk began to change.”
Trust the Heart
Elizabeth Mason McConner
“Haunted by the words from the court case, confronted by
the ardent appreciation of Swami Kriyananda by those who walked
such a high road, I was forced to keep an open mind. It was nearly
two years before I would meet Swami Kriyananda.”
The Gift of Attunement
By Dianna Smith
“I was looking for concrete answers and a step-by-step plan.
Instead Swami said, ‘Tune in to Master and Divine Mother,
and you will know what to do.’ At first I didn’t understand
what this meant, but as I tried to follow his advice and ‘tune
in,’ I began to feel the flow of ideas, inspiration, and
inner guidance. I could also feel Swami’s prayers and silent
support. Even though he called us frequently and offered advice,
it was clear that he wanted us to gain our own strength, and
to make decisions from inner attunement to Master.”
A Greater Power at Work
Gary Wojciechowski
“He lent me Swami Kriyananda's autobiography, The Path.
It was an early edition, and the Swami on the cover had long,
long hair and a big smile. I thought, ‘I'm not interested
in reading about the life of a hippie cult leader!’ But
then I thought, ‘Well, it might be interesting to find out
what makes a cult leader's mind tick.’”
A Noble & High-Minded
Man
Nirmala Schuppe
“Swami has never claimed to be a saint, to be celibate,
to be infallible, or to be a fully realized being. He has humbly
offered his friendship, and asked us to consider him our brother
on the path. He is sincere in his devotion to God, and has handled
the trials in his life with faith. He has inspired thousands
of people to grow in their devotion to God—who among his
detractors can say they have achieved as much?”
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