Swami Kriyananda
(J. Donald Walters)

Swami Kriyananda is one of the few living direct disciples of Paramhansa Yogananda.

A highly respected spiritual teacher around the world, Swami Kriyananda founded Ananda, which means “joy” in Sanskrit, in 1968 to fulfill Yogananda’s vision of “World Brotherhood Colonies,” or spiritual cooperative communities.

Swami Kriyananda created The Expanding Light to provide a place where the public could come to share in the love, peace, and wisdom Ananda has to offer.

In addition to being the founder of Ananda, Swami Kriyananda is a well known writer and composer. He has authored more than 80 books and composed over 400 musical pieces. His books and music, which carry on Yogananda’s tradition of offering practical ways to bring spirituality into everyday life, are available through Crystal Clarity Publishing.

Swami Kriyananda was interviewed in 2009 by New Dimensions Radio. You can hear his interview by clicking on this link. There is a $1.99 charge requested on their site.

Program Description (written by New Dimensions Radio):

For more than sixty years Swami Kriyananda has been a disciple of the revered Paramhansa Yogananda. As a young man the Swami came to understand that logic and intellect would never lead to happiness, and from his first encounter with Yogananda knew he had found his true spiritual path. Now he shares personal stories of the great teacher's wisdom, humility, and humor, and offers insights each of us can use to find the love and bliss that are available to us all. He explains, "Everybody wants two things in this universe: one, to escape pain, and the other to find happiness. The happiness that they're seeking is a little glimpse of the bliss of their own being. The goal of life is to know bliss. The bliss, when you find it, is so intense that nothing else matters to you. And you know that you'll have that bliss for all eternity and never get tired of it." This fascinating conversation is an opportunity to experience the presence of a man who emanates the energy of bliss and love—just listening will help you recognize your own.

Swami Kriyananda is beloved throughout the world as a yogic teacher, and is founder of Ananda, a network of successful spiritual communities. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Beacon of Light Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the National Interfaith Council and the International Award for Goodness presented by Tara Gandhi, granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi. He is the author of several books including Conversations with Yogananda (Crystal Clarity 2004) and A New Path: My Life with Parahamsa Yogananda (Crystal Clarity 2009). To learn more about the work of Swami Kriyananda go to www.ananda.org.

Topics explored in this dialogue:

• The true nature of God
• What the goal of your life really is
• How you can find a way to love people who do terrible things
• How a spiritual community can support your spiritual practice
• How you can find the right spiritual path for you

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