Durga Smallen
A Founding member of Ananda
Durga Smallen is a founding member of Ananda, along with her husband, Vidura. They came to Ananda in 1974, after searching for two years for a community that would embrace spiritual principles, schools, and a new way of life. As Ananda Lightbearers, they have had various managerial and ministerial roles in Ananda Worldwide.
Durga’s first jobs involved managing some of Ananda’s early businesses. In 1980 she and Vidura ran an Ananda community called Ocean Song near Santa Rosa. She then served in the Ananda School for two years before becoming the manager of The Expanding Light, along with Vidura. Later, they together became Ananda Village Community Managers and General Managers of Ananda Worldwide.
From 1986 through 2006 she and Vidura led month-long pilgrimages to India. In 2006 Durga and Vidura moved to India to be part of the staff helping Swami Kriyananda create a new Ananda community in Gurgaon, India. After two years in India, Durga and Vidura were asked to help with the teaching and ministerial service of Ananda’s community in Portland, Oregon.
Now, Durga is serving at The Expanding Light in the Personal Retreat program, and enjoying tremendously her work with guests and visitors to Ananda.
Staff Teachers
- Arya Cheng
- Brahmachari Dhananjaya Denholm
- Catherine Kairavi
- Diksha McCord
- Gyandev McCord
- Krishnadas LoCicero
- Mangala (Sue) Loper-Powers
- Mantradevi LoCicero
- Melody Hansen
- Sundara Traymar
- Trimurti Motyka
Guest Teachers
- Alba Simaku
- Amala Cathleen Elliott
- Annapurna DeLyle
- Atman Goering
- Badri Matlock
- Barbara Bingham
- Bhawani Isaacson
- Carianne James
- Dana Lynne Andersen
- David Kletter
- David Seybert
- Dayavati Barsic
- Devalila Veenhof
- Dhyan Garcia-Davis
- Dr. Peter Van Houten
- Erin Vinacco
- Ganesha
- Gayatri Kretzmann
- Irene Schulman
- Jaya Bottaro-Salisbury
- Jitendra Guindon
- Joseph Selbie
- Julie Roberts
- Karen Buckner
- Keshava Betts
- Keshava Taylor
- Lakshmi LaPine
- Maitri Jones
- Matthew Fredrickson
- Michele Tsihlas
- Miriam Rodgers
- Mukti Deranja
- Murali Venkatrao
- Nayaswami Devi
- Nayaswami Jaya
- Nayaswami Jyotish
- Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi Novak
- Nayaswami Maria
- Nayaswami Pranaba
- Nayaswami Pranaba and Nayaswami Parvati
- Nayaswami Premdas
- Nayaswami Sagar
- Nayaswami Sahaja
- Nicole DeAvilla
- Peter Sanjaya Kretzmann
- Saiganesh Sairaman
- Sambhava Burke
- Sanjan Thelen
- Shanti Rubenstone, M.D.
- Shyama Garcia Davis
- Therese Smith
- Tim Tschantz
- Tracy Anderson
- Uma Bottaro
- Vahini Sleighter
- Vivekadevi Noh-Kuhn
- Yudhisthira Doug Andrews