What Is
Ananda?

Ananda is dedicated to the belief, born of experience, that you can live in joy. We teach effective techniques for expanding your sense of self, such as meditation, Kriya Yoga, spiritual Hatha Yoga, and divine friendship.

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Learn to Meditate: 5 Essential Keys to Meditation

Springtime at Ananda — April 2022

All of April you will see an extraordinary display—tiers of tulips inter-planted with alyssum and pansies, wisteria, flowering cherry trees, dogwoods, peonies, and many more. We look forward to seeing you! To cooperate with social distancing guidelines, pre-purchasing tickets online is now required. No tickets will be sold at the door.

Stay with us, and bask in the peaceful vibrations. For the first time, this year The Expanding Light Retreat offers special programs so that you can immerse yourself more fully in beauty and sacred presence.

Our Inspiration

Paramhansa Yogananda has been called the father of yoga and meditation in the West. His Autobiography helped spark and inspire a spiritual revolution across the world. Among the over three-hundred (influential spiritual voices) I interviewed about their key spiritual influences, a high percentage named a book, and by far the book most often mentioned was Yogananda’s unique memoir.

— Phil Goldberg, American Veda

Paramhansa Yogananda

Paramhansa Yogananda (1893 – 1952), best known as the author of Autobiography of a Yogi, was the first guru from India to make his home permanently in the United States.Paramhansa Yogananda showed how everyone, by means of meditation, can realize God in their daily lives as a tangible, loving reality. He taught an ancient meditation technique known as Kriya Yoga, by which one can quickly attain Self-realization. More

Swami Kriyananda

Swami Kriyananda (1926–2013), is a direct disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda and the founder of Ananda’s worldwide movement. At the request of Yogananda, Swami Kriyananda dedicated his life to lecturing and writing, and has also produced hundreds of pieces of music, to help others to find joy within. More

Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi

With the passing of Swami Kriyananda in 2013, Nayaswami Jyotish was named by Kriyananda as his spiritual successor. Jyotishji met Swami Kriyananda in 1966, working closely with him and his wife, Devi (who came to Ananda in 1969), to build Ananda’s work around the world. Both Nayaswamis Jyotish and Devi were named kriyacharyas by Swami Kriyananda, and disseminate the liberating and ancient Kriya Yoga technique of Paramhansa Yogananda’s lineage. More

Online Course: Ananda Course in Meditation

Whether or not you are new to meditation, this course will help you develop a deep and consistent practice. With ample feedback from meditators with decades of experience and your own persistence, you will awaken your true nature: a pure reflection of divine peace, joy, and love.

Ananda is known for its expertise in meditation, and for 50 years has trained teachers in techniques grounded in the highest yogic practices of India, as brought to the West by Paramhansa Yogananda.

Kriya Yoga

Kriya Yoga is an ancient meditation technique of energy and breath control, or pranayama. It is also a comprehensive spiritual path of additional meditation practices and guidance for living.

The Kriya technique is given through personal initiation by one of our Kriya Yogacharyas. Initiation requires preparation through practice of other meditation techniques and study of Paramhansa Yogananda’s teachings.

Community

Let us join together in this wave of social transformation, and through our practice of meditation create a spirit of global unity that can lead to lasting peace.

— Nayaswami Devi

Connect Online

Ananda is very active online: Live events, satsangs, group guided meditations, and personal support through email and chat. Learn More

Find a Local Center

Ananda has over 150 centers and meditation groups in over 45 countries which offer group meditations and classes. Learn More

Experience Community

Ananda has developed eight communities in the US, Europe, and India. Many offer internships where you can stay and experience community firsthand. Learn More

What's New

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The Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus (with Swami Kriyananda)

April 17, 2022