Swami Kriyananda’s Spiritual Birthday

September 13th, 2006

A Spiritual Birthday

September 12th was Swami Kriyananda’s spiritual birthday. This was the anniversary of the day that, having traveled across America on a four-day bus ride, Swamiji went to the SRF Hollywood Church in Los Angeles and met Yogananda. Saying to the Master words that he never thought he’d say to anyone: “I want to be your disciple;” he was accepted, and was invited to live at Mt. Washington with Yogananda and his spiritual family.

During the celebration of his spiritual birthday in New Delhi, Swamiji read this story from The Path (www.ananda.org). As Nirmala Schuppe, one of the acharyas, or spiritual directors, of Ananda India, wrote: “It was so moving, he could barely get through it. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room...”

In Italy

While in Italy, many Ananda members gathered to celebrate Swami Kriyananda’s 80th birthday. In Milano, they also launched of the Italian translation of The Promise of Immortality (www.crystalclarity.com), where Swamiji spoke to a packed house of around 450 people.

Returning to India

Now in India, Swami Kriyananda is working on his newest book, based on Yogananda’s commentaries on the Christian Bible. The book’s working title is The Relevance of Christ’s Teachings, Proclaimed by Paramhansa Yogananda and Presented by his disciple, Swami Kriyananda. On September 8th, Swamiji gave a talk in Delhi to another standing-room-only audience, on “Kriya Yoga and The Breath.”

On Thursday, September 28th, Swamiji will speak on “The Essence of All Religions” in New Delhi, India, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. This event will be sponsored by the Foundation for Peace Harmony and Good Governance as well as the Life Positive Foundation. Those interested in coming should write to ananda@anandaindia.org or call Ananda India (www.anandaindia.org) at (0124) 405-9550 for more information.

Plans are also coming together for two important retreats in March, 2007: the third annual Mahasamadhi retreat at Ananda India (www.ananda.org), led by Swami, as well as the first International Kriyaban retreat (www.ananda.org), also led by Swamiji.

In these 58 years since Swami Kriyananda began serving his guru, he has given countless lectures, composed hundreds of pieces of music, and written over 85 books, thus fulfilling what Yogananda said to him: “Your work is writing, editing, and lecturing.” May he thus always live in his guru’s words to him, that “You have pleased me very much.”

This page was last updated on September 29th, 2006.