Kriyananda’s Books and Music

Writing and Editing

In 41 years, Swami Kriyananda has written over 90 books. By itself, this would be a Herculean feat, but he also often edits each book as much as 50 times (for most authors, 10 would be impressive)! What follows are a few highlights only:

1. 

   The Path

   Available free online at Ananda.org

   Swami Kriyananda’s autobiography, at its heart an account of his time with Yogananda, including stories of the Master and an overview of his teachings.

   “As long as you make the effort, God will never let you down.”

   Conversation #426 of Conversations with Yogananda, at Crystal Clarity Publishers

2. 

   Conversations with Yogananda

   In this book Swami Kriyananda relates hundreds of stories of Yogananda, filled with wisdom, humor, and inspiration, coupling them with explanations for the readers.

1. 

   The Art and Science of Raja Yoga

   An accessible 14-week course on Raja Yoga, the “royal yoga,” which includes sections on meditation techniques, philosophy, diet, and yoga postures, and more.

The Shorter Books

Not all of Kriyananda’s books are full length. Around 20 are short, intended to be digested one day at a time.

1. 

   Secrets of Inner Peace

   Part of a series of Secrets… books, Secrets of Inner Peace offers a “secret” for each day of the month.

   Day two reads: “The secret of inner peace is giving full, interested attention to everything you do.”

1. 

   Do It NOW!

   Similar to the Secrets…books, Do It NOW! lends an inspiring thought for each day of the year. When this book was published, Kriyananda was so thrilled at its possibilities for helping others that, despite serious difficulties, he paid the printing costs for 5,000 books, and gave them away for free.

Making Theory Practical

Kriyananda saw that Yogananda’s teachings, like spokes of a wheel reaching out from a central point, can illuminate and spiritualize even such diverse subjects as:

• leadership
• material success
• marriage
• intentional communities (how to start them and why)
• astrology
• art
• education
• and architecture

A complete list can be found at Crystal Clarity Publisher’s website. Many are also published under his given name, “J. Donald Walters.”

“Philosophy in Song”

Swami Kriyananda’s music is written specifically to express the spirit of Yogananda’s teachings in an accessible way. Through song, subtle truths are more easily grasped and rememebered. In A Place Called Ananda, Kriyananda wrote, “For me, [writing music] has been one of the great joys in my life. Often, tears of joy have flowed down my cheeks as a melody or a sequence of beautiful harmonies poured through me like a mountain stream, effortlessly.”

Someone once said to the Swami, “I like your philosophy, but I’d like to know more about you, personally.” He replied,

1. 

   I’ve Passed My Life as a Stranger, Lord

   This recent recording in India often brought Kriyananda to tears, so moved was he with divine love. The audio engineer, also inspired, brought a bouquet of flowers to the Swami.

2. 

   Christ Lives

   An Oratorio

   Meditating and praying at sacred shrines throughout the holy land of Israel, Kriyananda received song after song through intuitive guidance. This Oratorio is performed by the internationally acclaimed World Brotherhood Choir, who performed before the Pope in 1989.

   MP3s from Mystic Harp 2

   download mp3: Sailing the Blue Sea 5:43

   download mp3: Freedom? 'Tis a Glad Heart 2:27

3. 

   Mystic Harp 2

   Composed by Swami Kriyananda and performed by Derek Bell, the famous Irish Harpist for The Chieftains.

4. 

   Kriyananda Chants Yogananda

   Deep devotional chanting of Yogananda’s music, including chants in English, Hindi, and Italian. More about devotional chanting is available at Ananda.org.

You can see a complete list of Swami Kriyananda’s music at Crystal Clarity Publishers’s website, published under the name “Donald Walters.”

Next:

1. 

   The Lawsuits, and the Fight for Freedom

Self-Realization Fellowship, in an attempt to gain control of Yogananda’s teachings, attacked Swami Kriyananda and Ananda, threatening Ananda’s very existence.

1.