
NCR Schedule
Ananda
Sangha—"fellowship of divine joy"—is a
worldwide group of individuals who share the search for higher
consciousness and the ideal of service to others by following
the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda. These teachings emphasize "Self-realisation" as
direct inner experience of God. Non-sectarian, they are based
on India 's timeless universal truths and offer practical
solutions to the challenges of modern life.
Ananda was
founded in the USA nearly 40 years ago to support people in
search of spiritual growth. Across 16 countries on 6 continents,
Ananda Sangha provides classes, events, satsangs, study materials,
and other resources around the world, through a network of
individual devotees, communities, teaching centres, and meditation
groups.
The Ananda
Joy Logo (seen above, and also at the upper left of all Ananda
India Web pages), represents the soul's aspiration upward toward
God and outward to embrace all beings in its quest for enlightenment.
The downward curve shows the corresponding descent of divine
grace.
Ananda
Sangha India
Every Indian
is familiar with the basic truths of Paramhansa Yogananda's
teaching. Still, his message of Self-realisation and Kriya
Yoga is a new expression of these truths. It is a spiritual
revolution for India just as in the West.
"There
are so many receptive souls in India", Swami Kriyananda
has said, "that in time the work here will dwarf everything
else Ananda is doing."
With a small
international group of Ananda devotees, he moved to India in
2003, his 78th year, that he might dedicate his remaining life
to make his guru's teachings better known in the land of his
birth.
Soon Swami
Kriyananda began a nightly TV show, A Way to Awakening (AASTHA),
reaching millions in India as well as many nearby southeastern
Asian countries and the USA. Ananda Sangha Publications was
set up to print and distribute many of Yogananda's and Kriyananda's
writings and musical recordings.
Swami Kriyananda's
1st publication in India was a correspondence course, Material
Success Through Yoga Principles, on applying dharmic
principles to India's rising economic opportunities. It is
now also available for group study and corporate seminars,
and in both print and audio format. In turn came several more
books, including what is often considered his crowning achievement, The
Essence of the Bhagavad Gita.
Having long
encouraged Ananda communities to develop economic means of
support in areas compatible with spiritual focus, Kriyananda
inspired several such enterprises in India. The first was a
boutique, Kalyana Kalpataru—The
Wishing Tree—in Gurgaon's Metropolitan Mall, carrying
spiritual books, music, gifts, and yoga and meditation aids.
Other Ananda
entrepreneurial activities in India have followed:
- Harmony
at Work, applying Material Success Through Yoga Principles
to work relationships.
- Yogananda's
Spirit-in-Nature Essences, a line of 20 flower essences
promoting well-being and health.
- Ananda
Solar Technologies, developing low-cost energy alternatives.
- Anjali
Khadi Clothing, Pvt. Ltd., which creates yoga apparel and
fashionwear for Western export. Honouring Mahatma Gandhi's
principles of simplicity and ethics, they are made with khadi
cloth spun and woven by hand in Indian villages—organically
grown, naturally dyed cotton fabrics as well as "ahimsa
silks" produced without killing silkworms.
The main
work of Ananda Sangha India, however, is the same as in other
countries: presenting the teachings of Self-realisation through
classes and satsangs. These are held weekly in Delhi, Gurgaon,
and Noida. Several times a year, introductory weekend seminars
on meditation and Kriya Yoga are offered in other parts of
India, including to date Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata,
Mumbai, and Pune. In some cities, small groups gather for meditation
and satsang. Advanced students in all localities can prepare
for Kriya Yoga initiation, given regularly.
Ananda
Sangha India's Future Vision
In addition
to founding world brotherhood
cooperative communities in India, Swami Kriyananda has
determined to build a universal temple of Self-Realisation
dedicated to Paramhansa Yogananda. He also envisions opening
schools and a university-level institute specializing in training
teachers in the Education for Life methods so well proven in
Ananda's "Living Wisdom" schools in the USA; a hospice
for the elderly; and an orphanage for the young. Monasteries
for men and for women are being established.
Swamiji invites
all who are inspired by these goals and ideals to join in any
aspect of this divine service to Yogananda.
The
Way of Ananda Sanghis
We
invite you to become one of the founding members of Ananda
Sangha India. Ananda Sanghis dedicate their lives to living
the ideals expressed in this brochure. Read the online brochure,
and if you feel inspired, fill out the membership form and
send it to us. |
"A
Life Dream Fulfilled?" by Swami Kriyananda
"More
than forty years ago, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, then Prime
Minister of India, gave his personal blessing on a project
I had presented to him. It was to develop a piece of land
in the green belt area near Birla Mandir. That he gave this
venture his blessing was nothing short of a miracle. Many
hundreds of others had tried to get land there, and all of
them had been refused...." More |
Ananda
Sangha in Gurgaon
Please
visit us at Ananda in Gurgaon, south of Delhi. We
invite you to join us for Saturday satsangs (often
with Swami Kriyananda on the 1st Saturday of the
month), meditation and yoga classes, and more. Directions
to Ananda Sangha, our address, phone number, and
photos are provided. |
World
Brotherhood Colonies
Ananda
fulfills the dream of Paramhansa Yogananda: to establish "world
brotherhood colonies". These are communities
where people can practice "plain living and
high thinking", based on the spiritual principles
that Yogananda taught. Learn more about Yogananda's
dream, and Ananda's fulfillment of that dream. |
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