In the 4th century AD, deep in the Egyptian desert, travel-weary clergymen ended a long and difficult search for the venerable desert saint, Anthony the Great. Back in Alexandria, a great religious controversy was stirring conflict and confusion among church and political leaders: was Jesus Christ merely a great human being, or the true Son of God? Those sent to … Read More
Inspiration, Spiritual Teachings
Thoughts of Easter in a Pharisee World
Lent is upon us, Good Friday ahead. You needn’t be a Christian to grasp the season’smeaning. Allegorically, it’s universal. We are called to prepare, that Easter may dawnagain. Easter recounts the miracle of Christ consciously returning to life from beyond the veil ofdeath. It’s hard to imagine what a stunning event that must have been. The underlyingmessage for us, however, … Read More
Mahasamadhi: Yogananda’s Eternal Presence
On March 7th, 1952, Paramahansa Yogananda did not die a normal mortal death. He entered the state of mahasamadhi — the conscious, final exit from the body by a God-realized master. And although Yogananda’s mahasamadhi had the outward appearance of human death, with elements of tragedy and glory, the deeper meaning was that of a liberated soul shedding its limited … Read More
Answer The Call
A saintly man once made a solemn vow to God: that no matter the circumstances, whenever the Divine should call him home, he would go without hesitation. Years passed and life unfolded. And then one day, the call came at a heartbreaking moment. The saint’s wife had died in childbirth, leaving him alone with a newborn child utterly dependent upon … Read More
On Secret Saints and Snowboarding
In his book, Autobiography of a Yogi, Paramhansa Yogananda describes how many great saints are almost totally unknown to the world, instead focusing their lives on deep, inner communion with God. He described a few of these saints in his book, like the “Sleepless Saint” Ram Gopal Muzumdar, and Giri Bala, the woman who never ate. But did you also … Read More
Meditation Renewal
A strong spiritual life is not the product of inspiration alone, but of daily practice and discipline. Inspiration may reveal the pathway, but our daily habits move us onwards day after day, year after year. Paramhansa Yogananda taught that spiritual progress is not some vague, grand revelation, but a patient, steady and devotional practice of meditation techniques that awaken the … Read More
Kriya Communities
“If you would be perfect, go, sell what you have, give to the poor, and come, follow me.” (Matthew 19:21) A young St. Anthony heard this Gospel verse in church and it changed his life—and the world. He left his wealth, family, and former life behind to spend many years in seclusion, prayer, and devotion in the Egyptian desert. Through … Read More
Many Are the Ways
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God.” In these few words, Jesus was offering his single most important instruction, promising that “all things” would accrue to such a seeker, things not of this world but better than anything in it. That seeker might well ask, “What is the way? Is there only one?” In truth, the ways are many. We … Read More
The Altar of the New Year
The sun has now set on 2025, and the horizons of 2026 are opening bright and broad before us. It is not for us to know what the coming year will bring—personally, spiritually, materially, or globally. Truly great blessings are coming, without any doubt, as are many difficult trials and challenges. Our part is to reflect thoughtfully on what has … Read More
Christmas Through Yogananda’s Eyes
“From today until Christmas pray deep and long until every day becomes a true Christmas day of Christ-communion.” – Paramhansa Yogananda Christmas is many people’s “favorite time of the year,” and disciples of Yogananda are no exception. Even as we string lights and garlands in celebration, nature itself calls us inward. The leaves fall, the air grows still and cold, … Read More
