I don’t remember much from my childhood, but I have a clear memory of being a young, starry-eyed boy of about 7 or 8 years old, thinking that the age of 40 was a really mature and grown-up age where adults really have everything all figured out. I know that I retained this memory because when I turned 40 myself … Read More
At Ananda, we often speak of the blessings that come from living in intentional communities rooted in high ideals and simple living. Paramhansa Yogananda envisioned these “world brotherhood colonies” as models for sustainable living in Dwapara Yuga. As he prophesied, “World brotherhood colonies will spread like wildfire!” Community creates social connections that have a measurable impact on our health and … Read More
Do you judge? Of course, you do. Judging is how we compare and contrast, how we choose between this and that. It’s a habit as automatic as breathing. Every action, thing, person and experience is measured against what was, wasn’t or might have been. Consciously or not, we spend our waking hours measuring what enters our sensory world: the flower … Read More
“Never the twain shall meet.” This well-known line from Rudyard Kipling’s 1889 poem The Ballad of East and West depicts incompatible differences. The poem tells a story of a British colonel’s daughter kidnapped by an Afghani bandit and rescued by a brave soldier. The two adversaries fight a fierce battle, and despite their opposition, develop a mutual respect for one … Read More
“In every life we have some trouble, but when you worry you make it double, so don’t worry… be happy!” (Bonus points if you heard the tune in your head) There’s a good chance that every red-blooded American over the age of 20 has had this song stuck in their head at least once or twice in their lifetime, and … Read More
“You get your bachelor’s degree and think you know it all. Then you earn your master’s and realize you know only a little. But when you get your PhD, you understand you know nothing.” One of my professors shared this with me long ago, and it struck such a chord that I both laughed and pondered it often in the … Read More
My life, when it’s on track, adheres to a pattern of spiritual growth that guides me increasingly to the flow of grace. That is to say, good things happen when I’m true to what’s good, even when things may not seem so good at the time. This pattern, as I perceive it, falls neatly into five steps, all of which … Read More
Yogananda advises using good habits to replace our bad habits. With this in mind, I use an app to track my food intake. The app has a library of thousands of food items with nutritional information, including information about macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are food components we need in large quantities to maintain our body systems and structures (fats, carbohydrates, … Read More
I’ll admit that there are times when I wish I could just speak to God directly, like having a little device in my ear where I could get a clear message, in plain English, any time I want. Maybe when I’m faced with a tough decision I could just ask God “Hey, should I go with the fries or salad … Read More
