Where does devotion fit?
The teachings of Self-Realization are extremely practical. Yogananda said, “We must be practical in our idealism.” We live in an age of energy and intense activity where very few are able to live cloistered lives away from the demands of the worldly life. We must make money and raise families and be involved in the world, even if we have a desire to follow a spiritual path. The teachings of yoga and meditation are perfect for this age – these are techniques of energy, concentration and conscious awareness that we can apply to every part of life.
But behind it all is devotion.
Yogananda explained that in order for us to grow spiritually, there must be an intense desire for God, not just an aversion for the world. The longing of the heart is what motivates us to call to God and to do the practices that help us to receive God’s presence.
At Ananda, devotion is everywhere. We infuse every activity with feeling and we try to keep God-centered in all we do. Devotion is focused attention on the goal: God Realization. Emotion is experienced when we allow the likes and dislikes of the little self to take over.
Come to Ananda and you will notice:
- We open meetings, events and every gathering with prayer.
- There are pictures of our gurus around to remind us of their example and to inspire us to greater effort.
- We talk about God and our spiritual aspirations in every day conversation – that’s “normal” for us.
- We sing and chant and laugh together with inner joy, born of the awareness that it is our true nature.
- We struggle daily to bring the awareness of God’s eternal love into the mundane and painful parts of life, and we support each other in the battle.
- We create opportunities to come together and express the devotion that we have burning in our hearts.
- We welcome all to join us.
The calendar includes:
Events centered on honoring the Self-Realized masters who act as perfect channels for divine light into the world. Read more about the masters
Music events, such as kirtans and concerts where we can sing our love for God. Calendar
Meditation, Yoga and Inspirational classes where we learn to live spiritual teachings in a deep and meaningful way. Find out about the Art and Science of Raja Yoga
Sunday Services where we share inspiration and divine friendship.
Devotional Events at the Ananda Community
