Tag: Swami Kriyananda

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Celebrating Swami Kriyananda’s freedom day

This is my favorite photo of me and Swami Kriyananda, from sometime in 2003 at Ananda Assisi. I had met him for the first time only three years before, yet I was beginning to comprehend how completely my life had changed as a result.

When Swamiji left his body on April 21, 2013 — eight years ago today — my first reaction wasn’t particularly spiritual or uplifted. When Ramesha read the email message to me, my immediate response was “NO!” And I kept repeating that for some time. Despite knowing how ready Swamiji was to be free in God, I was definitely not ready for him to go.

I felt like I was losing my dearest friend and I couldn’t help thinking of all the times I hadn’t made the effort to be where he was, to hear him and see him and simply be in his presence.

It didn’t (and still doesn’t) matter that I had many opportunities to work with and spend time with Swamiji; the pain I feel is because I couldn’t fully appreciate those blessed times, because I really couldn’t even begin to wrap my mind around how great he was.

I knew Swami in the body for thirteen years. Such a short time, really. But I think about him pretty much every day and thank him for the music, his friendship, and the opportunity to serve Yogananda’s mission through Ananda and Ananda Music.

I can’t imagine a more beautiful or more meaningful life than the one I’m living. Jai Swamiji! 🙏

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More Oratorio inspiration

Tuesday I shared about singing all the Oratorio choir songs during our Easter Zoom Sing-Along, which was both great fun and deeply inspiring.

Now — finally! — I’ve got all the links and can share about two more opportunities to experience the Oratorio during this Holy season. The first option can viewed starting tomorrow night (Good Friday), while the other offering can be yours to enjoy whenever you like!

Christ Lives! An Illustrated Oratorio

with photography and music by Swami Kriyananda

Good Friday, April 2 at 7:00pm (online)
https://www.ananda.org/video/christ-lives-an-illustrated-oratorio/
(It will also premiere directly on YouTube and Facebook.)

This version of Christ Lives! includes footage from a 2008 performance of the Oratorio in Palo Alto, California, together with a slideshow of photographs by Swami Kriyananda.

Swami describes how the music came to him as he meditated at sacred sites while on pilgrimage in the Holy Land in 1983. While there, he experienced the deep inspiration of Christ as a living presence and wrote each piece from that uplifted state of awareness.

The photographs were taken by Swami during that same pilgrimage.​

And for an extra special treat..!

​Christ Lives! A Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
(archival recording from 1984)

An Oratorio composed, arranged, and narrated by Swami Kriyananda
Original 1984 Edition (archival) – Remastered
MP3 Download ~ $16.95
CLICK HERE for more information or to purchase

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In honor of St Patrick’s Day

Amazing to think that I recorded this back in January of 2000, when I was very new to Ananda. I still remember how the beauty of this melody transported me to someplace mystical and magical.

I didn’t really know the words then, but they’re wonderful poetry as well. You can hear Ramesha sing it here (lyrics are below):

EMERALD ISLE
Come hear, while I sing you of emerald hills,
Of valleys and meadows so fair
That all who have seen them have carried away
Memories in their hearts, friends, like the lilacs of May:
Oh, my song is the story of the lilacs of May.

My song is the story of deer on the hills,
Of larks that soar, seeking the sun,
Of nightingales lifting the curtain of night
As with music they bring down heaven’s blessing of light:
Oh, my song is the story of God’s blessing of light.

Come join me in singing of that emerald isle,
Of flow’rs that, like jewels, besprinkle the lea,
Of waterfalls eager to embrace the wide sea
As we with our Maker reunited would be.

Come hear, while I sing you of emerald hills,
Of valleys and meadows so fair
That all who have seen them have carried away
Memories in their hearts, friends, like the lilacs of May:
Oh, my song is the story of the lilacs of May.
–by Swami Kriyananda

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The Christmas Mystery

Thrilled to finally be able to share the Ananda Worldwide Virtual Choir version of this beautiful, beautiful song by Swami Kriyananda! It was part of our Christmas concert, but is totally worth sharing on its own as well.

I remember how puzzled I was when I first heard this song, because it seemed to be a “classic” traditional carol and I couldn’t understand how I had never heard it before!

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Thanksgiving weekend comes to an end

Interestingly enough, this has been an especailly enjoyable and deeply satisfying Thanksgiving. I really couldn’t have stayed any closer to home, but I still managed to connect with family and friends. And I’ve particularly enjoyed focusing on gratitude all weekend long.

Now I’m feeling to wrap things up with one of my favorite affirmations for gratitude (it’s from Affirmations for Self-Healing, by Swami Kriyananda).

Affirmation
I give thanks to the giver behind each gift, and to the one Giver behind all that I receive. My gratitude rises with devotion’s incense to the throne of Omnipresence.
Prayer
I thank Thee, Lord, for all Thy blessings. But most of all, I thank Thee for Thy love.

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Embracing acceptance

At Ananda, every Sunday service includes a reading from Affirmations for Self-Healing by Swami Kriyananda. And — with Election Day bearing down upon us — the one for today is so perfect that I’m including it below in its entirety.

Week 44 – ACCEPTANCE
One of the most difficult lessons in life is to learn to accept things as they are. How much energy we waste in trying to wish away the inevitable! “If only this hadn’t happened!” “If only we had reached there in time!” The “if only’s” and “might have been’s” in life keep us from dealing realistically with what is.

Acceptance comes from knowing that reality lies within ourselves, and that all else is a dream. Acceptance of that one reality makes everything else acceptable. Instead of learning to come to grips with a thousand individual challenges, therefore, make the supreme effort to accept God unconditionally into your heart. Accept all that comes in life as coming from His hands. He will give you what is best for you, if you live for Him alone.

Affirmation

I accept with calm impartiality whatever comes my way. Free in my heart, I am not conditioned by any outward circumstance.

Prayer

Shine Thy delusion-cauterizing light into the hidden nooks of my heart’s feelings, lest somewhere, without my conscious knowledge, I have not accepted Thee. If ever I err, strengthen me to accept Thy discipline, for in Thy will alone lies the happiness I am seeking.

Truly comprehending this is an extremely tall order, but I’m grateful for the reminder to even try not to wish away the inevitable — whatever that may turn out to be! 🙏🕉🙏

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Light that all strife reconciles

Way back in the day — when I first found Ananda — brochures and program guides were a huge part of how I tuned into the essence of what Ananda was and what it meant. But the class schedule and calendar of events weren’t what conveyed that essence. I was struck more than anything by the light in people’s eyes.

I didn’t consciously identify that what I saw shining in their eyes was JOY, but I sure as heck knew that I wanted what they had.

Which brings me to this most recent video of our Ananda Worldwide Virtual Choir. Created in honor of Swami Kriyananda’s 72nd discipleship anniversary, it features one of Swamiji’s most beautiful songs: Peace.

I watched it repeatedly when it was finished, soothed by the melody, harmonies, and lyrics. And I realized something…

Videos featuring Ananda devotees (in this instance, singing) are the new, updated version of the program guide/brochure. And, more than the content of the video, it’s the light shining in the eyes of sincere devotees that draws people.

I invite you to listen to this beautiful music while gazing at faces filled with sweetness and listening to voices expressing joy. See the light beaming from their eyes and know that all is well.

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My very first taste of Ananda

This is how the cover looked back then; it’s been updated since.

My friend, Bharat, just had a birthday. And thinking about him on his birthday brought to mind a precious memory.

It was San Francisco; late 80’s or early 90’s. I was pursuing my career as a classical flutist, including regular coaching sessions with Robin McKee, associate principal flutist of the San Francisco Symphony.

During one of her visits back East to see her husband (who was principal flutist of the Baltimore Symphony at the time), Robin invited me to house sit at her home in Mill Valley. It was a beautiful spot — quiet, woods all around, and with an amazing stereo system!

This was a period of intense inner processing and growth for me, so the break from my regular routine felt like a real blessing. I particularly remember spending hours sitting in the living room, which as I recall had huge picture windows with bird feeders; some comfortable seating; a coffee table of some sort; the amazing stereo system; and a few bookshelves.

It was simplicity. It was soothing. I sat there for hours: listening to music, gazing out the window at the trees and the birds. And reading a book I had found there, titled Listening to Nature.

Unity was my spiritual home in those days and I had recently been introduced to the concept of tithing to the source of inspiration; from whatever organization or person from which I felt spiritually fed. Well, I was so deeply touched by Listening to Nature that I just had to send a tithe check to the author, whose name was Joseph Cornell. Of course, I had no idea who he was or where he lived, so I mailed the check to Dawn Publications with an explanatory note.

Years later — after I finally found Ananda — I made the connection and realized that Joseph Cornell (aka Bharat) had provided me with my very first experience of Master’s vibration, through the work founded by Yogananda’s direct disciple, Swami Kriyananda.

Thank you, Bharat, for that precious gift. Happy birthday!