Dear Great Souls, What a week of intensity, perhaps a pattern to be worked through for a while. Of all the week’s ups and downs, internally and externally, here is the message that I’m left with at the week’s end: Believe in yourself. We are plugged into the Divine, our eyes and hearts open to all the messages and wisdom … Read More
Great Souls, Some of us Austinites went up to Dallas last weekend for a Kriyaban Retreat with Pranaba from Ananda Village. Kriya is described in Autobiography of a Yogi as the “plane route to God” (versus the bullock cart route of theology — much faster and direct). Yogananda’s meditation, energization, and devotional practices, like chanting, all are essential first steps … Read More
Dear Friends, Just a short but sweet reminder that tomorrow we are meeting for our weekly practice. Old timers and newcomers — we look forward to seeing you there! If you are new to the Ananda techniques, we will guide you. Look for an in-person class coming in the near future. See the embedded links below for virtual lessons on … Read More
Dear Ones, You may know that tomorrow a solar eclipse around midday will be visible in many states, including Texas. The moon, looking small in its apogee, will pass in front of the sun, causing it to appear as a ring of fire. Astrologers and intuitives are touting this celestial shadow dance as initiating a huge shift at a personal … Read More
Dear Friends, We all have a multi-leveled, “real world” playground for practicing the spiritual lessons we learn from our Masters. But how about the reverse — the “real world” giving context for spiritual life? Among my immediate family members, there is a guiding principle that governs every waking moment of their lives. I’m referring to that phenomenon in the body-sculpting … Read More
Dear Friends, I recently received some feedback from a respected peer that really landed with me as critical and overly judgmental. Luckily, I have been on this path long enough to recognize that I was overreacting because my ego was ruffled, so I did and said nothing until I could calm down. I’m still working on it! Even though I … Read More
Dear Friends, Earlier this week I was in San Antonio for a work convention about education. As in most conventions, the keynote speaker was inspiring and comedic. She said, “Aren’t we all tired of hearing, ‘we are entering uncertain times’? Uncertain times? When have we ever said to ourselves, ‘Thank God for these certain times we’re entering!’? Never! Bring on … Read More
Dear Ones, We can all relate to the feeling of dropping into a different reality — we do it all the time when we meditate, walk in nature, or go for a swim. Even getting into my car and driving gives me a sense of traveling the in-between space from point A to point B. I find this in-between space … Read More
Dear Friends, As the school year sprints toward its frenzied end-of-year hoopla, in between the parties and last-minute meetings, there is a hurricane of breaking down, packing up, clearing out, and filing away. Students gleefully participate in the classroom destruction — they can be seen in the halls with items on rolling chairs as they assist their teachers in wheeling … Read More
Dear Ones, I owe so much to Swami Kriyananda. While living in Bangalore in 2006 — my husband was on an expat assignment with Texas Instruments at the time — I was so eager, even desperate, for the techniques taught by Paramhansa Yogananda, especially about meditation and Kriya. I was already on the path of Transcendental Meditation, had even started … Read More