In this inspiring talk, Swami Kriyananda explores the deeper meaning of AUM as the divine vibration expressing itself through the creative, sustaining, and dissolving aspects of God, symbolized by Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Drawing from a profound personal experience of hearing the cosmic sound of Om, he explains that our true identity is not the body, thoughts, or personality, but the eternal Self that underlies all creation.

Kriyananda emphasizes that genuine creativity, wisdom, and spiritual growth come not from personal ego but from receptivity to divine truth. Through stories of Paramhansa Yogananda, Saint Teresa of Ávila, and his own life, he teaches the importance of seeking God’s approval rather than human praise, accepting life’s tests as spiritual blessings, and recognizing the divine presence in all people.

Kriyananda humorously reminds us that the more we try and please God, the more he will test us. These tests can actually be a good sign because as Kriyananda says, “it's a sign that you love him when he does take the trouble to help you clear up all your karma quickly.”

In this informal talk, Swami Kriyananda reflects on lessons learned from personal anecdotes of his Guru, Paramhansa Yogananda. He recounts how Yogananda could intuit a disciple's spiritual fate through symbolic connections to trees in his garden, and shares a story about a minister whose pride in his selflessness revealed he wasn't suited to the path.

The talk centers on the "three great delusions" warned about by saints—power, money, and sexual desire.  Kriyananda uses the word "wine" as shorthand for anything that clouds consciousness, including alcohol and drugs. He shares warm, humorous personal stories, including pretending to drink, but actually imbibing water at cocktail parties.  He also shares a moving account of Yogananda perceiving everything and everyone as light and vibration. Kriyananda closes with reflections on undivided devotion to one's Guru and an introduction to original songs inspired by spiritual experiences.

Swami Kriyananda reflects on the primacy of seeking God above all worldly responsibilities.  He illustrates this through stories of his guru, Paramhansa Yogananda. He recounts episodes of Yogananda's complete inner non-attachment despite building a major spiritual organization.

Kriyanada shares his profound meeting with Sri Ramayogi, a liberated disciple of Ramana Maharshi (India's unique spiritual master, known as "the guru of the world). Kriyananda emphasizes that true devotion isn't about religious labels or sectarian forms, but about recognizing the soul beneath all identities.  He focuses on loving God for the joy He brings, since joy naturally becomes love. He stresses that spirituality isn't separate from daily life or business, citing Yogananda's teaching that one can find God in any vocation if approached with dharma and devotion. The talk closes with personal reflections on receiving intuitive guidance from his guru even decades after Yogananda's passing.

Swami Kriyananda draws on stories from Autobiography of a Yogi and his own conversations with Paramhansa Yogananda to explore reincarnation, karma, and the long arc of spiritual awakening. He recounts how in a former incarnation, Yogananda was William the Conqueror. Figures from Yogananda's contemporary circle—including Swami Dhirananda and a New York businessman named Vickerman—were, according to Yogananda, reincarnations of William the Conqueror's sons, illustrating how karmic patterns of loyalty and betrayal echo across lifetimes.

Kriyananda reflects on Lahiri Mahasaya's past life as King Janaka, and on Yogananda's own repeated returns "to the wayside" to help struggling souls. He shares personal memories of his Guru's teachings on inner freedom, creative energy versus obscurity, and the karmic burden of fame, ultimately encouraging listeners to offer their talents to God rather than resist them as ego. The talk closes with an invitation to listen to a song, "Through Many Lives," framing every soul's journey in this same unfolding cosmic story.

This is the 4th in a series of talks with Swami Kriyananda based his book Conversations with Yogananda. This series, recorded in 2006 in India, was originally aired on the Sadhana Channel.

Questions Swamiji discusses includes:

How do we develop patience?

Is money the root of all evil?

How do we love our families while remaining unattached?

What is Aum?

How do we judge our spiritual progress?

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Divine truth in all forms and traditions is the focus in this inspirational talk by Swami Kriyananda.  He draws on Dattatreya's twenty-four gurus—especially the bee, who sips only sweetness—to illustrate discernment without narrow-mindedness. He warns against religious comparison and fanaticism, noting that conflict stems from human nature, not religion itself.

Kriyananda shares Yogananda's account of having been William the Conqueror in a past life, using it to reveal a lesser-known side of his guru: immense spiritual power alongside tenderness. Kriyananda recalls Yogananda's forceful call to build spiritual communities, a vision he devoted his life to fulfilling through Ananda. He closes with an exhortation to "dare to be different"—not for its own sake, but by staying true to one's own inner vision of truth, even against societal or familial expectation, as the mark of genuine spiritual courage.

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Swami Kriyananda reflects on his deep devotion to his guru, Paramhansa Yogananda, and how that devotion serves as a gateway to loving everyone.  He describes the joy and mutual support found in spiritual communities, and sees them as a powerful way to inspire others by example.

Kriyanada also shares a teaching from Conversations with Yogananda on the complementary natures of reason and feeling.  He associates women with intuition and men with logic, while stressing that the ideal is to balance both—citing Yogananda himself as a model of strength paired with tenderness. Kriyananda explains that calm feeling becomes intuition, a faculty he's relied on for both practical decisions in building communities and for creative inspiration. He illustrates this with a story of composing melodies for his "Mediterranean Suite," describing how he prayed for specific musical modes and melodies, and they appeared instantaneously.

https://ananda.org/autobiography/

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What is a pure heart and why is it so important? Swami Kriyananda shares from personal experiences with his guru Paramhansa Yogananda the profound significance of cultivating a pure heart. As a disciple of Yogananda, he was provided with many wonderful opportunities to expand his love and perception of God beyond any particular form.

Kriyananda explains, in essence, that having a pure heart means not to wish for anything that will take us away from the love and light of God. He urges us to be kind to everyone and see all as members of our own family, as the journey toward spiritual purity is principally one of connection, kindness, and love.

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https://ananda.org/kriya-yoga/

In this heartfelt talk, Swami Kriyananda shares teachings from his years with Paramhansa Yogananda that focus on aspects of spiritual fanaticism.  He addresses issues like diet, rules, and rigid definitions that distract from what truly matters which is loving God.

Drawing on anecdotes about Yogananda's flexible, non-dogmatic approach to vegetarianism, including advice given to Dr. Lewis and stories of disciples navigating food restrictions during wartime or on the road, Kriyananda shows how the Master prioritized purity of heart over external perfection.

Kriyananda recounts moments of humor and compassion, including Divine Mother's teachings received during Yogananda's extended 1948 samadhi, and his own childhood tendency to over-control outcomes. The talk closes with a gentle reminder to trust divine guidance, live simply day by day, and remember that ecstatic union with God, not rule-following, is the ultimate goal of spiritual life.

 

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This talk by Swami Kriyananda centers on purity of heart as the true measure of spiritual life, drawing from Paramhansa Yogananda's teachings in Conversations with Yogananda. Kriyanada begins with Yogananda's evolving guidance on vegetarian diet—coining the term "propertarian" over "vegetarian".  He explains tamasic, rajasic, and sattvic foods and how each serves different life circumstances.

Kriyananda then pivots to a spiritual lesson within dietary decisions, that dietary purity means little without kindness, since unkindness toward others is itself impurity, an offense against God dwelling in all beings. He shares learning gained within personal anecdotes, including a painful youthful attempt at clever wit, a temple encounter revealing how people typically pray for worldly gain rather than divine love, and a humorous story about writing "The Non-Blues" for a skeptical guitar teacher.

Kriyananda illuminates that true purity means desiring only what draws us toward God, expressed through compassion, humility, and joyful, non-sarcastic humor rather than solemnity or self-righteousness.

 

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https://www.ananda.org/

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https://ananda.org/kriya-yoga/