The message that Yogananda brought to the world was one of unity: the unity of all religions; the unity of science and religion; the unity of East and West; and the unity of all people: “world brotherhood.”

His message is especially relevant today, as we see divisiveness—the spirit of “us against them”—dominating global politics and economics. Yet the light of Yogananda and this line of masters is not dimmed by human ignorance. In fact, it can shine even more brightly for those who try to live by it.

Last Sunday morning we had an inspiring online satsang with Ananda centers and members from Eastern Europe. It was organized by two devoted disciples who lead the work in Belgrade, Serbia. Nearly eighty people attended from ten different countries: Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, and the Czech Republic. Not everyone from the Ukrainian group was able to join due to power blackouts—some were planned to conserve energy—but a few were still able to participate.

They asked us to speak on the topic of living in joy, a quality that is understandably difficult for many of them to attain right now. We shared that in today’s world it is not enough to seek joy only for ourselves. We need to strive to be channels of joy for everyone we meet: for our families, our countries, and the world. Mukti, one of the Serbian center leaders, wrote us afterwards: “I think the vibration of joy was palpable, and there was a change in people’s faces as the satsang progressed. What a blessing!”

Then, in God’s wonderful orchestration of events, later that same day we celebrated our annual World Brotherhood Day at Ananda Village. This event, held each year in early December, highlights how Ananda’s outreach is helping people around the world. We then invite everyone to come forward to receive a blessing and to make their first gift of the Christmas season, helping to spread Master’s ray. During the ceremony last Sunday, we read the letter we had received just hours earlier from Mukti in Belgrade. Many present had tears in their eyes, and everyone was deeply touched.

Some years ago, Jyotish and I were blessed to visit the Italian town of San Giovanni Rotondo, where the great saint Padre Pio had lived. While there, we met a beautiful soul—an elderly widow—who had been one of Padre Pio’s “children,” or, in our terms, his disciples. She told us that once Padre Pio, who regularly received thousands of prayer requests, gathered his children together and said, “I’m carrying as much of a load as I can right now. Would any of you be willing to volunteer to share some of this burden? It may mean that you catch a cold or the flu, but you can join me in helping others.” A great wave of hands immediately went up.

Now is the time for all of us to raise our hands—to help spread Yogananda’s message of world unity and brotherhood. This can be done inwardly, in the solitude of prayer, or outwardly, as we offer love and support to everyone we meet. But we should act consciously, as Master’s “children,” carrying forward his mission of unity.

Some of you may know that in 2017 Jyotish and I received, on behalf of Ananda, the Global Ambassador Peace Award in the chapel at the United Nations. During the ceremony, we read Master’s “Prayer for a United World.” As you can imagine, it was one of the most memorable moments of our lives.

I’ll end by quoting a portion of that prayer:

“Let us pray in our hearts for a League of Souls and a United World. Though we may seem divided by race, creed, color, class, and political prejudices, still, as children of the one God, we are able in our souls to feel brotherhood and world unity. May we work for the creation of a United World in which every nation will be a useful part, guided by God through man’s enlightened conscience.

“In our hearts we can all learn to be free from hate and selfishness. Let us pray for harmony among nations, that they march hand in hand through the gate of a fair new civilization.”

Joined with you in Spirit,

Nayaswami Devi

Listen to Devi as she first reads the blog, then expands on its meaning and messages for readers with behind-the-blog commentary. Subscribe to the podcast or download the audio recording by right-clicking here. Or listen to it here (9:59):

First, I want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. Of all the things for which we can be grateful, the most important is having a true guru who can lead us to God. Once we’ve reached the safe harbor of His presence, everything that happens in life—both the joyful moments and the difficult challenges—can be seen as part of a greater plan for our soul’s final freedom.

And this brings us to the subject of reincarnation. We spoke recently on this theme at a Sunday service, and many people told us how helpful it was for them. So I thought to share with you some of the ideas from that talk.

When considering reincarnation, people often make the mistake of focusing on who they might have been in a past life, or who they may be in future. This is a limiting approach, because it keeps our attention on the individual ego, reappearing in varying roles at different points in time.

It reminds me of a joke about a rich old man who consulted a psychic to find out who he would be in his next life. Then he proceeded to draw up his will, so he could leave all his wealth to himself in his next incarnation.

To focus on individual roles in past or future incarnations distracts us from the true lesson of reincarnation: that our soul is on a journey to dissolve all limiting self-definitions and to remember our oneness with God. Swami Kriyananda used a good image in describing reincarnation: a spiral stairway. This is drawn from Yogananda’s poem, “God! God! God!”:

From the depths of slumber,

Image by NASA.gov.

Each of us must ascend our own stairway, which we ourselves have shaped by past thoughts and actions. Rather than wondering who we were in the past, it is far better to look at what challenges lie before us due to old karmic patterns. On every step of the stairway, we should ask: “What are the lessons I need to learn now in this lifetime?” Perhaps it’s softening a judgmental nature, or quieting reactive tendencies, or overcoming anger when things don’t go our way.

When people share with us problems that they’re facing, we sometimes ask them, “What do you think you’re supposed to learn from this situation?” It’s surprising how often they stare back at us as though the question had never occurred to them. Yet this simple question is necessary if we are to ascend the next step of the spiral stairway.

But remember, don’t expect the process to be an easy one. This stairway isn’t a conveyor belt that automatically carries us upward. Each step forward requires focus, commitment, and energy. Once we understand this, we discover an important key to overcoming karmic limitations from the past.

Master said, “The lesson of reincarnation is to neutralize the waves of likes and dislikes, of desire and aversion, by the expression of kindness, forgiveness, and compassion to all, and by steadfast contentment in the Self.” Transcending limiting habit patterns; living with acceptance of all; remaining aware of God’s presence within: These are the keys to inner freedom.

Yogananda’s most advanced woman disciple, Sister Gyanamata, wrote about this journey to soul freedom in a beautiful letter to him:

“You teach that it is folly to dwell upon the past or the future. The day that I am earnestly looking forward to, if I may look forward to that much, is the day on which I shall know myself free from all incarnations. . . .

“Whatever, whoever I have been in the past, in this—the most important incarnation of all—I am Gyanamata, the work of your hands. Please pray for me that I may stand firm and unshaken to the end.”

And this she did, achieving final liberation in God at the end of her life.

So, I give you (and myself) this challenge: Whatever is happening in our life right now, let’s ask, “What is the lesson I need to learn, and what can I do about it?” Answering this question sincerely—and acting on the answer—is the secret to stepping out of the revolving door of incarnations into true freedom and lasting happiness.

With joy and blessings in God,

Nayaswami Devi

Listen to Devi as she first reads the blog, then expands on its meaning and messages for readers with behind-the-blog commentary. Subscribe to the podcast or download the audio recording by right-clicking here. Or listen to it here (9:34):

One of the most beautiful and poignant moments of my life took place a few years ago during a conversation with a young woman who lives at Ananda Village. She has a loving, selfless nature, and as a teenager, had to bear the sorrow of losing her mother to cancer.

We were traveling together in India with a small group. Her sweetness and quiet support throughout the journey touched me deeply, and one day I said spontaneously: “Thank you for being my daughter. I never had one.”

She instantly replied: “Thank you for being my mother. I lost mine.”

As though time had stopped, we stood looking at each other, filled with the poignancy of what our words meant. Those to whom we are close in this life are likely souls with whom we have shared love before. All of us have played many roles in many lifetimes, and are drawn together again and again by bonds of love. This young woman and I might have been mother and daughter before, perhaps with the roles reversed.

In that moment we also understood that there is no need for feelings of longing, regret, or grief. God’s love for us is eternal, and can reach us in unforeseen ways. If we experience the loss of a loved one—mother, father, child, friend, or spouse—the true, divine source of love can always express itself through a different form.

I once read an inspiring thought: that there is a God-shaped hole in the heart of each of us. Until it is filled, this emptiness is the true source of all longing. Though we try to fill it with human love, eventually we learn that everything in this life is ephemeral. Everyone we know and love will pass. God’s love alone is eternal and unchanging.

In Autobiography of a Yogi, Yoganandaji describes the death of his beloved mother when he was still a young boy. She had been in Calcutta making arrangements for the marriage of his elder brother, Ananta, when he and his father received word that she was gravely ill. Filled with foreboding, they anxiously traveled from Bareilly by train to reach her.

“When we reached our Calcutta home,” he wrote, “it was only to confront the stunning mystery of death. I collapsed into an almost lifeless state. Years passed before any reconciliation entered my heart. Storming the very gates of heaven, my cries at last summoned the Divine Mother. Her words brought final healing to my suppurating wounds:

“‘It is I who have watched over thee, life after life, in the tenderness of many mothers! See in My gaze the two black eyes, the lost beautiful eyes, thou seekest!’”

This experience helped form who he was to become and the mission he would fulfill. For Yogananda was a premavatar—an incarnation of Divine Love. What he brought to the world was a glimpse of his own experience of the Divine Mother’s presence, and the gift of eternal, changeless love. On another occasion, She appeared to Yogananda and said, “Always have I loved thee! Ever shall I love thee!”

In today’s turbulent world, filled with divisiveness and fear, we can strive to discover that same wellspring of God’s love within ourselves. As we begin to touch it, we, too, can become sources of comfort, hope, and reassurance to others.

When my friend and I had the exchange I described above, we realized that the Mother’s love can be found not only in one form, but in many. In truth, we can ultimately find it everywhere, for it is omnipresent.

In Metaphysical Meditations, Yoganandaji offered this prayer:

“O Fountain of Love! Make me feel that my heart is flooded by Thine omnipresent love.”

Once we experience even a taste of this divine love, we begin to realize what we can truly become: channels for the love that is at the heart of all creation. What better goal could we have in life than to find our own highest potential—to become beacons of light and love to all!

In divine love and friendship,

Nayaswami Devi

Listen to Devi as she first reads the blog, then expands on its meaning and messages for readers with behind-the-blog commentary. Subscribe to the podcast or download the audio recording by right-clicking here. Or listen to it here (9:59):

“Out of time.” What an interesting expression, rich with so many meanings!

As you may know, Jyotish and I have just returned from three months of sharing Yogananda’s teachings in different countries around the world. During our journey, we traveled through many time zones, constantly adjusting our internal clocks to the local time wherever we were. Now that we’re back at Ananda Village, we’re once again adapting to the rhythm here.

As we recover from jet lag and our minds remain a little foggy, I often feel “out of time” altogether. I found myself wondering, “Why do different time zones exist, and why do they affect us so much?” As perhaps you’ll recall, these variations are caused by the earth’s rotation. When the part of the earth we inhabit faces the sun, we experience day; when it turns away, night. Our biorhythms become tied to this rhythm. We adapt to outward conditions rather than living within ourselves in the present moment.

In essence, what we call “time” is dependent on the movement of material objects through space. The teachings of India tell us that time and space are both part of maya, or delusion, and have no ultimate reality. The seemingly objective thing we call “time” is, in truth, subjective, a mirage. True reality transcends time—it is eternal.

Throughout history, there have been profound moments that stepped “out of time” and transformed the consciousness of humanity.

When Christ was crucified, a wave of compassion and forgiveness spread outward, uplifting and guiding mankind to this very day.

When Buddha attained enlightenment, a wave of higher awareness swept over the earth, drawing countless souls toward God and noble purpose.

When Babaji initiated Lahiri Mahasaya into Kriya Yoga in Ranikhet, a divine blessing began to flow that enables ordinary people to know God through this sacred technique.

And when Paramhansa Yogananda stepped off the ship and set foot in Boston, a new dispensation of world brotherhood and unity was set into motion.

It’s as though such moments exist in an altogether different “time zone”—one that transcends the seeming reality of this world.

It’s important to remember those moments in our own lives also when we seemed to step “out of time” and glimpse our deeper destiny. Perhaps it was when you first saw Yogananda’s photo, or that of a spiritual figure who has guided you. Perhaps it was when you first read Autobiography of a Yogi, or realized that you wanted to dedicate your life to the spiritual path. These timeless moments define our lives far more than we realize.

They often bring with them a heightened sense of reality: Colors grow brighter, silence deepens, and all movement seems to pause. I remember once, when a group from Ananda went to hear a saint from India speak at a conference, and I saw him across a courtyard surrounded by his disciples. To my surprise, he appeared to be in technicolor, while everyone around him seemed in black and white. That memory remains vivid to this day.

Hold onto the moments when you have stepped “out of time,” and let them help you realize your eternal soul nature. In Yogananda’s poem “Samadhi,” he wrote:

Past, present, future, no more for me,

But, friends, “out of time” also has another meaning: that we’ve run out of time and haven’t yet accomplished our goals. Each incarnation is a small step in our soul’s long journey back to God, and we must make the best use of the time given to us. Set your goals, as we spoke about last week with The Future Saints Club, and hold fast to them with determination.

By stepping “out of time” in deep meditation, we ensure that we don’t run “out of time” in fulfilling our soul’s true purpose: finding the bliss of God within.

Yogananda concludes “Samadhi” with these immortal lines:

Eternity and I, one united ray.

May we always listen for his Whispers from Eternity.

With joy and blessings,

Nayaswami Devi

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In late July we left Ananda Village on a joyful journey to share our Guru’s teachings. Swami Kriyananda founded Ananda in 1969, and over the years it has flowered into a sacred place of pilgrimage, where visitors come from far and near. For Jyotish and me, it has been our home for all of our adult life—a place where we have sought God and served Him alongside our ever-growing spiritual family.

Our journey this year began at Ananda Assisi, a community which is home to devotees from all over Europe. There we shared many activities with our friends: satsangs, concerts, book launches, planning meetings, birthday parties, and wonderful meals. We had the opportunity as well to travel with a small group to the inspiring final resting place of the great saint, Joseph of Cupertino. Though our Italian is limited, the joy and divine friendship built over the years made us feel very much at home.

While in Italy, we also traveled north to Ananda Giri, an emerging community founded by two wonderful devotees following instructions given to them by Swamiji. Their spirit, their music, their friendship, and their dedication were all inspiring. Throughout our time at Ananda Giri, we felt very much at home.

Next, we traveled to Avila, Spain, for a Kriyaban Retreat attended by devotees from around the world, including even some countries in South America. The presence of our great Guru could be felt throughout the satsangs, meditations, and Kriya Initiations, as well as his divine love and joy as we gathered for meals and walks together.

Then we began a pilgrimage to holy places in Spain, which drew people from fifteen different countries. Our group first visited the birthplace and tomb of St. Teresa of Avila, as well as a chapel in nearby Segovia, where another great saint, John of the Cross, spent many hours in prayer. Both of these saints experienced states of divine ecstasy; our visits to their shrines were among the most blessed events of our life.

We travelled next to Seville, where we visited the shrines dedicated to two other great saints: Fernando, and his son Alfonso. Throughout the pilgrimages, the travel, and the various places we stayed in Spain, we were bathed in inspiration and divine friendship—and always felt very much at home.

Finally, in mid-September, we arrived in India—the motherland of our Guru. Starting in Delhi, we enjoyed gatherings with large and small Ananda groups from throughout northern India. Joining together with many old and new friends, we once again felt very much at home.

The culmination of our trip was India’s first large Spiritual Renewal Week, held on the southeastern coast in the city of Puri. SRW is a tradition that Swamiji started at Ananda Village in the summer of 1969 to help us spiritually recharge and refocus our lives on the search for God. This event has continued ever since, and now SRW has taken root in India. The experience was one of overwhelming inspiration and joy, as two hundred fifty devotees attended in person, with another one hundred joining online. People came from all over India, as well as Russia, South Africa, Malaysia, and the United States.

Puri is also the home of Sri Yukteswar’s seaside hermitage, Karar Ashram, where Master entombed his guru’s body in a samadhi mandir after his passing in 1936. As we meditated at the mandir, we felt infused with the holy vibrations of this great avatar, Sri Yukteswar.

Many wonderful activities took place during SRW—satsangs, Kriya Initiations, kirtans, meditations, meals together—but during the concert of Swamiji’s music on the closing Saturday evening, something exceptional happened. As the choir and musicians shared with devotion and joy, I began to feel an intensified, uplifting energy. As I looked at the large photo of Swamiji beside the altar, the colors seem to grow more vivid, as though he were stepping out of the photo to bless all of us.

As we left the concert that evening, Nayaswami Devarshi and I both independently had the same thought, which we happened to share with each other the next day: “This feels like Ananda.” Not surprisingly, we felt very much at home.

So, where is Ananda? It’s where devotees gather in joy and devotion—where we transcend man-made boundaries and are united in one family as children of God. It’s a place in our heart where we are safe, protected, and loved. It’s the peace of resting in our soul’s true home.

May we always live in the joy of Ananda.

Your friend in God,

Nayaswami Devi

Listen to Devi as she first reads the blog, then expands on its meaning and messages for readers with behind-the-blog commentary. Subscribe to the podcast or download the audio recording by right-clicking here. Or listen to it here (9:11):

There was once a mother squirrel who built a nest for her three new babies in a tree overlooking the ocean. One day a great storm arose in the deep, creating mighty waves that crashed on the shore. A single powerful wave swept over the sand till it reached the tree where the nest lay, and washed the three babies out to sea.

With fierce determination, the mother squirrel demanded of the ocean, “Return my babies to me at once!” The ocean only laughed.

Undeterred, the mother squirrel then threatened the mighty sea: “If you do not return my babies, I shall dip my tail into your water and wring it out on the sand until you are all dried up!” Again the ocean laughed.

Unfazed by the enormity of the task, the mother squirrel plunged her little tail in the sea, and squeezed it dry, drop by drop, onto the sand. As hours passed, the ocean watched her persistence as she continued her task. Growing curious, the sea wondered: How long can she keep this up?

At last, recognizing her indomitable will, the ocean relented. “All right, you may have your babies back.” A towering wave rolled in, and carried the three squeaking, squirming squirrels back to their grateful mother.

The mother squirrel can be a role model for all of us. While we’ve been in Delhi, there was a celebration for the tenth anniversary of the Paramhansa Yogananda Charitable Trust—a service organization run by Ananda India to help homeless widows in Vrindavan. It runs four ashram homes providing shelter, food, and medical care to abandoned, aged, and destitute women. In addition to the homes, the needs of three thousand other poor “widow-mothers” and sadhus are being met. The mission statement for the Trust holds the goal that all aged, abandoned, and destitute souls deserve to live a life of dignity and self-respect.

The task before the staff is enormous, with the numbers of the needy increasing all the time. Yet those serving have remained undeterred, and continued their efforts even during the pandemic, when the sanitary conditions in Vrindavan were abysmal. Going from house to house, hut to hut, they sought out those needing medical care, food, and bedding, and provided for them.

To add to their challenge, each year for the past two years the Jamuna River has flooded the area, leaving the dwellings of the poor, as well as of some of the staff, totally submerged. Traveling in inflatable rafts throughout the flooded city, the staff delivered drinking water, food, and blankets to those stranded on rooftops. It is estimated that they have saved thousands of lives.

Such compassion is an example to us all. In today’s world, the ocean which swept away the baby squirrels is threatening us in a different form: It is the consciousness of self-interest, greed, power-seeking, and indifference to the suffering of others. Though it seems indomitable, this ocean cannot defeat courageous souls who are determined to alleviate the suffering of others against all odds.

Like the mother squirrel, when we put determination, compassion, and service to others at the forefront of our life, miracles can happen. I believe that the time has come for devotees everywhere to join together in our love for God and all of His children. Standing firm against the tide of indifference and callousness, we can create a new kind of ocean that is filled with the power of God’s love to sweep away the dark waters that threaten to engulf us. Together, let us serve others, pray for others, and not turn a blind eye to their suffering. Let us look for ways in which we can be a channel for God’s love.

The lyrics of Swami Kriyananda’s simple song, “Joined in Prayer,” capture the essence of our way forward:

Joined in prayer, we worship Thee:

In the end, God’s love is the only reality. Joined together we can wash away the darkness and help people awaken to life’s true purpose: to live for God, and strive to be channels of His love to all we meet.

With determination and joy,

Nayaswami Devi

Watch a video on Vrindavan here. Watch a video on the 10-year anniversary here.

Listen to Devi as she first reads the blog, then expands on its meaning and messages for readers with behind-the-blog commentary. Subscribe to the podcast or download the audio recording by right-clicking here. Or listen to it here (9:19):

During our time in Seville, Spain, we were asked to speak about “How to Live Autobiography of a Yogi.” Here are a few lessons from Yoganandaji’s life that can guide our own journey. (Watch this talk on YouTube, here.)

Lessons from His Childhood

Master said that he came into this life with clear memories of his past incarnations: One was of a Himalayan yogi, which he believed also foretold of a future life. For us, it’s a good practice to try to recall memories of past spiritual lives, because this isn’t the first time we’ve been on a divine quest—we’re just picking up where we left off before.

It’s also good to try to recall when we first saw a photo of Master in this life, or felt a connection with him. Such memories can reawaken our connection with our guru, which has been built over many lifetimes, and can give us confidence to keep going on the path.

Another lesson we can glean from Master’s childhood is from his experience with his sister, Uma, when he saw her rubbing ointment on a boil on her leg. He then took the salve and rubbed it on a spot on his right forearm.

“Why do you use medicine on a healthy arm?” Uma inquired.

“Well, Sis, I feel that I am going to have a boil tomorrow. I am testing your ointment on the spot where the boil will appear,” he replied.

“You little liar!”

“Sis, don’t call me a liar until you see what happens in the morning.” Master writes that he was filled with indignation. An adamant resolution sounded in his voice as he slowly replied, “By the power of will in me, I say that tomorrow I shall have a fairly large boil in this exact place on my arm; and your boil shall swell to twice its present size!” And so it came to pass.

When Master’s mother heard what had happened, she gravely instructed him never to use the power of words for doing harm. There are many other incidents from the Autobiography in which saints used the power of their words miraculously to heal others.

Our lesson here is to realize the powerful impact our words can have to hurt or help others. Try to be conscious of the effect your words or actions can have on those around you, and discipline yourself to choose the path that brings only benefits to them.

Lessons from His Search for Saints

Throughout his early years, Yoganandaji was always on a quest to spend time with saintly souls. Each encounter with them brought added wisdom and blessings into his life. We, too, should seek to associate with high-minded people who can uplift our consciousness. It is said that second only to having a true guru is the blessing of satsanga—the gathering of truth seekers.

Avoid those people, whether friends or family, who are cynical or mock your spiritual interests. Letting them have an influence on you is like throwing refuse into a clear pond—it only muddies your mind. Choose your companions wisely, for they have a tremendous impact on your inner life.

Lessons from Sri Yukteswar’s Training

As we read in the Autobiography, Yoganandaji’s guru, Sri Yukteswar, was a hard taskmaster. He wrote: “Discipline had not been unknown to me: at home Father was strict, Ananta [his elder brother] often severe. But Sri Yukteswar’s training cannot be described as other than drastic.” Sri Yukteswar said to him, “If you don’t like my words, you are at liberty to leave at any time. I want nothing from you but your own improvement.”

We can learn from Master’s acceptance of his guru’s training to embrace the tests and challenges that come to us in life with the understanding that they are to help us grow spiritually. Whether our guru is in a body or not, great souls are not limited by time and space, and they continue to guide the lives of their disciples through the discipline of tests.

“God is Love; His plan for creation can be rooted only in love.”

Lessons Rooted in Divine Love

In the closing pages of the book, Master writes:

“God is Love; His plan for creation can be rooted only in love. Does not that simple thought, more than any erudite cosmological tome, offer solace to the human heart? Every saint who has penetrated to the core of Reality has testified that a divine universal plan exists, and that it is beautiful and full of joy.

“To the prophet Isaiah, God revealed His intentions in these words: . . . ‘Ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace.’ The men of a hard-pressed twentieth century hear longingly that wondrous promise! Yet the full truth within it is realizable by every devotee of God who strives manfully to repossess his divine heritage.”

Despite unsettling world conditions in which we find ourselves, we can find inner joy and peace through our search for God. Remember, too, that our efforts are not for ourselves alone, but to help make that divine promise attainable for others. Master’s whole life was dedicated to bringing love, joy, and peace to the world. As spiritual seekers, let us do our part to help others realize their own divine heritage.

One could easily spend a lifetime delving into the lessons to be learned from the Autobiography. Try to see it as much more than a book. It is a living reality that can continue to guide us to God. We invite you to share your own experiences with this great scripture.

With joy and gratitude,

Nayaswami Devi

Listen to Devi as she first reads the blog, then expands on its meaning and messages for readers with behind-the-blog commentary. Subscribe to the podcast or download the audio recording by right-clicking here. Or listen to it here (11:09):

Our time in Assisi, Italy, has flown by quickly, and soon we’ll be leaving. These days have been filled with inspiration, from being with our gurubhais both in the Ananda community and from throughout Europe. We’ve also felt the blessings of the great St. Francis, whom Master called his “patron saint,” and who walked the hills above Assisi where our community is located.

A dear friend here shared this beautiful story from the book Brother Francis of Assisi, by Ignacio Larrañaga:

St. Francis and his closest companion, Brother Leo, were walking together through the countryside, when Francis asked, “What do you think is the greatest attribute of God?” Leo, assuming that he knew the answer, happily replied, “Love.” Much to the monk’s surprise, the saint only shook his head and said, “No.”

Leo was puzzled, and tried again. “Dear Francis, if not love, then surely it is wisdom.” Again St. Francis shook his head. Finally the monk humbly asked, “I am but a foolish brother, so please tell me, what is God’s greatest attribute?”

St. Francis replied, “Write this down, Brother Leo, that the rarest and most precious pearl on God’s golden crown is patience. When I think about God’s patience, I burst into tears, because this is the most eloquent way to celebrate this highest of all attributes. Oh, the patience of God!”

St. Francis then entered a state of ecstasy and drew Brother Leo with him into divine bliss. After some time the saint placed his hand on the ground, and said, “Mother Earth, bear witness to this oath. In imitation of God’s patience, we will never hold feelings of judgment or hostility toward anyone.”

When our friend sent this inspiring story, she added her own touching reflection: “When I read this, I understood immediately what he meant. Being devotees, we know that God never leaves us. He is always at our side, trying to get our attention, whispering to us through our conscience, coming to us in dreams, giving us tests to help us awaken, carrying us when we can no longer stand. He does this lifetime after lifetime, until we see Him and realize that God is all there is. Millions of lives, and yet He never gives up on us, even though we keep turning away. Realizing this, I too started to cry.”

As I thought about all these words, I felt that St. Francis chose patience as God’s greatest attribute because it perfectly unites both love and wisdom. With unconditional, eternal love God embraces each of us, His children, and forgives us again and again because “we know not what we do.” And with infinite wisdom, God guides us forward over aeons of time through the intricacies of our karma until at last we can reunite with Him. Whether or not we recognize it, God’s patience is always there—shining as the beacon of light and hope to guide us forward.

How important it is for us, too, to follow St. Francis’s example of not holding judgment or negativity towards anyone. Patient acceptance of oneself and others is the key to true happiness and ego-transcendence. In today’s turbulent times, patience brings strength to endure as well as hope for the future.

In a few days, Jyotish and I will travel to Spain to take part in group retreats and a pilgrimage to Avila—the home of another great soul, St. Teresa. I’ll close with this prayer, found on a note card in her prayer book after her death. It echoes the words of St. Francis, and of Master’s foremost woman disciple, Sister Gyanamata:

“Let nothing disturb thee, Nothing affright thee; All things are passing; God never changeth! Patient endurance attaineth to all; Who God possesseth in nothing is wanting; Alone God sufficeth.”

May we all find the patience to attain God alone.

Nayaswami Devi

Listen to Devi as she first reads the blog, then expands on its meaning and messages for readers with behind-the-blog commentary. Subscribe to the podcast or download the audio recording by right-clicking here. Or listen to it here (10:37):

Some years ago, Swami Kriyananda and a group of us went to hear a talk given by a great man of God, Richard Wurmbrand. A Christian minister, Mr. Wurmbrand had been imprisoned in solitary confinement for many years by the Rumanian Communists for his religious beliefs. He was finally released due to international public outcry, and once free, he began a worldwide mission spreading the word of God.

Though tortured and left with his back broken several times, he stood before us that evening as one of the most radiant people we had ever beheld. The light emanating from him was so strong that he seemed almost translucent. We were enthralled both by his spiritual presence and by the stories he shared.

One such story was about a Christian congregation in China whose church had been surrounded by the government police. They were told they had a choice: to spit on the Bible or be shot. Sad to say, one by one each person—including the minister and the church elders—came forward and spat on the Bible. Finally the only one left was a young girl, who bravely approached the Bible and declared, “My love for God is more important than my life.” The police immediately killed her, but then turned and killed the entire congregation.

Who made the right choice? The young girl died with her devotion and spiritual integrity untouched, while the others would at some point need to deal with the karmic burden of having betrayed their faith.

This choice—whether or not to choose God despite the consequences—is found in the great scriptures of the world. In the Mahabharata, on the eve of a great battle between the forces of light and darkness, the leaders of both armies come to Krishna to ask for his aid in the forthcoming fray. They arrive at Krishna’s palace at nearly the same time, but he appears to be sleeping. Arjuna, the leader of the armies of light, humbly kneels at his feet. Meanwhile, Duryodhana, the champion of the armies of darkness, stands arrogantly by his head.

When Krishna “awakens,” he asks why they have come, though he surely already knows. He offers them a choice: “I will give one of you all my armies, my war elephants, my horsemen and chariots. . . . To the other I will give myself, though I will not fight but only drive your chariot. I will offer the first choice to Arjuna, since my eyes fell on him first.”

Without hesitation, Arjuna chooses Krishna, knowing that where God is, there is victory. And so it proves to be. Duryodhana is elated in gaining all the trappings of war, yet ultimately he and his armies are defeated—because without the divine power that governs all human affairs, no earthly strength can prevail.

In the Bible, too, we see this same choice. Jesus is tempted by Satan, who offers him dominion over the whole world if he will only worship him. With the power and simplicity inherent in the Old Testament words that he quotes, Jesus chooses God: “You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him.”

My friends, every day we face choices—to take the path that brings us closer to God, or the one that seems easier, safer, or more rewarding in worldly terms. Sometimes these choices are so subtle that we hardly notice them: to bend the truth to our advantage; to withhold love from someone who has wronged us; to let outward distractions steal time meant for meditation.

If we can glean the wisdom in these three examples—that our love for God is more important than any consequences; that where God is, there lies victory; and that being true to God is of greater value than any material gain—then we reach the point where our faith in God no longer needs to be tested.

Through our repeated choices, we are convinced that we have put God first in our life. Then, as Christ said, we “shall go out no more,” but will rest forever in our Heavenly Father’s kingdom.

Your friend in God,

Nayaswami Devi

Listen to Devi as she first reads the blog, then expands on its meaning and messages for readers with behind-the-blog commentary. Subscribe to the podcast or download the audio recording by right-clicking here. Or listen to it here (10:56):

A week ago, Jyotish and I arrived at Ananda’s community in the beautiful Umbrian hills above Assisi, Italy. We’ll be here for the next month, participating in programs at the Retreat Center, and enjoying deep friendships which have grown over many years. During this time we’ll also travel north to visit Ananda Giri, a new Ananda community now being established near Milan.

In the early 1980s, Jyotish and I were part of a small team that Swami Kriyananda sent to Italy to plant the seeds for a work here. From very humble and uncertain beginnings, a mighty tree has now grown—one that offers spiritual sustenance to devotees from across Europe and Asia. Each of us has played our small part, but God and the spiritual masters always have a larger plan in mind.

Just recently, a friend showed us a copy of a letter written by Paramhansa Yoganandaji in response to someone from Naples, who had read Autobiography of a Yogi and expressed interest in Kriya Yoga. The letter, dated Oct. 3, 1951—only five months before his passing—included these words: “I pray that someday we will be able to send a qualified teacher to Italy to spread the cause of Kriya Yoga. But this is a young work, and very new in Europe.”

Perhaps it was Swamiji whom Master had in mind. Kriyananda began sharing these teachings in Italy in the late 1950s. Today, Ananda Europa has grown into an international community with residents from all over Europe, thousands of visitors annually who come to learn the teachings, and affiliated meditation groups in many countries. In this time of global tension, divisiveness, and conflict, the unifying power of such “world brotherhood colonies” is a great hope for the future.

In an article entitled “The Art of Living” that Master wrote in 1933, he stated: “God has expressed His truth in varying combinations within particular civilizations, nationalities, and individual mentalities. Through this diversity He has placed before us a kaleidoscopic image of man’s potential. It is man’s duty to glean from this variety the qualities that are highest and best; and to foster them within himself, his nation, and the world. Great men and saints do this. They live several hundred years ahead of their time in exemplifying universal principles of truth that are eternal. These principles are the essence of the true art of living, and are applicable and vital to the success and happiness of all men.”

If you are reading this blog—whether you are a member of a spiritual community or meditation group or simply long for a better world—you are helping to bring about the future envisioned by great saints like Yoganandaji. In groups, or as individuals, our job is to commune inwardly with God, and to feel and express our unity with all people.

Several years ago, Jyotish and I visited Ananda’s meditation group in Croatia, at a time when the country was just emerging from instability and conflict. Though we could only communicate through translators, we were united by a shared love for God. At one point, as the group sang one of Master’s chants in Croatian, the leader turned to us and asked, “Can you feel our devotion?” We certainly could—and in that moment, the language barrier dissolved. In our hearts, all people speak a common language which bridges all tongues and nations.

Far more than it may seem, the future of our planet is shaped, not by governments, politicians, or economic forces, but by great men and women of vision and their humble followers, who do their best to uphold that vision. As Swamiji expressed in the lyrics of his song “A New Tomorrow”:

Even so, all of us together

With joy and faith in a better future,

Nayaswami Devi

Listen to Devi as she first reads the blog, then expands on its meaning and messages for readers with behind-the-blog commentary. Subscribe to the podcast or download the audio recording by right-clicking here. Or listen to it here (10:24):