“Americans love to experiment, so why not experiment on yourselves:
on your attitudes toward life, on your thoughts and behavior?
Find out what life is, and how human life might be improved.”
—Paramhansa Yogananda
Suggestions for newcomers
through May, 2012
Welcome & Orientation for Newcomers
Your questions answered
Wednesdays, February 29, March 28, April 25, May 30, 7:30 pm, free
(Usually the last Wednesday of each month)
Meets in the Teaching Center (the building just behind the Temple)
There is so much happening at Ananda, it can sometimes take a little time for new folks to find their way around, and discover all the opportunities available. You are welcome to explore at your own pace, or you are warmly invited to this orientation for newcomers which is offered on the 4th Wednesday of each month. This informal gathering is designed to meet the needs of those present, and may include:
- A chance to meet other newcomers
- Discussion about programs available that can help you meet your spiritual goals
- Ananda’s spiritual roots
- A tour of classrooms, temple, and grounds
- An opportunity to ask questions, or to share what might be helpful to you on your spiritual journey.
Heart to Heart
Your Questions Answered
Wednesdays: 2/8, 3/7, 4/11, 5/9, 7:30 pm, free
Do you have questions? Each of us needs to learn to better open our hearts and to feel God's presence inside. At the same time, the mind must be satisfied, if for no other reason than to keep it quiet! Classes are wonderful for in-depth exploration, but sometimes you just have a question or two about a particular aspect of the path, your life, or even world events. No question is too small or too large. Come join us for a spontaneous, informal evening. Whether you have a question or not, the discussions are always fun and enlightening.
Instructor: 
How to meditate classes are a great way to begin. Meditation brings clarity and peace of mind, and a deep sense of connectedness with the world around us and with ourselves. Western medicine also recommends meditation for its many health benefits, from relief of insomnia and pain, to lower blood pressure. A four-week series begins the first Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm. If your time is limited, you can also come to a Saturday-only session.
Friday night kirtan is a joyful evening of chanting with short periods of meditation. Chanting is a sacred practice to open the heart and lift us into higher states of awareness. The chants are simple to sing and powerfully transforming. Kirtan is at the main Temple in Palo Alto. Friday night kirtan begins at 7:30 pm and is free.
Sunday morning service offers relevant and satisfying answers to questions that many people have been asking for a lifetime, shared with humor and intelligence. Service begins with chanting, music, prayer, meditation, and a talk, most often by minister Asha Praver, a remarkable and gifted speaker. The Bible and the Bhagavad Gita are the guiding scriptures. Sunday service begins at 10 am.
Saturday morning classes are only 3 hours long, and an excellent way to explore an interesting topic in a single session.
Remarkable books
Autobiography of a Yogi, First Edition
Paramhansa Yogananda
This book appears regularly on lists of the most influential spiritual books of the last 100 years. Yogananda’s extraordinary stories of saints and miracles are startling testimony to humanity’s capacity for direct, personal communion with God. Written in 1946, it has been translated into 19 languages and is used in colleges as a textbook in Yoga and Indian philosophy.
Purchase
The New Path: My Life with Paramhansa Yogananda
Swami Kriyananda
A companion to Yogananda’s Autobiography, The Path is the captivating story of a young American man’s longing for truth, his many adventures along the way, and a remarkable meeting with Paramhansa Yogananda, when he became a disciple at the age of 21. With hundreds of stories about Yogananda not found anywhere else, this book is a remarkable guide to walking the spiritual path.
Purchase
The Essence of Self-Realization—The Wisdom of Paramhansa
Yogananda compiled by Swami Kriyananda
A compilation by Swami Kriyananda of his guru’s words as he remembered and recorded them. Each chapter is devoted to an essential aspect of the spiritual life, including karma, reincarnation, grace, the need for a guru, meditation, and prayer.
Purchase
More books by Swami Kriyananda
How to Meditate
John Jyotish Novak
Complete with photos and illustrations, this book is the classic, step-by-step guide to the art and science of meditation. Meditation can bring increased vitality, clarity of mind, and ultimately, inner communion with God. You’ll learn ancient techniques for relaxing body and mind; how to develop devotion and intuition, and the fundamentals of Yoga philosophy.
Purchase
Swami Kriyananda as We Have Known Him
Asha Praver
Asha has been a student and friend of Swami Kriyananda since their first meeting in 1969. From the beginning, she has taken copious notes of her own experiences and conversations with him, and the experiences of many others. A gifted storyteller, she draws universal life lessons from these personal reminiscences—200 remarkable stories of love, extraordinary compassion, and of miracles.
Purchase
On-line inspiration
You may wish to bookmark these pages, and return often to see new inspirational video and audio talks. The internet is a great gift to spiritual seekers in every corner of the world, who may not have the support of other like-minded souls nearby.
How to find us
Map of Ananda grounds, so you can easily find your way around once you arrive.
Even if you registered ahead of time, please stop by the Teaching Center to sign in, so we can greet you and direct you to the right classroom. It's located just behind the large temple on El Camino. Enter the courtyard from College, and the building will be on your right. If it's your first time, you may appreciate having the Map of Ananda grounds handy.
