“You were not born merely to make money, have children, and then die! Yours is a glorious destiny. You are a child of the Infinite! Every fulfillment you ever dreamed of lies waiting for you in God. His infinite treasure-house is yours. Why delay? Why waste time on countless detours? Go straight to Him.”Paramhansa Yogananda
Swami Kriyananda
- The Ananda Monastic Order is the monastic branch of the Ananda Sevaka Order, a renunciate order that is for all Ananda Sangha residents and members, including married couples. It was founded in 1971 by Swami Kriyananda, a direct disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda.
Ananda monastics practice the vows of the Sevaka Order even as they are preparing to take those vows, or have already taken those vows.
Ananda monks and nuns live the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda as a means of fulfilling the final goal of all souls: divine freedom or moksha. Without marriage and family duties, they can be fully dedicated to a life of meditation and sadhana, or daily spiritual practice. As part of that sadhana, they typically serve in helping to spread the Kriya Yoga teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, through Ananda Sangha, which was founded by Yogananda’s direct disciple, Swami Kriyananda. Ananda Sangha was founded in 1968. The Ananda Monastic Order was created in 1971.
- Paramhansa Yogananda taught a far more inward and positive form of renunciation than was taught traditionally. True freedom comes from ego-transcendence, gained by giving everything as an offering to God — as compared to the older monastic way of only outwardly renouncing. Swami Kriyananda called this approach “bliss-affirming” as opposed to a life-negating approach to renunciation.
Paramhansa Yogananda
