With Nayaswamis Jyotish & Devi, Ananda Community Courtyard, free

In 1949, Paramhansa Yogananda delivered a powerful speech at a Beverly Hills garden party, sending a call to action through the ether—urging yogis to live together in spiritual community. Among those present was a young disciple, Swami Kriyananda, whose life was forever changed by these words. From that moment on, Swamiji dedicated himself to manifesting Yogananda’s vision of World Brotherhood Communities.

This is a special afternoon of inspiration and celebration of this divine vision—foretold by Yogananda and brought to life by Swami Kriyananda. Ananda, as a worldwide spiritual family, is a living expression of the joy, depth, cooperation, and liberation that flourish when we dedicate our lives to God while living among fellow truth seekers.

Donations from this event will go toward our Operation Golden Palace campaign, supporting Ananda Palo Alto’s goal to own our residential community in Mountain View, California. 

Led by Nayaswamis Jyotish and Devi Novak, Spiritual Directors of Ananda Worldwide, this event will transport us back to that pivotal moment in 1949. Together, we will hear Yogananda’s timeless words anew, immersing ourselves in an afternoon garden party filled with uplifting talks, inspiring music, delicious food, and divine joy. More than just a fundraiser, this is a celebration of community, unity, and the spirit of World Brotherhood.

Spiritual Directors of Ananda Sangha Worldwide

Nayaswami Jyotish met Swami Kriyananda in 1966, working closely with him to build Ananda’s work around the world. Nayaswami Devi arrived at Ananda in 1969 and joined the efforts. Jyotish was named by Swami Kriyananda as his spiritual successor. Both Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi were named kriyacharyas and the Ananda spiritual directors by Swami Kriyananda years prior to his transition. They disseminate the liberating and ancient Kriya Yoga technique of Paramhansa Yogananda’s lineage.

Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi travel throughout the United States, India, and Europe, speaking on spiritualizing daily life and the practice of Kriya Yoga meditation. Nayaswami Jyotish is the author of several books on meditation and related subjects, including How to Meditate and Lessons in Meditation, along with Thirty Day Essentials for Career and Thirty Day Essentials for Marriage. He also is the creator of Meditation Therapy(TM). Nayaswami Devi is the author of Faith is My Armor: The Life of Swami Kriyananda and the editor of The Light of Superconsciousness and Intuition for Starters, both by Swami Kriyananda. They are co-authors to the book series A Touch of Light: Living the Teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, a compilation of their weekly blog.