Episode 5
This 5th Legacy Edition features an interview I conducted in 1981 with Swami Kriyananda, direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda and founder of Ananda Village, headquartered in Nevada County, California.
Kriyananda was a controversial figure in the world of yoga gurus. He was beloved and even favored by Yogananda, but fell out of favor with the organization Yogananda founded, the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) ten years after Yogananda’s death. Several years after being harshly renounced and ex-communicated from SRF in 1962, which was devastating to Kriyananda, he set out on his own, by founding Ananda, to fulfill what he believed to be Yogananda’s vision.
My interview with Kriyananda in 1981 proved have been conducted at a pivotal point in his journey, as just two years later he let go of his monastic vows, including celibacy, and left Ananda. He married in 1985, divorced in 1994. He took up his vows again in 1995 and spent his years thereafter teaching mostly in Europe and India to devoted audiences until his death at 86 in Assisi, Italy.
In retrospect, this 43-year-old interview provides an intriguing snapshot near the midpoint of a fascinating life and career.
In the epilogue to this episode, I mention that I found two excellent websites with more information on the life and work of Kriyananda. Here they are:
yoganandaharmony.com/swami-kriyananda
yoganandafortheworld.com/service-to-srf
Great insightful interview, giving some interesting perspective from many years ago. Fascinating how this Legacy series relates to present day, and holds its value still.
Thanks, LeeAnn. And yes, it really is interesting how these old interviews are still relevant. Indeed, that’s why I chose to re-purpose them. :) One more oldie and then I’ll start some new ones!