Swami Kriyananda

Swami Kriyananda (J. Donald Walters) is one of the few living direct disciples of Paramhansa Yogananda.

A highly respected spiritual teacher around the world, Swami Kriyananda founded Ananda, which means "joy" in Sanskrit, in 1968 to fulfill Yogananda's vision of "world brotherhood colonies" or spiritual cooperative communities.

At Ananda Village, the original community, Swami Kriyananda created The Expanding Light as a place where the public could come to share in the love, peace, and wisdom Ananda has to offer. A wide variety of programs and classes in meditation and yoga, holistic health, and spiritual growth is available. So too are opportunities for group or individual retreats.

In addition to being the founder of Ananda, Swami Kriyananda is a well-known writer and composer. He has authored more than 100 books and composed over 400 musical pieces. His books and music, which carry on Yogananda's tradition of offering practical ways to bring spirituality into everyday life, are available through Crystal Clarity Publishing.

Kriyananda's books and music have sold over 3 million copies worldwide and been translated into 24 languages. He is the author of books on a variety of topics including leadership, education, creativity, and moral values. Included among his best-selling titles are Meditation for Starters, The Path (his spiritual autobiography), Money Magnetism, The Essence of Self-Realization, The Essence of the Bhagavad Gita, Affirmations for Self-Healing, Education for Life, Revelations of Christ, and his best-selling Secrets gift book series.

Kriyananda has been a composer since 1964. His music is soothing, uplifting, and inspiring. Many of his new albums are instrumental works that contain brief affirmations or visualizations. Chuck Dilberto of Awareness Magazine wrote: "Kriyananda's words and music are full of his life and light. His sole intention is to heal, something we could all use during these chaotic times."

In 2003, his 78th year, Swami Kriyananda moved to India to found the 7th of Ananda's residential communities as a work to disseminate Yogananda's teachings in his homeland.