Dear friends,
It is the eleventh year of the lawsuit initiated by SRF against Ananda, in which SRF has sought to establish a religious monopoly on the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda.
Many Ananda members and businesses have made monthly donations to the legal defense fund for over a decade, making great sacrifices to protect Yogananda’s dream of spiritual communities.
We appeal to the SRF board to begin a dialogue that has long been needed. To those who are reading these pages now, thank you for taking the time to learn about these issues. Please share this information with anyone who may be interested. We welcome inquiries from SRF members, from the media, from the public, and from friends around the world who find inspiration from Yogananda’s work.
We especially ask the SRF board to let go of the deep personal antipathies it expresses toward our teacher and friend, Swami Kriyananda. Let us find a way to live in peace, and to serve the master we all love. On one thing we may both agree. The world yearns for spiritual understanding and peace. If two groups dedicated to the highest spiritual principles cannot achieve it, where can it be found?
“You cannot conquer your enemies by brute force. You must use love. Even if your enemy does not yield to love, you will have done your part.”
Paramhansa Yogananda, Inner Culture, 1940
From Swami Kriyananda’s Last Will and Testament:
“Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) must always be considered part of Ananda’s broader spiritual family. If at any time the occasion should arise that might permit the two organizations to work cooperatively, Ananda ought to make every reasonable effort to do so. For SRF is the organization founded by our Guru, and must be given full respect, for his sake…Our attitude toward them should be one of forgiveness and love. I ask this not out of ordinary human consideration, but out of love for our mutual guru, who came on earth to inspire people with divine love, and not to infuse in them a spirit of sectarian rivalry.”
My years with SRF, my years with Ananda
one devotee’s story
If you can only read one article on this web site, this is the one. 15 years with SRF, 27 years with Ananda—an inside look at both organizations.
Can we talk? A challenge to SRF ministers to debate
with Ananda ministers
An open letter to the SRF Board of Directors from Swami Kriyananda
In this powerful moving letter to his fellow disciples, Kriyananda talks about his years with Yogananda, and changes to the work since Yogananda passed away.
An appeal to reason from Paramhansa Yogananda
Karmic patterns
Yogananda’s work faces the same challenges that radically changed the course of early Christianity – Will history repeat itself?
Daya Mata’s role
What role does the 3rd president of SRF play in this conflict? Is Daya Mata a perfect channel for Yogananda’s will – The sole channel – God-realized?
Religion in the New Age
Yogananda brought the science of Self-realization to the West. How will this influence religion in the decades to come?
An appeal to reason from saints and sages of all religions
