Conversations with Asha | Millennials Speak: Recent Episodes
Asha Nayaswami
Asha Nayaswami is one of the spiritual directors of Ananda Palo Alto California, and one of the founding members of Ananda. She has a multitude of talks on a variety of topics that have delighted & inspired spiritual truth seekers around the world. In this podcast, listen to Asha Nayaswami in conversation with the next wave of spiritual aspirants, truth seekers, members and leaders of Ananda worldwide, who have unique stories of what drew them to this particular spiritual path, their spiritual aspirations and worldview.
Raised in England by a devout Christian mother and a determined atheist father. Went to church, not for Christ, but for social life and fun. Search for truth led to atheism. Then found yoga, which eventually led to re-thinking her whole view of life
Born in Croatia, educated in art and music. Never felt in tune with the country, culture, or world around him, started seeking truth in early teens. Just before entering music conservatory drawn to Master’s picture on Autobiography of a Yogi. Instant...
Growing up, on the outside, everything looked fine, but inside was always unhappy. Mid-teens began serious search for meaning, found Autobiography of a Yogi. Graduated from college and on that day, left everything to join Ananda community in Pune,...
In her second interview, Narayani talks more about her time and experiences with Swami Kriyananda and how that shaped and defined her spiritual life.
Growing up Italy, Catholicism was the given, but it didn’t hold her heart. Living from the outside, life became serious with the sudden death of a beloved cousin. Inner angel presence of her cousin guided her to Autobiography of a Yogi.
Raised in a very Catholic household in a small village in northern Italy. One aunt, though, left the family to move into the Ananda Assisi community. So from the age of 4, yoga and Master were also there. At 15, went on a 10-year saga to rebellion,...
Grew up in Serbia, father was a committed communist. No spiritual training as child, but raised with principles of integrity, honesty, fairness. Inwardly always felt happy, regardless of circumstances. Became devoted to martial arts. Studied Asian...
Author of My Heart Remembers Swami Kriyananda, Narayani was Swamiji’s personal assistant for the last years of his life, always by his side. Since his passing, he is even more with her, guiding her, and her husband Shurjo as they build Ananda’s work in...
Born to yogi parents, grew up in the Ananda community of Palo Alto. Was a “founding child” for the Education for Life School there. Studied filmmaking which led to being Swamiji’s videographer, following him around the world for the last years of his...
Grew up in a Jain family in Southern India, but formal religion meant nothing to him. Constantly searching for the meaning of life. Wrote journals full of questions addressed to God. Heading for a bright career as a chartered accountant, but turned away...
Born in Uruguay, where, except for soccer, never felt in tune with the culture. Father was a Kriyaban, and supported his thinking “outside the conventional box.” Followed his older brother Hezequiel to Ananda India where he found his home.
Grew up in India, Malaysia, Dubai, daughter of educators. Everything came easily, life was happy. Sudden awakening to the superficial nature of life itself. Drawn by the authenticity and joy of Ananda people found her path.
Raised in Miami, Florida, as an Israeli Jew. Hebrew came first, English was second. The presence of God was the given. What to do about it was the question? When working as a make-up artist in New York City, discovered yoga. See Ishani and Aryavan’s...
From the age of seven, every summer came with mother and siblings for holidays at Ananda Assisi. Lived in Germany, but Ananda was home. During university, every holiday was with Ananda — retreats, karma yoga, pilgrimage — until she came to live...
Raised by a devout Catholic grandmother. Deeply impressed by her compassion and unshakeable faith. Less impressed by the priest who trained her for Confirmation. Searched for community and connection through yoga and natural healing. Led her to Ananda,...
Serbian father and Scottish mother. Bilingual, raised in Serbia, holidays in Scotland, where her missionary grandparents took her to church. Outwardly, very shy, but inner relationship with God was her security. Introduced by her fiancee to Master and...
In early teens, dismayed by the increasing worldliness of his friends, felt disillusioned and alone. Father was a Kriyaban, gave him Autobiography of a Yogi. Shifted from native Uruguay to Canada, then to USA to meet Swamiji. Joined community in India,...
Asha concludes the series of Conversations with Millennials with this video, reflecting on the essential and uplifting qualities of of the whole experience, and encouraging everyone of the "next generation" of this work to carry on with deeper...
Parents were disciples, earliest memory of Ananda was the music touching his heart. Fell into teenage lethargy and bad habits, rescued by Autobiography of a Yogi. At 17 moved to Ananda Village; now lives in Ananda Sacramento with wife and 3 children....
A self-declared skeptic, traditional Hindu worship held no appeal. Followed the expected path to marriage and family. Lived with undercurrent of melancholy, never fully faced. Followed friends into a of study of past lives, Reiki, meditation. Skepticism...
Born into these teachings, can’t remember a time when she didn’t know Master. Became a disciple at 13. Traveled with Ananda choir in Italy. Majored in theater in college. Blessed and guided by Swamiji.
Always outdoors, active as a child, first a gymnast, then a dancer. Has a degree in choreography, performed professional, but found her true calling with Ananda.
A Ph.D. and an M.D. does research and clinical work at U.C. Davis, specialising in the effect of medication on health and well-being, the power of compassion in the doctor patient relationship. Feels Master got her through medical school, training her...
Father’s profession took the family to Saudi Arabia, then France. Came to USA in high school. Never felt in tune with peers, dropped out at 17. Brother gave her Autobiography of a Yogi. At 19 moved to Ananda Village.
Raised in a spiritually rich village in South India, naturally devout, loved and prayed to God as naturally as breathing. Trained as an architect, found Autobiography of a Yogi, saw vast, new possibility in his relationship to God. Lives and serves in...
Grew up in Hyderabad, India. Parents followed Satya Sai Baba. From earliest childhood felt close to God. Read Autobiography of a Yogi at age 15, instant recognition of Babaji and Master. Now combines life of a devotee with tech career in Silicon Valley.
Son of an army doctor, followed his father, became a rural surgeon, till the inevitability of death caused him to question everything. Autobiography of a Yogi spoke to his soul. Met Swamiji and felt “This man knows what I want to learn.”
Some years into a successful career in Tokyo, she longed to find a more meaningful life. Went to India on a solar power project, and felt immediately at home there. Switched to non-profit work until she found her true life’s work — serving God through...
Like many other young Indian men, went into computer science, following a career that led to Silicon Valley and a company just a couple of miles from the Ananda Temple. He came for worldly success, but God had another job in mind for him.
Growing up, found solace in using his body dynamically through sports. Explored martial arts, shamanism, and consciousness which eventually led to Master. Now deeply drawn to bringing Master’s into farming, now at Camano Island, soon at Ananda Valley...
Child of first-generation immigrants from Taiwan via Malaysia. Excelled at science and math. Stanford grad, Silicon Valley job but the pressure was too much. Rescued by Ananda through divine intervention.
In this conversation, Asha talks with Dhyan about life before finding the path, how finding spirituality was perhaps literally the difference between life and death, and how music can play a transformative role in changing our consciousness.
Youngest of 30 cousins, felt he had arrived late to the party, couldn’t relate to what others thought was important. In Catholic high school learned meditation from his football coach-priest. Now helps lead Internship Program at Ananda Village...
Early childhood included much solitude in Arizona desert. In high school, disenchanted with mainstream life, became “neo-hippie.” That ended when father gave him Autobiography of a Yogi. Met Swamiji who welcomed him as an old friend.
Growing up in Spain often said to God (or whoever), that there had been some mistake, why am I here? Planned to be an astronaut, studied engineering, but yoga proved the true path to happiness.
Grew up surrounded by pictures of Master, attending her f father's meditation center in Argentina. Watershed moment: meeting Swamiji in 2010.
He aspired to a life in the military for a life of sacrifice and service, but a complete change of direction lead to New Zealand, then New York city, for surfing, music, and film making, before finding Yogananda.
Grew up a tomboy, loved climbing trees, part of a Christian youth group until the dogma was too much to accept. Studied philosophy but lost interest in studying truth, wanted to know Truth itself. Called to the high Sierras, then called down from the...
Found yoga at age seventeen. Embraced meditation immediately. Saw the possibility in spiritual life of ending suffering and finding happiness.
Grew up in St. Louis but spent all his holidays with his extended family in the Ozarks. Thrived in the world of nature. Followed conventional into the world of finance, till Master intervened.
Badri Matlock found Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi at a young age, and within a few years found himself visiting Ananda Village for the first time. From then on, Ananda has been his spiritual home. From chanting, sadhana, service, to how he and his...
Devout Catholic parents, prayed and read the Bible every morning. First real experience of God, though, came in the wilderness. After that, preferred the forest to the church. A few hard experiences convinced him God Alone is the answer. Works with...
In this conversation, Devalila talks about the hand of God in her life from childhood. Then, turning her back on the spiritual search. And how, through Master's grace and Swamiji's blessing she found her way to Ananda.
In this conversation Asha and Erin discuss finding the path, opening the heart, and how God's hand is always with us even when we are unaware of it.
Painfully aware form a young age of the meaninglessness to him of worldly ambition, Sambhava searched for meaning and purpose for years until Buddhism opened him to the concept of the cessation of suffering, then in finding Master, he discovered the...
Asha talks with Gita Matlock - born and raised in Ananda, but who traversed a successful professional career in non-profit fundraising before finding her way back to living at Ananda Village with her husband and two children. Gita and Asha talk about...
High achieving, highly motivated to excel and succeed, early success led to early disillusionment, heartbreak, and discipleship.
Nayaswami Asha talks with James Noh-Kuhn a second time, discussing what it was like reentering the corporate world as a devotee of a great master. Is it possible to balance work and spirituality in a normal work-place environment? What role did...
In this conversation Asha talks with both James and Vivekadevi about the keys to the success of their decades long marriage, the projects they've done together, communication, serving together, and seeing God in one another.
In this conversation, Kshama and Asha discuss what spiritual benefits may be found in artistic expression. Does art and creativity lead only to greater ego involvement and emotionalism, or can it offer a path to self-integration, transcendence, and...
In this conversation, Asha and Keshava talk about the power of chanting. As Yogananda said, "Chanting is half the battle." Why? What's the battle? Can anyone chant and utilize the spiritual power latent within them? Does God care if you have a beautiful...
In this conversation Asha and Vivekadvei talk about what process Vivekadevi went through to find Yogananda. From a disenchanted youth, through being baptized into the Catholic church in her twenties and wanting to become a nun, all the way to being a...
In this episode, Lakshmi and Asha talk about how the millennial generation, being disenchanted with religious dogma, turn to atheism instead. Can we learn to truly surrender without a concept and relationship with God, or a higher power? Is the...
In this episode, Asha talks with James Noh-Kuhn - though not officially a millennial, an integral part of the next generation of Ananda. Together they talk about his "great adventure" of finding God and Guru as expressed by this path of Self...
In this conversation, Asha and Tandava explore what it means to be a disciple. What does it mean to have the Guru as a Divine Friend? Do all souls yearn for a close romantic relationship? How does being a monk and renunciate fit into discipleship?
Asha and Vivekadevi talk about her journey into being an Ananda Yoga teacher, and Ananda Yoga Teacher Trainer, and how yoga asanas have provided for her a vivid and tangible experience of the vibration of Yogananda and Raja Yoga. Vivekadevi shares some...
Brahmachari Tandava talks about his love of poetry and how it has helped him along the spiritual path.
In their second chat together, Asha and Lakshmi discuss the necessity of developing perseverance in order to achieve lasting success in life. Does the millennial generation lack grit, or is flexibility to change it's greatest attribute?
Asha speaks with Saiganesh about his experience working in the corporate world as a devotee of Paramhansa Yogananda.
Keshava and Asha talk again, this time about his lifelong fascination with yogic astrology and his road to becoming a practicing astrologer. What lessons do the planets have to offer us? Do they paint a road map for our souls to retrace their footsteps...
Kshama talks about her service as a teacher in the K-8 Living Widsome School and then as director of the Living Wisdom High School.
Kshama, raised among yogis in America and Italy; how did spirituality bridge the gap from being her parent's religion to her own individual experience of truth?
In her second discussion with Tandava, they talk about the effects of storytelling on our consciousness. From novels to television and film, what are the myths of today's world, and what are they telling us? They discuss Swami Kriyananda's criteria for...
Asha interviews Kshama Kellogg, director of Ananda Living Wisdom High School in Palo Alto, Lightbearer, and long time devotee of Yogananda. Together they talk about education, growing up within Ananda, living abroad, and what the goal of education is...
Saiganesh shares his journey, as a musician and singer, in both the indian classical world to working with Swami Kriyanada's music when he found Ananda.
In her second interview with Keshava, they discuss what lessons he learned during his time as an actor. How does acting, listening, and practicing vulnerability translate to the spiritual path? Keshava also shares Swami Kriyananda's advice to the...
In this episode, Asha talks with Lakshmi LaPine about what it was like growing up in southern California playing water polo. What spiritual lessons did she learn in that endeavor, and what did she learn about herself? Lakshmi also shares about her early...
Asha chats with Tandava, a monk and devotee who found his way to Ananda through a deeply transforming experience with Swami Kriyananda. Together, they talk about his time at Stanford University, working for Google, the pursuit of lasting meaning and...
In this episode, Asha chats with Saiganesh Sairaman about his experience growing up in a traditional Brahmin family in India before moving to the United States to pursue a career in Silicon Valley in the tech industry. What was it like, balancing an...
In this conversation, Asha talks with Keshava Betts who was born and raised in Ananda Village, pursued a career in acting and now serves in the Ananda Sangha. They discuss what it was like growing up in a spiritual community, in this digital age and how...