Expanding Light at Ananda Village

Back in 1976, poets Gary Snyder and Allen Ginsburg,

along with renowned Zen master Richard Baker,

joined Guru Paramahamsa Yogananda devotee Swami Kriyananda (birth name: James Donald Walters).

to purchase  land in the Sierra Nevada foothills outside of Nevada City, California.

They incorporated as the Bald Mountain Association. One of their agreements was that each partner would purchase one/sixth, or  24 acres,  of the total 144 acres. However, two of the members backed out at the last minute, leaving the final two 24-acre parcels unpurchased.

Swami Kriyananda purchased those additional parcels, giving him a total of 72 acres, or one half the property.  Though he had intended to build himself a private hermitage, after failing to do so successfully (twice his domes fell apart during construction), he took that as a sign he was supposed to build a retreat center instead of a private abode.

There was strife as a result of his announcement to do this.

One of the core principles the partners had agreed to was that no more than one hermitage, or two people per acre, would inhabit the land. They were creating a model community of folks committed to peace, love, and back to the land values. Small domes, green built cabins, yurts, teepees, and other what nots would be placed about the property  ensuring privacy for each indweller.

 Swami Kriyananda felt strongly that their shared mission should emphasize the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, his guru, who had spoken of his vision for the creation of worldwide communities, which he called Brotherhood Communities.  These communities would be dedicated to Oneness and the serving of society.

Kriyananda wanted to bring this vision to life on their shared land. This Included, in his vision,  building a yoga/meditation center plus a temple, as well as housing for retreatants. He felt this kept to their core values.

Not everyone agreed with him.

So, he set down and wrote Cooperative Communities: How to Start Them and Why,    in two weeks,  now considered the handbook of the movement.

He used this as a way to explain Yogananda’s ideas in simple language, as a template for others so inclined.

Because of  this book, Kriyananda is today believed by most within the cooperative community movement to be the “godfather” of community living in the United States.

In fact, when we were researching models prior to creation of our own River Haven in 2020, his book was one of those we studied.

By 1973,  Gary Snyder and Kriyananda were the only original buyers remaining on what had become known by then as the Ananda Retreat Center.

Interest had exploded and many people,

including families with small children, moved onto the land, eager for communal living as an alternative to conspicuous consumption.

In an attempt to deal with the tensions brought about by this rapid expansion, Kriyananda (with the help of donations by friends–including a loan from the SEVA Foundation) purchased an abandoned farm six miles away.

At 235 acres of meadowland and forest, this property, though a true fixer, was beautiful. It was also the perfect place to move the Ananda community which had begun to spill across the retreat center land.

Thus, Ananda Village was born (though still called Ananda Farm at that time).

The original Retreat Center remains on the original partnership land, now a specialized silent meditation and training center    rather than a communal farm.

Soon, 500 more acres abutting the new purchase were acquired,

expanding the Farm into a 700-acre true Village, with construction of a new

retreat center,

                                 The Expanding Light Retreat,

dedicated to Kriya Yoga and meditation,

centered along the western hills of the property.

This is where I spent my week at Ananda Village.

Well, actually, I spent my nights in Pearl, my trailer, down at the bottom of the hill leading up to the center.

The land, all 700 acres, is gorgeous  .

 

About 200 people now live at Ananda full time.

The Village has its own school,

providing a comprehensive education including incorporation of the principles of Self Realization taught by Yogananda,

 its own market,

post office, heath clinic, and a large, central commons with meadow, lake, and picnic area. 

Housing is spread throughout the land, most of it discreetly tucked away in an environmentally sensitive fashion.

Some people have their own homes, which they paid to have built but which they do not own; the Church does (though I was told if they choose to leave the village they can sell their interest, recoup their initial investment).

Others rent. The rental housing ranges from individual tiny homes to apartment like shared structures. There is a waiting list for the private units.

Residents must be active members of the Church and everyone pays monthly dues, in addition to their own utilities and/or taxes.  Some people work at jobs in the Village, others work at jobs off site. Some are self-employed. Some are retired.

 In fact, the majority of the current residents are long timers, having lived there 25-40 plus years. This puts a strain on the excellent health care system they’ve created. In response, the community recently voted that no one older than 60 would be eligible for new permanent Village residence. Seekers will continue to be welcome to participate in all of the activities, but an effort is being made to attract younger residents. 700 acres is a lot of land to maintain.

I had been told before I arrived that Ananda Village is a cult. I was warned “to be careful.”

But no one attempted to recruit me into the teachings, though as a retreatant I was welcome to attend daily workshops and the weekly church services.

Which I did. The Temple of Light,

                       where Sunday services are held.

   Inside the Temple

 

I also met with my personal retreat Coach, Mirabai, who was more like a lifestyle coach and counselor.

One with a strong commitment to living a life devoted to God. But not fanatic about it. Just sincere.  Mirabai gave me a workbook on Self Care and Living in Joy, which she created.  It is quite good.

Mirabai is a disciple. Not of a dogmatic religion, mind you, but one where God is presented through the teachings of Yogananda as being within all of us.

Teachings I found to be deep, accessible, highly inclusive. Teachings which recognize the many faces of the Divine Feminine, something often lacking in traditional religions.

And which respects the underlying unity between all religions,  based upon the common goal of realizing God.

Probably why Yogananda’s teachings have attracted people like George Harrison, Steve Jobs, Giselle Bundchen, Jennifer Aniston, and Ravi Shankar. Mahatma Gandhi, a disciple, received his initiation in Kriya Yoga from Yogananda himself.

Everyone I met was kind. Helpful.

All of the meals are prepared by a combination of paid kitchen staff and Karma Yoga volunteers. The food is delicious, too.

Vegetarian with a strong vegan bent.  Clean eating.  We sang a song of praise and thanks before each meal, but it felt sincere, not rote. Oh, the morning meal is eaten in silence, which is maintained until 9:00 am. I liked that.

A morning yoga class is offered before breakfast each day.

An afternoon meditation class is offered before dinner.

The rest of the time you are free to walk anywhere on the property you want, except through people’s private home yards.

There are numerous temples across the acreage,

each one dedicated to a different spiritual master.

You are free to enter and meditate or pray inside at any time, day or night.

   I visited several.

My favorite turned out to be an outdoor place called the Pavilion of Gratitude on Lotus Lake.

I found myself alone there each morning because most people choose the inside temples for their prayers and meditation.

I preferred sitting in the open-air pavilion, surrounded by trees, overlooking the peaceful lake with its floating lotus flowers,

bull frogs croaking, doves cooing in the trees, robins trilling the day into action.

Each morning after breakfast I hiked through the woods to get to this spot where I inevitably lost track of time, it was so peaceful.

After lunch, I chose to spend half my free time reading from the extensive library.

I selected books on God, spiritual practices, a comparison of the teachings of Jesus with the ancient teachings of the Vedas. I even devoured a gorgeous illustrated manuscript of the Bhagavad Gita with a forward by, of all people, Donovan.

By the end of my week, I felt different. Calmer. At peace. More willing to invite God essence into my life in a conscious way.

Of course, when one spends one’s time in an environment designed to be beautiful, then nurtured to stay that way, surrounded by people actively engaged in letting go of Ego, joining together in meditation, singing, the Choir is good

chanting, praying, committing to activities which uplift, learning to love unconditionally, one tends to function on a higher vibratory plane.

It is easier to feel peace and the joy within the Divine in such an atmosphere.

There’s some food for thought.

And this, the Pilgrim’s Vow,

I found hung on the wall in the dining room.

Perfect.