Spiritual practice is about finding joy, says Goswami Kriyananda. “You are by nature bliss-filled,” he states. But to find your bliss, you first need to quiet your mind, which is confused and turbulent. Once you quiet the mind, you can seek out the bliss. “It’s like a gold mine,” says Kriyananda. “You have to dig for it and attune to it by means of meditation, hatha yoga, and self-discipline. All of these are to quiet the essence, to quiet the mind, so that we can see and utilize our wisdom.”
Air date: 12/28/25
In this end of the year talk, Goswami Kriyananda reminds us that “each day is a new beginning. Each new word you speak is a new beginning. Each new contact with each human being is a new beginning.” And the enemy is death, which is forgetfulness. We are immortal, but we tend to sleep through our lives. To awaken, learn what you need to learn, but then go out into the world and help. “And meditate!” Kriyananda adds. “You need to spend time to get wisdom.”
Recording date: 12/29/1985
Air date: 12/21/25
In this talk, Goswami Kriyananda teaches the practice of Santosha, or contentment. “Do that which makes you content in the short run and in the long run,” he says, “and do not do that which makes you malcontent. If one is malcontent, one will be violent.” Santosha brings happiness. “You can find happiness here and now in this moment,” says Kriyananda. “You can have it forever at any time, in any place, under any condition.”
Recording date: December 2005
Air date: 12-14-2025
“In yoga, we have a Dakini called Divine Mother,” says Goswami Kriyananda. “It’s the energy principle. It’s the loyalty principle.” The idea of giving energy, attention, and meditation to Divine Mother is the realization that everything has a moment of birth and everything that has come into the universe comes from the womb of existence. And the secret of life, mystically, is to be able to create in this world a new life, a new existence.
Recording date: 5-11-1986
Goswami Kriyananda lectures about the deeper meanings of the Hindu creation myth, The Churning of the Ocean of Milk. “It’s all, mystically speaking, symbolic psychology,” says Kriyananda. “It has to do with us and our minds.” The body is nothing but a frozen part of our mind, Kriyananda explains. We need to study the ancient and living religions to understand how we got where we are, how we’re going to get out of it, and how to separate the poison from our immortality.
This Hindu creation myth, on a deep level, is symbolic psychology and has to do with us and our minds.
What is this life about? “It is not about what you fear or hope,” says Goswami Kriyananda. It is not about greed, power, sex or love. It is about moksha, liberation, freedom.” And, he adds, the fundamental step in that freedom is that you choose to give others freedom.
What is gratitude? Gratitude means thankfulness for everything that we have received – externally and internally. Be continuously aware of how much you have been given. “The value of establishing an attitude of gratitude,” says Goswami Kriyananda, “is that it has an unbelievable sublime power to transfer your mind’s focus of attention from what you think your life lacks, to the abundance life has already given you.”
“As I always say, beware of all swamis, all rabbis, all priests, all religious people,” says Goswami Kriyananda. “Become a mystic so you don’t miss the boat.” What does that mean? “You are responsible for your life,” says Kriyananda. It’s the living God that is inside you. Don’t let somebody else’s concept of God control your destiny.
Yes, there is karma. “Very definitely,” says Goswami Kriyananda. But he urges us to remember that difficult karma is only a proclivity. “It’s like a bad thought,” Kriyananda states. “It’s there and it pushes you to do something and you say, ‘No, thank you.’ And in a few seconds, it’s all over with. You’re free of that piece of karma.”
“The path of this life seemingly is so difficult for people,” says Goswami Kriyananda. “The difficulty is that they are confused.” We think the power is out there. But you are the power, you are the Shakti, you are the siddhi manifest. The power base is within you, unless you give it up, unless you fall asleep. “The way to tap that power,” says Kriyananda, “is by unselfish love.”
