Kriya Yoga
Early picture of Yoganandaji in America
I just came across a Yoganandaji disciple I had never heard of before - Shelly Trimmer - in a 2017 book by Ray Grasse called "An Infinity of Gods."
I found the book to be very enjoyable and recommend reading it for folks with an open mind. There's a second book also, although I found the first to be more impactful.
It has been years since I last came across any new perspectives around Kriya Yoga and Yoganandaji that were not simply re-workings of older materials.
It was great to find those stories and more around the diversity of teachers that Yoganandaji collaborated with and encouraged in his lifetime.
Shelly wasn't a well known teacher by any means. He was a householder and avoided opening any type of big school.
He unsurprisingly advocates meditation and affiliation with whichever kriya yoga group you feel affinity with (or don't) at this time and place in your life.
I got a kick out of seeing some of the wider-scoped discussions that are not typically covered in group sessions. Yoganadaji himself had to be very careful of what he said, being followed by British agents and religious zealots looking to tear him down.
Reading those more unusual tidbits was like eating at a chef's restaurant with a lot of personality and a few rough edges rather than a national chain where everything is well done at scale but can sometimes feel cold and corporate in striving to offend no one.
I just came across a Yoganandaji disciple I had never heard of before - Shelly Trimmer - in a 2017 book by Ray Grasse called "An Infinity of Gods."
I found the book to be very enjoyable and recommend reading it for folks with an open mind. There's a second book also, although I found the first to be more impactful.
It has been years since I last came across any new perspectives around Kriya Yoga and Yoganandaji that were not simply re-workings of older materials.
It was great to find those stories and more around the diversity of teachers that Yoganandaji collaborated with and encouraged in his lifetime.
Shelly wasn't a well known teacher by any means. He was a householder and avoided opening any type of big school.
He unsurprisingly advocates meditation and affiliation with whichever kriya yoga group you feel affinity with (or don't) at this time and place in your life.
I got a kick out of seeing some of the wider-scoped discussions that are not typically covered in group sessions. Yoganadaji himself had to be very careful of what he said, being followed by British agents and religious zealots looking to tear him down.
Reading those more unusual tidbits was like eating at a chef's restaurant with a lot of personality and a few rough edges rather than a national chain where everything is well done at scale but can sometimes feel cold and corporate in striving to offend no one.