It has been a very full and dynamic time at Ananda New Zealand. With so many projects underway, there is a palpable sense of momentum and expansion. Although Ananda NZ has existed for over a decade, it feels – quite honestly – like we are launching for the very first time.
Until recently, much of our work felt like a baby growing quietly in the womb. Now, it feels as though something has truly been born into the world. With that birth comes energy, responsibility, and the joyful intensity of nurturing a new life.
So many things are reaching fruition all at once: a redesigned website, a new governance structure, fresh email platforms, a lively social media presence, regular outreach programmes, and the ongoing learning curve of marketing campaigns. Alongside this, our community gathers regularly for inspiration, while those helping to guide our mission look for ways to make this work sustainable for the long term
Early starts and late finishes have, for a while, become the norm. What has made all of this not only possible, but deeply fulfilling, is a shift in consciousness. Rather than trying to “manage” the busyness, the invitation has been to meet it spiritually. A few guiding attitudes have made all the difference.
1. Seeing God as the Doer
The less there is a feeling of being the “doer,” the more that can be accomplished. Swami Kriyananda often said that the more one can feel that God is doing the work through them, the more they can actually do. When the sense of personal strain drops away, energy flows more freely and effort feels lighter—even when the workload is full.
2. Letting Go of the Desire for Results
Some things flow beautifully. Other times, despite our best intentions, things don’t work out as planned. Wisdom from the Bhagavad Gita has been a saviour: Nishkama Karma—to act without attachment to the fruits of action.
Staying focused on “right effort,” rather than outcomes, dissolves anxiety. When results are placed in God’s hands, the heart remains free.
3. Seeing Work as Service
Swami Kriyananda tells a story of a nun whom his Guru, Paramhansa Yogananda, once advised not to work so hard—yet he continued to give her more and more responsibilities. Eventually, something shifted. She stopped seeing her tasks as “work” and began seeing them as service.
From that moment on, everything changed. The same actions, approached with a different attitude, no longer felt heavy. Service uplifted where work had once burdened.
4. Not Counting the Hours
When attention is fixed on the clock—on how long something is taking or how much time we have given—the energy contracts. It is far more expansive to focus simply on the action itself. When awareness is absorbed in doing what is needed, time seems to take care of itself.
5. Not Limiting Our Offering
While we must be mindful of our well-being, service shouldn’t become rigid or transactional. When we stop “keeping score” and instead offer ourselves with flexibility and joy, service feels lighter and more natural. By focusing on what is needed in the moment rather than our own perceived limits, our energy often replenishes rather than drains. Trusting that God supports sincere effort allows us to give wholeheartedly without feeling depleted.
6. Becoming an Instrument
Ultimately, the call is to act in this world as instruments of the Divine—as clear channels through which God’s will can flow. The less “I” there is in the action, the clearer the channel becomes.
St. Teresa of Calcutta expressed this beautifully when she said she saw herself as a “pencil in God’s hand.” A pencil doesn’t do the writing; it simply allows itself to be used.
In this period of new beginnings at Ananda New Zealand, this simple truth has carried us through some intense periods. When we remember who the real Doer is, even the busiest days are infused with joy.
About the Author
Kavita is the Centre Leader for Ananda New Zealand. She is dedicated to sharing the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda and Swami Kriyananda. She focuses on helping others find the “joy within” through meditation, community, and the practice of selfless service.