Swami Kriyananda
A Life of Inspired Discipleship
Friend, Teacher, Direct Disciple
Swami Kriyananda (J. Donald Walters) was a direct disciple of the great yoga master, Paramhansa Yogananda. He first met Yogananda in 1948 and dedicated the next 65 years of his life to tirelessly sharing his guru’s teachings with the world.
He was an internationally known author, lecturer, and composer, widely recognized as one of the world’s foremost authorities on meditation and yoga. At Yogananda’s request, he devoted his life to lecturing and writing, helping others to experience the living presence of God within.
His work was a direct fulfillment of Yogananda’s vision for “World Brotherhood Colonies.” In 1968, he founded Ananda, a global movement of spiritual communities, centres, and meditation groups, all based on Yogananda’s teachings of simple living and high thinking.
The secret of success is seeing your work primarily as a service to others, and not as a means of personal gain — Swami Kriyananda
A Legacy of Joy and Wisdom
Author & Writer
Swami Kriyananda wrote over 150 books, including insightful commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita and the Bible. His works, such as The New Path (his autobiography), make the spiritual path practical and accessible to all.
Prolific Composer
He composed over 400 pieces of uplifting spiritual music, which are widely used in almost all Ananda events. He often said, “If you want to know me, listen to my music”
Global Teacher
For over six decades, he taught on four continents, initiated thousands into Kriya Yoga, and founded the Ananda communities to provide supportive environments for spiritual seekers.
A Friend Of All
Those who knew Swami Kriyananda often described him as a man of extraordinary, childlike joy, tireless creativity, and unwavering loyalty to his Guru. He was truly a “friend of all” for his unique ability to attune to each person individually, offering the precise wisdom or encouragement they needed.
Nayaswami Devi says: As I listened to Swami Kriyananda impart the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, a new understanding of life started to unfold within me. It was as though a door opened in my consciousness, and I began to realise how much there was to learn about myself, about the nature of reality, about the true purpose of life.