Many hands make a miracle; People climbing together. Life on earth is so wonderful When people laugh and dance And struggle as friends, Then all their dreams achieve their ends. –from Many Hands Make a Miracle by Swami Kriyananda In this book Swami Kriyananda, called the Father of the Communities Movement, shares the wisdom gained through many decades of study and practice of the principles that make modern communities thrive. Inspired by his guru, Paramhansa Yogananda, and his ideal of world brotherhood colonies, Kriyananda brought these principles to fruition through persistent effort and inspired leadership.
Make your ideals practical, Yogananda advised, and Kriyananda took those words to heart. During his lifetime, Kriyananda (1926-2013) founded nine spiritual communities in the United States, Europe, and India. His network of Ananda communities has been hailed as the most successful in the world. The Ananda communities were formed on two basic principles– people are more important than things and where there is right action, there is victory. Adherence to these principles is one of the secrets to Ananda’s success. Whether you are interested in communities from a philosophical perspective or from a practical one–and wish to form your own or join with others in doing so–this book will bring you hundreds of helpful insights into the process–how to start a community, how to make it prosper even in difficult times, and how to see it continue into a bright future.