Lessons at the Feet of a Saint
Lessons, Stories, and Experiences with Swami Kriyananda

by David & Anaya Gamow

About this book
What is it like to receive training from a gifted spiritual teacher? Like the greatest teachers and coaches, Swamiji guided people individually, according to their natures. He was often indirect and gentle with people. Sometimes he waited years to correct someone, and did so with such subtlety that they might not even notice. Sometimes he was very direct. His students marveled at the sensitivity of his training. On many occasions, he answered someone's unspoken thoughts. We never met anyone who understood people as deeply.

Many people know Swamiji from his extraordinary collection of talks available online and from his extensive writings.

This new book is a contribution to the growing collection of books by his students about what it was like to receive his training and serve on his projects. He devoted his life to sharing Paramhansa Yogananda's teachings with the world. Those who worked with him were part of that enormous wave of energy, for our benefit and for the benefit of countless others.

This collection of stories is offered to help make his presence more real and accessible. Swami's presence is kept alive through stories like these — each one a gem with many facets. May there be many that shine as brightly along your spiritual journey, as they have for us.

About the authors:
Anaya worked on many of Swamiji’s projects over a period of 30 years, including Ananda’s publishing company, his public lectures, music promotion and performance, outreach ministry, and Ananda marketing. She and David were present for many public talks, satsangs, and meetings with Swamiji. She played key roles in Village community planning, and with The Expanding Light and Meditation Retreat. She supported Asha's outreach work in her early years touring. Since 1996, she has done marketing, website development, and directed music at Ananda Palo Alto. She recently published the Ananda Songbook with a small team.

David has been involved in managing many businesses at Ananda, including Master's Market, Ananda Country Products, the Meditation Retreat, and East West Bookshop. He helped to manifest Rajarsi Park, the Sierra Family Medical Clinic, and the Meditation Retreat Temple, and worked with Vidura and the management team.

David and Anaya were part of the Joy Singers group that Swamiji sent on tour throughout Italy in the early 2000s, and both have been active with Swamiji's music since they arrived at Ananda in 1983.

Since 1996, they have been based at Ananda Palo Alto, and have provided stress management, meditation, and leadership training to corporations and government agencies, based on the teachings they received at Ananda.