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Swami Atma Ananda – My Spiritual Namesake
by Atma Ananda

Some months ago I brought my student to Made Warnava – the local priest and healer, also teaching Yoga in Taksu Spa next to my home. We had long conversation on spirituality since studding my self-being strategy he was interested in original Balinese culture as well. Finally, Made Warnava got inspired to introduce us to his own Guru in a small ashram among rice field. Well, we were ready to walk in beautiful nature about one kilometer looking for his Guru. We met him standing on the way – and his first words became 'All is God!' instead of usual 'hello'. My student was quite impressed by such merging to spirituality during daily life, and Guru brought us to his simple ashram consisted of two sheds and tower.

The tower was the most remarkable part of whole construction. It was made especially for meditation above ground, and had one cheer on the top and some mandalas and portraits of saints. The image of Babaji was in the center since the main teaching of Swami Atma Ananda was going through Kriya-Yoga tradition according to Paramahamsa Yogananda line. The understanding was easy for me, since I got some initiations in Kriya-Yoga when I lived and worked in India few years ago. But for my student everything was new and mystical in their manners and circumstances. He even did not read the bestseller 'Autobiography of Yogi' which made the tradition well-known worldwide. That is why the discussion produced many questions and we were sitting altogether until darkness…

At the end of meeting Swami Atma Ananda decided to give us his blessings and some practical advices for meditation. He took some fragrant balsam and rubbed on head and body with some other manipulations. He looked very happy spreading his teaching to new visitors while we saw big book which was full of names and gratitude left by previous guests. Then we did practical movements and stayed in total silence for a while. The effect was peaceful state which we kept for a long time after leaving. Really, it was time to go because it was already dark but we should walk in rice field without light except of weak illumination from mobile phones. Anyway, my student walked so fast that we really run after him being afraid to fall into trench. The way back to Ubud took another half-hour by taxi.

Of course, there is difference between traditional Balinese religion based on ceremonies and Kriya-Yoga teaching from India. They have common background in Hindu culture while both theoretical and practical approaches are very specific. It is really interesting that some Balinese priests come to level of pure meditation even by the way of reducing their healing activity. I would call this situation an exclusion from ordinary Balinese experiences which accentuate more energy than consciousness. The understanding of pure spirituality is quite rear for Balinese priests, and Swami Atma Ananda plays vary important role spreading higher knowledge in Bali which is common for Indians. I appreciate his efforts and wish him success in his educational mission in future and even forever.