Along State Road 444, which connects Assisi to Gualdo Tadino, suddenly you may encounter, between the two scriminature of hills and olive groves, with a presence something of a bright and big smiles: you’ve arrived at Ananda The spiritual community founded 30 years ago by Swami Kriyananda (nee Donald Walters), following the experience started in ’68 in California, on the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, author of Autobiography of a Yogi (Ananda editions) , who was responsible for the arrival of yoga in the West since 1920.
But if the founders of the community came here with the baggage of pages of freedom and return to nature which were written in the 70s, the novelty is that Today a new generation of young people and children choose the same path.
The German brothers Ruby and Benno, 23 and 19 years (photo Sara Magni)
They are the children of the flower children, or kids who have seen in years go crisis in the value system of the fathers and not think that it means to start pick up the pieces. Some we met them at Ananda, and we followed them long hours a day.
Dawn the alarm gives you the spectacle of the sun ignites the air around the hills and draws the shapes of the trees. From the houses of the community approach silent steps.
Among them are Benno and Ruby, 19 and 23 years, faces clean and eyes the color of the sky, arrived from northern Germany. beckoning us who can not speak and show the road leading to the temple where you do yoga and meditation. The sign at the entrance reads: “To the seekers of truth of all religions.” At breakfast – fresh fruit, jams and homemade bread – say they know the community as children. He has yet to finish his studies in Germany. She is a nutritionist, has clear ideas: “ Here are my greatest friends ” he says. In his future, he has no plans of money and success: “I hope to find harmony with the whole, to help others and to give my contribution to the world.” Then takes us by friends in new Academy of art and awareness, created by Dana Andersen alongside the community.
The forest behind the temple where they were planted some tents for those who prefer to stay in direct contact with nature (photos Sara Magni)
“Hi “welcomes us Rachel, his daughter, 27, was born in California, grew up in the American home of Ananda, formed in normal universities, finally arrived in Italy. “I was too different from my peers,” she explains. “ I met a happy world and there was so much confusion , anxiety and fear. He could not meditate. ” Now in Umbria is the filmmaker.
They smile while she also tells Alexandra, 34, French, and Calypso, 24, Greek. “I tried in every way” begins Alexandra. “But in Lorraine, where I lived with my parents, I realized that was not for me the way common: a recreation, when my companions had the snacks, I pulled out bread and tomatoes.” He pauses a moment and opens his blue eyes, “I have changed I do not know how many schools, tried not know how many cities and different situations, also in India, in Russia, in Australia. Now I’m here, but I would like to open a community in my South of France. ” And Calypso, in turn, said: “As the world around me not fed me, I stopped eating and became anorexic. I healed through spiritual path combined art: I was in London when I heard of the Academy. Now step here several months a year, for sure I will live in a community in the future. ” The thing that impresses most is the great trust and confidence in the life that in itself feels today.
> Egor and Alessandra, Russians, respectively 34 and 24 years (photo Sara Magni)
In the fields around Ananda, Egor and Alessandra, Russian , 32 and 24 years, wet the plants that feed the community. He is a graphic designer in Moscow, “But I have a contract for a few months a year, to be free,” she yoga teacher. While we accompany in the kitchen with a box of vegetables, confesses that he already knew of 12 years want to make a spiritual journey and that the other life does not give happiness . And so it was more or less even for Arudra. “I’ve lived here for almost five years, I came to Zagreb to 19: after a year of music school, I had the certainty of wanting to seek God” tells us during lunch, where the products of the earth have become delicacies colored.
In the afternoon we meet also the Italian group, Andrea, 22, who lives with his family near here, he is the cook in Assisi, but just can attend Ananda. “When I was in school, almost ashamed to have a parallel life than my peers: are now a magnet for them . They worry about the crisis, I call transformation and it works. I say that our path is in everything, especially in difficulty, but if you see it, you call it growth opportunities. I recognize that this is my way from the joy I feel doing it, “he adds. “We are so many in our generation, all over the world, and we are connected through the Internet: we also do meditation stream .
The grandchildren of the flowers are more technological than their fathers.” Meanwhile, there’s new silent steps, the road is still the one that leads to the evening meditation in the temple, in the hills the sun is again a feast of red. And it seemed to us just to feel good, so.
An old caravan used as a” house of hens “(photo Sara Magni)
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