A Series of Serendipitous Events....or....
Finding a College That Embraces My Dreams

By Tess (Yogamaya) Tatol

Last spring I knew nothing about Ananda College of Living Wisdom. I was finishing my first year at my local community college and was just beginning my spiritual path. I was taking weekly classes on Ayurveda at a school lead by my guru. While I had plans to continue at the community college, my soul was yearning to go deep into the wealth of knowledge that I was just beginning to touch on when studying Ayurveda. I wanted to know about the Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita -- I craved to immerse myself in ancient wisdom. I knew there was no way other than to continue in the direction I was moving. I had already left high school early seeking education that catered to my interest and intellect. That was hard enough on my parents, dropping out and moving to India would surely push them over the edge!

I was reading an issue of Ode Magazine one day during the summer and was drawn to an article regarding “Educating for Change” which listed many different schools that were geared to embrace the changes that we face in today’s world. By pure grace, while skimming over the article, I spotted a quick sentence about Ananda College. It was a school nestled in the Sierra Nevada foothills that focused on yoga philosophy and sustainable living, and to top it off they were offering Associates and Bachelors Degrees. It was unreal, I couldn’t imagine anything more perfect! Through a series of serendipitous events, I was accepted to the school and had support from my guru and my parents backing me up.

I was elated to move up to the mountains, off the grid, and simplify my things to accommodate my modest dorm room. I was already becoming more yogic! But, even before classes started, it became apparent that I was one of only a few people who were not devotees of Yogananda. I grew a bit scared, this path appeared to be very different than mine. I had never spoke of God much before, I understood Brahman, but to me the word God still meant an enormous judgmental man in the sky. I knew that these people welcomed “saints and sages of all religions,” but I still felt like an outsider. I wondered if my path was not as good as that of the people around me, my scared ego sure seemed to think so!

Then in the first week of classes we sang the song “Oh God Beautiful” before studying the Bhagavad Gita, and it hit me. “To the serviceful, thou art service. To the lover, thou art love. To the sorrowful, thou art sympathy. To the yogi, thou art bliss.” The God that was being spoken of was the all pervading spirit that I bowed to. I instantly felt at ease. As the weeks went on I continued to see that I was not so different from those I was living with, perhaps their prayers and chants sounded different to my ears, but God received them in the same loving way. As I got to know the individuals here better, I found that they each had a different relationship with Yogananda from each other, I was not the only one who was different.

Now it is the end of the school year, and I see how much I have grown. I have spent much time learning about the great wisdom that led me here, plus much more. My entire outlook is different, I could not have imagined how much closer I have gotten to myself. Ananda College is a place which embraces the students’ dreams and goals. The teachers, with great divine guidance, look at us for who we are and push us to see who we can be. I am so extremely grateful for the family I have here: to be greeted with everyone’s friendly, loving eyes each morning is a constant reminder that wherever I am going, it is in the right direction.

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