J. Donald Walters
Kriyananda Born J. Donald Walters (James Donald Walters) (1926-05-19)May 19, 1926 Teleajen, Romania Died April 21, 2013(2013-04-21) (aged 86) Assisi, Italy Guru Paramahansa Yogananda Philosophy Kriya Yoga Kriyananda (born James Donald Walters; May 19, 1926 – April 21, 2013), was a direct disciple of the yogi Paramahansa Yogananda and was the founder of Ananda, a worldwide movement of spiritual intentional communities based on Yogananda's World Brotherhood Colonies ideal. Yogananda made Walters a minister for his organization, the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF). He authorized him to teach Kriya Yoga, and appointed him the SRF head monk for Mount Washington monks.[third-party source needed] After Yogananda's death, Walters was given final vows of sannyas in 1955 by then SRF President Daya Mata and given the name Kriyananda. In 1960 the SRF Board of Directors elected Kriyananda to the Board of Directors and to the position of Vice President, upon the passing of M.W. Lewis. In 1962, the SRF Board of Directors voted unanimously to request his resignation Kriyananda is the author of about 150 published books and the composer of over 400 pieces of music which altogether have sold over three million copies. Some of the books have been published in 28 languages and some are sold in 90 countries.[third-party source needed] He has lectured in different countries throughout the world. In addition to English, he spoke Italian, Romanian, Greek, French, Spanish, German, Hindi, Bengali, and Indonesian. He established a new Swami order in 2009, the Nayaswami Order.