The Nayaswami Order
In 2009 Swami Kriyananda established a new swami order, different from Yogananda’s lineage in the Giri branch of the Swami Order of Shankara.
He named it The Nayaswami Order, with Naya meaning New, and its purpose was to bring the ancient tradition of renunciation centered on what we give up for God to the emphases on the joy of a life continuously centered on God.
It is a soul-affirming order and is meant for people from all walks of life, married or single, and of every religious affiliation, under the condition that they accept Yogananda as their adi (first or supreme) guru.
The chosen color for the order was blue, a more settled color and pointing towards higher chakras and awareness, in comparison with the traditional orange who Swami Kriyananda found to be too attention-grabbing and more dangerous to the ego.
The book that outlines the principles and philosophy of the Nayaswami Order is awailable online:
A Renunciate Order for the New Age
“I have a soul-tingling feeling that this
new Order is the watershed of a
new era of spirituality on earth —
perhaps difficult to see en masse
during our time, but a clear
demarcation from the perspective of those
in the future.”
—Nayaswami Kriyananda
The Nayaswami Path is a gradual path, it follows the natural transformation of the personality from ego-centered to God-centered, and it cannot be accomplished overnight.
There are four different types of renunicates in the Nayaswami Order:
Nayaswamis
Nayawamis have taken a vow of complete renunciation. They vow to live life for God alone. This includes celibacy whether they are married or single, and they cannot remarry if divorced or widowed, or marry if single. They view their partners as belonging only to God and give up attachment to them in favor of a divine friendship. To remind them of their vow, Nayaswamis wear a particular shade of blue. This vow is only for people who have meditated and been actively on the spiritual path for many years.
Tyagis
Having taken the Tyaga vow, Tyagis strive to see everything as coming from God. They may be married or single, but are encouraged to only take this vow if they are not going to have children or their children are grown, since children need the parents to be attentive to them on a worldly level. Tyagis wear all white or at least a white shirt to indicate their status.
Brahmacharis
The Brahmacharya vow is for single men and women only and includes celibacy. They renounce attachment to all people, places, things, and self-definitions. There is version of this vow that can just be taken for one year so the Brahmachari can decide if he/she, truly feels it is right to stay single and celibate for the remainder of their life. Brahmacharis wear a bright yellow color to show that they have taken this vow.
Pilgrims
The Pilgrim vow is a vow to seek God and to work at releasing attachments and desires. This is the only vow suitable for couples with young children or planning to have children.
