In this luminous episode of COACHED: Coaching Masters, I sit down with one of my own great teachers, Nayaswami Asha, a senior teacher in the Ananda Sangha worldwide movement and a direct disciple of Swami Kriyananda, in the lineage of Paramhansa Yogananda, author of Autobiography of a Yogi.

We talk about what it really means to live as a soul in human form during “strange times,” why the universe is made of energy, not matter, and how our longing for meaning, joy, and relief from suffering is not a defect, but a compass pointing us back to the truth of who we are.

From her early days as an 18-year-old “truth seeker” in California, to the fateful moment she heard Swami Kriyananda speak at Stanford in 1969, to 16 years living at Ananda Village in simple, communal, spiritually charged conditions, Asha traces how her path unfolded – not as a neat, linear ascent, but as a series of inner recognitions, breakdowns, and choices to align ever more sincerely with love, service, and higher consciousness.

We also dive into the role of the spiritual teacher and guru, the power of lineage and “magnetism” (why real transmission is much more than information), and how to stay grounded and joyful even as the world feels more polarized, fearful, and chaotic.

If you have ever wondered why you are here, why life sometimes feels like a shiny, gilded cage, and how to find a safe place inside yourself that no turbulence can touch – this conversation is for you.

In this episode, we explore:

The early life of a truth seeker
Growing up in an intelligent but non-spiritual, socially conscious family
The paradox of being “basically happy” but burning with questions about suffering and happiness
Discovering Swami Vivekananda’s writings and immediately recognizing a deeper truth
The moment the teacher appears
The “fateful day” at Stanford in 1969 when Nayaswami Asha first heard Swami Kriyananda speak
Why his presence felt like an embodied answer to a question she had carried her whole life
How she knew “he has what I want” and what it means to recognize your teacher
Ananda Village and a new way of life
Moving into a young spiritual community in the 1970s: goat milk, gardens, trailers, no electricity
Living extremely simply, yet feeling overwhelmingly rich in joy and purpose
Becoming Swami Kriyananda’s assistant and hostess, and learning by attunement, not just study
Energy, magnetism, and the real role of a teacher
Why Asha insists that the real transmission is not content, but magnetism
How a true teacher is like an “open window,” letting more of the divine light flow through
Why genuine masters never claim the power as their own and always “pass it up the line”
Self-forgetfulness vs. perfection of the ego
The difference between self-realization and personal-development perfectionism
Why our greatest moments of joy are usually the moments we forget ourselves
How trying to perfect the small self creates anxiety and “gilded cages” of external validation
Karma, reincarnation, and why this wild planet is not a mistake
A clear, grounded explanation of reincarnation as a compassionate, logical design
How our unresolved lessons live in our energy and draw us to the exact right circumstances
Why we “chose this planet” in this time: both to serve and to face our fears
Yes, it really might get worse – and that can be good news
What it means to be in a transition from an age of matter to an age of energy
The rise of super-charged ego and technological power, and the equal rise of light “underground”
How turbulence forces us to seek a real inner safety, and higher levels of happiness
Sincerity as the heart of spiritual practice
Why “sincerity, not perfection” is the real fuel for discipline and devotion
How to know whether you’re truly ready for transformation: what happens when things get hard
The one question to ask in any situation: “What is this activating in me?”
Love as the ultimate purpose
Why we are ultimately here “to learn to love” – and why love is not always “nice”
How perfect love casts out fear and leads to joy
Practical examples of choosing to serve rather than freeze in fear, even on a random flight from Mexico

Mentioned in this episode

Nayaswami Asha – teacher, author, and spiritual director with Ananda Sangha: https://www.instagram.com/innerlifewith_asha/
Paramhansa Yogananda, Autobiography of a Yogi (link: https://www.amazon.com/Autobiography-Reprint-Philosophical-library-First/dp/1565892127/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?adgrpid=188921505000&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.JWkEsunxvQv4ZLblIUyE31QZkPq3-x4S3sNyv4w7K0LsfbUmh6llSE06bn7uptcwET_p3b_FwT9CW0H6w16SG6DF6fTo27KEP_8VQwuqm0c8IEVsuv1b-fIkn4BZmW9xI1J2Qcjx-snQASYFHZAvQeu2QoL2f7zkkm_kn_Z6UyD6o8F4vz-HiZAvRinI73DsHjmtiE-7qJbQFlJZ9d-8QB8sA4XVPuG-eUL9LTyRVO4.TJNbPFXbJlNkwD0M6v2nSUf71mW8wKOyghsEswi_hAw&dib_tag=se&hvadid=779572530853&hvdev=c&hvexpln=0&hvlocphy=9060225&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=6930145912084542343--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=6930145912084542343&hvtargid=kwd-378389948097&hydadcr=22591_13821178_9241&keywords=autobiography+of+a+yogi+amazon&mcid=a50e8358fa48389f8e9700dd28bab775&qid=1764007427&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1)
Asha’s talks on the current world situation: “Yes, It Will Get Worse” (parts 1 & 2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKkKveJ2hLs, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy9XW5nXRvM
GILDED: Break Free From the Cage of Ambition, Perfectionism, and the Relentless Pursuit of More – by Coach Keren Eldad: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=gilded+keren+eldad&adgrpid=189531211907&hvadid=779513894136&hvdev=c&hvexpln=0&hvlocphy=9060225&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=3389580693659355576--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=3389580693659355576&hvtargid=kwd-2388726978615&hydadcr=22537_13730727_8187&mcid=38855ac2f5e03c58b1696bec8b166ac2&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_79tpfm02cc_e

Connect

Listen to more COACHED: Coaching Masters episodes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coached-with-coach-keren/id1467079024
Follow Nayaswami Asha: https://www.ashajoy.org/, https://www.instagram.com/innerlifewith_asha/

Connect with Coach Keren: www.KerenEldad.com, https://www.instagram.com/coachkeren/?hl=en

Coached Show Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed by guests on this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Coach Keren or With Enthusiasm. Nothing shared should be taken as an endorsement of specific advice, teachings, or opinions. This series is intended to showcase a range of teaching styles and business methodologies for educational and informational purposes only.

Mentioned in this episode:

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Coached with Nayaswami Asha: On Love, Karma & Staying Steady in a Chaotic World