Episode 7 - Swami Sankalpananda Giri

In this deeply heartfelt episode, we sit in sacred conversation with Swami Sankalpananda, reflecting on her journey from a quiet childhood in Hungary to a life devoted to God, Guru, and selfless service. Swamiji shares tender memories of her early spiritual stirrings, the teachers and texts that guided her, her first encounters with Kriya Yoga and the ashram life, and the profound surrender that led her to monastic vows. Woven throughout is a gentle teaching on balance—between meditation and seva, creativity and discipline, inner joy and outer service—offering listeners inspiration, reassurance, and a living example of walking one’s dharmic path with determination, humility, and love.

✨ Full show notes and transcripts are available at: womensministryofkriya.org/episode-7

✨ About Our Guest:
Swami Sankalpananda Giri was born in Hungary. A spiritual seeker from a young age, she eventually found the path of Kriya Yoga and was initiated in April 2004 in Hungary. Soon after, in June 2004, she met her Master, Shri Guruji Paramahamsa Prajnananandaji, at the Tattendorf Ashram in Austria. Guided by her sincere aspiration for monastic life, she joined the Tattendorf Ashram in February 2005 and later participated in the 3rd Brahmachari Training Course from December 2005 until May 2006 in Balighai, India. Afterwards, she continued to reside at the Tattendorf Ashram, deepening her sadhana while engaging in seva. In 2016, she was ordained as a monk in the Giri monastic order by her Master, who gave her the name Sankalpananda, meaning “the bliss of strong determination.”

🙏 About the Podcast:
Welcome to the Women of Kriya Yoga: Living in Joy Podcast — a gathering place for women walking the spiritual path. Here, we share stories, teachings, and reflections rooted in the timeless practices of Kriya Yoga. These conversations are an offering from the Women’s Ministry of Kriya Yoga International, inviting you to rest in stillness, awaken your inner light, and connect with a community of women to support one another in living in joy.

This podcast is brought to you by the Women’s Ministry of Kriya Yoga International. You can learn more about the ministry at our website, https://womensministryofkriya.org.

🙏 About Kriya Yoga:
Kriya Yoga is a powerful meditation practice that awakens constant communion with the Divine through the science of the breath. Handed down from teacher to student in an unbroken lineage of enlightened masters, it transforms body, mind, and heart—helping us be calmly active and actively calm. Today this living tradition welcomes seekers everywhere through the guidance of Paramahamsa Prajnanananda, the principal disciple of the great master Paramahamsa Hariharananda. To learn more about Kriya Yoga, please visit kriya.org.

🔗 Learn more:
Women’s Ministry: womensministryofkriya.org
Kriya Yoga International: kriya.org