The Songs of Gurani Anjali
Gurani Anjali was an inspired song writer and composer. During her prolific life, she wrote and composed scores of songs, drawing inspiration from her insights into American life as seen through the prism of Yoga. Her songs touch on the very heart of Yogic realization and embodiment. Some are couched in warm devotion to the sacred vision of life; some praising the joy found in our various circumstances; and some heralding the poignant, paradoxical and sometimes stark truths to be discovered in everyday living.
The melodic tapestry of her songs speak of her deep roots in the Indic musical traditions as well as a freshness inspired by her eclectic education and appreciation for multi-cultural expressions and honoring of the divine nature of life. She often spoke of the importance of singing to open the heart and “express the inexpressible.”
Many of her songs were regularly sung as part of her student’s yoga training; often as a prelude to meditation. They served not only to redirect and purify the habitual thoughts of the past, to which our human nature is prone to clinging, but to lead the aspirant into a deeper understanding of the various aspects of the Yoga path through the most basic of principles…practice. Gurani Anjali On Singing
“Gurani Anjali, master of the yoga tradition, has brought from the depth of her meditation, reflection, and wisdom, a collection of songs designed for the contemporary practitioner of Yoga. . . . The singing and musical accompaniment suit the songs perfectly and bring the listener into a place of Yoga.”
Book Review: From the Silent Depth Within Me – Songs of Gurani Anjali
-–Prof. Christopher Key Chapple
Audio Samples of Songs by Gurani Anjali
Gurani Anjali included singing in nearly every meditation and event at Yoga Anand Ashram. Below are short song excerpt samples from recordings of a few of the songs composed by Gurani Anjali that were an integral part of the transmission and embodiment of her teachings.
Performed by the members and choir of Yoga Anand Ashram, her inspired songs not only served to direct attention and intention on the Yoga Path, they also in her words, were an impactfully sacred way to “express the inexpressible.”
Audio Excerpts of Meditations by Gurani Anjali
The audio selections below are edited excerpts from among the hundreds of recorded meditation sessions presided over by Gurani Anjali during her tenure in the position of Director of Yoga Anand Ashram in Amityville, New York between 1972 and 2000.
They are included here to share the style and spirit of Gurani Anjali’s impactful teaching methods. As these audio recordings were originally intended for transcription purposes only, your forgiveness for the lack of professional production quality is greatly appreciated.