One morning during meditation, Jankidevi Steinmetz, longtime member of Ananda, received a strong message to build a sanctuary in nature where people could come to pray. Initially, she ignored the thought. However, a few days later, the impulse returned even more strongly, and she clearly envisioned a larger-than-life statue of Yogananda surrounded by beautiful gardens. Artist Gary Roller, known for creating other saintly statues, was commissioned to design and build the statue. Originally built for the Ananda Center at Laurelwood, it was moved to Ananda Village in 2020. With arms upraised in blessing, Yogananda’s statue sends the liberating light of truth to all who will receive it.
