Tyagi Ram Smith and Denise Ruelas are newly married residents of Ananda Village in Nevada City, California and are both long-time Kriyabans. 

 

Ram is an ordained Lightbearer Minister of Ananda Sangha/Church of Self-Realization since 1981 and Denise supports him musically in doing a variety of Ananda events, including kirtans, concerts, pilgrimages, Sunday Services and retreats.

 

Ram and Denise have a unique spiritual ministry together as they are both Ananda Yoga and Meditation instructors, as well as professional musicians and singers.

 

Ram and Denise have recorded two musical albums in 2023: “What Is Love? — Songs of Swami Kriyananda” and “Channels of Peace-The Spirit of St Francis of Assisi”.

 

Finally, Ram has studied, practiced, and taught Paramhansa Yogananda’s teachings, under the guidance of the late Swami Kriyananda, since 1977 and was a founding member of Ananda Assisi, where he lived in Italy for 7 years and met Pope John Paul II at the Vatican March 1989.