Swami Atmavidyananda

Swami Atmavidyananda was born Arvind Joshi to a traditional Brahmin family in 1971, in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. At an early age, the spiritual environment and guidance of his parents nurtured in him a real quest for God.

Upon completion of a degree in mechanical engineering, he met Paramahamsa Hariharananda and, with his blessings, was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 1994, at Rourkela Ashram in India. Along with his professional responsibilities, after completing the first Residential Brahmachari Training Course organized under the auspices of Paramahamsa Prajnanananda, having studied Sanskrit and scriptures, he dedicated his life to his spiritual practice and quest for God as a resident at Hariharananda Gurukulam.

He was ordained as a brahmachari and given the name Brahmachari Vidyananda in 2004, and has been guiding and teaching meditation at Hariharananda Gurukulam in Balighai since September, 2004. He is traveling and teaching Kriya Yoga in the USA, Canada, and Europe.