Brother Chidananda
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May 16, 1953
Brother Chidananda | |
|---|---|
| President of Self-Realization Fellowship and Yogoda Satsanga Society of India | |
| Assumed office 30 August 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Mrinalini Mata |
| Personal life | |
| Born | Christopher H. Bagley May 16, 1953 Annapolis, Maryland, US |
| Alma mater | University of California, San Diego, California |
| Signature |  |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Order | Self-Realization Fellowship Order |
| Philosophy | Kriya Yoga |
| Religious career | |
| Guru | Paramahansa Yogananda |
| Website | yogananda |
Brother Chidananda (born Christopher Hartwell Bagley,[1] May 16, 1953) is the fifth president of Self-Realization Fellowship/Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (SRF/YSS). SRF/YSS is the only church founded by Chidananda's guru, Paramahansa Yogananda, to disseminate his teachings.[2][3] Chidananda was born in Annapolis, Maryland, US.[4][5][3]
Chidananda is the son of Admiral David H. Bagley, former commander-in-chief of US naval forces in Europe, and Charlotte Lee Bagley, née Hartwell.[6] As a teenager, Chidananda began to take an interest in yoga and the meaning of life.[7]
In the early 1970s, Chidananda studied sociology and philosophy at the University of California in San Diego,[3] from which he graduated in 1975.[8] During this time, he came across a copy of Yogananda's book Autobiography of a Yogi and began visiting SRF's ashram center in Encinitas, California.[3][7] He became acquainted with some of the monks and nuns living there, including Brother Anandamoy, one of Yogananda's direct disciples, and he was inspired to join SRF's monastic order.[4][3]
