Tag: Yoga

Elisabeth Haich was a spiritual teacher and author of several books dedicated to spiritual subjects.

She was the second of four children born into an upper middle class family in Budapest, Hungary. As a young child, her unique gifts were expressed as a pianist, painter and sculptress. She was an internationally recognized artist in the time after the 1st world war and her sculptures are exhibited in Hungary, as monuments and in plazas.

In addition to her inclination to art, she began from early age to show special interest in esoteric knowledge.

She got married and had one son who later joined her in teaching Yoga in Switzerland.

At this time, Haich began her lifetime spiritual partnership and companionship with an Indian yoga teacher called Selvarajan Yesudian. They are to be together constantly for the following 55 years until her death (Selvarajan Yesudian himself passed away in October 1998). In close connection with Selvarajan Yesudian, she began giving Yoga lectures in 1939.

At the end of World War II she was forced to leave Hungary when yoga teaching became forbidden by the communist government of Hungary. Together with Selvarajan Yesudian, they decided to resettled in North America but on their way they were asked by friends to stop in Switzerland, the stop turned to be permanent, she settled in Switzerland and lived there until the end of her life.

Together with Yesudian, she founded in Zurich the oldest and largest Yoga school in Europe, Yesudian-Haich Yoga School (in german: Yogaschule Yesudian-Haich). At the same time they founded in Diano Marina, Italy, the Yoga Summer School which was moved in the beginning of the 50s to Ponte Tresa, Switzerland. Both schools operated until 1989 when they were closed due to the advanced age of both founders.

In 1953, at the request of her students, Elisabeth Haich wrote her best known book, Initiation (in german: Einweihung) which has been translated into seventeen languages with millions of copies sold worldwide. In the book, she relates the dramatic story of her past life in ancient Egypt and her apprenticeship with Divine Ptahotep.

Her other books include The Day With Yoga, Self Healing, Yoga & Destiny, Sexual Energy and Yoga and Wisdom of the Tarot.

Until the end of her life, Elisabeth Haich lectured and counseled seekers.

Elisabeth Haich died on July 1, 1994. The following is an excerpt from a letter (dated 28th Oct 1994) written by Yesudian to the students of the Yoga School after the death of Haich:

...She left us all at the wonderful age of 98, completely healthy, spiritually aware and conscious - only her body was not capable of containing her great spirit. Her last words were: “I shall held the Exercitium and nobody else”. These determined words will be fulfilled in her next life. She was never a burden to those who looked after her physical needs till the last. She left after fulfilling her universal mission. She will continue to work through her wonderful books and through people who received her enlightening message and pass it on to those in need. Personally I miss her company very much after being with her for about 55 years constantly. It was a great privilege for me to shoulder her responsibilities which needed much strength, which flowed into me the more I served her. She was always a symbol of strength which
will inspire all those who knew her personally...

About Selvarajan Yesudian

Selvarajan Yesudian, son of an Indian doctor, came in 1936 to Europe to study medicine. In Hungary he met Elisabeth Haich and from that time onwards they remained in close companionship for 55 years and share therefore a similar biography.

Soon after they met, he began to give together with her lectures and courses about Hatha yoga.

They wrote their first book “Yoga and Health” which reached an edition of 100,000 in Hungary within three years (Today more than 1,8 millions in numerous languages).

During the 2nd world war Yesudian assisted his pupils and friends unshakably and remained to them a light and support.

At the end of World War II, he relocated with Haich to Switzerland and there they established their famous Yoga schools.

Details about his life and past lives can be found in the book Initiation.

Selvarajan Yesudian passed away in October 1998.

Patañjali (Devanāgarī पतञ्जलि) is the compiler of the Yoga Sutras, a major work containing aphorisms on the philosophical aspects of mind and consciousness, and also the author of a major commentary on Panini's Ashtadhyayi, although many scholars do not consider these two texts to have been written by the same individual. In recent decades the Yoga Sutra has become quite popular worldwide for the precepts regarding practice of Raja Yoga and its philosophical basis. "Yoga" in traditional Hinduism involves inner contemplation, a rigorous system of meditation practice, ethics, metaphysics, and devotion to the one common soul, God, or Brahman.

There is little historical information available on Patanjali. Several scholars suggest several persons may have developed yoga under the pseudonym of Patanjali. In any case, Patanjali existed around 150 B.C. in India. He developed yoga based on a loose set of doctrines and practices from the Upanishads, themselves a set of mystical writings. The Upanishads are part of the Aranyakas, philosophical concepts that are part of the Veda, the most ancient body of literature of Hinduism. Patanjali gave these combined philosophical and esoteric writings a common foundation in his Yoga Sutra, a set of 196 concise aphorisms (wise sayings) that form the principles of yoga. He also drew upon Samkhya, the oldest classic system of Hindu philosophy. Patanjali's yoga accepted Samkhya metaphysics and the concept of a supreme soul. He established an eight-stage discipline of self-control and meditation. The individual sutras (verses) lay out the entire tradition of meditation. They also describe the moral and physical disciplines needed for the soul to attain absolute freedom from the body and self.

EARLY LIFE:

Paramahansa Sri Sri Nigamananda Saraswati Deva was born to a virtuous bramhin couple at Qutabpur in Nadia district (now in Bangladesh) in the year 1879. His father Bhuban Mohan Bhattacharya and mother Yogendra Mohini had named him ‘Nalinikanta’. As he grew to boyhood, Nalinikanta drew admiration of the people for his extraordinary fearlessness, intelligence and forthrightness. Leadership was natural to him. Nalinikanta was especially dear to his mother.

As the fate would have it the mother of Nalinikanta breathed her last immaturely from a brief illness. At that time, Nalinikanta was pursuing his primary education in his maternal uncle’s village Radhakantapur. Her death deeply shocked Nalinikanta as he was very much devoted to his mother. He came to know that just before she breathed her last, his mother had handed over his charges to the ‘Jaganmata’ the ‘Cosmic Mother’. He took the words of her mother to be literally true. As he was desperately in need of a mother, he single-heartedly prayed to the ‘Jaganmata’ to appear before him.

But alas! He failed to get a glimpse of ‘Her’ even in his dreams. He lost faith in God thinking that God does not exist, the religious rites and spiritual practices are worthless activities, and all those sadhus, ascetics or renunciates are lazy worthless cheats. His belief in God was shaken to such extent that he turned extremely antagonistic towards everything related to Him. Especially, the sadhus and the wandering ascetics used to face most of his ire. He convinced to himself that ‘death’ is the ‘end’ of everything in one’s life. Thereafter he decided for himself that - religion to him would be nothing other than ‘doing good to the fellow beings’, and his duty is to lead a disciplined and virtuous life. During his school days Nalinikanta used to read textbooks that the ‘Sun’ is a gigantic ball of burning gases and the ‘Moon’ and the other planets are composed of gross matters such as dust and rocks. He used to feel a pinch in his heart when his fellow countrymen were jeered at as superstitious folks paying obeisance to these insentient planets. Even though he had lost faith in God and religion, he used to wonder how all those ancient Rishis (seers) of his land could go wrong in putting such significance on these heavenly bodies. Later, during his sadhak (spiritual practitioner) life, he was delighted to find that thousands of years before Newton, the ancient Rishis of India knew the science of space and the principles of gravitation. His heart was urging him to spread the knowledge and ideals of those ancient Rishis among his fellow beings.

Turning Point

The death of Yogendramohini Devi created a void in the Bhattacharya household. Nalinikanta being the eldest son in the family had to be married soon to bring a daughter-in-law for the proper management of the household. Hence, at the early age of seventeen, Nalinikanta was married to an extremely beautiful and intelligent girl named Sudhansubala Devi.

Nalinikanta went to study at the Dhaka School of Survey and thereafter took up jobs at various places to earn his livelihood. His independent spirit and forthright attitude was forcing him to frequently change his jobs.

Once, while serving as the supervisor of the Narayanapur estate (Zamindari) Nalinikanta was working late in the night. He suddenly saw the shadowy image of Sudhansubala Devi standing at the table, sullen and silent.

Sudhansubala Devi was supposed to be away at Qutabpur at that time and was not expected to be present at Narayanpur at all. The image appeared there for a few moments only. Nalinikanta felt disturbed and rushed to his village Qutabpur. He came to know that Sudhansubala Devi had expired just an hour before he saw her image at Narayanapur. Since childhood Nalinikanta had a thoughtful disposition. This incidence drew him further inwards. Soon after, he happened to see the shadowy image of Sudhansubala Devi several times in quick succession.

Nalinikanta had thought that death is the ultimate end of an individual. But, now he couldn’t wish away the fact that it is not. By now, he was convinced that there must be ‘life’ after ‘death’. He solemnly resolved to get back his beloved wife at any cost. Never before in the history of mankind any bereaved husband had made such a resolution, being so much oblivious of the impossibility of his success.

Who am i?

Nakinikanta became desperate to know all about the subtle phenomena of life and death. Thoughts such as - "What’s death? How can I win over death? If death can come inevitably at any time in one’s life why am I wasting my time without exploring the secrets of it?" - began to worry him all the time. This inquest took him to the Theosophical Society at Adyar, in Chennai, India. He learnt all the theories and practices that Theosophy could offer and was able to talk to Sudhansu Devi through a medium. But, Nalinikanta could not see her physically. He was not satisfied with the experience at all. Through a discussion with the members of the Society he came to know that the knowledge about the phenomena of ‘life and death’ was the prerogative of the Hindu Yogis. He spared no time in looking for a true Yogi or Sadhu who could fulfill his desire to meet his dead wife as well as bring contentment to his seeking mind.

While searching for a true yogi, Nalinikanta came across Swami Purnananda, a highly educated renunciate. The Swami explained to him that all female beings are merely a partial manifestation of the ‘Mahamaya’ or the ‘Cosmic Mother’. Hence, it was extremely unwise and ridiculous on his part to run after an insignificant part (his wife) ignoring the whole (the Cosmic Mother). If he could get Mahamaya, he would automatically get his wife and there were sure ways to get Her. Swami Purnananda advised him to look for a ‘Sadguru’. Nalinikanta returned to his place of service a changed man. The belief in ‘life after death’ and ‘soul’ had turned him into a believer. He was desperately praying God for a chance to meet his destined Sadguru.

One night Nalinikanta saw one Sadhu with a brilliant aura around him in his dream. He woke up to find the Sadhu standing beside his bed in ‘reality’. The Sadhu handed out to him a leaf bearing a mantra on it and then disappeared. Nalinikanta was spellbound by the incident. He did not know what to do with the mantra. No sadhu or spiritual teacher, whom he consulted, could decipher the mantra nor could they give him any guidance about what to do with it. At this point of time a crestfallen Nalinikanta received directions in his dream to go to the greatest tantrik guru of that time - Bamakshepa, at the ‘Tarapitha’ of Birbhum, in West Bengal. Bama was extremely pleased to see the unique ‘veeja mantra’ (root/source mantra) of Goddess Tara which Nalinikanta had received in his dream, and readily accepted him as his disciple. Within a short span of one month, Nalinikanta was able to master the secrets of the Tantrik ways (tantra sadhana) of attaining spiritual success. As a mark of perfection of his sadhana (spiritual practice), ‘Tara’ or ‘Mahashakti’ (the embodiment of cosmic energy) appeared before him in the form of Devi Sudhansubala and granted him the boon that he would be able to see her in that form whenever he would so wish.
But, Nalinikanta became discontent when he was unable to touch that form. Moreover, to his amazement Nalinikanta saw that a brilliant light used to emanate from his body and take the shape of Devi Sudhansubala. He was puzzled. He wanted to know "if ‘Mahashakti’ originated from him only, then who ‘he’ is."

Overpowered by a consuming desire to know his ‘self’, Nalinikanta sought guru Bamakshepa’s advice. The latter advised him to attain the knowledge of ‘Advaita’ from a Vedantic guru. He became a disciple of guru Srimad Swami Satchidananda Saraswati at the holy place of ‘Pushkar’ in the state of Rajasthan, India. He instantly realized that Swami Satchidananda Saraswati was the sadhu who gave him the ‘Tara’ mantra in his dream. The swami initiated Nalinikanta into renunciation and according to the principle changed his name to ‘Nigamananda’, for he was able to comprehend the Vedic (nigama) knowledge (jnana) effortlessly.

On the advice of guru Satchidanda, Nalinikanta went to attain the direct experience of this vedic truths through yoga. Nalinikanta was able to find his yogi guru but with much difficulty and a sustained effort. He met Sumeru Dashji, his yogi guru, in the thick and inaccessible forests near the holy place of ‘Parasuram’ (in the north-eastern India) under dramatic circumstances. After completing ‘yoga sadhana’ (practice of yoga) under the masterful guidance of yogiraj Sumeru Dashji, he attained the state of ‘Nirbikalpa Samadhi’ (non-dual existence/complete identification with the Cosmic Soul or the Parambramha), at once pervading the universe and transcending it. He came back from that blissful state with the realization that he is the ‘universal guru’ i.e. the ‘supreme soul’.

Nalinikanta had begun his spiritual quest with the basic question, "Who am I ?" and with the attainment of ‘Nirbikalpa Samadhi’ he experienced that ‘he’ is the universal guru.

But, Nalinikanta was initiated into the mysteries of being in love with ‘God’ (prema/bhav sadhana) by Gauri Ma’, a female sadhu of unique spiritual merits. She taught him how the Supreme Soul is both transcendental

Life after attainment of truth

During the 1907 Kumbha Mela at Allahabad, under the auspices of the then Shankaracharya of Sringery Mutt, the jnaniguru of Nalinikanta Swami Satchidananda Deva conferred the title of ‘paramahansa’ on him in the presence of leading sadhus and renunciates. The uniqueness about Nigamananda’s spiritual accomplishment was that he had explored and perfected tantra, jnana, yoga and prema/bhav, all the four original ways envisaged in Sanatana Dharma (ever new/eternal, and universal spiritual method based on Vedic knowledge) for the attainment of the highest spiritual goal.

Sadguru Swami Sri Sri Nigamananda Saraswati Deva wished every soul to rise to this exulted state of consciousness. Hence, he entered into society to wake up a spiritually inert people.

In the prevailing atmosphere of confusion in ideals and spirituality among his countrymen, he wanted them to rediscover the merits of sanatana dharma. He wrote five books - Bramhacharya Sadhana, Yogiguru, Tantrikguru, Jnaniguru and Premikaguru - which are invaluable for any seeker on the path of spirituality. He edited and published a path breaking and reformist periodical ‘Arya Darpana’ (one of the earliest periodicals of India). It was widely received as a trend-setting journal on religion and spirituality.

With a view to establishing universal brotherhood he set before himself three objectives, namely, (i) propagation of ‘sanatana dharma’, (ii) dissemination of ‘sat siksha’ (right type of education that enables development of integrated personality conducive for spiritual development), and (iii) service to all living beings deeming it as service rendered to the Supreme Being. In his opinion a person having attained ‘self knowledge’ is the right one to serve mankind in the right manner..
He enjoined upon His devotees — to walk together on the path of spirituality forming Sanghas (spiritual associations), to lead Adarsha Grihastha Jeevan (life of an ideal householder), and to have Bhava Binimaya (commune with each other for mutual exchange of spiritual ideas and experiences), which would enable them to achieve the above mentioned objectives and lead a fulfilled life.
He established the tradition of "Vakta Sammilani" (the annual congregation of devotees and spiritually minded people, for the close interaction between the two types of seekers — the household devotees and the renunciates. Till date, this congregation has been proved to be a spiritually beneficial experience for all.

There was a harmonious blending of highest enlightenment (jnana) and universal love (vakti) in the person of Swamy Nigamananda. Rightly so, his ideological as well as methodological slogan was — " Shankarer Mata" (the Vedantic doctrine of the 8th century spiritual reformist Sri Sri Adi Shankaracharya that Bramha — the Supreme Soul and the individual soul is ‘one’ and the same, and it is the ultimate truth to be realized by men), and "Gauranger Patha" (the path of devotion adopted by Sri Chaitanya Deva, the fourteenth century avatara of devotion, as the royal road to the spiritual destination i.e. God).

Thakura Sri Sri Nigamananda Deva left his corporal body and attained ‘mahasamadhi’ (eternal union with the Supreme Soul) through yoga kriya (yogic techniques) on November 29, 1935 in Kolkata. But, his holy presence is still felt and his reassuring voice is still heard in the hour of need by those who have implicit faith in him, for the ‘sadguru’ is ‘immortal’. Rightly, his followers deified Him as their revered and beloved ‘thakura’ and worshiped Him as their ‘Guru’ (the supreme preceptor) and ‘Ishta’ (the personal God) at the same time.

Swami Sivananda Saraswati was a Hindu spiritual teacher and a well known proponent of Yoga and Vedanta. Sivananda was born Kuppuswami in Pattamadai which is in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. He studied medicine and served in Malaya as a physician for several years before taking up monasticism. He lived most of the later part of his life in Rishikesh. He is the founder of The Divine Life Society and author of over 200 books on yoga, vedanta and a variety of other subjects. He established Sivananda Ashram, the location of the headquarters of The Divine Life Society (DLS), on the bank of the Ganges at Shivanandanagar, at a distance of 3 kilometres from Rishikesh Town, (Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, U.P., India).

Sivananda was born Kuppuswamy in Pattamadai near Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, India as the third son to his parents on 8 September 1887.

Upon graduation he practiced medicine and worked as a doctor in Malaya for ten years, with a reputation for waiving his fee for poor patients needing treatment. Over time, a sense that medicine was healing on a superficial level grew in him, urging him to look elsewhere to fill the void, and in 1923 he left Malaya and returned to India to pursue a spiritual quest.

Upon his return to India he visited Banaras, Nashik, to Rishikesh in 1924 where met his guru, Swami Vishwananda Saraswati. It was Vishwananda who initiated him into the Sannyas order.

With some money from his insurance policy that had matured, he started a charitable dispensary at Lakshmanjula in 1927 and served pilgrims, holy men and the poor using his medical expertise.

After a few years, Sivananda went on an extensive pilgrimage. Sivananda visited important places of pilgrimage in the south, including Rameshvaram. He conducted Sankirtan and delivered lectures during his travels. He visited the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and met Maharishi Suddhananda Bharati. At the Ramana ashram, he had the Darshan of Ramana Maharshi on Maharshi's birthday. He sang bhajans and danced in ecstasy with Maharshi's bhaktas. He also went on pilgrimages to various places in northern India including Kedarnath and Badrinath. He visited Kailash-Manasarovar in 1931.

Sivananda founded the Divine Life Society in 1936 on the banks of the holy Ganges River.

In 1945, Swami Sivananda created the Sivananda Ayurvedic Pharmacy, and organized the All-world Religions Federation. He established the All-world Sadhus Federation in 1947 and Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy in 1948. He called his yoga the Yoga of Synthesis.

Swami Sivananda's disciple Swami Chidananda is the current President of the Divine Life Society in India and was appointed by Swami Sivananda.

A prolific author, Swami Sivananda wrote exactly 296 books on a variety of subjects: metaphysics, Yoga, religion, western philosophy, psychology, eschatology, fine arts, ethics, education, health, sayings, poems, epistles, autobiography, biography, stories, dramas, messages, lectures, dialogues, essays and anthology. Yet his books emphasized the practical application of yoga philosophy over mere theoretical knowledge. He was known to have said "An ounce of practice is better than tons of theory. Practice Yoga, Religion and Philosophy in daily life and attain Self-realization."

Swami Sivananda's Yoga, which he has significantly called the 'Yoga of Synthesis', effects a harmonious development of the 'hand', 'head' and 'heart' through the practice of Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Bhakti Yoga.

On the 14th of July 1963, the Great Soul Swami Sivananda entered Mahasamadhi (departure of a Self-realized saint from his mortal coil) in his Kutir on the bank of Ganga, in Shivanandanagar.

Swami Satchidananda (22 December 1914–19 August 2002) was an Indian religious figure, spiritual teacher and yoga adept, who gained fame and followers in the West, especially in the United States. He was the author of many books, including one popular illustrated book on Hatha Yoga.
Early Years
Satchidananda's name at birth was C. K. Ramaswamy Gounder. He was born in Chettipalayam in the Tamil Nadu region of southern India in 1914 to privileged and observant Hindu parents who called him Ramu. Like other children from religious families, young Ramu loved to play guru and disciple with his friends. He did not become involved in spiritual matters immediately upon reaching adulthood, however. After graduating from agricultural college, he took a position with his uncle's firm, which imported motorcycles. At 23, then a chain-smoking manager at India’s National Electric Works, he married, but his wife died suddenly after five years of marriage, having given birth to two sons.
Spiritual Quest
After his wife’s death, Ramaswamy left his children with his mother and travelled throughout India to meditate at holy shrines and to study with spiritual teachers. For years, Ramaswamy searched out people revered as sages, saints and spiritual masters. Eventually, he discovered his guru, Sri Swami Sivananda, who ordained him into the order of sannyasa.

During the late 1950s and most of the '60s, Swami Satchidananda headed the Kandy Thapovanam, one of Swami Sivananda's ashrams situated in the hill country of Sri Lanka. Here, Swami Satchidananda taught yoga, pursued interfaith activities and modernized the ancient mode of living that renunciates had followed for many years. For example, Swami Satchidanda drove a car, wore a watch and actively engaged the questions of seekers. These modernizations were at first unacceptable to many individuals in the orthodoxy but he felt them to be necessary for the more effective dissemination of the message of Integral Yoga.

The United States
After serving his guru for many years, in 1966 he visited New York City at the request of a U.S. disciple, the artist Peter Max. Soon after his initial visit, Swamiji, as he was known to disciples, formally moved to the United States and eventually became a citizen. From his new home he spread his teachings of yoga and enlightenment.

Satchidananda first came to public attention as the opening speaker[1] at the Woodstock music and arts festival in 1969. Over the years he wrote numerous books and gave hundreds of lectures. He also ordained a number of western disciples into the order of sannyasa. He was the founder of the Integral Yoga Institute[2] and in 1986 opened the Light of Truth Universal Shrine (LOTUS) at Yogaville in Buckingham, Virginia.

On August 19, 2002, Satchidananda died from a ruptured thoracic aneurysm in his native Tamil Nadu, India. However, Integral Yoga and Yogaville continue.

Satchidananda's better-known disciples included Alice Coltrane, Allen Ginsberg, Dean Ornish, Jeff Goldblum, Carole King, Peter Max, and Scott Shaw. Guitarist John Fahey spent some time living in Yogaville, and endorsed the ideals of Integral Yoga, even going so far as to dedicate his 1973 album Fare Forward Voyagers to Satchidananda. Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo grew up in Satchidananda's ashramery.

Integral Yoga origins
Although Satchidananda is thought to have briefly met Sri Aurobindo, he viewed his brand of teaching as a unique entity. Swami Satchidananda characterized Integral Yoga as "...a flexible combination of specific methods to develop every aspect of the individual: physical, intellectual, and spiritual. It is a scientific system which integrates the various branches of Yoga in order to bring about a complete and harmonious development of the individual."

This would make it very similar to Sri Aurobindo's concept of Integral Yoga, which clearly preceded the work of Swami Satchidananda. Sri Aurobindo describes the nature and practice of integral yoga in his opus The Synthesis of Yoga. As the title of that work indicates, his integral yoga is a yoga of synthesis, intended to harmonize the paths of karma, jnana, and bhakti yoga as described in the Bhagavad Gita. It can also be considered a synthesis between Vedanta and Tantra, and between Eastern and Western approaches to spirituality.

There are also similarities in the symbolism used by Sri Aurobindo and Swami Satchidananda. In addition, Satchidananda's center was given the name "Yogaville." (Aurobindo's "Auroville" had been founded in 1968.)

Satchidananda's group trademarked the term "Integral Yoga" in the United States.[3] [4]

Integral Yoga believes:
"The goal and the birthright of all individuals is to realize the spiritual unity behind the diversity throughout creation and to live harmoniously as members of one universal family. This goal is achieved by the maintaining of our natural condition:

a body of optimal health and strength,
senses under total control,
a mind well disciplined, clear, and calm,
an intellect as sharp as a razor,
a will as strong and pliable as steel,
a heart full of unconditional love and compassion,
an ego as pure as crystal, and
a life filled with supreme peace and joy.
Attain this through asanas, pranayama, the chanting of holy names, self-discipline, selfless action, mantra japa, meditation, study, and reflection."

Igor Kufayev was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. In his childhood he had many spiritual experiences associated with Kundalini syndrome. Classically trained in art from the age of 12 he attended a private studio of a martial artist and painter Shamil Rakhimov, a place of underground meetings between liberal thinkers, poets and painters. His mentor's tragic death lead to young Igor's decision to become an artist.

Igor received his formal education at the Art College in Tashkent, and after two years of compulsory military service, resumed his studies at the Theater and Art Institute. In 1988 he was accepted as a student of a second year to the Academy of Arts [now Imperial Academy of Arts] in St Petersburg, Russia.

In 1990 he left Russia and moved to Warsaw, Poland. An encounter with art critic Andrzej Matynia lead to Kufayev's first solo exhibition 'Eternal Compromise'. He moved to London in 1991 and became a British Citizen in 1996. In less than a decade Kufayev managed to establish himself as a successful artist, and opened his own studio in 1994 where he held private views of his work annually. He traveled widely visiting major art-fairs around Europe, as well as painting in France and Italy. Despite his relative success he was deeply disillusioned about the state of art and all its prevalent trends.

An early interest towards spirituality lead to his practice of Yoga, with initiation to Transcendental Meditation, founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Studies diverse spiritual traditions, Indian Philosophy, Sufi, Zen. The turning point came in 2001, when in wake of an advanced yogic technique 'TM-Sidhi Program' he experienced a full and intense ascent of Kundalini Shakti.

On his return to London, Igor abandons his art career due to profound Yogic experiences and continuing long hours of meditation. He also concentrates on reading Vedanta scriptures, while experiencing expanded states of awareness. During this time he has visitations and spontaneous guidance, discovers teachings of Muktananda and tradition of Kashmir Shaiva Masters.

He leads an extensive correspondence sharing his insights into Reality with other seekers. Making Sadhana (spiritual practice) the central pillar of his life, around which all other activities revolve; dividing his time between reading, writing and traveling.

When psychic powers, siddhis, manifested he was able to practice Pranic Healing, successfully treating patients with cancer and chronic conditions. However he realized that without the psyche-physiological transformation of an individual true healing cannot take place. Uprooting the cause of suffering, the ignorance of ones real nature as the Self of all, is now the main purpose of his teaching.
He currently resides between England and Uzbekistan, living with his partner and their child.

Founder of European Yoga Federation and World Movement for Yoga & Ayurveda. President of World Movement for Yoga. Vice President of the Italian Official Confederation of Yoga. President of the International School of Yoga & Ayurveda C.Y. SURYA. Founder Member of World Movement for Indian Fine Arts and TheWorld Community of Indian Culture & Traditional Disciplines. Teacher of Philosophy & Hindu Culture, Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Therapy, Yoga & Meditation. He gives courses, lectures and organize meetings worldwide.

Born in Germany, Swami Mangalananda grew up near Stuttgart. In 1992, she received Kriya initiation from Rajarshi Peterananda, and then met her master Paramahamsa Hariharananda in 1994. From this time onward, she stayed with Paramahamsa Hariharananda in various ashrams, and also traveled with him throughout Europe.

After studying philosophy for some years Swamiji began studying medicine in Germany at Tubingen University. However, she chose to continue her medical degree at the University of Vienna, enabling her to complete her studies while simultaneously serving and living with her master. She received her MD in July, 2000.

Shortly after the completion of her studies, in September, 2000, she was ordained as a monk in the Giri monastic order and given the name Swami Mangalananda, which means bliss of auspiciousness. Swami Mangalananda is the first female monk in the lineage of Paramahamsa Hariharananda. She conducts Kriya Yoga programs in the Tattendorf ashram in Austria and throughout Europe.

More info at

http://www.kriya.org/about__swami.php?id=11
http://www.prajnanamission.org/Monks.shtml

Swami Satyananda Saraswati was born in Almorah (UP) in 1923. He joined his Guru, Swami Sivananda Saraswati, in Rishikesh (UP), and adopted the Dashnami Sannyasa life in 1943. He served his Guru's mission for 12 years in many capacities.

In 1955 he left Rishikesh to travel throughout India as a wandering ascetic to assess the needs of modern society. In 1956 he founded the International Yoga Fellowship Movement and, in 1963, the Bihar School of Yoga. He founded Sivananda Math, a social and charitable institution to help the weaker, underprivileged sections of society in 1984 and the Yoga Research Foundation, a scientific research oriented yoga organisation, in 1984.

Swami Satyananda has authored over 80 best-sellers and classical texts on yoga and spiritual life, he is the spiritual guide to thousands of aspirants and the inspiration behind many Yoga Ashrams and Yoga Mitra Mandals in India and abroad.

In 1988 he renounced his mission, adopting kshetra sannyasa, and now lives as a Paramahamsa Sannyasin performing higher spiritual and vedic sadhanas, thus guiding sannyasins and house-holders in their spiritual journey to develop a universal vision.

wami Satyananda was a teenager, a little boy, when he came to the Ashram, but very active and proficient in Hatha Yoga right from the beginning. Many were the departments of the Ashram in which he rendered service, particularly during the later days in the Hindi department of the Ashram. He edited the Hindi journal and wrote articles and was proficient even in composing poems in Hindi and Sanskrit, language; very active and tireless in his service. One of the great contributions of his, which is to be remembered for all times, is the hard work that he did in bringing about a translation and commentary in the English language of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad by Sri Gurudev. He was actively connected with this work and, but for his struggle day and night in seeing to it that the manuscript was made ready, the book would not have actually come out. He was solely responsible, one may say, for the coming out of this book the commentary on the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad of Sri Gurudev. Later on, he left the Ashram on an inner feeling of establishing himself separately in a secluded place and he found himself somehow landed in Bihar, a place called Monghyr, where devotees somehow recognised some value and worth and intrinsic merit in him, collaborated with him and the result was a very magnificent well-planned Institution of Yoga teaching, which became the venue for imparting instructions not only to hundreds of seekers in India, but also countless seekers came from the West, many of whom took Sannyasa, under Swami Satyananda. He did such active and intensive work in the field of Yoga that his name is known in many places even in the West as a very competent and effective teacher of Yoga and the way of spiritual life. Now he is retired and has handed over the active work of his Ashram to an assistant of his.