The Awakening!

Great teachers awaken genuine seekers in different ways. I was privileged to be awakened by Swami Rama in a deep and profound form of initiation called vedha diksha already as an infant in Mumbai in the late sixties. I do not know how aware infants are at the age of 3 years, but thereafter I knew the profound meaning of Guru, as it is explained in our tradition. I was also aware that the nature of Atman is Life itself. At the age of 4 years I was flooded with waves of love and joy whenever I sat down cross legged on my bed to pray with my eyes closed. At 6 years of age I refused to worship the idols that my mother propitiated in her little temple at home because my shocked mother was unable explain who created the gods in heaven. At the age of 7 years, the questions “Who am I?” “What is my purpose?” and “Why am I here?” rose spontaneously destroying the veil of ignorance, leading me to seek the permanent and immutable. After many powerful mystical experiences, I became fully aware of my true nature, remaining awake in deep sleep, a conscious state (not the technique) known as Yoga Nidra at the age of thirteen. Though only a glimpse, the direct experience of Pure Consciousness became the shining Light I would continue to seek in all of Life.

I attained Savitarka Samadhi in the period from August-December 1992 at the age of twenty-six years. While fleeting samadhi experiences may be lost in the tumult of life, these daily doses of Truth over the 4 month period enabled me to experience reality like I had never seen before. It was indescribably beautiful, yet awe inspiring. Samadhi is an earth shaking experience which once and for all makes you aware that you are Pure Consciousness and not merely your body or mind. During this period I also experienced the divine bliss of Nirvitarka Samadhi in which I was inseparably connected with the Whole as One Universal Being. Sadly after four months of bliss I was unable to return to that fountain of bliss and beauty. The force of ancient samskaras (impressions of the mind) had come forward once again.

From this point onward it was clear: I had received a precious gift but chance mystical experiences no longer satisfied me. I had to find a systematic way to return to THAT source of joy at all costs. I wanted nothing short of mastery. Mastery meant to attain the Self with self-effort until it becomes effortless. I spent the next nine years until 2001 establishing myself as an adept using the system of Yoga, Advaita and Samaya Srividya in the lineage of Swami Rama. Over the years I gained mastery in the different levels of Samadhi. While I already started teaching in 1992, I have been teaching the inner worship of Srividya exclusively in the lineage of Swami Rama since 1998.

Finally in 2021-22 Bindu Bhedana “happened” to me. The bindu is the mystical blue pearl. Piercing the bindu is one of the highest attainments in our tradition. I say it happened because it was utterly unexpected though much longed for. The energies released were simultaneously destructive and healing. Decades of preparation and insights served me well in this transformative time. The process of integrating these massive energies has finally been completed in the year 2024.

I am grateful for all the abundance that I have received and should I be eventually graced to rest in the Self, I would consider it a privilege. In the meanwhile I continue to serve this tradition.

The Background

I have been teaching Yoga, Advaita and Samaya Srividya since 1992 leading retreats and satsang gatherings in India as well as in Europe. I lead online meetings regularly on different topics such as pranayama, systematic meditation, the Bhagavad Gita, the Yoga Sutras, the Upanishads and more.

Since 2013 I am training a group of students from different parts of the world who long for Self Realization. The Self Realization Program (SRP) is for those who want to know themselves from the perspective of a meditative tradition. It is not an academic learning program; the studies are secondary to direct experience through meditation. I mentor those who want to have direct, personal guidance on the path of wisdom and Self Realization.

I have authored the book Mastering Pranayama - From Breathing Techniques to Kundalini Awakening. It may sound arrogant to call this book, the book on breathing exercises and energy practices but judge for yourself. Mastering Pranayama is available as an ebook on all Amazon sites. It is also available as a paperback on Amazon stores in the US, UK, India, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Japan.

I am currently in the process of publishing commentaries on the Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita as well as books for a wider readership on the subject of the self-transformation, yoga psychology and spirituality.

I live in The Hermitage, on the shores of Lake Rur, in Germany. Lake Rur is part of the National Park Eifel at the border of the Netherlands and Belgium. It is beautiful and quiet place for sincere seekers to spend time with me and plunge into the depths of Samaya Srividya. I never imagined I would be called Ma, but that is the case and it feels good to know that my students love me enough to call me mother.