Mata
Amritanandamayi, "Ammachi" is
a rare and Holy woman who gives tirelessly of herself to comfort,
accelerate, and assist people towards Self-realization with
her Divine hugs, a powerful blessing which she makes available
for hours on end at a sitting, often embracing thousands of
people a day. She gives many pragmatic teachings rooted in Indian
philosophy but also imparts a subtle and incisive way of bringing
about awareness, healing and transformation in the lives of
those whom she touches. Her charitable works are too numerous
to mention in detail here but include building free homes for
the poor, medical facilities, pensions for widows, schools,
and comprehensive tsunami relief in her native state of Kerala,
India. amma.org
Baba
Hari Dass, "Babaji"
is a master of Yoga originally from Haridwar, India. He has
maintained a vow of silence or Mauna for over 50 years, and
has been awakening people collectively to the path of Yoga in
all of it's expressions but is best known for his example to
us all in the realm of Karma Yoga or selfless service. His projects
include charitable works for education for children in India
and in America, providing a nurturing upbringing for orphans,
weekly public programs elucidating the Yoga teachings, authoring
many books and translating the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and
other sacred texts. His written work also includes playwrighting,
through which the creative interpretation of traditional, ancient
teachings are presented for modern life with humor and penetrating
insight. He is the guiding force behind the Sri Ram Ashram and
orphanage of Haridwar, India, and the Mount Madonna Center in
the Santa Cruz mountains of California. His lifelong rootedness
in the Yoga tradition is a rare source of authentic transmission
for those seeking a glimpse of the complete Yoga path. sriramfoundation.org,
mountmadonna.org
H.H.
the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Orgyen Thinley Dorje
is the head of the Karma
Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. He is currently 20 years
old and escaped in 1999 from Tibet to northern India. He is
one in a line of reincarnations of the Karmapas who are renowned
for their compassionate and skillful activity in bringing
beings to full awareness of the nature of mind, and awakening
the presence of the Will-to-Good, or "bodhicitta".
The Karmapa's teaching and activity stem from the embodied
aspiration of a Bodhisattva, one who expresses the selfless
quest for enlightenment for the benefit of all beings, with
whom we understand ourselves to inextricably interconnected
with. Along with H.H. the Dalai Lama, whom he serves, the
Karmapa is one of the main political and spiritual leaders
of the Tibetan people. He currently lives near Dharamsala,
India at the Gyuto Ramoche Monastery, where he gives weekly
public teachings. kagyuoffice.org
Kofi Busia
is a precious Kalyanamitra--a spiritual friend and mentor--to
myself and many other Yoga teachers and practitioners. He
is a Senior certified Iyengar Yoga teacher who has studied
with Mr. Iyengar for many years. Kofi's thorough understanding
of Yoga philosophy and way of life provides inspiration
and depth that is rare to find among Yoga teachers in the
West. He has translated the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and
many other pieces from Indian philosophical treatises based
in the Sanskrit language, and is one of the few people in
our area qualified to impart those teachings which make
up the essential body of knowledge and skillful means that
any serious Yoga practitioner must become acquainted with.
Generous with his knowledge and gifted in healing the body,
he compassionately and acutely points out the root causes
for wellness or lack thereof rooted in the habits of the
mind, never sparing the opportunity to help us laugh at
Life and lighten up. Kofi's comprehensive ability to transmit
Yoga is a
great
blessing to us all. kofibusia.com
Sadhvi Abha Sarasvati, "Mataji"
teaches and resides at Parmarth Niketan Ashram, next to the
sacred Ganga river and the Himalayan foothills in Rishikesh,
India. Her dedication to and transmission of Yoga and classical
Indian philosophy is highlighted by her gift of song, through
which she is able to lead students directly into the blissful,
unitive heart of knowledge and wisdom. She is also a master
teacher of Yogasana, having healed herself through Yoga from
a terminal kidney ailment. As a Master of Vedic chanting and
an erudite commentator on the classical Yoga texts such as
Yoga Sutras and Bhagavad Gita, she has inspired my personal
practice and teaching style deeply. parmarth.com
Amber
Jayanti has been
teaching Tarot and Western Qabalah for over 30 years. Her
creative, academically-grounded, and heart-centered approach
to the complex interrelations between alchemy, numerology,
astrology, and archetypal psychology were a powerful influence
in my understanding, appreciation and soul-retrieval of the
sacred knowledge of the Western mystery traditions of the
Hebrew, Egyptian, and Hermetic paths of spiritual knowledge.
practical-mystic.com
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