Our Spiritual Guides

Swami Rama

Swami Rama of Himalayas
(1925-13.11.1996)

Swami Rama was a fully enlightened master of the ancient Himalayan lineage of yogis. During their higher initiations, these yogis experienced firsthand encounters with the mystery of consciousness.

Yogis in our lineage are both the founders and guardians of Shri-Vidya, the science that radiates through all paths of yoga and meditation.

Swami Rama's profound love for the Himalayan Yoga Tradition is reflected in both his life and his work. He has contributed to the lives of millions of people worldwide, both materially and spiritually. In 1970, Swami Rama offered himself to the Menninger Foundation for experiments, where he used modern science to confirm the ancient wisdom of yogis' astonishing control over their autonomic nervous systems.

Swami Rama made significant contributions to science, philosophy, and literature. These include inspiring experiences with great teachers who guided him in his spiritual development. While reaching the pinnacle of spiritual enlightenment, he also strove to achieve perfection in his actions in the external world with a seemingly endless energy. His life embodies the human potential to live in this world while simultaneously remaining beyond it. His teachings and inspiration are the foundation of the Himalayan Yoga Tradition Teacher Training program.

As Swami Rama prepared to depart his body in 1996, he was categorical and unequivocal that no monument or shrine could be built in his name. Today, his monument resides in the hearts of his disciples and students who continue his work. What is most remembered about him is his immense love for all things and the magnetic force of his spirit, which seemed to draw one to follow him as he walked. His spiritual legacy will perhaps only be fully understood within a century.

Swami Veda Bharati

Mahamandaleshwara
(24.3.1933-14.7.2015)

Swami Veda Bharati is the founder and Spiritual Guide of Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama in Rishikesh, India, and the global organization Association of Himalayan Yoga Meditation Societies International (AHYMSIN). He is also the Spiritual Guide of his Master's ashram, the Sadhana Mandir Ashram in Rishikesh, and the Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust in Dehradun. Born into a Sanskrit-speaking family, he was raised in the centuries-old Sanskrit tradition. From the age of nine, he captivated his audience with his profound knowledge and insight into the Vedas and Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. He graduated with honors from the Faculty of Arts in London and completed his Master's degree in London. He completed his doctorate in the Netherlands and has authored numerous books.

He was initiated into one of the highest paths of meditation and yoga by his master, Swami Rama of the Himalayas.

His vast experience and academic background allow him to teach on a wide range of subjects. He can conduct meditation in seventeen different languages. His ability to bring listeners to a state of calm and meditative stillness is well-known among his students at centers he has established worldwide.

Swami Veda Bharati blended the best of ancient and modern. He was an inspiring and loving teacher. He was a prolific writer, poet, and international speaker.

With his unique personality, he radiated peace, divine love, and ecstasy wherever he was. Swamis in India have honored him with the title of Mahamandaleswara, placing him among the approximately 30 highest-ranking Swamis in India. The only title above Mahamandaleshwara, Shankaracharya, was bestowed upon his master, the venerable Swami Shri Rama of Himalaya.