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Home , Anandamayi Ma, Jiddu Krishnamurti, Mooji, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Swami Ramdas

19th, 20th and 21st Century John Ruskin’s, Unto This Last, he is well known for his nonviolent resistance. He practiced simplicity, Hindu Mystics and vegetarianism, celibacy, and aparigraha, or non- and two Englishmen possession. He was an exemplary mystic. Compiled by Jon Mundy, Ph.D. 1879–1950 is 1836–1886 perhaps one of the most influential of taught the system of non- the Hindu spiritual teachers. He taught dualism. He had several profound self-enquiry. In 1896, at the age of 16, mystical experiences as a young he had a "death-experience" where he boy. Describing at one point how became aware of a "current" or "force" watching white cranes flying again which he recognized as his true "I" or the background of an evening sky "self. He is often regarded as a primary threw him into an ecstasy. He teacher of . When a sought to also experience the Truth of Christianity and student would come to him and ask a Islam and concluded that the goal of all is the question, he would respond with, "Who wants to know?" embodiment of the divine. His primary disciple was Vivekananda. 1882–1950 was a Hindu nationalist, scholar, yogi, , poet, mystic, and Mystics in every religion speak philosopher and nationalist. He joined the same tongue and teach the same truth. the Indian movement for independence Indian, from British rule and was for a while one of its most influential leaders. He became 1862-1902, Swami Vivekananda () the main a spiritual reformer, introducing his disciple of Ramakrishna is one of visions on human progress and spiritual the major figures in the history evolution. He developed a spiritual path of , an he called Integral . A Life Divine is influential teacher of Vedanta not world denial; it includes active participation in life. and yoga. He is the first known Indian sage to bring to 1884–1963, was an the West. At the World’s Indian saint, philosopher, philanthropist, Parliament of in pilgrim. He became a wandering Chicago, in 1893, he opened his ascetic at a young age. In 1922 he speech with this line, "Sisters and Brothers of America." met Ramana Maharshi. As a result, he The audience clapped for two minutes, and the speech went into his first retreat, living for 21 catapulted him to fame with lectures all over the US. A days in solitude in a cave in Arunachala. street in downtown Chicago is named Swami Upon leaving this cave he began claiming that, “All was Vivekananda Way. Ram, nothing but Ram.”

1861–1941 Rabindranath “Just as a flower gives out its fragrance to whomsoever Tagore was a Bengali poet and approaches our uses it, so love from within us radiates literary figure influenced by the towards everybody and manifests as spontaneous of the Vedic sages, the service.” Swami Ramdas , and the -Sufi mystic Kabir. In 1913, he became 1887-1963, Sivananda was a the first "non-Westerner" to receive proponent of Yoga and Vedanta. the Nobel Prize for literature. In He studied medicine and served for 1915, English author Evelyn Underhill wrote an several years as a physician and he introduction to his "100 Poems." He writes “Once we founder of the dreamt that we were strangers. We wake up to find that in 1936. He authored 200 books on we were dear to each other.” Yoga, Vedanta, and founded the Sivananda in Rishikesh. 1869–1948 , His disciples included Swami "the father of India," remained a Hindu Chinmayananda, Satchidananda (1914-2002) and his entire life. Influenced by Leo Vishndevananda. The Sivananda Ashram in NYC is Tolstoy’s (1828–1910, Russia) The named after him. Kingdom of Is Within You and 1895–1986 is in a class by 1894–1969 Meher Baba was an himself. Born in India he spent most of his life in the Indian guru of Persian descent who United States. He would not accept disciples, as he spent long periods of fasting in said, “People use the guru as a crutch.” Refusing to seclusion. From 1925 to the end of his play the role of a guru, he urged his listeners to be a life, he communicated only with an light unto themselves. His primary teaching is the alphabet board. He taught that the pursuit of freedom from the ego. In 1929 phenomenal world is an illusion and Krishnamurti disbanded The that the Universe is imagination, that Order of the Star of the East God is what really exists, and that founded to support him. For the each is really God passing next sixty years he traveled the through imagination to realize world, speaking about self- individually His own divinity. knowledge. George Bernard Shaw said Krishnamurti was the 1895-1986, Wei Wu most beautiful human being he Wei, (Terence Gray) was an ever saw. Krishnamurti and Englishman and theatre were friends and producer who created Huxley wrote the foreword to Krishnamurti book The the Cambridge Festival First and Last Freedom. He was also friends with and Theatre as an experimental influenced the works of . He was theatre in Cambridge. He considered a great teacher by Ramana Maharshi, produced over 100 plays , and Osho (1931-1990, India). A there between 1926 and 1933. Gray maintained his spiritual teacher who disavowed rituals and , family's racehorses in England and Ireland and in 1957 Krishnamurti claimed that liberation is available, his horse Zarathustra won the Ascot Gold Cup. He here—now. At age 90 he addressed the United dropped out of society in 1958, went to India, studied Nations about peace, and he was awarded the 1984 with Ramana Maharshi, and wrote several inspirational UN Peace Medal. books under the pseudonym of Wei Wu Wei. In Chinese Wei Wu Wei means “non-meddlesome action.” He was 1898–1981 Paul Brunton was a a tremendous influence on Ramesh Belsekar. British philosopher, traveler, mystic and guru, and a true "seeker" who 1896–1981 Anandamayi Ma dedicated his life to the inner search. () Sivananda described He went to India where he spent time her as "the most perfect flower the with Meher Baba and Ramana Indian soil had ever produced." Maharshi. He is credited along with Paramhansa Yogananda Madam Blavatsky, Vivekananda and translates Anandamayi as Yogananda as the man who "joy permeated." This name was introduced Eastern Philosophy to the Western World. He given to her by her devotees in the 1920s to describe introduce Ramana Maharshi to the West through his what they saw as her habitual state of divine joy and books, "A Search in Secret India" and "The Secret bliss. She said she became completely empty with no Path." sense of "I am." She is," she said, "nobody."

1897–1981 Sri Maharaja 1893–1952 Paramahansa Nisargadatta was an Yogananda was the founder of the Self- Indian Guru of non-dualism. The Realization Fellowship in 1917. He publication in 1973 of , taught the need for direct experience of brought him worldwide mystical truth. "The true basis of religion recognition and followers, is not , but intuitive experience. especially from North America and Intuition is the soul’s power of knowing Europe. He said that our true God. To know what religion is all about, nature is perpetually free, peaceful one must know God." His Autobiography awareness. This awareness is different from the of a Yogi has been a perennial bestseller since the early personal, individual consciousness that is related to the 20th century. See the movie “Awake.” body. He influenced Wei Wu Wei, Ramesh Belsekar and

Jed McKenna.

his ashram in Genishpuri, India I had my first experience 1897–2009 Ramesh of Shakti. His spiritual autobiography is The Belsekar was a disciple of Play of Consciousness. Sri . He was drawn to the 1910-1997 H.W.L. Poonja, of Advaita, particularly the also known as "Poonjaji" or teachings of Ramana "Papaji". Although he denied Maharshi and Wei Wu Wei. He being part of any formal tradition, wrote more than 20 books, was he is considered a yogi-saint of president of the Bank of India, the Advaita Vedanta and Bhakti and received guests daily in his traditions. Although he studied home in until shortly under Ramana Maharshi. Ramana before his death. According to Ramesh, Consciousness is Maharshi never claimed to have all there is. Perhaps his best book is "Who Cares?!" any disciples. When he met Ramana Maharshi in 1944, Ramana Maharshi told him. 1897- 1961 Bhagawan Nityananda Nityananda, which means, "always in bliss. Before the I cannot show you God or enable you to see God age of twenty, Nityananda became a wandering yogi, because God is not an object that can be seen. spending time on yogic studies and God is the subject. He is the seer. practices in the Himalayas. In 1936, he Don't concern yourself with objects went to the temple in the village that can be seen. Find out who the seer is. of Ganeshpuri and asked if he could stay there. The family that looked after 1913-2002 Satchidananda Saraswati was a disciple the temple agreed and built a hut for of Sivananda (1887-1963) a yoga adept, who gained him. As his visitors and followers fame in the west particularly after increased, the hut expanded and patriating in Woodstock Festival in became an ashram. To the people Bethel, NY in 1969. He was the author around him, he was an avadhuta: one who is absorbed in of many philosophical and spiritual the transcendental state. His teachings are published in the books including an updating of the "Chidakash Gita". Yoga of and the for modern readers. 1889–1964 Jwaharlal Nehru was the first Prime He founded Yogaville Ashram in Minister of India and a central figure in Indian politics Virginia in 1980. It includes the before and after independence. He emerged as the famous Lotus Interfaith Temple. Satchidananda lent his paramount leader of the Indian name to the founding of The New Seminary in New independence movement under the York City in 1980. tutelage of Mahatma Gandhi and ’s philosophy was ruled India from its establishment as 1920–2009 Vimala Thakar an independent nation in 1947 until influenced by the spiritual teachings his death in 1964. He thought that of Jiddu Krishnamurti and the nonviolent religious taboos were preventing social change philosophy of Mahatma India from going forward and Gandhi. She sought to reconcile the often- adapting to modern conditions: separated worlds of spirituality and social action, arguing that in fact each is "No country or people who are slaves to dogma and indispensable to the other. dogmatic mentality can progress, and unhappily our country and people have become extraordinarily dogmatic and little-minded." 1926–2011 Satya Sai Baba was a guru, Vedantist, and 1908–1982 Muktananda was a disciple and the spiritual leader, his apparent successor of Bhagavan Nityananda. He materializations of vibhuti (holy wrote several books about Kundalini ash) and other small objects such as Shakti, and Vedanta, including a spiritual rings, necklaces, and watches, along autobiography entitled The Play of with reports of miraculous Consciousness. His message is, “Honor healings, resurrections, , bilocation, and your Self, worship your Self, and see alleged omnipotence and omniscience, were a source of God in each other.” God dwells in both fame and controversy. everyone. With the use of , pranayama, chanting at 1927-1993 Vishnudevananda a Gurumayi 1955-Present is the disciple of Sivananda Saraswathi, current spiritual head of the Siddha was the founder of the International Yoga path. Her teacher was Vedanta Center and Muktananda in the lineage of Ashram. His book The Complete Nityananda. Muktananda died in Illustrated Book of Yoga (1959) 1982, after which Gurumayi and her established him as an authority of brother became joint spiritual heads Hatha and Raja yoga. His centers still of the path. However, exist in Val Morin, Canada, New York City, and Nassau Gurumayi brother left the Siddha Yoga path in 1985. in the Bahamas. It was under his tutelage that I did my According to his 1986 interview in Hinduism Today he yoga teacher training in Val Morin in the summer of left by his own choice, deciding to cease to be a Siddha 1970. There I also participated in a fire walking Yoga Sannyasi but wishing his sister well as sole guru ceremony.

1931–1990 Osho or Bhagawan Mahamandaleshwar Swami Shree Nityananda. He is Of the three teachers I spent time Gurumayi's estranged with in India, Osho was the most younger brother who was interesting. A former professor of first named as philosophy, when I met him in 1971, Muktananda's successor, he was giving daily lectures in Mumbai. He gave me the name Nitham. I still enjoy served as go-guru with her from 1982 to 1985, and listening to his lectures on CD. I never, however, has since established his own ashram, Shanti became an active disciple (sannyasin). He said the Mandir in Walden NY where he continues to give greatest values in life are awareness, love, meditation, programs and retreats. and laughter. According to Osho, enlightenment is natural. The ego, however, is distracted from enlightenment by emotional ties to societal expectations, 1954-Present, personal fears, and inhibitions. Since he disapproved of (born Anthony Paul Moo-Young) is organized religion and the institution of priesthood, not a spiritual teacher originally surprisingly, he was not liked by the establishment. A from Jamaica. Mooji is a disciple great intellect, he said his main teaching was through his of Papaji, a devotee of jokes. the advaita and nondual master Ram ana Maharshi. Mooji shares self- 1953-Present Amma (“Mother”), inquiry, directing his students to the non-dual Self by is a Hindu spiritual leader and guru encouraging them to question who or what they are at who is revered as a saint by her the deepest level. followers. She has developed a form of darshan in which she gives hugs to One exercise, written by Mooji in 2015 for a her students. summer retreat, is to identify the natural feeling "I am" or "I exist" and staying with this for 5 to 7 minutes at a "I don’t see if it is a man or a woman. time. Another is to come to the recognition that I don't see anyone different from my own self. A everything (thoughts, emotions, sensations) can be continuous stream of love flows from me to all of perceived, and then inquiring, "Can the perceiver itself creation. This is my inborn nature. The duty of a doctor be perceived?" is to treat patients. In the same way, my duty is to console those who are suffering." 1957-present "Sadhguru" is a yogi, mystic teacher & author. In 1982, at the age of 25, he had a mystical experience while meditating which led to his teaching yoga and the founding of the Isha Foundation, a non- profit organization which offers Yoga program and is involved in social outreach, and environmental issues. His books have appeared on the NY Times best-seller list.