Yudhishtara

I try not to give too much importance to personal history as this can so easily lead to wasting precious energy creating and defending images of the ego as well as trapping one’s mind with rigidities that are ultimately unimportant and transitory. The same applies to all the accomplishments, doings, honors, dishonors that have taken place in my life.


However, that being said, I also understand that many people have a natural curiosity about my lifeespecially when they first come to see me or hear what I have to say. To satisfy that curiosity I offer only the following:


To say that I have had but one teacher would be misleading for I have learned and unlearned from many people, objects and various other beings throughout the world, throughout various cultures, throughout time. I try to share the wisdom from all of these as well as from my own experiences with you here.


That being said, there are two profoundly significant strands of influence in my life. One is the Olmec and Toltec wisdom passed down through countless generations from the ancient civilizations of Atlantis and Lemuria. The other is the un-teachings and Beloved presence of the being I honor as my spiritual father, Sri H. W. L. Poonja of India.


At first glance these two strands may seem somewhat divergent, but the little known fact about Poonja-ji is that he was also an adept of certain Toltec teachings and practices which he did not publicly mention. We had many discussions together about this subject and I discovered that Poonja-ji had studied with the same Nagual whose essence now co-resides within my human form.


In 1992 Poonja-ji asked me to offer satsang in America because he wanted people in the West to know that enlightenment was not something reserved for people in certain places like Tibet, India or Machu Picchu or who had lived only a spiritually focused life. He wanted everyone to see that spiritual fullness could be had in their own backyards, living ordinary lives of business and careers, family and community, entertainment and sports. Poonj-ji wanted to remove the implication of spiritual privilege and hierarchy from the truth and availability of enlightenment.


At first I wanted no part of this but I eventually agreed to do as he requested. “The Beloved Mystery Within You” is compiled from many informal talks over an eleven year period (1994 2005.) in California.


Poonja-ji referred to Ramana Maharshi as his beloved teacher. Today if you read the biographies or visit the websites of these two men you will find that they are remembered primarily as saints. But in all honesty they would tell you that they are no different than you and me. Like us, they were human beings, in a fully human form, living life on a day to day basis with all its difficulties, paradoxes and beauties.


So I also want to make it very clear that I am not perfect and I do not wish to be perceived as perfect. Like you, I am now occupying a human form with all of its characteristics. Just because I am sharing my experiences, knowledge, or lack of knowledge with you does not mean in any way shape or form that I have some type of “higher position” than you nor does it mean that you have to attain “something” I have or am that you are not.


My eternal gratitude
to those who know me as imperfect
and still choose to love me.