Patrick, an Austrian living in Chiang Mai, joined our school a couple of years ago. Here is his how he sees Mahasiddha Yoga, is his own words:
I used to ride my bicycle on weekends and go to meditate (or whatever it was I was doing), and afterwards I would always feel so much better. But I had no idea why meditation had this effect. I needed an explanation and a trustworthy person to talk to about it. Someone with an open mind and open background. I’m not for doctrines and I believe in all aspects of life with all its diversity. After a long search, I found this person. Actually, I found 3 of them.
Now, the image most of us have when thinking of people who meditate, is that they’re some kind of new-age hippies, people with big words but little responsibility, airy-fairy characters. As a thriving and responsible Austrian businessman, such people seemed too foreign to me. But to my surprise, I discovered Mahasiddha Yoga and thus came across an extraordinary spiritual community with people of all ages in all sorts of positions and constellations. Spiritual people who at the same time raised kids, have a business and still find the time to practice 5+ hours a day. Today I’m calling them my Amrita family. I’m extremely proud to consider myself a part of this family and I’m in awe of the truthfulness and spiritual transformations that I’ve witnessed over and over again (To give some examples, I saw shy people become more extroverted, tired people becoming more vivid, fearful people becoming more courageous and the list could go on). It’s a very diverse community with people of many nations and walks of life: from psychologists to data analysts, full-on devotees living in an ashram, chefs, psychotherapists, alternative medicine practitioners, healers, astrologers, spiritists, buddhists, catholics, atheists, parents, youths, singers, choreographers and seekers. It might almost seem like a Disneyland for grownups, but I find that this mixture of occupations and backgrounds is invaluable. When you have a question or a struggle, there surely is someone open to listen to you and share her or his life story with you. It certainly helped me and it still does, time after time, to overcome difficulties and challenges.
Blandine, Uriel and Radu – with their vehicle Mahasiddha Yoga – live the yogic lifestyle throughout, unerringly transparent and diligent so that slowly but surely it also rubbed off on me. Not only did I become much more efficient, diligent and overall aware in my daily life, but I also experienced a pleasant transformation of the way I see everyday life. The way Uriel presents saints and gives talks about higher spiritual goals ultimately gave a refreshing view on human interactions. Blandine is the supreme female manifestation – it seems all the girls want to be as radiant and confident as she is, while men feel at peace in her presence. Radu draws you in to be reliable, to be consistent, to be happy, fundamentally to be yourself.
I consider myself a rookie but in the last 2 years the practice of Karma Yoga, the weekly yoga and tantra classes and several courses in between fundamentally transformed my life for the better. I’m now able to practice yoga for 1.5 hours a day. I reduced my sleep from 7-8 hours to 5 and a half. That accounts to 2.5 hours more per day and before doing yoga I was telling myself I was so busy already. I can clearly tell the difference between days when I practice and day I don’t. When I do, life becomes so much smoother and calmer, altogether more radiant and vibrant.
Since I joined the community there were also noteworthy improvements regarding the relationship to my daughter, the relationship to my co-workers and customers and very gratefully I found a woman I love dearly. My beautiful girlfriend could have had never show up considering my previous lifestyle. I did not have the tools nor was I able to formulate what I truly wanted and needed. Once the seemingly impenetrable cloud of my consciousness lifted through intense yoga and meditation practice, my wish list to the universe became very clear. And once I expressed it wholeheartedly, it was granted within a view days.
Whoever reads this attempt to verbalize my gratefulness to this amazing school and amazing teachers – do not hesitate to have a look yourself! You can even reach out to me for further questioning. I’m Patrick Kumpitsch writing this letter of reference to everyone out there looking for something more. It might be useful to some to know my background and to understand that I have no financial interest in promoting Mahasiddha Yoga or any other dubious or questionable intentions. I’m a happy father of a beautiful 8 year old daughter, I’m the COO/CEO of a 175 employee’s automotive supplier, I’m the director and founder of a small design firm called DS24 and I’m the secretary general of the Thai-Austrian Society. My purpose of this journey is and was to take a step closer towards a fulfilled and complete life.
Among all the things I have gathered and accumulated so far, the Tantric and esoteric teachings had the most profound and noticeable impact. These teachings are not the opposite to my current lifestyle and relationships, they are the add-on, they are complementary. You might also question yourself as I did if you have enough time available or if you are spiritual at all but the teachings and practices will undoubtedly transform you and evoke clarity, which leads to more free time and a lighter being regardless of any concepts you carry.