About Swami Shankarananda
About Mahamandaleshwar Swami Shankarananda
Mahamandaleshwar Swami Shankarananda (Guruji) grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and as a graduate of both Columbia and New York universities began a promising career in English literature at Indiana University. In the late sixties, a dramatic turn of events profoundly altered the direction of his life.
In 1970, he travelled to India in search of a great teacher and a spiritual path. He practised Buddhist Vipassana meditation with Master Goenka, and hatha and raja yoga with Hari Dass Baba. He met a number of great sages, including Neem Karoli Baba, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, and the holy mother Anandamayi Ma. His search culminated at the feet of the powerful kundalini master Baba Muktananda, with whom he studied for twelve years and who initiated him into the Saraswati order of teaching swamis. Ganeshpuri Days tells the story of Guruji’s search and of his intense spiritual practice and transformation in Muktananda’s ashram.
Over the past forty years, Guruji has headed ashrams in the US and Australia, teaching meditation, the philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism and his unique method of Self-inquiry, the Shiva Process. In 2010, he was given the prestigious title of mahamandaleshwar (great teacher) in recognition of his international teaching work.
Guruji is the author of Happy for No Good Reason, Self-Inquiry: Using Your Awareness to Unblock Your Life, Consciousness Is Everything, Carrot in My Ear: Questions and Answers on Living with Awareness, and Muktananda Siddha Guru.
In 1991, Guruji and his spiritual partner, Devi Ma, established The Ashram Mount Eliza on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula near Melbourne, Australia. He teaches and lives with his students, guests and the ashram Chow Chow, Shakti.
He has the power to make people
experience the divine presence.
– Baba Muktananda
Buy Ganeshpuri Days
Buy Swami Shankarananda’s memoir Ganeshpuri Days in the form that best suits you.
Happy For No Good Reason
Learn to meditate with this inspirational guide to your inner world. Full of the fundamental techniques for any well rounded meditation practice, Happy is accompanied by guided audio meditation tracks. An Australian best-seller that will uplift your inner world and transform your outer world.
Consciousness is Everything: The Yoga of Kashmir Shaivism
Consciousness Is Everything is a book that will transform you. Known as the ‘guidebook to Kashmir Shaivism’, it is a resource and guide towards investigating and deepening your own Consciousness.
Self-inquiry: Using Your Awareness to Unblock Your Life
In this groundbreaking book, meditation master Swami Shankarananda adapts the ancient path of Self-inquiry to contemporary life.
Carrot In My Ear: Questions & Answers on Living with Awareness
In Carrot In My Ear Swami Shankarananda responds to questions from seekers about spiritual practice and philosophy. It is a guidebook to the inner experience, offering insights and techniques to dissolve ignorance and live with awareness.
