Westley Adam Eckhardt
Westley Adam Eckhardt, was born in Canada in a family that respected all traditions without imposing any particular creed.
Mysticism and Poetry
This legacy of freedom of choice, led to a profound search for meaning. First, with the mysticism of Christianity, as an adolescent he explored the writings of: Santa Teresa, Thomas à Kempis, St. Ignatius de Loyola, Cloud of Unknowing, St. Francis of Assisi, Thomas Merton ... The poetry of Dante Alghieri, William Blake, Walt Whitman, Gerard Manley Hopkins. And the Beat poet Allen Ginsberg.
Mahatma Gandhi
One of his mentors introduced him to the writings of Mahatma Gandhi and Vinoba Bhavan. Thus began his interest in Eastern mysticism, the psychology of Carl Jung and the "Perennial Philosophy" of Aldous Huxley and "The Varieties of Religious Experience" by William James. Finally he encountered Ouspensky, Gurdjieff and Krishnamurti.
Baba Ram Das
His journey continued with the study of Indian Culture at the University of Toronto. But now a personal experience of mysticism becomes his main ambition. It was the decade of transcendence, Richard Alpert (Baba Ram Das) wrote "Be Here Now" and Huxley "The Doors of Perception: Heaven and Hell".
Zen
He discovered sublime Zen, as expressed by the writings of Suzuki, Alan Watts and Kapleau. Haiku poems became his passion.
"What You See is What You Get"
He tried the teachings of Yogananda, Swami Ramdas, Sri Chinmoy and others. But it was the pragmatic mysticism of Swami Vishnu Devananda, as expressed in his peace missions promoting unity in diversity, his activism, his Hatha Yoga and his integrity that caught his imagination.
Sanyasa
Smitten by the Vedanta tradition of renunciation, he took his vows in 1980. He became Swami Shanmugananda for the next 13 years. He trained thousands of Yoga teachers throughout India, Canada, Australia, Bahamas, Mexico, Argentina and Uruguay. He became director of the Ashrams in the Bahamas and Canada. He became international general secretary for Swami Vishnudevanada and his organization. He became one of Swami Vishnuji's first Acharyas of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres International.
Free of Dogmatism
After the traditional 'gurukula' period as a Swami the call to find a broader understanding of human nature drew him to leave his monastic life and re-integrate into secular society. He added an Hons. BSc in Psychology at OU Milton Keynes, U.K. and a M.B.A. to round out his understanding of individual and organizational human behaviour.
Teacher
He co-directs the Madrid Yoga Center, teaches meditation courses, positive psychology, supervises the teaching of the Indian Yoga Tradition in the AIPYS Teacher Training programmes and conducts his own psychotherapy practice.
Multivocal
He maintains a multivocal interpretation of the spiritual traditions while honouring their uniqueness. His views can be provocative but they are always enlightening as they unpack other dimensions of the Eastern and Western traditions and the questions they provoke.
My Way
"Being a Swami helped me find my own way and to start walking on my own two feet... "
“You're just left with yourself all the time, whatever you do anyway. You've got to get down to your own God in your own temple. It's all down to you, mate."
Wes's Upcoming Programs
- 03 Aug 17:30 — Mindfulness Stress Reduction Spa Program