The many facets of the unique personality of His Holiness Dr. Sri Swami Rama represent only aspects of a magnificent diamond, whose brilliance reflects the divinity shining within. To describe him as a Yogi, Scientist, Philosopher / Teacher, Humanitarian, Writer and Musician/Artist provides merely a glimpse of the totality of this remarkable individual.

     If there is a single phrase that defined Swamiji’s actions in the world, it is selfless service. Throughout his entire life, whether with individual students or entire communities, Swamiji gave without expecting anything in return. Having reached the heights of spiritual enlightenment, he strived with seemingly endless energy to attain perfection in his actions in the external world.

The Ultimate Yogi

Swamiji was raised from early childhood by his master, a great yogi and saint of Bengal, who lived in the foothills of the Himalayas and was known as Bengali Baba, or simply Babaji. Babaji was a yogi of immortal wisdom and one of the greatest masters of the Himalayas. Swamiji's master wanted him to learn and experience the many different methods and techniques of yoga. He was sent by his master to study all the traditions of the Himalayan Sages from the various masters of these traditions. From his early childhood Swamiji practiced the various disciplines of yoga science and philosophy in the traditional monasteries of the Himalayas.

When he was 21 years old Swamiji journeyed to Tibet to see his grandmaster and to learn certain advanced practices. He also learned the solar science, tantra, and Sri Vidya from his grandmaster.  “...Every breath of my life was enriched with spiritual experiences which may be difficult for many others to comprehend...."

In 1949, at the young age of twenty-four years he became Shankaracharya of Karvirpitham in South India, succeeding Dr. Kurtkoti to one of the highest spiritual positions in India. He renounced the dignity and prestige of this high office in 1952 to return to the Himalayas to intensify his meditative practices in the monasteries.

The Scientist

Swamiji first and foremost considered himself a scientist. His science was the inner science of body, mind and spirit. He saw himself as the laboratory and constantly experimented with the practices and techniques of all of yoga science. His instructions were to question, experiment and verify, and base conclusions on your own experience. He never asked anyone to believe, but to experiment and discover for themselves.

In 1969 Swamiji went to the United States at the instruction of his Master to scientifically verify the ancient teachings. Invited by Dr. Elmer Green of the Menninger Foundation, he was both consultant and subject in a research project investigating the voluntary control of involuntary states. He participated in experiments that helped to revolutionize scientific thinking about the relationship between body and mind, demonstrating precise conscious control of autonomic physical responses and mental functioning previously thought to be impossible. Under scientific conditions, Swamiji demonstrated the ability to stop his heart from pumping blood for seventeen seconds, produced a ten-degree difference in temperature between different parts of the palm of his hand, and demonstrated precise control over blood flow. In one demonstration under strict laboratory conditions, he caused a fourteen inch aluminum knitting needle mounted on a shaft five feet away to move exactly 30 degrees.

He also voluntarily produced and maintained any and every specific brain wave pattern at will. Starting by generating beta waves, he systematically produced alpha which are generally associated with a relaxed state. He demonstrated theta wave, associated with creativity, dreaming and REM sleep, and ultimately produced delta waves indicating a deep sleep. While producing delta waves and snoring gently at the same time, Swamiji gave every evidence of being in deep sleep. However, he was able to accurately recall everything that had transpired in the room during that period, demonstrating that while he was in deep sleep, he was also fully conscious of what was going on in the room at the time. The technique he utilized is called yoga nidra, "The secret," he said, "lies in turning inward and exploring one's unconscious mind."

    "I am doing this not to show that I am a magician or a super human being, but to show that by controlling the mind one can control one's bodily functions, including the so-called involuntary systems such as respiratory and circulatory. This is done through control of the autonomic nervous system, which is involved in the development of most psychosomatic diseases."

Reports of his work have been documented in the World Book Science Annual 1974, the 1973 Encyclopedia Britannica Yearbook of Science, the Time-Life 1973 Nature Science Annual, Beyond Biofeedback by Elmer and Alyce Green, Swami by Doug Boyd, and numerous other publications.

The Humanitarian

            In recognition of his selfless service in India and the United States, as well as around the world, Swamiji has received numerous awards and honors. In 1977 he was honored with the Martin Buber Award for his service to humanity; in 1982 he received the Gandhi Community award. He was invited to participate as a delegate to an international conference of religious leaders traveling to Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev, and Warsaw to promote the teachings of inner peace as an expression of peace on a global scale. In 1988, the Shiromani Award was bestowed on him for his service to humanity and in 1989 the Bhai Vir Singh Award was presented to him by Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma, Vice President of India at that time. He received the Jawaharlal Nehru Award from the NRI Institute in London.

The Builder

In 1970 Swamiji founded the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy. Over the years, he trained a professional staff of physicians, nurses, psychologists, and philosophers, who in turn provided research, graduate study, and education in yoga science and philosophy. In 1988 he returned to India to build a hospital, medical and nursing school in Northern India, creating the largest medical complex in the East. He miraculously completed the task before leaving his body in 1996. His disciples and students continue his work all over the world.

The Gurudev

Swamiji has taught and influenced literally hundreds of thousands of students all over the world. Many of which continue to study and teach the tools and methods that he taught in his books and public seminars. But this tradition of the Himalayan Sages, this profound yoga science, is an oral tradition, and is passed from Master to disciple directly and personally, and it continues on in the hands of a few dedicated disciples all over the world. These fortunate few have thirty to forty years of study and practice under the direct and personal direction of Swamiji. His instruction and direction continues on through his personal disciples.

The Author

Swami Rama authored dozens of books, each a jewel of wisdom. His writing was simple and direct, with his words and phrases carefully and systematically chosen to create the right effect. Many of these are available today in their original form. Unfortunately and sadly, some of Swamiji’s books have been edited and changed by the new Himalayan Institute, from which Swamiji completely terminated his relationship with before leaving his body in 1996.

Although far too many to list here, just a few of his major works include Yoga and Psychotherapy; The Evolution of Consciousness; Enlightenment Without God; The Path of Fire and Light (v. I and II); The Perennial Psychology of the Bhagavad Gita; Living with the Himalayan Masters; Lectures on Yoga; and Love Whispers: Songs to the Divine Mother.