Jason's Teachers
Qi Gong Teacher - Grand Master Mantak Chia
Mantak Chia is the founder of the Universal Healing Tao system of Qi Gong and Inner Alchemy. Born in Thailand to a Chinese family, Master Chia has been teaching since 1974.
Chia's lineage is that of the Dragon's Gate sect of the Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) school of Taoism. It emphasizes knowledge and method that are effective to develop the states of inner experience and consciousness that are the birthright of all humans and accessible by all, without unnecessary rituals. After having inherited the complete Taoist internal spiritual cultivation system from his master, Yi Eng, Chia followed the master's instruction to teach it to others.
Master Chia is the author of more than 60 books on Taoist practices. He teaches internationally and at his resort, Tao Garden, near Chaing Mai, Thailand.
Qi Gong Teacher - Dr. Jorgos Pappas
A Qi Gong practitioner since the early 1970's, Jorgos has studied under various masters, including a student of Bian Zhizhong. He teaches especially from this lineage of Master Zhizhong, the Huashan Mountain School.
Jurgos lives in harmony with land and sea at his retreat centre on Mount Pelion, Greece. Founded in 1993, the centre is called "ILIOHOOS - The School of Simple Life." The main idea is to discover the omnipresent life energy and consciously use it for a better life.
Dharma Teacher - Da Dennis Trisker
Dennis spent more than thirty years with teachers and mind investigators.
Among them are Thich Nhat Hanh, Paul Auk Sayadow, Ramesh Balsekar, Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha, Sri Krishna Keshab, and Bhikku Vivekananda. He was also strongly influenced by Jiddu Krishnamurti.
He held a degree in Transpersonal Studies and authored several books on mystical topics, including 'Spirits Alive: Confrontations with the Spirits of Brazil' and his yet-to-be-published volumes 'How I Cured Myself of Cancer' and 'Meditation and the Bible.'
After decades of seeking, experienced ten continuous days of deep Samadhi after which he understood this natural and direct way to the Transpersonal state.
Dennis passed along this Samadhi to me in 2012, upon our first meeting, using a few simple questions in the Advaita tradition of his own teacher Ramesh Balsekar. He then spent years preparing me as a meditation practitioner and Dharma teacher in Rishikesh and Dharamsala, India.
Borrowing a term from Krishnamurti, Dennis called this meditation technique "Choiceless Awareness."
Dennis passed away in 2018.
Kriya Master - H.H. Swami Shankarananda Giri
H.H. Shankarananda Giri is a Kriya Yoga Master in the lineage of Hariharananda, Paramahansa Yogananda, and Shri Yukteshwar.
I received initiation into Kriya Yoga from him in 2012 in Rishikesh, India.
Kriya Yogins describe the practice as the science of self-realization. They practice an ancient meditation technique transmitted by the Mahavatar Babaji to Lahiri Mahasaya in 1861.
Spiritual Mentor - Basu Aryavat
Basu is an experienced teacher and has been giving courses and retreats in yoga, tantra and meditation in India, Thailand, Greece, Denmark and Austria since 2000. He offers a clear teaching and practice from different spiritual traditions without them loosing their originality.
He began his yoga sadhana (spiritual practice) in 1997 and was in the following periode introduced into Hatha Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Tantra, Vipassana and Qi Gong. In 2002 he was initiated in Kriya Yoga by Swami Shankarananda Giri.
In 2008 Swami Shankarananda Giri gave him the allowance to introduce and guide others into Kriya Yoga and in 2016 he became a Kriya Acharya and can give initiation into Kriya Yoga.
He is the founder of Kriya Dharma and Co founder of Ellas Retreat.
Massage Teacher - 'Yan' Suriyan Punyafoo
Yan teaches Nuad Boron / Thai Yoga Massage at Sunshine Massage School in Chiang Mai. Yan's approach is best described as flowing techniques and precise body movement. The tradition he teaches, Nuad Boran, is the refinement of Thai Yoga Massage originally adapted for use with the Thai royal family.
Yan acted as my teacher and personal mentor during the advanced segment of my 400-hour Thai Yoga Massage Training in Chiang Mai, Thailand in 2016.
Reiki Master - Sunil Chandran
Head of the Kerala Reiki Master's Association, Master Sunil is well known and respected for his Reiki practice and is also a household name as a television psychic in Kerala.
A strong emphasis on clairvoyance is the hallmark of Master Sunil's teaching and initiation, and he puts his Master Teacher students, myself included, to clairvoyant tests.
While not currently teaching Reiki, I continue to draw on the energy work foundation which Sunil helped nurture.