Empowering the Soul: A Collection of Essays Exploring Global Healing and Spiritual Well-Being

Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD, is a modern-day master and living link in the unbroken Himalayan Tradition. He is the successor to Sri Swami Rama of the Himalayas, and the spiritual head of the Himalayan Institute. As the author of numerous books, including his autobiography Touched by Fire: The Ongoing Journey of a Spiritual Seeker, Pandit Tigunait offers practical guidance on applying yogic and tantric wisdom to modern life. For over 40 years he has touched innumerable lives around the world as a teacher, humanitarian, and visionary spiritual leader. You can view more of his teachings online in the library of Himalayan Institute Online.

Pandit Tigunait holds two doctorates: one in Sanskrit from the University of Allahabad in India, and another in Oriental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. Family tradition gave Pandit Tigunait access to a vast range of spiritual wisdom preserved in both the written and oral traditions. Before meeting his master, Pandit Tigunait studied Sanskrit, the language of the ancient scriptures of India, as well as the languages of the Buddhist, Jaina, and Zorastrian traditions. In 1976, Swami Rama ordained Pandit Tigunait into the 5,000-year-old lineage of the Himalayan Masters.

Senior Teacher of the Himalayan Institute, Rolf Sovik, PsyD, began his study of yoga and meditation in 1972. He is a student of H.H. Swami Rama and Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, and under their guidance has explored the teachings of the Himalayan tradition. He holds degrees in philosophy, music, Eastern Studies, and Clinical Psychology. He is currently a resident of the Himalayan Institute where he lives with his wife, Mary Gail. Read Rolf’s articles on yoga wisdom and spirituality on the Himalayan Institute Online Library.

Senior faculty at the Himalayan Institute, Sandy teaches yoga, meditation, and philosophy, and is a key instructor in the Institute's teacher training programs. She is the coauthor of the award-winning book, Yoga Mastering the Basics, and a frequent contributor to the Himalayan Institute's online Wisdom Library. Her work draws on her immersion in the living oral tradition, traditional texts of hatha yoga and tantra, training in Sanskrit, and her background in environmental science. A long-time resident at the Himalayan Institute with a diverse background and life experience, Sandy has a unique capacity to convey the richness of spiritual life in the contemporary world.

Board-certified in both internal medicine and integrative medicine, Carrie Demers, MD, is a holistic physician who blends modern medicine with traditional approaches to health. After receiving her medical degree from the University of Cincinnati, Dr. Demers went on to study massage, homeopathy, nutrition, herbal medicine, yoga, and ayurveda. She has been the medical director of the Himalayan Institute PureRejuv Wellness Center (formerly Total Health Center) for the last 20 years. Widely recognized for her expertise, Dr. Demers has been interviewed by numerous magazines and newspapers, and lectures nationally on holistic health and ayurveda. She is a frequent contributor to yogainternational.com and the Himalayan Institute online Wisdom Library.

Growing up at the Himalayan Institute, Ishan Tigunait received his first spiritual lessons from Swami Rama of the Himalayas, and has continued his spiritual education for the past 30 years under the guidance of his father, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait. Ishan serves as Executive Director of the Himalayan Institute, and has been a driving force for the Himalayan Institute’s humanitarian projects in Africa over the past 15 years. He also serves as Managing Director of Himalayan Institute India, and spearheaded the establishment of the Institute’s newest campus in Khajuraho, India.

Ishan’s passion is sharing modern reflections on the ancient wisdom of the yogic and tantric traditions. As a Himalayan Institute faculty member, he is a key contributor to the Vishoka Meditation program and the Institute’s 500-hour yoga teacher training program, and also leads annual pilgrimages to India and the Himalayas.

Holding a degree in computer engineering, Ishan worked for IBM before returning to the Himalayan Institute in 2006. Ishan is also co-founder of Moka Origins, a socially conscious bean-to-bar chocolate maker and specialty coffee roaster. He is an avid social entrepreneur, and is committed to sharing the transformational power of yoga to unleash our full potential.

The founding editor of Yoga International magazine, Deborah Willoughby holds a master’s degree in English literature from the University of Virginia. After a career in Washington, DC, as a writer and editor, she turned her attention full-time to the study and practice of yoga. She has studied with Swami Rama and Pandit Rajmani Tigunait in both the United States and India and served as President of the Himalayan Institute from 1994 to 2008. She currently teaches meditation, yoga philosophy, and Vedanta at the Honesdale campus.