CURRENT MISSION

My 'mission' is to Awaken people from the Quotidean Dream

ABOUT ME

In my youth I was a globe-trotting, bohemian surrealist painter (friendly with Salvador Dali); in teenage, a theatrical costume dresser for Cliff Richard, Jimmy Jewel and Ken Dodd; a BBC Scenic Artist, Set & Costume Designer and actor in theatre and film, a stuntman and singer, zoo-keeper, art teacher, deckhand, street portraitist and many other weird and wonderful occupations during seven years of hitchhiking halfway round the world. I became a British spiritual cult hero in the Sixties, as Founder of "Gandalf's Garden" mystical centre and magazine in London.
Now in my seventies I look pretty much like Gandalf (and would have liked to play him in the film).

Because of my many years of vagabondage, sleeping under the bridges with tramps in Paris, working as an elephant-trainer (in Tel Aviv) and Night-club singer (in Acco); a rock-driller in King Solomon's mines (Timna, Israeli desert); trekking down Africa (being shot at by bandits, surviving knife attacks, hold-ups, poisoned darts and earthquakes), crossing deserts, living with the Dervishes in Turkey and Iran, living three years as a wandering monk in India, and clinging to the outside of an express train for 10 hours through the night, the Yoga magazines call me œthe "Indiana Jones of Yoga."
In India I am known as Ramana Baba. I have 45 years experience of teaching Mantra and Advaita Vedanta in many countries around the world.

I am easy-going and respectful of others and trust my guests to be equally so.

PHILOSOPHY

My philosophy is to do all I can to make the world a happier place.
One of my projects to that end is the publication of an esoteric faerytale fantasy for children called "Ifflepinn Island", in which secrets of life are secreted within the adventures of the hero, in order to give a taste of spiritual imagination to young souls.

I follow the outlook of the great sage of Arunachala:

Whatever is destined to happen will happen no matter what you do to try and prevent it.

Whatever is not destined to happen will not happen no matter how hard you try to make it happen.

The best therefore is to keep quiet (and accept what comes)

--Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I would like to contact and meet many members interrested in spirituality, both visiting in many countries and hosting at my home and also to participate in gatherings with members in my own region of Sa Bras, Portugal.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

My main CS experience has been by hosting people from many countries, which has enabled me to meet new and pleasant friends. I have been hosted in the north of France, with a family that touched my heart, and a couple of great hosts in the UK as well as recent heart-warming hosts in Spain and in Bali.

Interests

Artwork, Yoga, Mantra, Gardening, Writing, Fantasy novels and Films, Travel, Heart-opening, Advaita Vedanta (the teachings of Ramana Maharshi and Nisargadatta)

• arts
• writing
• design
• acting
• yoga
• clubbing
• gardening
• movies
• traveling
• darts
• teaching
• hitchhiking

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies I prefer are too many to mention: perhaps The Emerald Forest, Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones; all Fantasy, Adventure, Action, Comedy, Historical,Drama (of which I have a huge collection).

The same goes for books; I have a library of over a thousand spiritual, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Zen works, etc., plus fantasy, biography, art and more.

As for music I still prefer the Beatles to any other pop music; otherwise classical, Indian, Cajun, Bluegrass and Blues.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

As an artist I spent time with the surrealist painters in Cadques, Spain, creating an acquaintance with Salvador Dali and the Dadaist, Marcel Duchamp.
I spent three years in Africa and hitch-hiked all the way down the continent from Cairo to Capetown, avoiding ambushes, bandits, poisoned darts and all kinds of other Rider Haggard stuff.
But perhaps the craziest thing I ever did was to hang on to the outside of an express train for ten hours through the night in north India, when there was no room inside.

Teach, Learn, Share

I learn from everyone by observation, including children.

And having been a Psychotherapist for many years and a spiritual mentor for even longer, I am ready to assist anyone in understanding themselves and the world with both spiritual and worldly insights within my experience.

Countries I’ve Visited

Afghanistan, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Egypt, Ethiopia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, Portugal, Sudan, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, India, Israel, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, United Kingdom

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