Guru Mai Ram

Guru Mai Ram is a successor in the tradition of the great Indian yoga masters, belonging to the ancient lineage of the Nath yogis. She was born in Vilnius on 15 January 1969. Mai Ram studied chemistry and psychology - knowledge that helped her to better understand the human body and mind and enriched her work as a yoga teacher.

To deepen her knowledge of yoga, Mai Ram travelled to Varanasi, India, where she met her teacher - Guru Avadhuta Anil Dev Ram. After years of intense practice and asceticism, she was initiated into the lineage of great yoga masters - the Mahasiddha Kapalinaths.

A Western woman continuing the teachings of the most ascetic tradition of Indian yoga masters is an unusual and rare case. Despite the challenges of balancing the path of a yoga master with family and community responsibilities, Mai Ram has raised two daughters while remaining faithful to her calling - yoga.

In 2010, she founded the Mai Ram Yoga Ashram in Vilnius, where she began spreading the teachings of classical yoga. Her background in chemistry and psychology allowed her to adapt the complex classical yoga system for Westerners, leading to the creation of the Mai Ram Yoga System - an integrated practice that unites body, mind and spirit, aimed at helping modern individuals develop self-awareness, awareness and mastery over body and mind.

Mai Ram Yoga's teachings have expanded beyond Lithuania, with the establishment of schools in Slovakia (Banská Bystrica), a retreat centre in Valencia, Spain and, in 2019, an ashram in Varanasi, India. Mai Ram is also the founder of the Mai Ram International Yoga Association in Lithuania and the Mai Ram Yoga International Institute in India. The aim of these organisations is to develop and spread the classical integrated Mai Ram Yoga system, to organise trainings at various levels, studies, seminars and conferences, and to cooperate with related organisations worldwide.

On her initiative, the Savitri Publishing House was founded, which publishes major classical yoga texts, theoretical manuals for the Mai Ram Yoga Teachers' Training Course at various levels, practical methodological materials and guides. Guru Mai Ram translated major classical yoga texts from Sanskrit into Lithuanian, including the Guru Gita, Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, and Svatmarama's Hatha Yoga Pradipika.

Guru Mai Ram's uniqueness lies in her ability to integrate the ancient traditions of Indian yoga with the needs of the modern individual. Her personal experience, deep knowledge and dedication enable her to provide authentic yoga teachings tailored to people of different cultures and lifestyles. The organisations and ashrams she has founded promote spiritual development, self-awareness and mindfulness. Her translations and publications of classical yoga texts help to share this wisdom with a wider audience.

Nath Mahasiddhas: Who are they and what makes them unique?

The Nath (from Sanskrit natha - Lord, Master) tradition is an ancient Indian spiritual school that authentically preserves tantric and yogic teachings. It is an independent philosophical and practical system whose goal is liberation through the transformation of body and consciousness. The founder of this lineage is Adi Nath Shiva. The Naths materialised tantric ideas into practice through a yogic system, creating a detailed map of how tantric cosmology manifests within the human body.

Mahasiddhas are extraordinary spiritual masters who have reached the highest levels of yogic and tantric practice. The term Mahasiddha means 'great accomplished one' in Sanskrit. Mahasiddhas are yoga and tantra masters who have attained supernatural powers (siddhis) and perfection through their deep devotion to spiritual practice. They guard the secrets of these powers, although their goal is not the powers themselves - they arise as a by-product of deep spiritual practice.

Mahasiddhas emphasise that true wisdom comes from personal experience rather than from books or theoretical knowledge. Their lives are dedicated to intense practice and meditation, which allows them to experience the highest state of consciousness. To this day, Mahasiddhas pass on their teachings directly to prepared students through initiations and secret instructions. Their wisdom is based on deep practice and inner awareness. They preserve the methods of yoga, tantra and alchemy.

Unlike other Indian traditions or ascetics who completely renounce the material world, Mahasiddhas maintain that spiritual wisdom can be attained in everyday life. They maintain a balance between inner enlightenment and physical existence. The Mahasiddha path is unique in that it offers a profound self-knowledge that transcends ordinary religious or cultural boundaries. Its legacy shows that enlightenment is possible not only by renouncing the world, but also by living in it consciously and harmoniously.

Among those who seek the true essence of yoga, there are rare teachers who are able to impart authentic spiritual teachings, bridging ancient wisdom with the needs of the modern individual. Guru Mai Ram is one of those rare teachers, belonging to the Nath lineage. The Mai Ram Yoga system she created is not just a physical yoga practice, but a profound spiritual path that invites each person to realise their unlimited potential and discover their true self. She not only inherited the secret Nath teachings, but found a way to transmit them to the modern person in a clear, structured and accessible way.

The Mai Ram Yoga School blends ancient yogic wisdom with methods adapted for the modern person. It is a method that transforms the whole of human existence - body, mind and consciousness.

Traditionally, the lineage of yoga and tantra masters has been male-dominated. However, Mai Ram has managed to be an equal yoga master, capable of passing on the teachings and initiating others into the deepest practices. This is a rare and extraordinary quality that inspires women around the world. Her teachings are based not only on spiritual practices, but also on scientific psychology and human physiology. She has combined this knowledge to create a holistic method that allows individuals to understand body, mind and consciousness as a unified system.

Mai Ram spent many years in ascetic practice at the feet of her Guru in India, immersing herself in the essence of yoga. But she did not stop with her personal spiritual growth - she returned to the world to share her knowledge with others.

Why practice Mai Ram Yoga?

This practice is not just for the flexible or 'special' - it is for anyone seeking inner balance, a stronger body and a deeper understanding of their true nature.

• If you feel a lack of clarity in your life - yoga will help you to focus.
• If you are experiencing stress - Mai Ram Yoga teaches you how to calm the mind and control your emotions.
• If you are seeking deeper self-knowledge - this practice will lead you to the inner stillness where the answers lie.

Guru Mai Ram not only teaches yoga - she lives yoga. She invites everyone on this unique path of self-discovery, where the body becomes an instrument, the mind becomes still, and the consciousness opens to a higher reality. For those who seek more than physical exercises - for those who yearn for the true essence of yoga rather than superficial techniques - Mai Ram Yoga can be a bridge to a new quality of life.

Historical notes:

The earliest known references to the Kapalinath tradition date from around the 7th century BC. For example, in classical Prakrit poetry, the Hala's Gāthāsaptaśatī mentions the ritual of a young female ascetic (kapalika) smearing herself with the ashes of her deceased lover's funeral pyre. Some scholars suggest that the Kapalika tradition merged with other Nath yogic streams around the 9th century AD. Certain Kapalika practices have parallels in Buddhist Vajrayana tantra.