Sat Chit Ananda
In times like these, one encounters few who ‘shine’ – and even fewer who are able to give this light unconditionally to their fellow human beings. Sundar is such an exception.
Born into the Jewish tradition of his parental home, to which he is deeply attached to this day, he soon discovered his interest in and way into the spirituality of man, as it manifests itself in all cultures, each peculiar and yet always different. Growing up in Basel, he studied medicine. The young doctor used the knowledge he had acquired in his practice in Basel to freely combine his interest in holistic healing with the knowledge of conventional medicine and psychology – as was still possible at that time. His interest in Buddhist Hinayana (Vipassana) and Indian Vedanta (yoga and meditation) brought him into contact not only with the traditional teachings, but also with renowned personalities of the time. Among them Rudolf Gelpke, Timothy Leary, Richard Alpert aka Baba Ram Dass, Goenkaji, Geshe Rabten, Krishnamurti.
But he mostly felt inwardly still separated from the light and love he knew very well, and so, although “successful”, fell into the ‘dark night of the soul’- a ‘crash’ followed.
But then Mahaavatar Babji in the form of Haidakan Babaji appeared in his horizon to whom Robert Dreyfus traveled in 1979. The journey became a pilgrimage, from which grew a lasting connection between the two in the classical master-disciple relationship. And thus began the real path, a path and legacy.
After 2 years of testing, Sundar received the order to found a spiritual center in Switzerland. Completely trusting the spiritual master, he followed the given order without shying away from risks and difficulties. And so, thanks to the guidance and providence of fortunate circumstances, he succeeded in a very short time in bringing the “Center of Unity” to life on the Schweibenalp, an ancient Celtic center in the middle of Switzerland. In 2022 the 40th anniversary was celebrated.
Since 1982, in this Center of Unity, people of all origins who are searching for the meaning of life or who are already concerned with the essentials of life find a universal place of spiritual practice and community. Here West and East and North and South meet, united by the experience of, or at least the instinct for, the oneness of all living things.
Sundar brought with him the Havan/Yagna fire ceremony from Haidakan, which has been revived by Babaji in a comprehensive, inclusive way, and which is celebrated on all special holidays of the world, be they Indian, Judeo-Christian-Islamic or indigenous. Teachers and students of all cultures came and still come together here to exchange, practice together, make music and celebrate. The Schweibenalp is as much a place of togetherness as of solitude. Exchange with others as well as quiet retreat in work and meditation are equally welcome.
Since Sundar arrived 40 years ago with a small temple, a wheelbarrow, chainsaw and hoe, he has continued to transform Schweibenalp into a local center of unity with an international outreach. For 20 years, Schweibenalp has been a member of the Global Eco Village Network whose annual meeting was held there in 2013. This was followed by the founding of Green Phoenix, a think tank for the coordination of Global Ecovillages and similar initiatives, Qilin giraffes included…..
Man works with heart and mind – and this is a master : slave relationship that is not to be reversed, preserve. And this work has to happen between the poles of inner alignment and service to people. Retreat and Sangha are equally indispensable. The crossroads between eternity and the temporal, the ‘old’ eternal wisdom as an anchor and the ever-new of life: consciousness and love as the fulcrum for the beyond. The variety of life is the wealth of the ’emptiness’ (in the sense of the Heart Sutra) What do you still want to experience? – The victory of the good.*
Basel, September ’23, t.a.
* According to an interview with Ananda Hämmerli, “Spirituality as the Core of Community,” Sept. 13, ’23: www.ki-versus-mensch.com/interviews