Tributes to Dr Jonn from the Yoga family worldwide.
Yantra Shiromani Siddha Dr. Jonn Mumford
Dr. Swami Anandakapila Saraswati
In Memoriam: 1937–2023
Mysticism is the direct experience of Ultimate Universal Unity — Dr. Jonn Mumford
Dear Fellow Students and Friends, We first met Jonn almost a quarter century ago; he changed our lives, and we’re sure he did the same for many of you. He was modest and lived that way. He invited us to call him by first name at our first meeting over coffee, in a New York City McDonald’s. He loved his coffee. Modesty notwithstanding, his impact on his students and on the evolution of modern Yoga and Tantra was profound.
It is with great sadness that we inform you of his transition yesterday. We understand that he retained his good humour until the very end. And we will remember that good humour and joie de vivre always, just as what we learned from him will be in us always.
We trust that his teachings will live on in you as they live on in us.
As of now, we have no details about funeral plans, etc. but will inform you as soon as we can. Our hearts go out to all of you in this time of loss.
Much love, Mark and Patricia, USA
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Our beloved teacher, mentor and companion Dr Jonn Mumford passed from this world on Sunday morning in Sydney. He passed away peacefully in his sleep between 5–6 in the morning. Dr Jonn Mumford, or Maharaj as he was affectionately called, was both an inspirational innovative teacher and a loving mentor. There have been countless times throughout my life where his wisdom helped me gain clarity in times of distress and confusion.
Dr Mumford was one of the greatest contemporary innovators in the science and teaching of yoga. He published numerous original insights and produced entire bodies of original works based on the lineage of the ancient yogis, his profound knowledge of human anatomy and physiology and his research of western mystic traditions and philosophies.
His books and courses such as Keys to Karma, Death: Beginning or End? and Mind Magic Kit have shaped, and continue to shape my life, indescribably for the better. Dr Mumford through his teachings has given us all a pathway into self-realisation, unshakeable inner peace and moving our creative potential into manifestation.
Let’s all make time over the coming moments or weeks to meditate on our heart space and wish our beloved companion and mentor Dr Jonn Mumford a Bon Voyage!
Hari Aum Tat Sat. Aum Namah Shivaya.
Rajesh Bhardwaj
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AUM. My prayers of light and wisdom for Swami Anandakapila Saraswathi, Dr Jonn Mumford, who indeed gave wise Yoga teachings and made a huge contribution to the spread and continuation of Swamiji’s Yoga wisdoms. This was specially true of the Yantra teachings that he preserved well and gave back to you again in the right time. This has enabled the teachings to reach everyone and gave them the path to further progress. AUM.
To enter the spaces beyond earthly life will certainly give his Divine soul-spirit fresh light and wisdom in harmony with the Divine. AUM
Yogarathna Sri Bharati Devi, Netherlands.
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February 1995 was Murali’s first meeting with Jonn Mumford during the Yantra Nama Dharshana Course. Jonn presented Number, Name and Form Concepts of Yantra in a very innovative and creative manner.
As all these Yantra concepts were new to all students attending the course, we absorbed as much information as possible. When Jonn told the class he lived in Sydney, Australia, Murali asked if he could continue studying Yantra when we returned home. We shared many Saturday evenings discussing Yantra over dinner.
Whilst Ananda was at medical college as well as Jipmer hospital Jonn was asked to teach Yantra courses at ICYER each February with Murali as assistant from 2004 through 2013.
Whenever Ananda came ‘Down-under’ for workshops, we would meet Jonn at least one evening and dine at Govinda’s vegetarian restaurant in Sydney.
Jonn Mumford’s Dharma was to give Swamiji’s Yantra back to the Source. Mission Accomplished.
Yogacharya Muralidharan Giri (Muralee), Sydney, Australia.
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My memories of Jonn
I first met Jonn in 1973 in tropical North Queensland which was a popular holiday destination. He used to come up from Sydney annually and run short courses and give public talks and demonstrations of Yoga.
His teaching methods were memorable. We learnt a system of memory recall by association with image creation. The image had to move and be huge, colourful, weird, and humorous. I have a memory of an enormous pink elephant, wearing a dress and riding on top of a huge, red, London bus, but I am now unable to remember the object that I was trying to remember! To demonstrate how a chakra worked he used a plastic bag twisted somehow around a wire coat hanger which was hung up on a line and then set alight. It spun noisily with a shower of sparks and was very graphic and exciting to watch.
Like Swamiji Gitananda Giri, his mentor, Jonn had an engaging, larger than life personality and a wonderful sense of humour. He was a brilliant teacher and I feel privileged to have known him and to have had a unique relationship with him. Often late at night when we were both still working at the computer; I would send him quirky items, and he frequently included them ‘From Margo’ at the end of his newsletters.
Jonn, you have gone to the Light where you will shine for all eternity and light the way for each of us when it is our time to take the same journey. God bless you.
Mathaji Margo, Brisbane, Australia.
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Namaste Dr. Ananda Ji and Ananda Ashram Sadhakas,
Paying our tribute and gratitude and thanking heart to Dr. Jonn Mumford Ji the great master of living and experiencing yoga consciousness throughout his life and also sharing and bringing with others remarkable people of the yoga field under the lineage of Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj Ji.
Many times in classes you have mentioned about him and also, from you we came to know about him and his life and yoga path and his lifetime at Ananda Ashram in Pondicherry with Swamiji.
Paying him tribute of respect and gratitude full of thankfulness with whose teachings dedicatedly honoured him by Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri Ji and then to you the science of number Yantra.
We also completed these teachings online with you as our yoga guru, yoga light, yoga acharya so we stand with you and Ashrama in these difficult times.
Paying our heartfelt gratitude to the great science of Yantra and yoga path.
Om Shanti!
Yogasadhaki Gurleen Sarai, Canada.
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It was in 2000 that I first studied with Dr. Jonn, or Swami Anandakapila Saraswati as he was known then. I called him my ‘Cyberguru’ as we were geographically half a world apart and communicated via the internet. He sent me lessons and I sent him questions which he always answered very quickly, no matter what time of day or night. I began to wonder if he ever slept! He was so very dedicated to helping his students.
After a couple of years I had the opportunity to meet him. He was teaching Yantra at Ananda Ashram, so I could finally obey Swami Gitananda’s injunction to go there. What fun we had learning! He played little tricks on us, he clowned quite a bit, had us do daft things, all the while giving us deep knowledge to digest which changed our lives. Yes, he taught in such a unique way that the knowledge he imparted sank in deep and was absorbed easily. I had a blockage with numbers that he destroyed by playing. We were asked to do strange things such as placing a chewing gum wrapper on our foreheads, or pushing one arm against the wall, or lifting a person with one finger. Of course you won’t see the connection just by reading that! You had to be there. During one of the courses I studied with him he said: put your hand on the back of your neck to see where you are psychically. Once he asked me to put a light bulb in a microwave oven; I don’t have one but luckily my neighbour was willing to see what happened. These are examples of his extraordinary method of imparting his deep knowledge so that it sank in. He clowned, he joked, he invited us to see things in a completely different way so that we could understand better. He was unique, and I am profoundly grateful to have studied with him and deeply honoured that he asked me to illustrate his articles.
Dr. Jonn chose to ‘wake from the dream’ in his sleep during Brahma Mahurta on Shivaratri — such an auspicious moment! May his soul be treated with respect and love. He will not be forgotten!
Aum Namah Shivaya!
Jnanasundari Janita Stenhouse
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Namaste dear Divine Dr. Sir, beloved AMMAJI and Guru family,
In the name of the Yoga society Berlin I send you our deepest condolences and prayers to the loss of Dr. Jonn Mumford.
We are with you and send our gratitude and love to the soul that now continues the journey towards moksha.
In love with deepest respect,
Arpana, Prema and the whole Yoga Gesellschaft Berlin
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Dr Jonn Mumford is, and I mean ‘is’ in the living sense, a constant present in the lives of many loved ones and has been since my youth. His very close relationship to my own teachers meant his teachings were often infused with theirs to become my own sadhana. Dr Jonn Mumford, his disciples, friends, and colleagues are as if spiritual kin who travel through incarnations destined to reconnect until we each attain liberation. When my sangha integrated with Dr Mumford’s international disciples, some fifteen years ago in Serpentine, WA, it was as if we were simply reviving lost bonds. Dr Mumford’s Yantra and numerology course, however wonderful and mind expanding was not the highlight of the program. It was Dr Mumford himself, his persona, his wit, his incredible sense of humour and compassion. He can say one small thing that forces the revaluation of everything you thought you knew. In this case, meeting Dr Mumford was a profound turning point, a moment of contrast between satyam and asatyam that catalysed a radical shift of worldview. It is certain that due to our karma we will again teach, learn, love and support one another in our future lives, toward our goal. It may be, however, that the great Doctor will guide us from within the omniscient heart of Lord Shiva, as we all know what it means to give up one life for eternity on Mahashivaratri. He is therefore remembered as living. And, for this sadhaki, as a Siddha, henceforth, Siddha Dr John Mumford.
With deep respect and love, Malini Sara Nath
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“He maintained a perspective of the evolutionary aspects of Yoga that are difficult to find today. The world is diminished with his passing”.- Yogiraj Rajudev, USA.
“Wow! How auspicious. What a privilege and honour it was to have met him on a few occasions at the ashram”. –Yogacharini Kalavathi, UK.
“I have a deep gratitude to him as well. I have never met him but one of his books led me to the ashram. om shanti shanti shanti om”.- Yogacharini Nova Scheidt, Canada
“My heartfelt condolences to the Yoga family . yes, on an auspicious Mahashivarathri day. May the departed soul rest in eternal peace”. — Shri C Ramanathan, Pondicherry, India.
He will be missed by many! So glad he was able to bring back some of Swamiji teachings for all our us to learn”.-Yogacharini Gargi, New Zealand.
“An amazing Life! Grateful to have met him. he was a unique personality and a true blessing. May he transition smoothly unto Shiva Loka!”- Yogacharya Gowrishankarananda, Canada.
“May he visit often and continue to be a strength and comfort and sharer of knowledge. He has achieved an auspicious passing within a mortal lifetime — a good and great person indeed — and he chose to use your beautiful leading of ceremony and connection to find his way home — my love, thoughts and prayers are with you and your family and all those affected at this transitional time”.- Emma Reid-Chalmers, UK.
“I will remember dearest Swamiji for so many things, but the last thing he said to me when I visited him in hospital following his stroke, was ‘It’s all MAYA’.”- Swami Mounamurti Saraswati, Australia.
