The Lineage

Paramahansa Yogananda: Author of Autobiography of a Yogi. Yogananda was Mani Finger's introduction into yoga, his foremost teacher and his initiator into kriya yoga.

Swami Nishraisananda: A scientist/engineer turned yogi and disciple of the Ramakrishna Mission. Nishraisananda's understanding of the links between spiritual yogic concepts and modern science is the foundation of ISHTA's conviction that we are only now beginning to understand in a 'scientific' perspective the physical and energetic effects of yoga, which ancient yogis intuitively understood thousands of years ago.

Swami Venkatesananda: A friend of T. Krishnamacharya and a leading student of Sivananda's. Venkatesananda wrote many books on yoga, and with co-author Kavi Yogiraj Mani Finger, wrote a book on Laya yoga. Venkatesananda, along with Mani, initiated Alan into Yogiraj. Venkates stayed with Mani and Alan for several weeks each year.

Shuddhanand Bharati: A Tantric master. Bharati initiated both Alan and Mani into Tantra and was the driving force behind the systematization of ISHTA as a system of yoga.