MIKE ALTMANN

Born in Berlin on 20 January, 1937 (reckoned the most problematic date in the astrological calendar – the cusp between Capricorn and Aquarius), Mike, son of a philosopher, has degrees from four universities (including both London and Harvard), and has worked for various periods in England, the United States, Canada, Israel, Sweden, Germany, and Holland.

In the United States, he served as an Assistant Vice President at the London branch of a major American commercial bank, where he was responsible for property financing and film production financing (evaluating more than 20 feature film projects before, regrettably, deciding to finance eight of them). Later, having immigrated to Israel, he served for 17 years as a reservist in the country’s military and worked as an Assistant Manager at its third-largest bank before leaving to set up an independent copywriting and translation business. Subsequently, he decided that he needed to become rather more spiritual.

Upon retiring from all work-related activities in December 2002, Mike hired a personal fitness trainer and, among other adventures, took her along with him on fitness jaunts to Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, Austria, and the Dead Sea. In 2005, keen to discover a discipline that would integrate physical health with spirituality, they made their first trip to India, where they were introduced to Yoga by a succession of teachers. Then, by chance, in Dharamsala (North India), they met people who strongly recommended that they travel to Koh Phangan, Thailand, to study at Swami Vivekananda’s Agama School of Yoga. In the course of time, Mike qualified as an instructor, and later advanced instructor, at Agama. He has thus far taught at the Koh Phangan and Rishikesh, India, centers.

Mike is probably best known to Agama students for the stand-up comedy and songs that he obstinately insists on offering, despite sustained protests, at each month's Final Ceremony for graduating students.

A confirmed hypochondriac, Mike believes that hardly a disease exists that he has not been attacked by and overcome. He wholeheartedly embraces Agama’s approach to health, bodily purification, and nutrition and, when privileged with the opportunity to do so, he lectures on these subjects with irrepressible gusto. Accordingly, former students worldwide report that he always comes vividly to mind while they are cleansing their intestines and performing other Yogic purifications! …Motivated by sincerity and altruistic enthusiasm, Mike doesn’t mind such renown – he is happy to make a difference.