Mata Urmila Devi
Mata Urmila Devi is a dynamic spiritual master and a mystic, poet, author and artist. She has deep insights into Indian-Vedic philosophy, yogic psychology and techniques, e.g. breathing and meditation.
She devotes her time to consulting for Self-realisation and personal transformation. By offering Satsangs and poetic performances, lecturing and writing on timeless spiritual wisdom, her work brings unity of understanding, building a bridge between Eastern and Western approaches to spiritual awakening. The depth of her personality leaves a lasting impression on the minds of those who meet her.
“My vocation is to share my experience of unbounded love and eternal joy, supporting people to get into their mental, spiritual and physical well-being so that they can live happier and healthier, from the space of their True Self. In this manner, individuals can go through life fearlessly in a relaxed way, and witness life as a divine play.”
Mata Urmila Devi | Self-Awareness & Spiritual Teacher
Which are the most important turning-points in your life, when you took crucial decisions?
Whenever I faced a feeling of deep longing for something unknown or a long-lasting vacuum inside. Whenever my life-setup of outer success or abundance did not give inner fulfilment. Such moments occurred a couple of times in my life.
What is the source from where you gain your inner strength?
The unbreakable trust and connection with the Eternal Source of all life which we call Pure Consciousness, God, Universal Spirit or Infinity.
What would you like to share with people?
Loving, honouring and caring for life in everyone and everywhere is the key to happiness. We are visitors on this planet. Our true eternal home is beyond this physical world.
Could you tell what and who has been your inspiration in life?
My parents, who introduced me to the world of meditation; Vedic wisdom, mysticism and Sufism; the yogis and mystics of India; my spiritual Master H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. I am very grateful to him for personal guidance and for giving me the opportunity to serve the society worldwide.
What remained of your Indian roots in spite of the great changes and challenges undergone in your living environment (currently Europe)?
The colours of India, the simple life, a loving, caring and sharing attitude, total acceptance of life as it is, the trust in the Divine, the wisdom of the Vedic scriptures and the Bhagavad Gita – that everything in this world is impermanent yet the immortal Being lives in it everywhere and in everyone.
Chronology
Mata Urmila Devi was born in Uttar Pradesh (North India) in rich spiritual surroundings. From her early childhood, her parents introduced her to the world of meditation, yoga, Ayurveda as well as the ancient Vedic scriptures and Sufism. Thanks to the spiritual commitment of her parents, she had the opportunity to meet many great saints of India. She studied economics, fine arts and literature, continuing later with Vedic Indian philosophy and yogic psychology. She enjoyed spiritual surroundings right from her childhood until she left India at the age of twenty. Her first contact with spirituality in the West was through the ‘Sidhartha’ of Herman Hesse. Here her search for deeper realization began probing to the teachings of many different masters and traditions. In 1987 she met her master H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Under his personal training and guidance, she travelled worldwide conducting self-awareness seminars, lectures and concerts in over 40 countries, teaching thousands of people. During 1989 -1999, she compiled, edited and produced many books in English, German and Hindi (India), containing the knowledge of H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
Distinctions
- Mata Urmila Devi is currently serving as the honorary representative of the Ambal Temple (Basel, Switzerland), for ancient vedic wisdom, Indian and Hindu philosophy.
- Mata Urmila Devi is the author of Ayurveda Wisdom & Nutrition – cookbook (German) and poetry book (Hindi) and wrote the preface of the book ‘Yoga Sadhana’ by Carlo Alberto Perretti, published by ‘Libreria Editrice ASEQ’, Rome, Italy.
- She published seven music CDs, three of them containing songs and compositions by herself. One of her CDs (‘Sacred Chants of Shiva’, published by Heaven on Earth Music) has been awarded internationally and created a new worldwide trend in spiritual music.
- For 13 years, she has been an entrepreneur and developer of her own ladies’ fashion design business in Switzerland (in the 80s). Starting from 2009, she developed an Ayurveda spice line company in Germany (spice-harmony.com) and was a guest speaker at the first “International Ayurveda Congress”, Germany, 2009.
- She was invited to an interview on ‘Mystik – Kern der Religionen?’ (Mystic – The Core of Religion) at the Theological Faculty of Basel University and organized the Ethics and Spirituality in Business and Cultural Study Tour for University of Zürich (ZHAW- School of Management and Law, Winterthur, Switzerland) to India.
- She participated as a speaker and performer in the Bleep Congress in Germany and was guest speaker and performer in many yoga festivals and peace congresses in Europe and South Korea. She has been interviewed by television and radio stations in Africa, as well as by various magazines in Europe.
- Mata Urmila Devi played the key role in the establishment of the Art of Living Foundation in Europe, as well it`s Yoga & Meditation Center in the Black Forest, Germany. She served as one of the international directors of the Foundation for over 20 years. For her worldwide service, she received the Vishalakshi Award in the 3rd International Women’s Conference in Bangalore, as well as the spiritual title ‘Mata’ from His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.