Bernie Gunther, Ph.D.,started his spiritual teaching journey in the late 1950’s. Upon experiencing this awakening he began to study Vedanta, Yoga and Zen with his early teachers Swami Prahaavananda, Richard Hittleman and Allan Watts. This lead him to practicing Zen with Roshi Joshu Susaki, experiencing Gestalt Therapy with Fritz Perls and Sensory Awareness with Charlotte Selver. In the early sixty’s through the early seventy’s, he taught Yoga, Gestalt Therapy, Body Awareness and created the world famous Esalen Massage at the now renowned Esalen Institute.
It was at Esalen that Dr. Gunther wrote his first book, the best selling “Sense Relaxation.” Along with developing his own seminars, he facilitated with Fritz Perls, Virginia Satir, Abraham Maslow and his early mentor Alan Watts. His focus then shifted to working with the subtle or energy body, and investigating the chakras with Jack Schwartz. The outcome of this exploration was the book “Energy Ecstasy.” Soon after, he went to Italy to study visualization and Psycho-systhesis with Roberto Assigoli.
Feeling called to India, Dr. Gunther became a disciple of Bhagwan Rajneesh. His time with Rajneesh deepened his experience of meditation, Tantra and life as a divine celebration — that this very earth is the lotus paradise and this very body the Buddha. In his four years with Bhagwan, he published two more books, “Dying for Enlightenment” and “Neo-Tantra.”
Returning to the United States he began to develop his own unique method for mind/body/spiritual integration called Aware/apy, and relocated in San Diego where he did individual sessions, group workshops and trainings for Terry Cole Whittier’s La Jolla Church. Dr. Gunther also spent some time in India with Papaji and in the past few years has been assimilating the work of Eckhart Tolle. He now lives, works and plays in Encinitas; completing a new book, drawing, meditating, creating outrageous puns and writing pro/etry.
Dr. Gunther has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and is renowned for bringing a vast experience and realization to his teaching. Combining the many methods he has integrated into a simple awareness of beingness and presence in each and every moment. The focus for his teaching is largely spiritual, existential, and experiential. His intent is to assist his students to find their own direction not only in their education but in their personal emotional spiritual evolution. Be sure and see Dr. Gunther’s experiential, transformational web site at www.udabuddha.com.