Ramesh Bjonnes

A Short Life Story

I came of age in the early 1970s on a small island in the Oslo Fjord, Norway, in a family of contradictions: my grandparents were strict fundamentalist Christians, my parents were socialists. Despite their differences, we lived peacefully—until I chose an unconventional path, devoting my life to protecting the environment and practicing yoga. My grandparents called meditation the work of the devil; my parents dismissed me as a dreamer. In truth, I was searching for a new way of life.

Hippie Farmer

At eighteen, I left my post office job to join a commune in southern Norway inspired by Stephen Gaskin’s famous “The Farm” in the U.S. Led by Stein Jarving, the community was known for free love and marijuana fields. Realizing I was more of a hippie than a farmer, I enrolled in agronomy school in Aurland in 1973.

There I was shocked to learn how heavily pesticides were used—even cauliflower seedlings were sprayed seven times before being planted. With a few classmates, I launched a protest that eventually led the school to experiment with organic farming, later transforming it into the first agricultural college in Northern Europe to teach only organic methods. Around this time, I also became a vegetarian after witnessing the cruelty of industrial slaughterhouses—an experience that stayed with me for months.

Writing and Yoga

In Oslo, I continued my agronomy studies but soon drifted toward writing poetry and essays. My work was published in newspapers and anthologies, and I even received encouragement from Halldis Moren Vesaas, one of Norway’s most respected literary voices.

At the same time, I was drawn deeper into yoga. Under the guidance of Indian monks, I began practicing Tantric meditation with earnest commitment. After a few years in Denmark, living in an ashram, writing, and working as a gardener, I faced a choice: settle down on a farm and pursue literature, or take up the life of a wandering monk.

As Monk in India

At 26, I chose the latter and traveled to India. Those years in India and Nepal were transformative—both harsh and magical. I lived in Ananda Nagar, the “City of Bliss,” where I immersed myself in spiritual practices, guided by seasoned monks who taught me not only the power but also the pitfalls of Tantric yoga.

Today

Decades later, my journey has woven together activism, spirituality, and writing. I co-founded the Prama Institute in 2007, where I have directed the Prama Wellness Center for over a decade, and continue to teach around the world. I’ve authored four books on yoga, meditation, and spirituality, bringing together a lifetime of experience—from hippie farms and Viking fjords to ashrams in India and beyond.