A Monk's Tale

A Monk’s Tale chronicles the life of Philip Johnson (later named Muni Natarajan) as he meets his spiritual teacher, Subramuniyaswami, affectionately known as Gurudeva, and spends 37 years living as a monk, practicing an ancient and traditional system of yoga. As a story that is true, fascinating and full of much more adventure than one might expect from a monk’s tale, this book provides a candid, behind-the-scenes look at a modern-day yogic lifestyle that is still thriving today within the walls of the first and only fully orthodox Hindu monastery in the West.

A Monk’s Tale chronicles the life of Philip Johnson (later named Muni Natarajan) as he meets his spiritual teacher, Subramuniyaswami, affectionately known as Gurudeva, and spends 37 years living as a monk, practicing an ancient and traditional system of yoga. As a story that is true, fascinating and full of much more adventure than one might expect from a monk’s tale, this book provides a candid, behind-the-scenes look at a modern-day yogic lifestyle that is still thriving today within the walls of the first and only fully orthodox Hindu monastery in the West. A Monk’s Tale is also a story about Gurudeva, the beloved Sat Guru and spiritual head of Kauai’s Hindu Monastery, the founder of the international magazine, Hinduism Today, and the winner of the U Thant Peace award in the year 2000.

Muni Natarajan spent 37 years living as a monk in a monastery dedicated to an ancient and traditional practice of yoga. His teacher was Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, affectionately known as Gurudeva. During his years in the monastery, Muni served as a writer, editor and graphic design director for Hinduism Today magazine. He also studied Sanskrit, learned India drumming, and traveled the world with his teacher while leading devotional kirtan. Since departing the monastery in 2007, Muni has been writing books about yoga, and sharing his inner discoveries through world music and art.