Swami Chetanananda (Swamiji) is the abbot and spiritual director of The Movement Center, based in Portland, Oregon. A teacher in the lineage of Bhagavan Nityananda of Ganeshpuri, he is a powerful presence and a source of great nourishment for those who come in contact with him. Born and raised in the Midwest, Swamiji’s life was transformed, in an instant, upon his first meeting with his guru, Swami Rudrananda (Rudi), in New York City in 1971. Swami Chetanananda describes the moment: “I took one look at him and melted . . . I felt an extraordinary beauty and love shoot into me and shatter me . . . It took me all of five seconds to know that this was what I had lived for.” Since that day, Swamiji has devoted himself to realizing his highest potential and to empowering others to realize theirs. He teaches eyes-open meditation, a direct transmission practice in which teacher and student share the experience of the underlying unity of all things. In 1978, Swamiji took sannyas with Swami Muktananda, and took the name Chetanananda, meaning “the joy of consciousness.” In the course of his studies with Muktananda, he began to explore the teachings of Kashmir Shaivism. Recognizing that the treatises written by the practitioners of this tradition described much of his own experience, Swamiji studied Shaivism in depth. He spent time with Swami Lakshmanjoo in Srinagar and has collaborated with major scholars and sponsored translations of many important Shaiva texts, including the first English translation of the Tantrasra of Abhinavagupta. Swamiji has a profound grasp of the philosophical and practice traditions he has studied. He conveys their essence in direct and accessible terms, making them relevant to everyday circumstances. He offers simple, practical techniques for working with creative energy and explains them in ways that can be practiced by anyone. The fundamental method he teaches uses the power of the breath to circulate the creative energy (kundalini) and intensify its flow so that tensions and obstacles are dissolved, leading to a more refined awareness. To learn more about Swamiji’s teachings, retreats, and travel schedule, as well as programs and publications available from The Movement Center, visit www.themovementcenter.com.