About Me

I grew up in a small town in Northern Germany, surrounded by cow pastures and forests. I instinctively spent a lot of time in nature by myself. At the age of 9 I was introduced to the concept of reincarnation in school. A few days later I remember standing in a field next to my home, looking up into the sky and asking myself a very serious question: “ Do you want to come back to this world?” The answer was a resounding:” No! ” The impact and importance of this answer would inform my future decisions in more ways than I could ever imagine.

My family moved to Luebeck, where I was introduced to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven. I developed a profound affinity and attachment to these two composers, whose music kept me sane during the turmoil and struggle of growing up.

Going through the German school system was a very discouraging and painful experience. It was a system that prioritized a mechanistic approach to reality, rote learning and measurable results, with little or no room for creativity, intuition and holistic thinking. It left me aching for emotional depth and something bigger than myself.

As a result of my deep need for inspiration and resonance, I started reading existentialist philosophers like Sartre, Camus and Max Frisch. I explored Zen-Buddhism–and even moved into a judo-dojo, where we had to get up at 5am to start our training and meditation. I was very much drawn to the strict practice with a mystical dimension.

One fateful night, when I was deeply distraught and searching for the purpose of my life, I gave myself permission to ask the following question: “If you could do anything you wanted, if anything would be possible…. What would you really LOVE to do?”

Immediately the answers came: “Art, music writing…!!!” I was quite surprised by these answers. As I considered my options, I dismissed one idea after the other. Then I landed on “Acting” This completely unexpected idea started to take hold of my imagination.

Three months later I was accepted by one of the best acting schools in Germany.

In retrospect, my experience of finding the direction and guidance I needed within myself was a major turning point in my life. I developed an unshakable trust in my own instincts, higher inspiration, and discernment.

The 4 years in the theater program went by fast. I learned the tools an actor needs to embody a character on stage. I loved the intensity and depth of exploring the inner world of my roles and sharing that with a large audience. After I graduated I did a bit of free-lance acting work for movies before I took up the advice of one of my professors and flew to the US to explore the movie and theater scene in Hollywood and New York.

After exploring San Francisco and Los Angeles, I ended up in Santa Fe, New Mexico for the summer. There I started rehearsing with a theater group for a musical that we planned to take on tour in the US. I loved the freedom, the energy and the creativity of this group. Santa Fe is a very spiritual place. It is considered sacred land to the Hopi Native American tribe.

One day, a roommate of mine handed me a Bhagavad Gita, the ancient Sanskrit text that explains the yoga system and is a sacred scripture in the Hindu faith. I was introduced to the concepts of reincarnation, the eternality of the soul, and the science of self-realization. I was deeply intrigued. When I heard a tape of an Indian swami lecturing on pure love of God, or bhakti yoga, I had a profound epiphany. Finally, my search for who I was and what the purpose of my life was had come to an end. I felt that my whole life I had been living in a desert and finally I was given a tall glass of the most refreshing, thirst-quenching water.

Entering an authentic temple of worship for the first time was an unforgettable experience for me. It was like stepping into a different world. The sights, sounds, and fragrances were completely different and appealing. I knew it was something I wanted to explore immediately and moved in.

The daily schedule of a temple starts with getting up at 4 am, taking a shower, attending the morning services of congregational singing and dancing, doing personal meditation, and studying ancient scripture. I fell in love with the discipline and depth of these early morning hours. It reminded me of my time in the judo-dojo in Luebeck.

The ashram I joined adhered to the teachings of a mystical branch of monotheistic Hinduism, called Vaishnavism, or worshippers of Visnu, the supreme deity in the Hindu pantheon. The main emphasis was on bhakti-yoga, or devotional service. Connecting with the Supreme through practical service.

My main service became community outreach in the form of introducing the general public to the ancient teachings of India. This was the most challenging service I had ever done, but it was part of the training as a monk.

Very soon I was asked to teach other monks how to develop this same mindset of service, humility and resilience. With a few fellow monks, we would give training seminars all over the US and also internationally.

After 10 years of service in the large Brooklyn temple, I came to a crossroads. I needed a new challenge. I decided to start my own ashram in Manhattan. I wanted to create an innovative approach to how the ancient teachings of India are communicated to driven, sophisticated Manhattan professionals.

Of course, as a monk, I had no money. I didn’t even have a personal bank account. But I shared my idea with a few members of the community and they were so aligned with my vision that they donated the necessary funds to facilitate the project.

These were very inspiring years for me. In an organic way, I entered a leadership and became the CEO and president of a spiritual, non-profit start-up.

One of the responsibilities of leadership is to also cater to the emotional and psychological well-being of the people under one’s care. As our project grew, so did the amount of time I had to allocate to coaching and mentoring.

Since the ancient Hindu teachings don’t provide the tools to attend to the psychological integration of a modern Western community, I started to explore the Enneagram personality type system. It has roots in ancient Christianity and Sufism but is deeply informed by Western psychology, especially the depth psychology of Carl Jung.

I was approached by the leaders of a nearby spiritual community to take over the management of their property. It was a 6 story building with a functioning restaurant, just around the corner from our ashram. This was a golden opportunity for our project to expand and create a home for my original vision.

In 2007, I became the co-founder of the Bhakti Center, a spiritual cultural center for the arts and philosophy of India. To this day it houses the #1 rated Ayurvedic restaurant in New York City–Divya’s Kitchen–and offers classes on yoga, health, meditation and spirituality.

Even though my vision and purpose of moving to Manhattan had unfolded beyond my wildest dreams, I had fallen into a classic leadership trap of giving myself completely to the project and the people under my care while neglecting my own inner development and needs. I felt a strong desire to step away from everything and take the time to listen to what my soul needed most.

After consulting with a few good friends and mentors, I came to realize that I had outgrown my old identity as a monk and faith leader of an orthodox Hindu tradition. I was deeply grateful for and satisfied with my accomplishments in Manhattan, but I needed a new approach to serving the deepest humanity of the people under my care, without being limited by one particular religious dogma, as authentic and genuine as it may be.

I moved to Montreal to be with the future mother of my son and contemplate my next move. I enrolled in a 1-year ICF certification program as an Integral Coach with New Ventures West. I had been coaching and mentoring for over 2 decades and it became very obvious that this was a calling that I could channel into a profession.

I had naturally assumed a fatherly role during my time in Manhattan, so I was not afraid of fatherhood–but nothing prepared me for the impact of my son’s arrival.

The only way to describe this event is by comparing myself to the earth without the grounding and life-giving effect of the moon. By its gravitational pull, the moon keeps planet Earth stable in it’s rotation, slows it down, and makes the four seasons possible. My son my moon.

Being in a relationship with a woman after 25 years was in many ways easier than I had expected. Caring for our son gave us a common purpose. Nevertheless, after about 5 years we decided it was time to separate.

Right as the decision was, I was heartbroken. I was raised as a child under the protective dome of the love my parents had for each other. The imprint of their love in my heart is what gives me the strength and empathy I have to care for others. Not being able to provide the same dome of security to my son was devastating.

During this time, I was in a place of shock and mourning and therefore wasn’t capable of offering the grounded presence required for my coaching clients. I needed a temporary occupation that was as meaningful as coaching but required less vulnerability on my side.

I chose to become a personal support aide for the elderly.
Serving the elderly has granted me a firsthand view of how our society approaches aging, and how, in turn, those who have led meaningful and rich lives now face loneliness, helplessness, and boredom. Witnessing the quiet heartbreak of the elderly gave me the chance to offer my presence, care, and support. In doing so, I also found healing for my own heart.

The mindset of humility, determination, resilience and empathy that I acquired in the monastery became now my saving grace. This mindset helped me avoid the pitfalls of vindictiveness and victimhood. The ability I learned as a monk to maintain a state of serenity and attunement has proven to be healing and empowering for my coaching clients, to whom I had become available again.

I’m a born seeker, always looking for new ways to learn and grow. Working with Thomas and learning to hold space for and release old trauma patterns has been one of the most profound experiences of my life. It has brought my life full circle—from exploring the highest and brightest realms of consciousness and mysticism during my years as a monk, to delving into and healing the darkest, most neglected aspects of our individual and collective psyche.

As a result, I developed a holistic, deeply transformative and relevant approach to supporting individuals and teams on their journey towards their greatest potential and contribution towards the greater good. I call this approach A Return to Wholeness.

Looking back at my life thus far, I am in complete awe about my good fortune and privilege of being able to choose a path that was not always easy but was always profoundly meaningful and satisfying. I am deeply inspired to offer my clients the support they need to make similar decisions, decisions that bring their greatest gifts into this world. I believe our world is slowly waking up to the fact that we are one Earth community and that all our actions affect the whole organism. It is my greatest honor to be in the service of bringing us back to our individual and collective wholeness.

To help facilitate this change, I offer a leadership training program that combines timeless holistic wisdom with cutting-edge tools of integration and transformation. The world’s future rests in the hands of integrated leaders. Allow me to be your and your team’s co-pilot to reach that goal.

Having gone through a separation myself, I also offer customized support for couples going through a separation. Separating from someone we have loved is never easy or painless. But with the right support, it can become the beginning of a promising new chapter. My deepest and most important transformation is a result of having gone through a healthy separation. I would be honored to assist you in yours.