"There is a sense in which Being is eternal and divine (this is DevaDeva). However, the entire flux of the historical contents of my being I owe to people and conditions outside of myself. My flesh lives moment to moment only through the grace of gifts from the earth and sky; my language and life-world come from my culture; my genes come from my ancestors; my skills come from my teachers and experiences; and so forth. Here are a few of the conditions and people to which I am indebted." - Hans Gruenig

Hans Gruenig, of Celtic-Swiss descent, grew up in the Green Mountains of Vermont amidst a unique melange of Appalachian bluegrass, classical European and Indian music, East-West mysticism, and seasons of unsurpassed natural beauty.

As a maven of exotic sounds and rich timbres, Hans explored singing as a child; piano and other keyboard instruments in high school; and acoustic guitar, electric bass and choir in college. As his musical exposure broadened, he began to explore acoustic instruments from around the world. This exploration led him to study tabla, sitar, and the music of North India. Hans is currently focusing his musical efforts on creating spiritual openings through evocative acoustic soundscapes drawing on a variety of traditions. He has joined with Sean Johnson to co-create DevaDeva.

Hans was influenced very early on by his father’s Rosicrucian mysticism, and learned forms of meditation and pranayama before grade school. Years later, after having been immersed in predominantly intellectual high school and university atmospheres, Hans sought to find inner peace by consciously seeking spiritual knowledge and nourishment. He explored a number of approaches to spirituality from the inside out, immersing himself in Western esoteric traditions; Eastern meditation; insight work; Reiki training; the Silva Method; Kabbalah studies; the OTO; the Rosicrucians; etc. His quest (and life) came to a turning point in 1995 when he had a spontaneous 'awakening' experience which resonated with the teachings of Buddha; Meister Eckhart; Krishnamurti; Heidegger; Gebser; and many others. Through rediscovering life and texts from a transformed point of view, Hans came to a deep appreciation of the perennial philosophy, and especially Buddhist and yogic approaches to theory and practice.

Hans has studied Buddhist and other forms of yoga around the U.S. and in India. He currently works with meditation(s), mindfulness practices, the cultivation of wisdom and insight, music, chanting, hatha yoga, and pranayama. Hans teaches Buddhism (theory and practice); meditation; and ‘Philosophies of the Self’ at Tulane University. He also co-facilitates workshops on meditation, chanting, yoga, and spiritual integration with Sean Johnson. He has worked closely with Shinzen Young and has also done spiritual work with Rina Sircar, Jack Kornfield, Larry Rosenberg, Ram Das, Krishna Das, H.H. Dalai Lama, Lama Lobsang Gyatso, Lama Palden Caroline Alioto, Stephen Cope, Narayan Liebenson Grady, Richard Miller, Robert Livingston Roshi, S.N. Goenka, and many others.

Initially taking just an occasional class on music theory (UVM), songwriting (Blue Bear Music) or jazz theory (Jazz Schule Freiburg), Hans largely focused on an organic and intuitive approach to his instruments and his music. In recent years, however, Hans has studied tabla, sitar, and Indian classical music in a traditional format. These studies have taken place mainly at the Ali Akbar College of Music and with individual teachers in San Francisco, Boston, New Orleans, and in India. He has taken lessons on tabla with Swapan Chaudhuri, Nayan Ghosh, Goswami (India), Jerry Leake, Tim Witter, Brad van Cleave; on guitar with Sudhananda; sitar with Nayan Ghosh, Gaurav Mazumdar, Priyo Mazumdar, and James Pomerantz. Ultimately, he always returns to the sound, spirit, and the feeling of the music.

Hans earned a B.A. in Philosophy and German at the University of Vermont and Albert-Ludwigs Universität Freiburg. He went on to complete an M.A. in Philosophy and Religion at the California Institute of Integral Studies and U.C. Berkeley. He is now a fifth year Graduate Fellow at Tulane University, where he is working towards his Ph.D. in Philosophy. His research interests include Spiritual Transformation; Heidegger; Buddhism, Gebser, Phenomenology, Environmental Ethics, etc.

"I find egoic seeking of praise and self-aggrandizement to be spiritual pitfalls. However, feedback helps me to discover my strengths and weaknesses, and testimonials can be helpful in letting new inquirers discover how past students have encountered my offerings. It is in this spirit that these comments have been collected and displayed. I extend thanks to all those who graciously took time to write. I also take heart in hearing that my efforts have been fruitful for people such as these." - Hans Gruenig

"It has been truly a pleasure participating in Hans's workshops and meditation groups. His knowledge and expertise in Buddhism, way of synthesizing different points of view (including ancient wisdom into the modern-day context), and inclusive and sensitive methods of guiding others on their own spiritual paths make him a unique and talented teacher. I also particularly enjoyed the range of meditation, yoga, chanting and musical methods in the workshops. They were exceptionally professional, creative and engaged all in the spirit of community and enlightenment. Truly wonderful!"

-Leslie Snider, MD, MPH
Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine

"Rarely have I come across a mentor as dedicated as Hans Gruenig. He is filled with genuine enthusiasm for teaching those willing to receive his knowledge, and for reaching those who may at first be reluctant to open their minds. In addition to being a wonderful teacher, Hans is also a transcendent musician. I found myself deeply moved by the music and chanting that he brought into our meditation exercises; I found the workshops he coordinated to be exhilarating experiences. I urge anyone who travels or seeks a spiritual path to walk beside Hans for a stretch."

-Floy Osborne, Graduate of Tulane University

"Hans Gruenig's teaching style reflects deep and extensive self-knowledge, as well as humility and honesty. Hans, in both the workshop and the classroom, guides his students patiently through self-contemplation and self-questioning without ever forgetting the greater scheme of our interconnectedness. His knowledge is extensive and his passion and commitment to sharing that knowledge, even more so.  Whether it is philosophy or meditation, Hans is a superb instructor who will challenge and guide you with his kindness and his personal (and professional) insight." 

-Kate Earl, Graduate of Tulane University

"Hans has an astute understanding that facilitates depth of practice and profound awareness. I most appreciate his gentle nature as he guides each seeker closer to self."

-Nina Sandot,
Founder of Body Centering.

"Hans Gruenig is a dedicated and experienced scholar, teacher, and practitioner of non-Western spiritual traditions. He breathes life into ancient teachings -- making them accessible, pertinent, and enjoyable to aspirants of all ages and backgrounds. His meditation instruction, philosophy instruction, and musical accompaniment combine into an amazing mind-body experience for the individual and for the group.  Hans is truly a pleasure to work and study with, a raft bridging the ocean of contemporary spiritual despair, leading to the land of Eastern mystery and insight -- and an inspiration to all who know him."

-Matthew Bolon, Student and Practitioner of Eastern Traditions  

"Hans teaches you new dimensions: how to understand the silence, how to share without judging, how to be awaken to consciousness, how to find in each apparently repeated action a new miraculous feeling. The heart feels peaceful and hugged; the mind gets quieted and learns how to rest; the spirit dances joyfully. The workshop gave me the opportunity to share unique experiences with other beings and to discover a new view on things. It offers the possibility of opening your heart, mind and spirit to others and, not redundantly, to yourself."

Analía Guaraglia, TMC, Argentina Division : )

"Hans' compassion for others is evident in his interaction with people. He is an intense person, listens attentively, and responds with great thoughtfulness. His teaching and discussions are without judgment, and he seeks to understand others in what he does. His passion for meditation is powerful, and his perspective is very applicable, for he teaches it within the context of everyday situations and emotions. Hans' passion for Eastern/Hindu-inspired music is infectious, and the chanting session transported me from the room we were in. I highly recommend working with him!"

-Julinna Oxley, Philosophy Graduate Student at Tulane University

"My words cannot express to you just how touching and powerful your composition 'Moon Song' is for us. My wife and I heard you do it back in the fall with the Rishis, but with just you and Sean it was just too excellent. You are quite talented. Your guitar playing was exquisite and nearly took me out of my skin. I find myself wanting to hear more and more."

-Ric Bell

"Hans is an outstanding teacher of dharma. He teaches several forms of meditation, insight work, and chanting.  What makes him such a special teacher is that he has a blueprint that he follows when he teaches, but he does not hesitate to improvise.  In fact, he makes it a point to cater each lesson to his audience. He accomplishes this by first listening and then teaching. Perhaps this is his greatest asset. In our Buddhism class, three days of the week, he would present the philosophical benefits of and approaches to honing one’s skill to gain greater awareness. The fourth day, the class would receive the practical benefits by performing meditation for an hour.  He would teach meditation forms such as sitting breathing meditation, sitting, metta meditation, and walking meditation.

Prior to meeting Hans, I had learned several other forms of meditation, such as transcendental meditation and breathing/awareness meditation. However, after receiving full instruction, I was still not completely sure about what the goal was for each meditation session. I know of many meditation instructors whose only instruction would be “just sit.” While this is the ideal instruction for the advanced meditator, the beginning meditator has too many thoughts running through his head.

Contrastingly, Hans walks his students through each session. He presents a purpose for each meditation session and offers various strategies to quiet the mind and focus on the physical bodily sensations, mental images, and inner talk. What is most encouraging is that he practices what he teaches.  By providing anecdotes of difficult situations that he has faced and the ways that he dealt with the situations, the students felt that through regular practice, they could also react more skillfully to such things as anger and fear.

Two lessons that I have learned in his class that I hope I will always keep with me are (1) that mental afflictions do NOT reside in sense objects and as such, and (2) it is often possible for a person (like me) to eliminate his unhappiness through changing his cognitive-affective framework. If you attend any of his concerts or workshops, ask him to elaborate on these two concepts… if you are anything like me, you will not be disappointed!"

-Sarath Krishnan, Graduate of Tulane University

"Hans brings a rare union of head and heart to his work as a musician and teacher. He has committed himself to the journey of authentic inquiry, thoroughly studying the philosophy as well as fully engaging himself in the spiritual practices of the world wisdom traditions. He possesses a devout thirst for learning and joyful desire to share the fruits of his inquiry.

Hans awakens the Heartmind in his music as well. The son of a bluegrass troubadour and Bach concert pianist, he is a talented multi-instrumentalist and recording engineer. Hans caresses the soul into contemplation with his sensitive and skillful touch on guitar, sitar, and piano. He seduces the spirit to dance with his crisp and creative rhythms on tablas. Both in his playing and singing, one experiences the warmth, peace, spaciousness, and refined sensitivity created by years of meditative practice. Hans collects rare instruments from all over the world and with deep patience and curiosity explores the subtle nuances of each.

As a teacher of meditation and spiritual philosophy, Hans is an enthusiastic guide who blends storytelling, humor, and poetic flourishes to his instruction. He is strongly committed to helping people integrate spiritual wisdom into their daily lives. One feels in Hans’ presence the illuminating qualities of compassion, loving kindness, and equanimity."

-Sean Johnson, M.A. - Yoga Instructor, New Orleans Yoga Center

"Our resident meditation and insight instructor, Hans Gruenig, is a very nice man -- sincere and credible. I have really benefited from the Tulane Meditation Club. I have been trying to meditate for a long time, but have not been able to do it on a regular basis for a prolonged period. For some years I tried other things, but I always come back to meditation. Right now I am trying to keep to it -- and it's been difficult but now I know that it's important for me and that I can do it. Being with others makes things easier and when I have been able to go to the session, I have always had this nice feeling afterwards... Additionally, I have learned about things that I never knew before. It's been nice to participate in a group that doesn't have the formality of a regular Zendo."

- Elvira Salgado, Tulane Doctoral Candidate, Organizational Behavior

"I've very much enjoyed learning about the theory and practice of Vipassana [insight meditation] this year. I've been able to integrate it into my other practices and into my daily activity in a fruitful way. Thanks very much for taking the time and effort to share this with me."

- Ben Crowe, Philosophy Graduate Student at Tulane University

"I loved learning, for instance, the significance of the OM. Meditation has really helped me to calm down and take a look back at myself from a removed perspective -- which I really do need every now and then to see where I am headed with the decisions I make throughout. But it is hard to do that by yourself -- you almost need someone else's perspective. but meditation calms me enough to see at least partially what I am doing."

- Nick, Junior, English / Tulane University

"The different variations of meditation that were presented were the most appealing to myself. I have benefited a lot from the club - I still don't meditate every day but I do it more often than before and feel much more in the present after the club meetings."

- Nick Whritenour, Senior, Electrical Engineering / Tulane University

"I've really enjoyed the meditations at the TMC. I work a 40-hour week and have other obligations besides job and school. It's easy to get wrapped up in those responsibilities and lose focus of what's really important. Meditation gives me the opportunity to help put these things in perspective, but I often find I don't have time - or really, I'm not disciplined enough - to sit down and "do nothing" on my own. I've always found the motivation and support of a group setting gives me incentive not only to participate in the weekly sessions, but to help pull some of that calm into every day."

- Karen Misconish, Non-Traditional Computer Information Services Student