HISTORY AND ORIGINS
From early beginnings to a living meditation community
Meditation New Zealand was established as the charitable entity Mantra Meditation International Inc. 44 years ago in 1982 when students of Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa, a prominent teacher in the Vaishnava yoga tradition, began offering meditation programs here.
In 1987 the organisation became known as the New Zealand School of Meditation, often referred to as Meditation New Zealand—now our official title as a Charitable Trust.
Tusta Krishna Das
Our teachings themselves were first introduced to New Zealand in 1972 by Tusta Krishna Das (1949-1999), who soon began forging lasting friendships here in the course of very actively sharing meditation practices and traditional yoga philosophy teachings such as those of the Bhagavad-gita (one of the most revered and authoritative yogic texts), on behalf of his teachers Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa and Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who both visited Auckland shortly after Tusta Krishna’s arrival.
Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa
AC Bhaktivedanta himself had come to the West from India in 1965 at the age of 69, acting on the request of his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupad in 1936.
So, our teachings come from an ancient tradition of yoga wisdom that has been passed down unchanged by generations of such self-realized spiritual teachers dedicated to preserving and sharing knowledge about the self, the nature of consciousness, and the pursuit of spiritual understanding.
Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
A Living Tradition
An ancient lineage of yoga wisdom
The meditation practices and philosophical teachings offered by Meditation New Zealand have descended intact to the present day via the illustrious Brahma–Madhva–Gaudiya Sampradaya, one of four ancient lineages comprising Vaishnava Hinduism and originating with the Supreme Himself, Bhagavan Sri Krishna, the speaker of Bhagavad-gita (Song of the Supreme Soul).
The teachings of the Brahma–Madhva–Gaudiya Sampradaya are anchored in several classical texts including:
• Bhagavad-gita • Srimad Bhagavatam
• Sri Ishopanishad •Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita
“I owed a magnificent day to the Srimad Bhagavad-gita. It was the first of books; it was as if an empire spoke to us, nothing small or unworthy, but large, serene, consistent, the voice of an old intelligence which in another age and climate had pondered and thus disposed of the same questions which exercise us.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
The Golden Avatar
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the practice of kirtan
Around 500 years ago, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the great Vaishnava incarnation, spiritual leader and social reformer, revived the ancient practice of kirtan—the hearing and chanting of sacred mantras (Names of God) as the most accessible and spiritually effective form of meditation for modern times. His mission was to unconditionally distribute universal love for God through the process of kirtan, a movement which continues expanding in popularity to this day.
He rejuvenated the practice of Bhakti yoga—loving devotional worship of the Supreme and promoted the cultivation of tolerance and humility toward all living beings.
Core Principles
Understanding our spiritual identity and relationship with the Supreme
The Vaishnava spiritual tradition is centred on the pursuit of self-realisation and the cultivation of a loving relationship with the Supreme Person, Sri Krishna. At the heart of this philosophy is the knowledge that each person is more than the physical body, mind, or temporary social identity; rather, every living entity is seen to be an eternal spiritual being or spirit soul, intimately connected with the Supreme Soul. As such, the deepest happiness comes from rediscovery of that relationship.
Through practices such as meditation, service to others (karma yoga), and devotion to the Supreme (bhakti yoga), anyone and everyone regardless of social position, nationality, religion, etc. can gradually deepen awareness of their spiritual nature and experience greater meaning and fulfilment in life.
Sri Krishna
Spiritual Identity
Every person is understood to be more than the physical body, mind or temporary social identity.
Meditation
Accessible practices that deepen awareness of your spiritual nature and connection with the Supreme Person, Sri Krishna.
Karma Yoga
Selfless service to others as part of a practical spiritual life.
Bhakti Yoga
Devotion to the Supreme and rediscovery of our loving relationship with Him.
SHARING THESE TEACHINGS
Practical meditation for daily life
The meditation practices and the yoga wisdom teachings offered by Meditation New Zealand are drawn from the Bhakti yoga tradition, as shared by Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa—a disciple of His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya and the founder of the Science of Identity Foundation.
The inspiration behind numerous local and worldwide organizations founded by his disciples and students, Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa has also worked in union with many other such acharyas (teachers) to establish the World Vaishnava Association, an international umbrella organisation that connects different Vaishnava gurus and organizations associated with this yoga tradition.
Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa has taught the science of yoga meditation throughout the world for more than fifty years, encouraging people to apply these practices in ways that are meaningful in their own lives and communities. In all respects, his message has remained simple; we can only be truly happy, truly satisfied, when we are tasting love for the Supreme Person.
“As we begin to gain greater control of our senses and mind, we experience the increasing sense of relief and happiness that naturally arises from being free.”
JAGAD GURU SIDDHASWARUPANANDA PARAMAHAMSA
Meditation within daily life
His approach strongly emphasises individual responsibility for one’s personal life. Meditation is practiced within the home and daily routine, with spiritual understanding allowed to grow naturally alongside family and community life—sharing these practices however one is able.
So, as a volunteer organisation Meditation New Zealand offers these universal teachings in a practical and accessible way to anyone who is interested.
HIGHLIGHTS AND EVENTS
Historical highlights across New Zealand
From the early-70s through to the mid-90s Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa visited New Zealand many times, engaging in public speaking events as well as being interviewed by and speaking with a great number of individuals here—from public figures, academics and journalists to those simply searching for knowledge and meaning in life.
Jagad Guru’s public lectures, such as those at the Auckland Museum, the Intercontinental Hotel and Samoa House attracted overflowing audiences interested to hear his unique but timeless approach to spiritual understanding, and the related solutions to problems such as racism, religious sectarianism, addiction, depression and suicide, and environmental and economic issues.
“First, I came here to find a few serious students; and second, I want to work with those students to communicate the Haribol [Vaishnava] philosophy to the more intelligent people of society. In other words, right now society is suffering from so many problems and the serious, more responsible people within society are concerned with solving these problems. So, if I and my students can successfully communicate the Haribol philosophy to the more thoughtful people of society, then they will come to the conclusion that this philosophy is actually the solution to all the problems facing their time—personal, social and economic.”
JAGAD GURU SIDDHASWARUPANANDA PARAMAHAMSA
TALKS AND INTERVIEWS
Jagad Guru talks and interviews
Links to selected Jagad Guru talks and interviews from this time are available below. They remain just as relevant and enlightening now as they were nearly 50 years ago.
The Reality of Reincarnation
When interviewed on the subject of reincarnation not only did Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa establish the reality of reincarnation by citing both recent scriptural and scientific evidence, but he also explained the reason for reincarnation and how we are presently either consciously or unconsciously aiming ourselves towards another form of life following the demise of this life.
When interviewed on the subject of reincarnation not only did Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa establish the reality of reincarnation by citing both recent scriptural and scientific evidence, but he also explained the reason for reincarnation and how we are presently either consciously or unconsciously aiming ourselves towards another form of life following the demise of this life.
“The soul leaves the gross material body, the gross physical form, but is still covered by the subtle material body, i.e., the material desires and the recordings of the impressions which are made on the mind from past experiences in the previous body. All of these forms and all of these subtle images and material desires are still covering the soul. In other words, it is the subtle body, the material mind, that is still covering the soul. When the soul leaves the gross body, this covering makes it so that the soul takes on another gross material body.”
JAGAD GURU SIDDHASWARUPANANDA PARAMAHAMSA
Beyond Sectarianism
Edited from a lecture by Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa.
“Actually, the different faiths are ultimately meant to wake a person up to his actual eternal religious condition. In other words, whatever process one may be following, if it doesn’t have the effect of bringing a person to the platform of understanding their eternal identity as spirit soul and their eternal relationship with the Supreme Soul, then it has no meaning. Instead of helping a person come to the platform of actual religion, namely, love of God, they begin to identify their particular faith as religion itself. So, to become a religious person does not mean that “I’m a Hindu,” “I’m a Christian,” “I’ve joined this team,” “I’ve joined that team,” but it means to uncover what is already there, your personal eternal loving relationship with God, beyond all sectarianism and fanaticism.”
JAGAD GURU SIDDHASWARUPANANDA PARAMAHAMSA
1998 - 2006
JAGAD GURU SPEAKS TV SERIES
Direct media representation through public-access television
The popular Jagad Guru Speaks series was one of the initial series to screen on the Triangle TV Channel. It ran for 8 years from 1998 and is still remembered with affection and enthusiasm by members of the public.
Through the late 1990s–early 2010s Triangle (now Face) TV’s public-access model allowed organisations like Meditation New Zealand (then NZSM) to produce and broadcast their own programmes. This enabled them direct media representation rather than the gatekeeping and interpretation of mainstream media.
These programmes were significant in that they promoted religious diversity in New Zealand by providing a voice for those such as the Hindu communities in Auckland. They could then reach a wider audience beyond their usual settings in promoting cultural and spiritual events—sharing philosophy, meditation and yoga teachings.
The following talks were among many topics included in this series:
Religion means love for God. If you love God, you’ll love others. You’ll respect others as individual sparks of God, children of God. You’ll allow them to make their own decision about whether or not they want to serve God. You can try to inspire them, instruct them and guide them, and if they want to follow, then that’s their free will. A truly religious person is like that.
JAGAD GURU SIDDHASWARUPANANDA PARAMAHAMSA
LATE 1990s - 2010s
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Ferndale House, Piha and Whangamata
Throughout the period from the late 90s through to the late 2010s Meditation New Zealand ran weekly meditation and kirtan outreach programmes at the historic Ferndale House in Mount Albert, Auckland as well as retreats at The Mill Camp at Piha and at Whangamata, Coromandel Peninsula several times a year.
Piha Beach, West Auckland: Setting for many of our most uplifting and inspiring international community yoga kirtan retreats for nearly 50 years.
RECENT YEARS
Growing public interest and outreach
Over recent years with rapidly increasing public interest and awareness, and the utilisation of social media platforms Meditation New Zealand outreach events have expanded both in popularity and in the extent and variety of locations and programmes offered.
LATE 1990s - 2010s
Prison Outreach
Meditation New Zealand organised ’Freedom on the Inside’ a mindfulness & meditation program held at Auckland’s Paremoremo maximum security prison, with the intention of providing tools to inmates so they can develop greater self-control, inner reflection, and personal responsibility.
Offering 10-week courses to multiple units, this highly successful initiative ran for 3 years between 2017-2020.
Participants reported benefits such as improved emotional regulation, a sense of inner peace and increased self-awareness, and healthier relationships with family members.
Yoga Kirtan and Meditation Programs
Yoga kirtan and meditation programs now operate regularly at multiple locations throughout New Zealand including— Mount Manganui, Hamilton, Whangamata, Waihi, Snell’s Beach, Mangawhai, Papakura (including at the Marae), Karaka, and several times a week in various central Auckland locations as well as in Christchurch and Queenstown in the South Island.
The popular weekly Mantra Night program has run at the Grey Lynn Community Centre in Auckland for more than 15 years.
In addition to the annual celebration of International Yoga Day with a public event held at the Mt Albert Community and Leisure Centre, there have been regular collaborations with the Hindu community such as at last year’s Dharma Fest held in Rotorua.
There are also very popular public Meditation New Zealand Yoga Kirtan Retreat Camp Outs organised over New Year at Leigh and more recently Tairua, Coromandal Peninsula as well as retreats held annually during Easter and Labour Weekend holidays at Papamoa and Whangamata.
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
Diverse community connections
Meditation New Zealand has maintained a close connection with HOTA (Hindu Organisations, Temples, and Associations) Forum in New Zealand, and with the Hindu Council of NZ—including with past president Vinod Kumar and current president Professor Guna Magesan, as well as continuing to develop relationships with various other Hindu organizations in Auckland such as the Waitakere Indian Association. We have actively participated in the annual forums and meetings of the Hindu Council, hosting HOTA's annual forum at Ceramco Park in West Auckland in 2018.
Since 2016, we have attended the annual Raksha Bandhan celebrations (a festival celebrating the bond of love and duty between brothers and sisters), as well as the inaugural Hindu Youth Dharma Fest held in 2022 at the Mahatma Gandhi Centre in Auckland—in 2025 being invited as special guests to the Dharma Fest held at the Hindu Heritage Centre in Rotorua.
Hindu Youth Dharma Fest
Organised by Hindu Youth NZ in collaboration with the HOTA forum this celebration of Dharmic culture and spirituality serves as a unique platform for Dharmic communities to engage, collaborate, and showcase their cultural and spiritual heritage. It brought together hundreds for the one-day event, which embraced the theme of Unity in Diversity, showcasing how Dharmic values enrich New Zealand’s diverse multicultural society— through contributions in art, food, clothing, crafts, wellness practices, and knowledge systems such as Yoga, Ayurveda, and Meditation, continue to foster harmony and holistic living in contemporary society. Groups featuring at the event included Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Shinto and Tao.
The Indian News NZ, Nov 6, 2025
Meditation New Zealand delegates shared guided meditation techniques and a 2-hour evening kirtan session which was advertised as a major attraction and described by those attending as both spiritually uplifting and captivating. The concert was so well received that the Hindu Heritage Centre extended an open invitation for the group to return to Rotorua whenever they wish to perform.
Celebrating Kirtan Event
Co-hosted by Meditation New Zealand and HOTA (Hindu Organisations, Temples, and Associations) this event offered an opportunity for people whether new or experienced to “step into the timeless dharmic tradition of kirtan—an uplifting, heart-opening practice of mantra and music that brings people together beyond all boundaries.” It was promoted as “a shared experience of unity in diversity, where voices, cultures, and hearts come together in harmony, to come and feel the energy, the joy, and the connection.“ Due to it’s success it will now be a more regular feature on our event calendar.
The following speech was delivered by the president of the Hindu Council of New Zealand, Dr Guna Magesun.
Namaste and Hare Krsna everyone. It is a pleasure to be here tonight as we gather for this beautiful kirtan evening. Kirtan is much more than singing devotional songs – it’s a powerful way of bringing people together in spirit of love, devotion, and harmony.
Tonight, we are reminded of an important message: Unity in diversity. Our community is made up of people from different backgrounds, languages, cultures, traditions, and generations. Yet, despite these differences, we are united by shared values of compassion, respect, service and devotion to the Divine.
In the Hindu tradition, we recognize that there are many paths, many forms of worship, and many ways of expressing our faith. Just as different flowers come together to create a beautiful garland, our diversity strengthens and enriches our community.
Kirtan itself reflects this principle. Many voices sing together, each with its own tone and style, yet they create one harmonious melody. Similarly, when we work together, support one another and celebrate our differences, we create a stronger and more vibrant society.
Let us use this evening not only to deepen our devotion but also strengthen the bonds of friendship, understanding and unity among us. May we continue to embrace diversity with open hearts and work together for the wellbeing of our families, communities, and future generations.
Thank you all for being here. May the blessings of Lord Krishna be upon everyone
Hare Krsna.
EXPLORE OUR PROGRAMMES
Regular and upcoming events across New Zealand
Explore Meditation NZ kirtan, yoga wisdom, retreat and community programmes, along with details of upcoming events in your area.
Whether you are new to meditation or looking for an ongoing spiritual practice, you are welcome to join us for accessible programmes designed to support physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
