JOHN-ALLEN GIBEL

John-Allen Gibel grew up in rural Pennsylvania where began his study of yoga and mysticism at the age of 11, initially being inspired after observing his neighbor and childhood friend’s elderly Indian grandfather practicing hathayoga exercise every morning.  At age 18 John-Allen moved to Pittsburgh were he began his study of filmmaking, as well as the formal study of Ashtanga yoga. In Pittsburgh he met his first mentor, Ani Drubgyudma, a forest-hermit yogini in the Tibetan tradition, and formed a lifelong bond. Under her tutelage he first engendered an appreciation for a life of contemplation and the value of periods of solitude in the wilderness. Through Ani, he was also introduced to his root teacher Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche, who is a renowned Tibetan scholar and yogi in the Drikung Kagyu lineage.

After pursuing a lively career in the fine arts, John-Allen returned to his primary interests and dedicated himself to teaching yoga, while pursuing his studies under the guidance of his teachers. At this time he became a licensed bodyworker and also began organizing pilgrimages and trekking expeditions to Nepal. Realizing that he had an intellectual grasp of the traditions, but still had little experiential understanding, he sought to deepen his study and practice through encountering new teachers and techniques that could penetrate to the core of spiritual meaning. He is currently an apprentice and assistant to Dionisio Santos and Aubrey Bamdad, the founders of Yacumaman Sanctuary for Integral Shamanism. Under their guidance he continues to incorporate his prior training into the Integral applications of shamanic practices, in order to deepen and enrich his authentic engagement with reality, and to co-facilitate such experiences for others. He is profoundly grateful to be involved with the Yacumaman team, and believes that his training there has allowed him to serve in his highest capacity.