About John

“It’s not possible to separate the Teacher from the Teachings in this instance, for John is simply the embodiment of these Teachings.” 

John Weddepohl  |  Siddharthan सिद्धार्थन 

John got involved in yoga in 1969 and took it to its natural and logical conclusion in India in 2004. Describing himself as a vagabond, rogue and a rascal, born in Johannesburg South Africa, John has been blessed with teachers his whole life. Meeting his guru, a pHD in English in 2004, John stayed glued to his gurudev for seven years, as Swamiji passing on the teachings initiated him in Atma Vidya, the timeless wisdom of the vedaupanishads. 

Joining the modern revival of Self knowledge started by Adi Shankara 2500 years ago, mandated by his guru, to share, John has been sharing atma vidya in English ever since. 

About the teachings

Truth being eternal and universal means every human being cant help but be free. Born freer than the freest, immortal already, independent of race, creed, colour, language, gender or religion, each human being carries the Grand Prize and Great Secret of the universe with them. Born the solution, before we can think of a solution, Truth already grabbing all of us is closer than the closest. Already the ‘sons and daughters of immortality’, no one can escape. Pending discovery, each of us is creation’s greatest gift. Each of us hides creation’s greatest secret. All looking for a solution to unhappiness, and permanent wellbeing, a person need look no further than themselves. Each carries the answer and solution to the mystery of the creation already. We just don’t know it. The hole in our education prevents us. And is all that has to be filled. Preventing us all from seeing it is ignorance of one thing: ourselves. To solve the mystery all we need is someone to point out the missing piece. Having been the piece thats missing our whole lives, and lived with nothing but the solution 24/7, once the Truth of who we are is pointed out, recognition is effortless and instantaneous.
Blessed 24/7, already we bring all the proof we need. By introducing us to ourselves, the teacher by helping us fill in the missing piece explodes the Truth.   

Any teacher who helps put Forever in your pocket saves you from suffering. Helping to recognise what is already ever present, but not evident, you never look back. Grasping what was always immanent, pre-ordained we receive the gift of a lifetime. Once we are able to recognise what is obvious, and stop stumbling around in the dark, no longer waiting for life’s grand prize and mystery to resolve, we are home free. Waiting for truth to explode is a mugs game. Pointing out the completeness that you are, you recognise the complete solution you bring with you. Where once we saw only problems, we find there have only ever been solutions. Instantly all darkness and conflict disappears. Feeling utterly foolish, that all the time we carry life’s secret with us, we wonder how we could have been so foolish all along and not seen it for ourselves, until it was pointed out.  

‘The theme of the Vedaupanishads has always been simple: To introduce us the miracle of who we are. To carry the exquisite miracle and not know what we carry is a waste of time. Already universally common, the most common; because we cannot see the truth for ourselves, we need someone who knows how who shows us – knowing the truth of themselves and the methodology that person can introduce us.

There is no difference between someone who knows the truth and one who doesn’t. Both human, one just knows, and the other is yet to know.’ 

The teacher only acts as a mirror. Knowing truth like their own back yard, Truth being common, the teacher knowing how to use the age old methodology, wielding Truth like a laser, shows the ever fresh Self; sanathana, never unavailable and not present. Once the Truth of Self is seen It cannot be unseen. Never looking back, the teacher no longer needed, both roles of teacher and student drop out as all our problems drop away we are free to get on with our lives.

Self-knowledge completes the journey and puzzle of being human. Understanding the meaning of the word ‘I’, thriving we flourish in the meaning of completeness and oneness that is oneself. Fully alive to oneself, the seeker no more lost, stops looking and searching for the meaning where there isn’t any. The teacher of the vedaupanishads reveals us to be the meaning of meanings, pointing out our universal destiny, we recognise Truth as ourselves and ourselves as the TRUTH. 

More about John

Deciding late in his life the little fame and fortune had to offer was not good enough, hoping to catch a rare glimpse of what sages and prophets call the Truth, John found that there is only Truth – he just hadn’t seen it yet! Never closer than oneself, once our eternal nature is pointed out, completeness is guaranteed and we cant help but thrive. Discovering Self-knowledge is the discovery of the timeless secret and gift of the universe. 

In 1969 at nineteen, John took to yoga like a fish to water. Urged by his teachers, to teach, John opened opened Ishta Yoga School on the top floor of the city’s first flea market. Becoming a popular venue downtown, the Market became a hotbed of anti-establishment radicalism and, under South Africa’s apartheid system, was soon forced to was shut down by the authorities. Finding himself out of a job, a talented musician from the age of seven, John found success as a singer-songwriter performing with South Africa’s popular bands. After recording a few local and international hits, John later found his niche scoring music for film and television.

Awarded internationally for his work, despite enjoying the success, John felt something was missing. To fill the hole he started exploring Africa’s wildlife areas. Finding the flame of yoga could not be extinguished, in 2004, with the release of Nelson Mandela from prison, when India lifted its cultural boycott banning South Africans from visiting the country, John traveled to India as a western sadhu साधु.

Meeting his guru, John’s guru pointed out that the only thing missing in his life was himself! Explaining that already everything we look for is with us, hearing that happiness is not a destination but the secret of oneself, wanting to find out more, John withdrew into the seclusion of his guru’s ashram: ‘Self-Knowledge Village’. Immersing in his guru’s teachings in Tiruvanamali, hearing the ancient wisdom in the lineage of Adi Shankara daily, John got his education in Self-knowledge of the veda/upanishads. Finding the eternal we seek is never further than ourselves. Finding peace is not the ‘Long walk to Freedom’ he’d imagine but himself, ever gained, (we just have to recognise it), removing the elephant in the room John’s Guru removed his blind spot. No longer missing to himself, like the sun rising in his life, exploding in Self-knowledge destroyed all Johns doubts,.

Drawing water from many different ghats (springs and watering holes), from traditional healers (sangomas)in Africa, to living Guru’s on ashrams in Orissa, Nepal, Rishikesh, Bihar and Tamil Nadu, John’s teaching reflects these different lineages and streams of knowledge. 
Traditional without being traditionalist students love his quick wit, wisdom, sense of humor and down to earth practical approach.

Meeting and marrying Rachel Zinman, John and Rachel spend their time teaching इष्टम् ISHTAM at festivals teacher trainings and workshops around the world. Sharing their love of music John and Rachel also sing devotional Kirtan wherever possible.

Spending their time abroad, John and Rachel’s dream is to develop ‘Sundaram Ashram’ a centre for higher learning and living.
John and Rachel currently live between Byron Bay, NSW. Australia and home in South Africa.

one word unlocks our secret

Carrying creations secret, and life’s biggest mystery and grand prize with you, to resolve your mystery, and collect the grand prize you just need someone to point it out. Long before you go searching for the truth, Truth has already found and reached you. Already ourselves, the Sun of the Self never sets. Just covered by a cloud of ignorance, to remove the cloud, all we have to do is show up, and make ourselves available. Having lived with it our whole lives and bringing nothing but the truth with us we cant hide or miss it. Ignorance of one word separates us from what is eternal. ‘I’ already eternal holds all our secrets. ‘I’ not only reveals the Truth, ‘I’ is the Truth. Wielding the word ‘I’ like a laser the teacher who knows how, explodes the mystery. For truth to be revealed, just one thought needs to be resolved. Obliterating the darkness, recognising Self removes the blackness. Once pointed out the vacuum of ignorance like a black hole the size of the universe instantly disappears. No longer bound, having always lived in the shadow of Truth recognising the limitless Self removes all fear, uncertainty and doubt. Like the sun rising in the morning destroys all darkness, Self-knowledge removes the darkness of ignorance instantaneously. Once recognised, revelling in the light of the Self that is brighter than a thousand suns, the Truth that was always shining becomes apparent. Recognising what has always been, complete in the knowledge, finding out the eternal destination and outcome is oneself, the weight of endless pain and suffering the size of the universe lifts instantly off your shoulders. 

I the eternal time traveller

I the eternal time traveller

by

The veda upanishads declare long before you look for the eternal, or search for everlasting happiness, it has already found all of us. Without you, not only Truth, has no meaning, nothing has meaning…

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From Our Students

“I don’t believe there is anything I could do on this planet more valuable than gaining this teaching. What an extraordinary blessing and privilege to have the deepest and most ancient revelatory wisdom not only available but given by a living teacher in a timeless lineage of living teachers. This knowledge can only be given by one who has already realised the truth of themselves. John’s realisation, his complete humility, his love and his deep, deep knowledge are a delight and a living access to Self-Knowledge. – Dale Rhodes

-Dale Rhodes

“Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity! If everyone listened & participated in these teachings the world would become a better place for all of us to live in. ‘They’ say the best way to heal the planet is to heal ourselves and these teachings provide that level of insight & opportunity for anyone willing to take the leap. “ Thank you John

Alka Franco

“I loved the simplicity of the teachings. The step by step approach over seven weeks gave me ample time to digest the content of each session. It deepened my understanding of the nature of happiness, the nature of my thoughts and ideas/beliefs, as well as the nature of consciousness. Practically speaking, it helped me get better at slowing myself down when I catch my mind racing away. I highly recommend this to anyone who’s even remotely curious about Self Knowledge.” 

– Aris Athanasopoulos

John Weddepohl taught philosophy on my Yoga Teacher Training course in Goa. The students loved him and I’m impressed by his kindness and humility. He teaches in a way that dusts off the old manuscripts and brings the Gita to life off the page. As a lecturer, he brilliantly takes difficult concepts like Advaita Vedanta and renders them simple and comprehensible. He is a brilliant teacher of Self Knowledge and shares his knowledge in a way that inspires others. John’s Kirtan performances are filled with beauty and bhakti. He teaches with humour and compassion – a truly great soul.

-Heather Elton

Brunch at Brenners with Rachel & John was great. And most of all John’s lecture at AIRYOGA was very very inspiring – after class I tried to push every thought away and just be me – it was most relaxing (even in a terrible traffic jam I was smiling) and to be not caught up in a thought:) Thank you so much John. Can’t wait to have you back at AIRYOGA next year!

-Dagmar Stuhr

We had the good fortune of experiencing John’s wonderful energy and colourful teaching style during a YTT 200 course. His shining baby blue eyes and radiant smile tell the tale of his joyous approach to teaching…and life. John has the ability to speak about the burning questions to life with a childlike wonder and fascination. By breaking down complicated philosophical teachings through the use of real world examples and stories, the lessons became easier to grasp. The stories also provided as much entertainment as learning value…we will never see ice-cream the same again! Our only complaint was not having more time to sit and learn from such a generous soul. We thoroughly enjoyed every moment with John and will take advantage of any opportunity to study with him in the future!

-Simon and Lyndsay Pacey