Our Origin Story

The history of Mount Madonna Center begins with the arrival of Baba Hari Dass (Babaji) to the United States in 1971. He came at the invitation of a young American couple who traveled to India to find an authentic teacher and learn about yoga.

Gradually a satsang, a community of spiritual seekers, grew. The informal organization began to offer four-day yoga retreats, first in homes and then at rented summer camp venues in and around Santa Cruz, California. In 1974, the idea arose of purchasing property where we could offer our own retreats.

In the same year, that group formed Hanuman Fellowship, taking the name of an ancient Indian deity representing service and devotion.

A handful of founding pioneers moved onto the property early in 1978. With the inspiration of Babaji, and the selfless service of many of his students and friends over the years, buildings were built, a resident community grew, and several important projects were manifested on the mountain, including: Mount Madonna School , Mount Madonna Institute, Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, and the head office of Sri Rama Foundation (sponsor of Sri Ram Ashram, an orphanage and school in northern India).

In 1978, the Fellowship founded Mount Madonna Center, a 380-acre mountaintop property. From the very beginning, Baba Hari Dass taught not only Yoga, but also Ayurveda – these were the first programs offered in the summer of 1978 – a science of health and healing that was little known in the West at the time.

The Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple was founded and built by Sri Baba Hari Dass and his students as a place of devotion and peace.

Students of Babaji returned from India in 2001 with a beautiful Hanuman murti (statue). When Babaji saw the statue he wrote, “It needs a Temple.” He then walked to the existing ceremonial site on Mount Madonna and drew out the location for the temple with his foot.

Planning and building began immediately, and culminated in 2003 with the performance of the Prana Pratishta ceremony of “establishing the breath” within the sacred image.

We received approval from the State of California, and, in January 2007, Mount Madonna Institute was approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education to offer degree programs and admitted students to its first College of Ayurveda Diploma Program. Since that first class entered in 2007, we have graduated many classes of Diploma, Certificate (Practitioner), and Masters Degree students.

Considered a part of our core values, the Mount Madonna community continues to offer the teachings of Yoga and Ayurveda that were passed on to us; to support the education of children; to steward the land; and to offer a peaceful space that allows for those in the resident community and the many who come for various programs and retreats, the opportunity for personal growth and transformation on all levels – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

Babaji was sponsored in this country by Ma Renu (Ruth Horsting), an accomplished sculptor and art professor at the University of California, Davis, who at that time was retiring to Sea Ranch on the northern California Coast. Babaji initially lived there in seclusion until, within a short time, word spread about his presence and students began to meet with him, seeking guidance in their lives and on their spiritual paths.

A long search for suitable property began and culminated in late 1975 when Mount Madonna was found and a lease-option to purchase by Hanuman Fellowship was negotiated. From 1975 to 1977 we created the proposal for operating the Mount Madonna Center for the Creative Arts and Sciences and earned the necessary Santa Cruz County permits to open.

In the years that followed, a series of pioneers presented Ayurveda programs at Mount Madonna Center – first Babaji, then Dr. Trivedi, Dr. Svoboda, Dr. Lad, Dr. Singh, and Dr. Shrestha. One of the students of the programs offered in 1982 was Cynthia Ambika Copple, who went on to become our founding Dean of the College of Ayurveda.

As the Center proved successful and grew, others also obtained Ayurveda training, and slowly a group came together of people deeply interested in starting a school for the study of Ayurveda. In 2005, that group’s vision and energy were strong enough that the decision was made to form a new Institute, featuring a College of Ayurveda. Approvals were obtained, a substantial loan was borrowed, space was set aside for classes, and intense work began on developing curriculum, faculty, administration, logistics, a website, marketing, and an application to the State of California for approval to operate the Institute and its College of Ayurveda.

Mount Madonna Institute received Eligibility from the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) to proceed with an application for Initial Accreditation!