Rene David Alkalay is a teacher, healer, and author. He has been on a spiritual journey for most of his life exploring various faiths and belief systems. This journey has been one of seeking truth, the goal of philosophical inquiry.

From an early age there were a series of immersions in various faiths: five years of Roman Catholic mission school in Rome, Italy; two years of Talmud Torah in Boro Park in New York City; and, three years of involvement with Zen Buddhism, all before he had reached the age of fifteen. For the next twenty years, Rene immersed himself in the study and practice of Buddhism, and Sankhya and Vedanta philosophy.

His journey into yoga and the science of mind began in 1958 when he found his first yoga teacher, Richard Hittleman, with whom he studied until 1961. He continued his study and practice of yoga independently following the teaching of Aurobindo and Sivanananda, and practicing the austerities of Ramana Maharshi. These studies and practices have continued throughout his life. During his years living in the Middle East, Rene finished his undergraduate work at Hebrew University in Jerusalem where he also worked as research assistant to Dr. Tikva Nathan on the publication of Holocaust studies. He continued his studies in Freudian psychology, meditation, suggestion and autosuggestion with Dr. Nathan for 3 years. While at the Hebrew University, he founded and published the first English literary magazine in Israel, “Image.” This magazine became a venue for many of the American, British, and Australian writers and poets in Israel..

In 1970, back in the United States, he found his second teacher, Swami Prabhupada. He remained with the Hare Krishna fellowship for a brief period of two years, when, in 1972, he met his next teacher, Swami Satchidenanda, with whom he continued his studies and training until 1976. During these years, Rene was inititated into the raja yoga tradition. At this time, he also met and studied with Rabbi Joseph Gelberman. These studies led him into the world of Kabbalah, the study and practice of which he has continued ever since that time.

In this period, Rene continued independent studies in mind science. Inspired by the work of Dr. Maxwell Maltz, he practiced the methods of psychocybernetics and later incorporated these methods in his therapeutic work. Simultaneously, he met Vernon Howard and was strongly drawn to the power and clarity of his teaching. Working extensively with the technique of psycho-pictography, in 1979, he began two psycho-pictography groups in New York City, which he facilitated until 1984. During this time, he also discovered the work of Johannes Schultz and, working through first and second level autogenic training, began the practice of conscious control of various physiological and psychological processes.

Over the course of the next six years, between 1976 and 1982, Rene completed his doctoral studies in metaphysics at the College of Divine Metaphysics, and was eventually ordained as an interfaith minister. He began his work as a pastoral counselor in the counseling center of Norman Vincent Peal in Manhattan. In 1983 he met his guru, Swami Rama of the Himalayas with whom he studied until swamiji left the United States. Knowing of the teachings of a yogic master, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, Rene traveled to Oregon to expand his studies and while there he became a student of tantra yoga as well as exploring active forms of meditation (meditation in motion). Throughout the years, Rene has been a student of the yogic tradition seeking out those teachers who could best impart these ancient teachings. He has studied with Srivatsa Ramaswami, Swami Bua, Swami Veda Bharati, and Pundit Tuganait, among others. His mentor and teacher in several healing systems (ayurveda and homeopathy) was Rudolph Ballantine, with whom he studied and worked for seven years.

Rene became convinced that what was lacking was a truly holistic model by which to serve humanity, a model that would incorporate physical, emotional and spiritual health, as well as a healing of the world around us. To this end, he became certified in various systems of physical fitness and continued his studies receiving a PhD in Nutrition and an ND degree. He trained and certified in Biosyntonic Therapy, Yoga Therapy, Ophanim, Reiki, Bio and Neurofeedback therapy (with Adam Crane). Most recently, 2008 to 2010, he has studied Quantum Touch healing and has taken training with James Gordon’s group, The Center for Mind-Body Medicine.

Rene has devoted his life to the service of individuals and the planet. Selflessly and tirelessly, he continues to work with underserved peoples within his community as well as in different parts of the world.