Teachers Archives: Ariya Baumann

Ariya Baumann

Ariya Baumann was born and raised in Switzerland. She started to practise meditation during her training as a music and dance teacher at the conservatory in Zürich. In 1992, she went to Myanmar (Burma) and ordained as a nun under Sayadaw U Janaka and for many years she practised vipassana and metta meditation under his guidance. Later she assisted the Sayadaws by translating talks and interviews for foreign meditators. In 2006, she changed to the Chanmyay Myaing Meditation Centre, Yangon, where she assisted Sayadaw U Indaka as well as teaching the foreign meditators herself.

In 2013, she disrobed and is now based in Switzerland from where she continues to teach vipassana and metta meditation courses worldwide besides taking care of her old father. Metta chants form an important part of her teaching as a beautiful way to open and soften the heart.

She has translated a number of Dhamma books from Burmese to English and German. These books include Mahasi Sayadaw’s ‘Manual of Insight’ and Sayadaw U Indaka’s books on ‘Metta’ and ‘The Factors of Enlightenment’.

She is a co-founder and president of ‘Metta In Action’ which supports a variety of social and medical projects throughout Burma, especially nunneries.