Ellen Korman Mains

Ellen Korman Mains

From Ellen's website  (https://www.ellenkormanmains.com/)

I believe we are each inextricably connected to a larger web of being that is constantly changing, evolving, and moving forward.  Each of us has a purpose or gift to contribute toward that evolution, but for a multitude of reasons, it’s easy to lose track of our gift or inspiration for being here. Remembering this underlying, universal connection—feeling its power and support—is what keeps me going, and I love to help others find this connection, whether individually or in a group.

The daughter of Polish-born Jews who survived the Holocaust, I studied with the Tibetan Buddhist meditation master, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, from 1971 until his passing in 1987. With his encouragement, I have taught Buddhist classes and led meditation retreats internationally.

In 1980, I also became a close student of Shibata Kanjuro, Sensei, the Twentieth-generation Bow Maker to the Emperor of Japan, and, at his request, taught Kyudo (The Way of the Bow) at Naropa University and internationally.

After years of deep training in these formal disciplines, and following my father’s death in 1990, I became ill with the mysterious condition called chronic fatigue. This led me to the realm of alternative healing, study with indigenous teachers, and a more embodied way of working with my spiritual path, while continuing to follow my previous training.I also recognized that I was a “sensitive,” a person with heightened physical and energetic sensitivities. 

In 2005, this sensitivity led to a life-changing experience on a train in Germany and the realization that I needed to relate to the burden of the Holocaust which I had inherited from my family and which my Buddhist teacher had pointed me toward. This 2-minute video describes this turn in my journey—into the realm of generational healing and ancestral connection.

My book, Buried Rivers: A Spiritual Journey into the Holocaust” describes this journey. During this time, I also dove into the practice of “Focusing,” a powerful tool for accessing embodied presence and deeper sources of knowing. I am now certified as a Focusing Guide. 

I welcome opportunities to speak about my award-winning book and topics not only related to Ancestral Healing and the Holocaust, but to the intersection of spirituality, healing, and social change.  

Master Archer - Kyudo, National Geographic, 1987 (YouTube video, 12 minutes)