Lama Anagarika Govinda — The Philosopher of the Himalayas

The spiritual realm of the Himalayas has been home to many extraordinary figures — especially those who, leaving behind the Western world, set out eastward in search of meaning, truth, and transformation. One of the most fascinating among them was Lama Anagarika Govinda (1898–1985) — a German philosopher, artist, and poet, and a devoted practitioner of Buddhism. A man who forever bound his life to the Himalayas.

Born Ernst Lothar Hoffmann, Govinda was drawn to Eastern religions from an early age. His spiritual journey eventually led him to Ceylon, then to India and Tibet. There, through encounters with lamas of the Nyingma and Kagyu schools, he embraced Tibetan Buddhism — becoming one of the first Europeans to genuinely explore its mystical aspects and undertake spiritual practice while wandering through the Himalayas.

Govinda was not only a practitioner but also a remarkable popularizer of Buddhism in the West. His most well-known works, such as The Way of the White Clouds and Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism, are both personal records of his spiritual journey and rigorous introductions to Buddhist philosophy. Govinda skillfully weaved philosophical reflection, ritual and symbolic description, with a deep reverence for the Himalayan landscape and the wisdom of its people.

In Govinda’s life, it was not just texts and ideas that mattered, but direct experience of the mountains themselves. He traveled through the remote valleys of Tibet and Sikkim, met monks and hermits, participated in ceremonies and retreats. His journals and notes are testimonies to inner transformation as well as valuable documentation of the spiritual life of a region that has all but vanished today.

Govinda left behind not only books, but also paintings, sketches, and photographs documenting his travels. His artistic work, inspired by Buddhist iconography and Himalayan landscapes, complements his philosophy — a contemplation of form as a manifestation of spirit.

Why write about him here? The RunGHT project is not just a sporting challenge. It is also a unique opportunity to encounter the Himalayas in a much deeper way — through mindfulness, experience, contemplation, and reflection. The legacy of figures like Anagarika Govinda shows that these mountains are not only a stage for physical achievement but, perhaps above all, a space of spiritual presence.

We encourage you to read Govinda’s works — especially The Way of the White Clouds. It is not merely a travelogue through the Himalayas, but a profound journey inward. For me personally, this book offers another important perspective — a way to rethink my own wanderings along the Great Mountain Trail of Life.