TRADITION
Tradition is one of the core strengths of Institut Maurice Daubard, a school dedicated to the transmission of Tummo Yoga and contemplative practices rooted in lineage and lived experience.
In an age where spiritual and somatic disciplines are often fragmented, simplified, or commercialised, IMD remains grounded in a living tradition passed down through generations of practice, discipline, and transmission.
In this reflection, Patrick, senior teacher at Institut Maurice Daubard, shares what “tradition” truly means within the context of IMD—where this tradition comes from, how it has been transmitted, and why it continues to shape the way we teach today. This text also pays homage to the great masters whose dedication and way of life continue to inspire our work.
What Does Tradition Really Mean?
Here is a definition from a dictionary:
“Tradition refers to a practice, knowledge, or custom passed down from generation to generation, often orally, that forms the basis of the identity of a group, family, or society, marking a form of cultural heritage.”
Why Tradition Is Central to the Maurice Daubard Institute?
Quite simply, our practice is not the result of the latest trendy method and is not taught by instructors who have only attended a few workshops here and there.
What is taught at the IMD is a discipline (more precisely, a way of life) that comes from a lineage of knowledge passed down from master to disciple for centuries.
A Lineage Rooted in Experience, Discipline, and Transmission
Our main source of inspiration is undoubtedly Tibet. Even though we don’t claim to practice exactly like the Tibetans (it would be presumptuous to do so), we humbly draw inspiration from their practice, their knowledge, and their aura.
Our teacher (Maurice Daubard) practiced meditation techniques (often alone in the cold) for 25 years before beginning to teach them, and I myself collaborated with him for over 10 years in organizing and leading Tummo retreats in the Italian Alps. This represents more than a decade spent with the teacher, learning, observing, and living with successive groups (over 40 weeks of retreats, over 40 groups) before I, along with my team, embarked on teaching this magnificent discipline, which truly has the capacity to transform in just a few days of practice. I have witnessed this firsthand over all these years and remain amazed by it to this day; it is, in fact, my primary source of motivation to continue teaching.
But IMD also draws inspiration from Indian traditions (such as Shivananda, for example) and from Western thinkers, who, incidentally, were pivotal influences for our teacher. For instance, Father Kneipp, with his work on cold, was himself inspired by Johann Siegmund Hahn and his book “On the Force and Effects of Cold Water on the Human Body.”
A Living Tradition for Today’s Practitioners
It is this entire Western, Indian, and Tibetan tradition that infuses our inspiration at IMD, and from which our students benefit during in-person and online teachings, as well as on social media throughout the year.
We invite you to join us for an upcoming retreats in the Italian Alps to discover the IMD tradition, or to follow our online course:
See you soon
Patrick Daubard
