Book excerpt: Mantriji was many things to many people but mostly he was a teacher and sage, someone people revered because of his life-changing words and insights. It was impossible to know Mantriji and not be his student. This anthology serves as a memorial of this legendary figure as told by Andrea Olivera and 25 others, including Robert Svoboda, Simon Chokoisky, Alan Annand, Marla Meenakshi Joy, Ananda Shakti, and Gregory Brozek.A mysterious astrologer from the east who can divine how we get to our dreams, Mantriji's reputation is huge because of the many stories about him, his sayings, his teachings, the magical occurrences that surrounded his life. Imagine someone so in touch with time that he can tell you what your issues are based on the relative position of the planets at that very moment. Mantriji was this magical man. And although he was very human, he was always somehow above the fray. Mantriji leaves behind a rich legacy, inspiring the world through his students who venerated him and who are now immortalizing him in this beautiful, colourful book titled A Rishi Among Us. This is a collection of short stories and testimonials that details how Mantriji changed lives. Of course, Mantriji was most famously an astrologer, or 'Jyotishi' in the literal sense, an interpreter of light, but he also taught the Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Sutras, Sanskrit, and many other works through his own brand of Samkhya philosophy. Known for his profound one-liners and parables, Mantriji delighted us all with his wisdom, sense of humour, depth of insight, fondness for good food, and genuine appreciation for all things spiritual. We were honoured by his presence, we were fed by his teachings, we were humbled by his unconditional love, and now this legendary astrologer lives on through his students and will continue to resound through the ages.