ULLAMAYA MA aka ULLA-MAIJA KIVIMÄKI
New York 2009 Ullamaya Ma (birth name Ulla-Maija Kivimäki) was born and grew up in Lapland, Finland, the last and vast remaining wilderness area of Europe. From her childhood, her love and closeness to nature and its magic and mysteries gave inspiration for her life and her work. From the age of 19, she lived in several countries and traveled constantly around the world for 10 years, while pursuing career as a fashion model. After settling in the United States, she became a couture designer and created an international design company and a luxury brand under her Finnish first name, Ulla-Maija. In the ‘80s, she opened a store bearing her name on New York’s Madison Avenue and soon became known for her elegant evening and bridal designs for the New York society. By 1990, she started to expand her couture bridal wear segment of her work to the major stores in the USA, such as Saks Fifth Avenue, and other countries. She developed and became known for a new, recognizable design style, which continues to be sought-after today. The bridal couture company she founded and brought to success, Ulla-Maija, Inc., based in Manhattan, New York, continues to profit today from her work and her name as one of the premier bridal couture companies in the world. |
In 2002, after series of devastating and life-changing events, she devoted her full time to spiritual studies and music - both were her first loves.
In 2002-2004, she resided, studied and worked full-time at Ananda Ashram, the 50-year old retreat and educational center of the Yoga Society of New York in Monroe, New York, and continued her part-time residency there for four more years. Her special interest was Indian music and she personally realized the unlimited healing power, heart opening, transformational energy of music and the joy of chanting the Divine Names.
Ullamaya Ma is a long-time student of Eastern philosophy and yogic science. After studies in Buddhism in the ‘70s, she became a devotee of Paramahansa Yogananda in 1983. She also learned yoga philosophy and practice from Swami Rama at the Himalayan Institute in the ‘80s. There, she also started Hatha Yoga studies and continued at Kripalu in the ‘90s. Through the ‘90s, she learned Kriya Yoga at the Self-Realization Fellowship. In 2002-2008, she learned Advaita Vedanta and Sanskrit at Ananda Ashram/Yoga Society of New York. There, she also learned Indian vocal and instrumental music, as well as with several teachers in New York and in India. After studies of Bhakti Yoga and Vaishnavism, the theistic science of ancient India, she continues today her longtime Kriya Yoga practice along with the studies Yoga philosophy.
In 2004-2007, she was the executive director and music producer at the Society for Universal Sacred Music, a New York non-profit organization, where she used her artistic and organizational experience to manage and expand the Society and its programs, including a worldwide commissioning program of new sacred music, concerts, festivals, CDs and DVDs. Her responsibilities included the establishing of a new, two-day sacred music festival, Festival of Universal Sacred Music, in Manhattan, New York. She organized the two first festivals at the Ethical Culture Society and at the Merkin Concert Hall, which brought together an international roster of composers, performers, a chorus and soloists. She co-produced two 30-minute documentary films which presented the new music, festivals, concerts, composers and performances.
In 2009, her publishing entity, Amalam Media published “Raga Kirtan”, a kirtan album where she performs both as artist and producer. She has previously produced three albums for the Society for Universal Sacred Music:
1.“Universal Songs of Kabir”, a bhajan & kirtan CD, Deepak Kumar Pareek, vocalist/instrumentalist/composer
2.“Lost in Bliss”, a live concert CD, Kinnar Seen & Manu Seen, both on sitar, and Samir Chatterjee, tabla.
3.“The Thread of Life”, a live concert CD, which she co-produced with the Australian producer/composer/baritone/multi-instrumentalist Kim Cunio, also featuring the Australian soprano Heather Lee and Yoel Ben-Simhon & the Sultana Ensemble of Arab-Israeli origin.
Her current projects include a new music album and a book about her life experiences, sponsored by the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA). VISIT THE BOOK WEBSITE.
Today, she consults in internet communication & marketing, branding, creates email campaigns and websites, including the integrated multimedia such as photos, videos, audios. Her services are featured on website Amalam Media.
Her printable photos can be downloaded here.
In 2002-2004, she resided, studied and worked full-time at Ananda Ashram, the 50-year old retreat and educational center of the Yoga Society of New York in Monroe, New York, and continued her part-time residency there for four more years. Her special interest was Indian music and she personally realized the unlimited healing power, heart opening, transformational energy of music and the joy of chanting the Divine Names.
Ullamaya Ma is a long-time student of Eastern philosophy and yogic science. After studies in Buddhism in the ‘70s, she became a devotee of Paramahansa Yogananda in 1983. She also learned yoga philosophy and practice from Swami Rama at the Himalayan Institute in the ‘80s. There, she also started Hatha Yoga studies and continued at Kripalu in the ‘90s. Through the ‘90s, she learned Kriya Yoga at the Self-Realization Fellowship. In 2002-2008, she learned Advaita Vedanta and Sanskrit at Ananda Ashram/Yoga Society of New York. There, she also learned Indian vocal and instrumental music, as well as with several teachers in New York and in India. After studies of Bhakti Yoga and Vaishnavism, the theistic science of ancient India, she continues today her longtime Kriya Yoga practice along with the studies Yoga philosophy.
In 2004-2007, she was the executive director and music producer at the Society for Universal Sacred Music, a New York non-profit organization, where she used her artistic and organizational experience to manage and expand the Society and its programs, including a worldwide commissioning program of new sacred music, concerts, festivals, CDs and DVDs. Her responsibilities included the establishing of a new, two-day sacred music festival, Festival of Universal Sacred Music, in Manhattan, New York. She organized the two first festivals at the Ethical Culture Society and at the Merkin Concert Hall, which brought together an international roster of composers, performers, a chorus and soloists. She co-produced two 30-minute documentary films which presented the new music, festivals, concerts, composers and performances.
In 2009, her publishing entity, Amalam Media published “Raga Kirtan”, a kirtan album where she performs both as artist and producer. She has previously produced three albums for the Society for Universal Sacred Music:
1.“Universal Songs of Kabir”, a bhajan & kirtan CD, Deepak Kumar Pareek, vocalist/instrumentalist/composer
2.“Lost in Bliss”, a live concert CD, Kinnar Seen & Manu Seen, both on sitar, and Samir Chatterjee, tabla.
3.“The Thread of Life”, a live concert CD, which she co-produced with the Australian producer/composer/baritone/multi-instrumentalist Kim Cunio, also featuring the Australian soprano Heather Lee and Yoel Ben-Simhon & the Sultana Ensemble of Arab-Israeli origin.
Her current projects include a new music album and a book about her life experiences, sponsored by the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA). VISIT THE BOOK WEBSITE.
Today, she consults in internet communication & marketing, branding, creates email campaigns and websites, including the integrated multimedia such as photos, videos, audios. Her services are featured on website Amalam Media.
Her printable photos can be downloaded here.