Didier Weiss

This is how the story of the dude goes, for those that might find it interesting ... if not, skip it!

 

Didier lives in Southern India with spouse Cecilia and their daughter of Indian origin, Ludivine, born in 2001.

 

He grew up in Eastern France. He pursued electronics and computer science but was more often than not immersed in the works of Spinoza and the Tibetan Book of the Dead.

 

Once he got his diploma, he moved to Paris and worked as a sound engineer for some 12 years in music recording studios. In 1990, he designed and built up all from scratch his very own recording studio in Paris, "Latitude 101", and thus found himself in the big league of Parisian show business.

 

This is how the story went, countless studio sessions day and night, interspersed with the writings of renowned masters, alive or dead, from the Zen tradition to the Christian mystics, via Jean Klein, UG Krishnamurti, Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta Maharaj and Douglas Harding. He had for some unknown reason become very fond of the meta-poetry of a French author in the non-dual lineage, Stephen Jourdain...

 

After a trip to South India in 1992, this all laid out path took an unexpected turn. More than tempted by the Auroville project, an international intentional community in the making, Didier and Cecilia sold the recording studio shortly after their second visit there, shove a few books and essentials in one trunk; and, without looking back, said goodbye to families and bought a one-way ticket to Madras - now Chennai. In 1994, they started their newcomer period and soon after became full fledged "Aurovilians" and as such they are since permanent residents in India.

 

When in Auroville, he dedicated his energy and skills without preference wherever the needs of the community called him. He liked to say he had “retired” from show business. He also helped out in concerts and recordings, now only for pleasure. However, this is really when his ardent spiritual search could fully deepen and flourish.

 

In 1995, he came across the writings of Ramesh Balsekar - a disciple and one of the translators of Nisargadatta Maharaj – a wonderful Advaita teacher. Didier was touched by both the sharpness and sense of humour of Ramesh's words that carried without a doubt the inimitable fragrance of Freedom.

 

Over the next 3 years, he took every opportunity to attend Ramesh's daily satsangs at his Mumbai home, a few times a year, a few days at a time. He also requested a few individual sessions to clarify some doubts. A resolution emerged by itself in October 1998.

 

In 2000, he set up "Sound Wizard", a company specializing in architectural acoustics for the Indian music and film industry. He was now on the other side of the console or stage. Deeply rooted in life, as head acoustic and business owner, this full-time activity allowed him to reconnect with his passion for sound that had never left him.

 

Didier is the author of "Non-dual Explorations - Return to paradise lost" - published in French in 2016 by Editions Accarias L'Originel. This book is the fruit of an abundant and lively correspondence with Pierre Jutant, then a long time seeker.

 

He is also the author of "A Liberated Life - A Complete Guide to Self-Bareness" in French, published in 2022 by Editions Almora, in conversation with Alain Eskenazi.

 

Besides his professional activity as an acoustician, he enjoys very much sharing his passion for non-duality through group and individual meetings in India. Since 2017, he travels once a year to Europe to give talks and intensive workshops.