Doctor T, aka Dr. Anthony J. Holt, aka Tamal Krishna Kaviraj das

Who is Doctor T?

Doctor T is just a simple Monk with an essential childlike heart and a warm and friendly lighthearted disposition. He wears his good, kind and big heart on his sleeve. (a little difficult when he only wears sleeveless shirts!) Dr T lives a life of high thinking and simple living, rather than high living and simple thinking. He says he is far from perfect but aspiring to be a humble, compassionate, empathetic and a gracious gentleman of substance to serve humanity in some small way. A man of faith, developing his love for God with love and affection for all. Not taking himself too seriously, mostly, he has more fun than a human being is allowed to have; wherever he may be. He is also a Doctor of Natural Therapies with a forty seven year career dovetailing modalities of Acupuncture, Naturopathy, Chiropractic, Osteopathy and Spiritual Healing in his practice and teaching many students in his clinic consecutively. He admits he is not a very accomplished musician with piano, guitar and flute but a reasonable singer.

Doctor T, as he is affectionately known, is a Monk, (more like a Monkey!). In answer to his many prayers; he at long last was fortunate and eternally grateful to meet his Spiritual Master. He become a disciple of his beloved Gurudeva Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaj in 2004, who placed him in his big kind heart, and gave him the name of Tamal Krishna das. Travelling extensively around the world in the service of Guru as his Doctor to the numerous festivals of devotion. Until 2010 when sadly, now in a separation mood from his beloved Spiritual Master who departed this world aged 91. His Angelic Mother, also a disciple departed 3 months prior.

Dr T has lived quite a chequered career. Of Irish decent and after a thousand years of selective breeding (or was it interbreeding!) was conceived in Ireland and appeared in the seaside town of Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset England, emigrating to Australia with his family when he was 6. Schooled at Sydney’s Balgowlah Boys High School, graduated at Humourversity! Graduated as a Marine Engineer at Sydney’s Garden Island Naval Establishment. Sailed as a Marine Engineer Officer on various cargo passenger ships thence. A Professional Beach Lifeguard on Sydney’s Manly Beach in 1967/68 season, to Jersey in the Channel islands. A Swim Coach at London’s Crystal Palace Sports Centre. Voyaged as a Ships Engineer Officer with P&O on a cargo passenger steam ship and grateful for the qualifications to do so! A Beach Lifeguard in Newquay, Cornwall England in 1969 in the pioneering days of surfing in that quaint town.

September 1969 lived in Biarritz (his second home) in the Basque region of France playing Rugby as the first Australian to play in France, Shaping surfboards at Barland surfboard manufactures in Bayonne. Ski insrtuctor in Alpbach, Austria. To sojourning in Morocco to conduct adventurous driving tours around Morocco from the mountains to the desert. His Spiritual life began in earnest in 1970 when met a Saintly Irish gentleman in Biarritz who inspired and taught him Yoga, Meditation and Vegetarianism. This initial launch carried him into spiritual life. He studied Philosophy, Bhakti Yoga Meditation, Vedic Scriptures under the Guidance of his Gurudeva. He was given a copy of ”Autobiography of a Yogi” by Paramahansa Yogananda which was an initial inspiration, and later the Bhagavad Gita “As it is” written by Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad Maharaj, the ultimate in his scriptural searching. His teacher in Biarritz predicted he would return to Australia to be a healer to help alleviate peoples suffering and misery. After four years of world travels, he returned to Australia and inspired by a fellow athlete to pursue a career in Natural Medicine; namely: Naturopathy, Chiropractic, Osteopathy and Acupuncture. He says his patients really pinned their hopes on him!! Further studies of Oriental Medicine in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, China and Kyung Hee University of Oriental Medicine in Seoul, Korea in 1972. Commenced the first Natural Therapies clinic in Queensland at Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast in 1974. In 1977 Dr T purchased an abandoned derelict former Banana and Dairy farm from a kind farmer and resurrected it to its present paradise Rainbow Mountain Healing Sanctuary as the first of its type in Australia. A 30 acre ‘Place of no Anxiety’ in Tallebudgera Valley on the Gold Coast. Holding programmes on Health and Healing, residential retreats, Bhakti Yoga Devotional Meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi etc. He is the resident Monk at this establishment. Also in 1997 he ran a sub four hour marathon as the heaviest known man to do so at a weight of 115 Kg’s’s. That same year underwent a 40 day water fast while still engaged in all activities. From 2004 he made many pilgrimages to holy sites and sacred places in India from high up in the Himalayas with devotees and other Holy places like in Vrindaban, Govadhan and Jaganath Puri.

Dr T spanned a thirty five year athletic career from Swimming to Track and field in the Discus event, competing in many Olympic trials. He spent time in 1977 on the set of the classic film production of ‘Apocalypse Now’ in the Philippines. Employed in Hollywood in 1989 on various film productions in the art department. Surfing charters around the Fijian archipelago as Ships Doctor and Fun Master in 2000. Toured various countries teaching and treating at Yoga retreats. He was Ordained as a Missionary Priest in the Philippines in 1977. Served his calling to engage in a very humbling, charitable, mercy mission aid relief after the destruction caused by Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines in 2013, which killed 8,000 people. Well wishers around the world kindly donated towards his cause; With help from Red Cross delivered 10 tons of aid to 3,000 families in North Cebu and relieving the 100’s of children of their typhoon trauma with a comedy magic show.

When asked how did he achieve such a blessed and illustrious life, experiencing so much, (Some say he should be 150 years old to have accomplished so much! Hahaha!) he commented that he did not go looking for anything in particular, choices just seemed to appear from nowhere by divine providence.

30 years since its inception, his purpose for these books is a fund raiser for his Gurus Sanctuary, Ashram, Monastery for various accommodations and amenities. Much of the proceeds will go toward that end for the benefit of the public at large and generations to come.