Mark A. Michaels (Swami Umeshanand Saraswati) and Patricia Johnson (Devi Veenanand) are a devoted married couple and have been teaching Tantra and Kriya Yoga together since 1999. Their first book The Essence of Tantric Sexuality was a National Best Books 2007 Awards Award-Winner in the Health: Sexuality category and an Award-Winning Finalist in the Religion: Eastern Religions category. They have written and appeared in two instructional DVDs: Tantric Sexual Massage for Lovers and Advanced Tantric Sex Techniques (Alexander Institute, 2007), and have contributed articles to various online and print publications, including Chronogram and Debonair.

Michaels and Johnson have taught throughout the United States, as well as in Canada, Europe and Australia. They have been featured on television and radio and in numerous publications, including The Village Voice, Metro, Latina, Jane, Rockstar, Breathe, Redbook, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Tantric Sex and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Enhancing Sexual Desire. Their teaching combines a traditional lineage-based Tantric approach with the best contemporary methods so that students can bring heightened awareness and an an expanded capacity for pleasure into all aspects of everyday life.

The authors are senior students of Dr. Jonn Mumford (Swami Anandakapila Saraswati) and have been named lineage holders of the OM Kara Kriya® system for the Americas and Europe. Sunyata, coauthor of The Jewel in the Lotus named Michaels his lineage holder in 2001. They have also studied Bhakti Yoga with Bhagavan Das and Tantra with Dr. Rudolph Ballentine.

Michaels is a graduate of New York University School of Law, is a member of the Bar in New York State, and holds master's degrees in American Studies from NYU and Yale. A playwright and translator, he translated and adapted Goldoni's The Mistress of the Inn for New York's Roundabout Theatre Company and cowrote The Thrill of Victory, The Agony of Debate, which premiered at New York's Primary Stages. Patricia Johnson is a professional operatic soprano who tours extensively throughout the United States, Europe, and South America and has performed with the New York City Opera, the Houston Grand Opera, and the Komische Oper Berlin. They make their home near New York City.