J.D. SALINGER & YOGA

Many of us who read he late J.D. Salinger's many novels and short stories, especially the 'CATCHER' (IN THE RYE) know of his interest in ZEN and the many times he made use of such items in his writings....but perhaps not many of us realize that he was deeply into YOGA and a very important book that he read(around the same time that I did or shortly afterwards) was THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A YOGI, by Yogananda and that he kept contacts with the SELF-REALIZATION FELLOWSHIP all his life it seems.. Moreover, he also was interested in RAMKRISHA(Ramahchrisna) and also read a lot of materials on or about him, apparently. Although I cannot actually verify this, I was told on good authority by a late friend of mine who 'knew' him, by sight and some conversations in Windsor,VT, for example, that he also had an interest in 'witchcraft' and had done some reading on the subject......donating a number of book on the subject to the Cornish Library.....

YOGI RAMACHARAKA,SWAMI BHAKTA VISHITA, & SWAMI PANCHADASI

These three 'swamis' are actually the names used by the same person known in metaphysical circles as WILLIAM WALTER ATKINSON, an interesting author of many books also under various names.....I became acquainted with yoga almost since babyhood, because of a large volume devoted to medical lore which was called HOME MEDICAL LIBRARY which I amused myself over the years since it was placed in my hands by my grandparents in the late 30's-40's. I still have the volume. In that book was a Chapter called: THE SCIENCE OF BREATH and had some photographic illustrations of various exercises which I used as the basis for a talk on yoga that I gave in class during my sophomore year while attending Stevens High School. Although I cannot find exactly where this material came from, I suspect it was added from some material or works of the late William Walter Atkinson, and it may also be found in some other old medical volumes that I have in my library,etc. I collect these now and then, partly because they also contain certain physical culture and jiu-jitsu topics and photos, some rare, indeed. Later I acquired a book under the title of Yoga by the author writing as Yogi Ramacharacka...Recently, while browsing in an Upper Valley Bookstore, I came across a book re-issued/reprinted entitled: SWAMI PANCHADASI'S CLAIRVOYANCE & OCCULT POWERS, edited by Clint Marsh and published by Red Wheel/Weiser,LLC. This book is a handy guide to WW Atkinson's works and it contains some very clear and interesting ideas that are found often concealed and nestled among the more recent and trendy-popular works of moderns who feel inclined to write and discuss 'occult' and 'new-age' topics and turn them into best sellers of some kind....for a voracious public of sorts....which shows that there is hardly anything 'newe under the sun' but only repackaged materials with new covers in new bottles....!!! While many things in nostalgic works of or on the occult and the esoteric are a tedious read and the 'science/technology/medicine'etc' of those times have somewhat drastically changed in ways that often seem overwhelming, the basics are there and that is where everyone should take heed and caution and start from there and not try to skip into advanced and sometimes risky areas....

INTEGRAL YOGA

The INTEGRAL YOGA of SRI AUROBINDO(1872-1950) is a system of TRANSFORMATION of LIFE & THE WORLD, rather than the usual 'liberation' or negation of them,as usually understood or misunderstood by Westerners who tend favor what they consider a 'more postiive philosphy'. Sri Aurobindo's studies, practices, and efforts, based essentially upon THE BHAGAVAD-GITA, a profound work, admired and read, not only in India but in the West,are significant for many who aspire to higher spriitual realization(s) in the field(s0 of 'SPIRITUAL' EVOLUTION in which MAN IS & CAN BE, THE INSTRUMENT OF DIVINE FULFILLMENT...as understood by most who embrace yoga and Hinduism and other paths along the same lines of endeavor...but for whom these other paths have not proven sufficiently satisfying for some reasons.... INTEGRAL YOGA, as conceived and developed by SRI AUROBINDO, who was an intense ACTIVIST who strived for India's Independence and National Independence, which only now is on its way to becoming a 'super-power',( no longer a poor, backward 3rd world problem,) combined the three schools of YOGA: WORK, KNOWLEDGE & LOVE, which were usually embraced separately by specific types of persons: physical-mental-emotional. CONSEQUENTLY, the 'spiritual' development of CONSCIOUSNESS receives and emphasis rather than the 'material' development of it, example: the brain...whihc is the focus of much research these days to enhance or develop 'consciousness' or 'super-consciousness'..

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT POSE IN YOGA? PART ONE

Most who attempt to answer this question ,if based on their specific routines,methods, concepts & theories, would be understandably reluctant to assign any onepose or stance or asana this status. Still an attempt to lessen the many hundreds, actually thousands, of such(which include all the seemingly possible variations) has been done and is still being done to creat specific routines of brevity, for extremely busy Americans and others,especially those who cannot or will not enter ashrams found in India and elsewhere...

ARE YOU A 'YOGI'? (WHAT IS A YOGI? PART TWO)

'ARE YOU A YOGI/" is a question I now ask all who take 'yoga' lessons of any variety and flavor, or 'special mixture' for 'American Palates' and especially of those heading up, directing, etc. 'yoga activities' and 'practices' especially classes,etc. I will not record any answers that I receive or have received for now, but only point out that claimants for the title of 'YOGI' or 'YOGINI' or those who aspire for such a title, should know what it means and of what it is all about, based on the experience of THE WAY OF THE YOGA (THE WAY OF THE YOGI). This is especially true for those who embark on the path of teaching such. The popular consensus about yoga is that it is a series of health promoting physical exercises that everyone can do and should do, if possible and time permits, and they can afford such. Consequently, the commercial, if not educational, aspects of yoga as a 'health enterprise' or an alternative to other systems of exercise and 'physical culture' et al, has become more evident in recent years.

WHAT IS A YOGI? PART ONE

During my sophomore English class in high school we were assigned to present a topic following the format of such talks to be given on a subject we were to choose. I decided to talk about YOGA and as we had to state the topic beforehand in class, one of my classmates, a girl I remember,exclaimed,"Oh,yogis are people who stand on their heads!" I'd seen a recent movie, comedy, which involved 'wrestling' matches of the usual type seen in such, that had been showing not too long before and which some of my classmates,probably this same girl, had seen in the local movie house.... However, my interest in yoga did not arise form that movie as I had been aware of yoga since childhood in various ways, mostly through reading and listening to certain radio programs. In fact, I had read what few books concerning yoga and related topics that were in the Fiske Free Library in Claremont where I attended Stevens High School. But the main and specific reading source for me at the time, was a section on yoga in a large, heavy volume of a Home Medical Book of various remedies,etc. that belonged to my grandparents and which I still have. This large volume had some photos of the 'yogi' practitioner doing mostly breathing exercises....he was very popular at one time and did them in a business suit....he also wrote books on 'mental science' and the like.... I answered or defined the question,'WHAT IS A YOGI?' by answering this way, 'A YOGI IS A PERSON WHO DOES YOGA.' Then I defined yoga, if I recal as coming from the word, 'yoke' and from there demonstrated three or four breathing exercises and arm stretches as I knew them and understood them at the time. Everyone agreed that I really knew my subject and from that point on, I was expected to do or give unuusal talks whenever class speeches or presentations were to be held. I must say, however, that this topic of yoga was probably my best one compared to any of the others I ever gave that school year. So, the two answers to thsi question are still valid: A YOGI IS SOMEONE WHO DOES OR PRACTICES YOGA, AND A YOGI IS SOMEONE WHO STANDS ON HIS OR HER HEAD! These 'definitiions'are most sufficient for ordinary minds to grasp and accept, though, in all fairness, they will fail to satisfy 'die-hard' yoga enthusiasts or those with pretense to being 'yogis'.

BEFORE YOU ASK...

I do not 'teach' yoga, I learn Yoga, and if you like, I will learn yoga with you. I do not teach any martial arts, I learn martial arts, and,if you like, I will learn martiala rts with you. But though I will learn some things with you does not mean I will seek you out. You must seek me, find me, learn from me at your own expense-which means money, effort, and suffering sacrifices. There are no contraints-no restrictions other than thsoe you impose on yourself and others... What,if anything, you learn with me as we learn together, is yours and yours entirely, as I lay no claim to any of it...it is your responsibility, your problem, your effort, however miniminal, your sacrifice however little sweat is raised...your pain how ever excruciating it may be and the AIM, if any, is one you have to forumulate for yourself, if you in learning with me, can REMEMBER YOURSELF.....