The notes below are designed to give prospective readers an idea of what to expect from the book, and to aid in making a decision on whether to buy it.
The Story of Yoga in America: The Subtle Body,
Stefanie Syman
General Notes
Yoga comes from the subtle body. Chakras are wheels like vortices and channels.
Rainbow tribe was the new Woodstock.
Fine line between Kirtan, chanting, mantra, and others.
Ralph Waldo Emerson talks about Buddhism. And Bhagavd Gita of Mahahurta.
Yoga is a path.
Henry David Thoreau talks about yoga at Walden Pond.
Pineal gland is one of the 6 lotuses.
Swami Vivekanda was out of shape and stopped Chita from being changed. Sit up straight, think of body as perfect from toes to head. Think of it all from one.
Then came about the sun and moon via the sushumna and then the serpents in the spine. Idea was to arise kundalini. “awaken o mother o kundalini whose nature is bliss from the start.”
Raja Yoga (1896) by Sara Famer. “Hari Om…Shanti, shanti, shanti.”
Breath in for 4 seconds, hold 16 seconds, out 8 seconds.
Yoga sutras are about Samadhi.
Hatha yoga is focused on longevity and the 8 psychic powers.
Prana: slows pulse via pranayama, tantric is the last and uses black magic; usually forbidden like wine, meat, fish, grain, and sex. Right handed path normal. Left has to do more with sexual things. Shiva and Shakti produced a kid.
Discussion of Pierre Bertrand. He was always optimistic.
Bhakti yoga focuses on love as the goal. No wine except on new year’s eve and then only one.
Theo Bertrand was Pierre’s half nephew. He studied psychology in Asia. He believed meditation is light and that Yoga is more spiritual. Experience matter and energy in separation and in unity.
3 demands of yoga: lotus, uddiyana and pranayama.
Margret Woodrow Wilson was the daughter of Woodrow Wilson. Aurobindo stayed at an ashram for months waiting for him. She saw him for a few minutes then died of some disease when she got there.
Vedantia focused on Indra Devi Yoga studio in LA. Learned Krismcthaayaa. Prabhavanada philosophy focus with raja from meditation of Patanjali. Bhakti focus on devotion of Gita. Hatha includes the above plus eating, drinking and sleeping.
Upanishads suggest “you are that, so what is there to attain?” tat tvam asi.
LSD trials at Harvard in the 1960s. Leary and Alpert led with Baba Ram Dass’ idea of electric plasma.
Vedanta Society from SF in 1966 had 4 million participants on LSD. Outlawed shortly after. There was an anti-rally with Janis Joplin.
LSD does not affect yogis because of paranayama.
Bhakti yoga gives you quick results. Chanting looks good.
Meditation requires concentration and self-discipline which is why it is the 7th step. Meditation yoga is calmer and does not come down. You keep the bliss.
Yoga gives peace to you and to the world that does not change.
P. 235 Tim Gallwey on tennis and yoga: “You have to chase the mind. Preoccupy it from fretting. Breathe in and out. Concentration is effortless effort. The body is spiritual, the ego is not.”
1960s and 1970s - Guras Swis traveled the world together. Paul Zleog and Muktananda and Shaktipat, lighting one another’s lamps.
1975 - Yoga Journal by Judith Laster was founded to convince people yoga is not voodoo.
Yoga lost its appeal in the 1980s due to sexual abuse by gurus and other fitness trends were perceived as more popular.
1989 - Jiva Mukti. Madonna song “Shanti Ashtangi.”
Yoga came back in the 1990s. Bikram with a mirror was very popular. Bikram came from India and said, “I don’t try to say I love you; I try to say I will kill you.” Ashtanga with Prattabi Jois making first trip to the USA at age 60. Internal cleansing not exercise or self-discipline. Maju “I’m here to break you.”
Jois said dissolution into the supreme self whose nature is bliss.
A great person affects everyone regardless of whether the followers have past teachings. Yoga is indulgence and penance.