"Light on the Path" by M.C.

[manitou]

One of the most astoundingly helpful reads I've ever found for acceleration along the Path is the "Light on the Path", as commented upon by Yogi Ramacharaka, published in 1904. The Ramacharaka book is called "Advanced Course in Yogi Philosophy and Oriental Occultism", but the thrust is a discussion of a small pamphlet previously written by an M.C. (an English woman named Mabel Collins).

 

In lesson 1, the "Way of Attainment", as it's described, the quote first discussed from the 'Light on the Path' pamphlet is as follows:

 

Before the eyes can see, they must be incapable of tears. Before the ear can hear, it must have lost its sensitiveness. Before the voice can speak in the presence of the Masters, it must have lost the power to wound. Before the soul can stand in the presence of the Masters, its feet must be washed in the blood of the heart.

 

Ramacharaka expands this a bit by saying that before the eyes can see with the clear vision of the Spirit, they must have grown incapable of the tears of wounded pride - unkind criticism - unmerited abuse - unfriendly remarks - slights - sarcasm - the annoyances of everyday life - the failures and disappointments of everyday existence.

 

This certainly connotates a daily transcendence of the mundane, combined with the ability to hold it in our hearts daily. It's to see us all as the same zillion-armed creature; a creature which is One when we get down to the basics of our nature. To our 'god-nature'. We must dwell in the upper regions of the mind and spirit.

 

To quote a little further:

 

"These are not mere dreams and impracticable ideas. If many of you had an idea of how many men, high in the puppet-play of worldly affairs, have really awakened to the truth, it would surprise you. Many of these men play their part well - with energy and apparent ambition - for they realize that there is a purpose behind it all, and that they are necessary parts of the machinery of evolution. But deep within the recesses of their souls, they know it all for what it is. One on The Path must be brave, and must acquire a mastery over the emotional nature. This precept does not merely refer to physical tears - for they often spring to the eyes involuntarily, and though we may be smiling at the time. It refers to the feeling that there is anything for us to really cry over. It is the thought back of the tears, rather than the tears themselves."...."The voice that scolds, lies, abuses, complains, and wounds, can never reach the higher planes upon which dwell the advanced intelligences of the race."

 

If anybody's interested in further discussion of this wonderful writing, I'd be happy to input further excerpts and discussions.

[starhawk]

In lesson 1, the "Way of Attainment", as it's described, the quote first discussed from the 'Light on the Path' pamphlet is as follows:

 

Before the eyes can see, they must be incapable of tears. Before the ear can hear, it must have lost its sensitiveness. Before the voice can speak in the presence of the Masters, it must have lost the power to wound. Before the soul can stand in the presence of the Masters, its feet must be washed in the blood of the heart.

 

Ramacharaka expands this a bit by saying that before the eyes can see with the clear vision of the Spirit, they must have grown incapable of the tears of wounded pride - unkind criticism - unmerited abuse - unfriendly remarks - slights - sarcasm - the annoyances of everyday life - the failures and disappointments of everyday existence.

 

 

Hi Manitou!

 

thanks for sharing. The first passage is consistent with my understanding of Taoist explanations. My take from this reading is essentially, you cannot open your third eye to contact the Ancients without the stillness of the mind (to void it of sensory data), but this requires purifying of the heart's intentions. (to open the heart by refraining from evil, and doing good deeds).

 

The blood of the heart may refer to the suffering that must come about before the heart can be purified, or even that trigger of suffering which brings people to search for The Way. Suffering through heartbreak, after which one learns Truth about love, and it lets us not taking things for granted, etc.

 

My two cents, for better or worse, but I hope it helps .

 

If you don't mind, can you share with me what you like about the passage, that has helped you on the Way?

[manitou]

 

 

Before the eyes can see, they must be incapable of tears. Before the ear can hear, it must have lost its sensitiveness. Before the voice can speak in the presence of the Masters, it must have lost the power to wound. Before the soul can stand in the presence of the Masters, its feet must be washed in the blood of the heart.

 

Thanks, Starhawk, for your comments. This speaks to me for several reasons.

 

The eyes must be incapable of tears because when we get to the place of no-judgment, there is no more good or bad; death is no longer feared as a bad thing; it is seen for the natural part of life that it is. There is no longer anything to be sad about, because the fear of death is the deepest of all. This is when the eyes can see. When the fears of everything are gone can the vision - the third eye - using the Source as a triangulation point because the passageway has been intentionally developed to do so. All are seen through the eyes of love, and perfect love dispels fear of everything. It is within this realm that miracles or magic does indeed occur; this is the realm spoken of in the Dao, the realm in which the sage dwells.

 

This extends to the non judgmental realm of what we hear as well. The sage has a thick skin because he realizes who he is, he is of the Source, and he has therefore lost the capacity for feeling sorry for himself. He has reverted to the true human, the true essence of the One. He judges not himself nor others.

 

When the voice has lost the power to wound, it is because we become capable of being the other person, of lowering our own personal resistance to understand the direction of the other; we know we are at One with the other. The message of Love Your brother as yourself becomes clear to us, and the realization sinks in at some point that we're all the one and the same. We innately start treating each other more kindly, and caring more for the planet, and begin to realize it's all just a big living thing that somehow get to interact in a multi-sense way, more than other animals assumedly, with this particular universe.

 

We all have only one thing common to each and every one of us, that doesn't differ from person to person. It's the same thing a bear has, or a tiger, or a snake, or a spider. It's the little black spot in the middle of the eyes. It's sheer awareness. The little black spot. There's this thing our little black spots shoot back and forth between species that somehow connects us all and perhaps in some strange way keeps this whole boat afloat, at least on this level.

 

For the soul to have been washed in the blood of the heart means to me that the ego battle must be fought and accomplished. Everyone must find their own ego battle, their own surrender point, and become truly teachable, opening ones mind to every possibility imaginable. In my case it was alcoholism - I surrendered many years ago and I was forced to walk an inward path. I do not believe that it's possible to wash our hearts in the blood of the heart unless and until something crushes our ego in some particular area, most specifically our core identity...or the path is undertaken willingly as many have done and succeeded. But a more difficult path can hardly be found, and how odd that so often it takes physical phenomena to kick the inward trek onward? Isn't the essence of true jihad, in the Muslim religion, the battle and transcendence of the flames of ego?

 

This speaks to me because it's just so obvious to me that it all goes to the same place, and we are so very fortunate to be able to see the connections between the paths. Somehow our hearts were all implanted with the same urge, the urge upward - both in our character, our thoughts, our speech, our deeds. Why this happens beats the hell outta me, lol. But it happens.

[doc benway]

Not much time to consider and comment just now but I do hope you will continue with this Manitou.

Thanks - much to think about

[manitou]

Not much time to consider and comment just now but I do hope you will continue with this Manitou.

Thanks - much to think about

 

 

This little Occult Oriental Wisdom book is quite something. I don't know whether it would be best to continue it here under the Vedanta category or just throw it out there in general discussion. There is an obvious blur between this philosophy and Taoist philosophy, and they say the same thing from different directions. It just seems like TTB's are tending toward coloring between the lines when it comes to different philosophies. I wouldn't want to contaminate the drawing with my messy metaphysics and adjoining philosophies.

 

If I leave it here, you and I would have one hell of a conversation about this, I do believe. I don't think anybody else even looks up here very often. I will continue with this, just not sure how yet. If you have any ideas, let me know...

[doc benway]

This little Occult Oriental Wisdom book is quite something. I don't know whether it would be best to continue it here under the Vedanta category or just throw it out there in general discussion. There is an obvious blur between this philosophy and Taoist philosophy, and they say the same thing from different directions. It just seems like TTB's are tending toward coloring between the lines when it comes to different philosophies. I wouldn't want to contaminate the drawing with my messy metaphysics and adjoining philosophies.

 

If I leave it here, you and I would have one hell of a conversation about this, I do believe. I don't think anybody else even looks up here very often. I will continue with this, just not sure how yet. If you have any ideas, let me know...

You've convinced me - I just checked on Amazon and I can get a kindle version of the book for $4.99! I'll start reading it and we'll see where it goes.

Sounds like fun.

 

In terms of where to discuss, I'm up for anything.

[suninmyeyes]

Yo yogis!

This seems to be in line with yogic thinking .

 

'Before the eyes can see, they must be incapable of tears. Before the ear can hear, it must have lost its sensitiveness. Before the voice can speak in the presence of the Masters, it must have lost the power to wound. Before the soul can stand in the presence of the Masters, its feet must be washed in the blood of the heart.'

This rings true. I am not 100% sure what he means by the` Master bit though,as yogis ideas of Masters and the whole sentiment can be very different to daoist for example.

However I prefer this ,written by manitou:

'When the voice has lost the power to wound, it is because we become capable of being the other person, of lowering our own personal resistance to understand the direction of the other; we know we are at One with the other. The message of Love Your brother as yourself becomes clear to us, and the realization sinks in at some point that we're all the one and the same(I would add but different). We innately start treating each other more kindly, and caring more for the planet, and begin to realize it's all just a big living thing that somehow get to interact in a multi-sense way, more than other animals assumedly, with this particular universe.'

 

'One on The Path must be brave, and must acquire a mastery over the emotional nature.'

Here I propose question to everyone.

What is brave for you ?

Emotional mastery , how do you relate to this, does it habe a meaning for you ? And what is it, how do you apply it?

Ill write few words of my opinion about it tomorrow.

Edited October 4, 2011 by suninmyeyes

[manitou]

 

What is brave for you ?

Emotional mastery , how do you relate to this, does it habe a meaning for you ? And what is it, how do you apply it?[/color]

Ill write few words of my opinion about it tomorrow.

 

 

I am so glad you're here, Sun. What a wonderful question.

 

I would think that emotional mastery, as I see it, is non-attachment to anything or anyone as being more important than another. I think it means realizing the Oneness of us all, and realizing that the Dao sees us all as straw dogs anyway. That the only thing worth living in this life is a loving life; not selfish love, as having a mate that takes care of you - but the kind of love where you realize each instant of the day that you are a vessel for the loving Order of things if and when we have finally concerned ourselves with our own shadows and wrinkles and removed them.

 

Emotional bravery, to me, means always telling the truth. Always telling the truth in a kind way, but not shying from it when it needs to be said. Emotional bravery is the refusal to buy into the downward slander of others toward others; to feel a responsibility to maintain the upward spiral of contacts and conversations, to tweak even the tiniest situation toward the light when the time is right. Emotional bravery is to look each situation squarely in the face with one's feet planted firmly on the ground and to Know that you can tap into your I Am awareness at the drop of a hat; that you can always handle any situation that comes your way, because after all, You Are.

 

So glad you're here. We're all here; yogi's, taoists, buddhists, shamans, and old crazy metaphysical ladies. And we're all sitting in the same room. Some know it, some don't. Within us all is an enlightened being.

[dwai]

Yo yogis!

This seems to be in line with yogic thinking .

 

'Before the eyes can see, they must be incapable of tears. Before the ear can hear, it must have lost its sensitiveness. Before the voice can speak in the presence of the Masters, it must have lost the power to wound. Before the soul can stand in the presence of the Masters, its feet must be washed in the blood of the heart.'

This rings true. I am not 100% sure what he means by the` Master bit though,as yogis ideas of Masters and the whole sentiment can be very different to daoist for example.

However I prefer this ,written by manitou:

'When the voice has lost the power to wound, it is because we become capable of being the other person, of lowering our own personal resistance to understand the direction of the other; we know we are at One with the other. The message of Love Your brother as yourself becomes clear to us, and the realization sinks in at some point that we're all the one and the same(I would add but different). We innately start treating each other more kindly, and caring more for the planet, and begin to realize it's all just a big living thing that somehow get to interact in a multi-sense way, more than other animals assumedly, with this particular universe.'

 

'One on The Path must be brave, and must acquire a mastery over the emotional nature.'

Here I propose question to everyone.

What is brave for you ?

Emotional mastery , how do you relate to this, does it habe a meaning for you ? And what is it, how do you apply it?

Ill write few words of my opinion about it tomorrow.

 

Hi,

 

Emotional mastery to me means emotional maturity. Most of us seem to go through the motions of life without taking responsibility for our emotional realities. Emotions as you know are reflections of our need for feeling alive. They are responses and aspects of our desires, tied to our senses. So emotional maturity would mean to relize when an emtion rises what its root is and in knowing that to not attach.

[manitou]

And as it says in the TTC, (paraphrasing) - to understand something in its entirety, see it afar and without emotion. To understand the internal workings of something, saturate yourself in it. The choice is always ours, if the maturity level has been reached to see everything without placing good or bad values on it.

[doc benway]

'One on The Path must be brave, and must acquire a mastery over the emotional nature.'

Here I propose question to everyone.

What is brave for you ?

Emotional mastery , how do you relate to this, does it habe a meaning for you ? And what is it, how do you apply it?

Ill write few words of my opinion about it tomorrow.

The path takes a lot of twists and turns.

At some point it MUST lead inward.

And once we start looking inward we will need to confront some harsh truths.

This is where bravery comes in - if we are not willing to look through all of our masks, games, excuses, rationalizations, and justifications, we will make no progress.

And it's really hard to look at ourselves stripped of all of our crutches and costumes. We can be pretty ugly.

 

Part of this process involves the emotional experience. This has been a tough one for me because I adopted an extremely effective technique of emotional detatchment since childhood. It served me well in my work and other areas but there came a time when I had to also confront my emotional self. And it's taken a very long time learning how to do that. It's very difficult to begin to open up and feel powerful emotions after years of neglect.

 

I think emotional mastery is primarily developing the skill of observing. Where do the emotions come from and where do they take us? What sorts of things cause us to respond and what is that response like? Is it appropriate? Is it advantageous?

I think emotional mastery is to be able to fully experience the emotions and understand them to the point where we can learn from them and use them to our advantage rather than react to them like robots and be their slave, which is how most of us live most of our lives.

[suninmyeyes]

'One on The Path must be brave, and must acquire a mastery over the emotional nature.'(original quote)

 

 

Emotional bravery, to me, means always telling the truth. Always telling the truth in a kind way, but not shying from it when it needs to be said. Emotional bravery is the refusal to buy into the downward slander of others toward others; to feel a responsibility to maintain the upward spiral of contacts and conversations, to tweak even the tiniest situation toward the light when the time is right. Emotional bravery is to look each situation squarely in the face with one's feet planted firmly on the ground and to Know that you can tap into your I Am awareness at the drop of a hat; that you can always handle any situation that comes your way, because after all, You Are.

 

Underlined bit:

This something I have been considering as I have burnt myself(so to speak )on that very issue many times, as being naturally outspoken and temperamental and had to learn how to estinguish my fire .

I would say not shying away of telling the truth when it needs to be said , definetley not telling a lie and learning when not to say anything is a good approach to living.

 

 

After some contemplation right now, actually being brave in this case doesent speak to me.

Bravery is not something I worked much in my life. Being daring is just spontanious natural curiosity, but bravery for some reason doesent appeal.

Same with emotional control , I appricaite the implications and meaning of the text. And see it as valid path .However the controlling part would never work due to personal make up . Therefore I find control unnuatractive and a heavy weight to carry around. Openning ,adjusting ,accepting is something more useful to me.

dwai:

' So emotional maturity would mean to relize when an emtion rises what its root is and in knowing that to not attach.'

Yes true, my understanding too. Learning what to engage with. Not getting blown away by every little psychic wind that blows.

Edited October 5, 2011 by suninmyeyes

[suninmyeyes]

The path takes a lot of twists and turns.

At some point it MUST lead inward.

And once we start looking inward we will need to confront some harsh truths.

This is where bravery comes in - if we are not willing to look through all of our masks, games, excuses, rationalizations, and justifications, we will make no progress.

And it's really hard to look at ourselves stripped of all of our crutches and costumes. We can be pretty ugly.

 

Part of this process involves the emotional experience. This has been a tough one for me because I adopted an extremely effective technique of emotional detatchment since childhood. It served me well in my work and other areas but there came a time when I had to also confront my emotional self. And it's taken a very long time learning how to do that. It's very difficult to begin to open up and feel powerful emotions after years of neglect.

 

Steve , how intersting my case was exactly opposite from yours. Like a mirror opposite, relating emotionally has always been easy, but learning emotional detachment was soooo hard. However it has proved very fruitful and best skill ever learned.

Interesting how we all have different approaches to life situation and 'devils lurking' at the different corners.

[manitou]

 

I think emotional mastery is primarily developing the skill of observing. Where do the emotions come from and where do they take us? What sorts of things cause us to respond and what is that response like? Is it appropriate? Is it advantageous?

I think emotional mastery is to be able to fully experience the emotions and understand them to the point where we can learn from them and use them to our advantage rather than react to them like robots and be their slave, which is how most of us live most of our lives.

 

 

what you're describing here too is the witness state, where emotions are transcended and we become capable of seeing our exact part and responsibility in the circumstance.

The wonderful thing about becoming capable of managing (or even eliminating through further understanding) our emotions, is that it enables us to have a 100% sphere of reactions. There is opportunity everywhere because emotion is not blocking off the other 50% of the range of possibility. If you've taken a mindset that you hate someone, then you can only act in hateful ways when you bump into that person. If the mindset is open, then all things are possible. Emotion seems to control the mindset; and then other times, the mindset seems to control the emotion. Either way, emotion is an Eliminator of Possibility - slaves, as someone previously said. We think we're free and we're really not. We're preprograming ourselves.

[manitou]

 

This something I have been considering as I have burnt myself(so to speak )on that very issue many times, as being naturally outspoken and temperamental and had to learn how to estinguish my fire .

I would say not shying away of telling the truth when it needs to be said , definetley not telling a lie and learning when not to say anything is a good approach to living.

 

 

 

 

I think that when we're at the level where our vision has clarity and we See the truth about something doesn't mean we should blurt it out. There's a right time and place for everything, and the sage would use wu-wei as his method for waiting for the right time. He would let the opportunity to come to him; prior to that, he would do nothing to change any dynamic in the situation. This is where wu-wei and 'setting our intent' in the Toltec tradition seem to merge - when the intent is set for the highest good by a person of Vision, it will come to be. One just needs to wait for it. We're butting up against sorcery here.

[dwai]

The path takes a lot of twists and turns.

At some point it MUST lead inward.

And once we start looking inward we will need to confront some harsh truths.

This is where bravery comes in - if we are not willing to look through all of our masks, games, excuses, rationalizations, and justifications, we will make no progress.

And it's really hard to look at ourselves stripped of all of our crutches and costumes. We can be pretty ugly.

 

Part of this process involves the emotional experience. This has been a tough one for me because I adopted an extremely effective technique of emotional detatchment since childhood. It served me well in my work and other areas but there came a time when I had to also confront my emotional self. And it's taken a very long time learning how to do that. It's very difficult to begin to open up and feel powerful emotions after years of neglect.

 

I think emotional mastery is primarily developing the skill of observing. Where do the emotions come from and where do they take us? What sorts of things cause us to respond and what is that response like? Is it appropriate? Is it advantageous?

I think emotional mastery is to be able to fully experience the emotions and understand them to the point where we can learn from them and use them to our advantage rather than react to them like robots and be their slave, which is how most of us live most of our lives.

I can relate to that. I have always been detached from "emoting", having struggled with a viciously short temper at one point in my life. At one juncture, after beginning meditation ( which was triggered as a coping with the untimely death of my father) i trted eperieninf physical pain with anger, like headaches, migrines and such etc.

 

So i had to adapt, to learn to let go...most of times. Other emotions come and go an i try to remind myslf that there is a greater purpose o life than just being controlled like a puppet by emotions. But this has side effects too...people close to meclaim tht im slow to react, uncaring, etc t tmes. Maybe they re correct, but staying relatively unaffected helps...

 

But there are deper, darker things lurking in the subconscious tht need tending yo. Only when silence and introspection sets in do we even realize that. Two years back, i struggled with certain " demons" as my tai chi and meditation deepened. It seems i was repressing somethings consciously...so those need to be worked on. I'm still figuring stuff out...excruciatingly slowly.

[doc benway]

So this is a good book!

I've only just started but I'm finding it engaging and on point.

Maybe it's just my interpretation but it seems to presuppose that the reader has some contact with the non-dual experience.

Very cool stuff.

More to come...

[manitou]

First of all, I can't believe you actually found the thing. I have one old beat up jalopy of a copy that I found (at a yard sale, of course!) about 25 years ago. I've read this book (and the TTC) multiple times over many years and I see no discrepancy between the two philosophies - just different emphasis in different areas.

 

This little book emphasizes the I Am consciousness and speaks from that position, much as The Impersonal Life. It is the trio of these three writings that have been the basis of my understanding of things metaphysical. (Actually, I'd have to throw Castaneda in there as well).

 

From the branch I'm currently sitting on, I see it as all one thing. Maybe some day I'll wise up and see all this for the 10,000 things they really are.

[suninmyeyes]

 

 

But there are deper, darker things lurking in the subconscious tht need tending yo. Only when silence and introspection sets in do we even realize that. Two years back, i struggled with certain " demons" as my tai chi and meditation deepened. It seems i was repressing somethings consciously...so those need to be worked on. I'm still figuring stuff out...excruciatingly slowly.

Thanks for sharing dwai . These personal experiences and thoughts are very inspiring.

Lets stop at 'darker, deeper thing lurking in the subcounscious'..and struggeling with 'demons' and in my case with demons and demons? .

Not just repressing as with me ,but living in the dimension that none ever tought me how to live in. Dealing with that and some stuff that could be straight out of the fairy tale plus the rest of the transformation of the whole belief system .

This life is not what we were thought to believe it is, it is truly a wonder.

[suninmyeyes]

I think that when we're at the level where our vision has clarity and we See the truth about something doesn't mean we should blurt it out. for There's a right time and place for everything, and the sage would use wu-wei as his method for waiting for the right time. He would let the opportunity to come to him; prior to that, he would do nothing to change any dynamic in the situation. This is where wu-wei and 'setting our intent' in the Toltec tradition seem to merge - when the intent is set for the highest good by a person of Vision, it will come to be. One just needs to wait for it. We're butting up against sorcery here.

 

'There is the right time and place for everything.'

Gosh it took me long to let this concept gain its voice. Acting accordingly to situation as oppose to emtotional drive or idea, hard to separate , but not impossible.

I love what you said 'He would let the opportunity come to him'. This works wonders and is something that I have employed since always to a certain extent and has always been a great source of security.

I like the mention of Toltec tradition above, becouse if intent is indeed on highest good - that is it. In that case even if there are worries they are not Worries. Highest good is a fantastic source of nourishment.

Edited October 6, 2011 by suninmyeyes

[doc benway]

Not only did I find it, it looks like it is no longer under copyright restriction and there are pdf's available on line, not only of this book but of the first course.

 

First book - Fourteen Lessons in Yogi Philosophy and Oriental Occultism

Second book - Advanced Course in Yogi Philosophy and Oriental Occultism

 

Coincidentally, I have a book by the same author called Hatha Yoga, that my brother gave me years ago - excellent book as well!

[suninmyeyes]

Just had a quick browse through the first half of the first book. It seems informative , but lacks real depth and insight.

 

Check out at the bottom of the page 32 where the author talks about lower and higher counsiousness and mentiones something like brute counciesness which can be found in animals and people of lower forms like Bushman ( !), continuing to say how some domesticated animals are far more developled than Bushman becouse their mind has sophisticated by hanging around us 'uber people'(not!).

Further mantinong about that it is not only some savage races that has not learned to do their own thinking , but some 'civilized' man too.

Some 'savage' races are far more developed , and moving in the rytham with universe than us civilised dried up instant potato,making love to the computer,work home work home work home.. nations.

 

In my opinion the author got some good yogic info together , wrote a book, but lacked serious depth of a caracther (which would have been developed no matter what era )and understanding of basic cultural differences . Not to mention lack of real yogic wisdom .

Edited October 8, 2011 by suninmyeyes

[manitou]

Yes, there are periodically things in the book that one must sidestep, I think mainly because of the era it was written in (around 1900 on the Advanced course) - the first book must certainly have been much older than that. The Bushmen comment is an example - perhaps their state of anthropological knowledge was incomplete or a bit arrogant.

[manitou]

 

 

Coincidentally, I have a book by the same author called Hatha Yoga, that my brother gave me years ago - excellent book as well!

 

 

Equally coincidentally is that I found that same book at yet another yard sale years ago. I still have it too.

[dwai]

Just had a quick browse through the first half of the first book. It seems informative , but lacks real depth and insight.

 

Check out at the bottom of the page 32 where the author talks about lower and higher counsiousness and mentiones something like brute counciesness which can be found in animals and people of lower forms like Bushman ( !), continuing to say how some domesticated animals are far more developled than Bushman becouse their mind has sophisticated by hanging around us 'uber people'(not!).

Further mantinong about that it is not only some savage races that has not learned to do their own thinking , but some 'civilized' man too.

Some 'savage' races are far more developed , and moving in the rytham with universe than us civilised dried up instant potato,making love to the computer,work home work home work home.. nations.

 

In my opinion the author got some good yogic info together , wrote a book, but lacked serious depth of a caracther (which would have been developed no matter what era )and understanding of basic cultural differences . Not to mention lack of real yogic wisdom .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Walker_Atkinson

Some background of the author, I suspect that suninmyeyes is right in her assessment. Thats not to take anything away from the wisdom expressed through him.