He was the nephew of pierre arnold bernard, oom the omnipotent, like him becoming a yoga celebrity his account of oldstyle hatha yoga as a spiritual path, hatha yoga. Theos bernard i was pleased to see eleven photos herein of bernard demonstrating asana, richard hittleman, b. Biographical research timeline of bernard family 1908 1947 2 bernard family tree 1847 1956 3 bibliography of theos bernard s published works. The report of a personnal experience theos bernard on. The report of a personal experience 1950 a modern classic of yogic experience i first read this extraordinary book in 1974, having obtained a copy from the ucla library.
Theos bernard hatha yoga free ebook download as pdf file. Hatha yoga asanas beginners hatha yoga poses pdf with. Bernard was already an ardent practitioner of hatha yoga but was eager to gain knowledge of the esoteric teachings within yoga. Bernard s nephew theos bernard that america encountered a hatha yoga discourse directly inspired by the hatha yoga pradipika. Report hatha yoga report of a personal experience theos bernard. Success cannot be attained by adopting a particular dress vesa. The theos bernard papers were transferred to the bancroft library from the east asian library, university of california. Practice mindfulness for 60 or 90 minutes, without expectations and without ambitions.
Heaven lies within us finally republished in a smaller, modern, sleek format. Hatha yoga by theos bernard and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Asanas postures, various kumbhakas breathing techniques, and other divine means, all should be practised in the practice of hatha yoga, till the fruit. White, uc berkeley art museum and pacific film archive. His account of oldstyle hatha yoga as a spiritual path, hatha yoga. Liselie soto 20062010 4 advasana o cadaver cara hacia abajo 59. Hold the posture steady as an archer would hold the arrow aimed at its target. Theos bernard was well before his time and trail blazing the path of knowledge on topics of hatha yoga, tantra, and tibetan buddhism. In 1950, richard hittleman, a spiritual disciple of ramana maharshi, began teaching the physical aspects of hatha yoga. The purpose and preparation of asana the practice of asanas results in feeling well, improved health, better posture, or increased self esteem. Bernard described how he was instructed in the asana known from the medieval hatha yoga pradipika.
It is the branch of yoga that concentrates on physical health and mental wellbeing. Hold the posture steady as an archer would hold the arrow aimed at. The extent to which he has succeeded in mastering these practices is partly shown by thirtyseven photographs. Forcing an asana against the advice of your yoga teacher may lead to injury and will likely prolong mastery over the pose.
Review, theos bernard, the white lama 2 practical matters losophy, american theosophy, spiritualism, and other versions of esoteric texts and practices, including yoga. The time to heal with yoga and accupressure abstract hatha yoga often referred to yoga is an ancient type of physical and mental exercise that has been. Bernard s intention wasnt for admiration or instagram hits but to show how to execute possibly a bad choice of word a particular posture to get an inner result. Tony sanchez yoga youtube 84 asanas youtube hatha yoga for. Morris krok was born in johannesburg and brought up in durban, south africa. The practice he claimed to have learned had nothing to do with the hatha yoga we practise today91.
Collection 1932 1987 description this collection consists of photocopies of papers associated with the life of theos. As a young man, he started to seek solutions for his health problems and was influenced by natural healing writers of the 20th century such as vincent priessnitz, louis kuhne, harry benjamin. Ulrich riekers translation and commentary have long been valuable to yoga students as a complement to their practice and study. Pursuing his studies through a masters degree at columbia university in anthropology and comparative religion, he spent.
Anusara yoga is not limited to mere asana technique or technical instruction. Shambhala encyclopedia of yoga is a thoroughly updated edition, expanded with 400 new entries. This is a great soltuion for officeworkers short on. This phoney yoga of stretching and bending is a 20th century invention that could be called american yoga. The idea to write this book came after reading theos bernard s hatha yoga.
For easeful yoga postures, and a beautiful everyday posture, a strong core is key. While practicing this posture imagine yourself as an archer with the gaze focused on the target and the arrow firmly yet gracefully being pulled back in the bow. Hatha yoga, however, will be a splendid foundation upon which the student may build, as a sound, strong, healthy body is necessary for one. The report of a personal experience is a 1943 book by theos casimir bernard describing what he learnt of hatha yoga while in india. Theos bernard is one of the rare individuals who has done so. Hatha yoga uses bodily postures asanas, breathing techniques pranayama, and meditation dyana with the goal of bringing about a sound, healthy body and a clear, peaceful m. Bernhard deals at length with the many postures, purification and breathing exercises used in the orient by those yogis who have attained enlightenment. Download hatha yoga report of a personal experience theos bernard. The pri mary purpose of the investigation was to test by personal experience the techniques of hatha yoga. Theos bernard succeeded in experiencing personally the transformative nature of a directed discipline that, according to the traditions of yoga and tantra, lead to an intensification and illumination of consciousness.
Hatha yoga or the yogi philosophy of physical wellbeing. To start with, you work with the body, then you move to the breath, then to the mind, then to the. Theos casimir bernard december 10, 1908 death date unknown, probably midseptember. Heaven lies within us is a unique testament to the unswerving tenacity of one who immersed himself in the full range of yoga disciplines. In internet archive ia you can read or download the full text in pdf, text, or other formats. This leads theos wrote in his book hatha yoga to the samadhi of raja yoga, the fruit which destroys death, is the means of obtaining happiness, and gives the brahmanbliss. An indian yogi named svatmarama wrote the hatha yoga pradipika in the fifteenth century c. This quote form theos bernard s hatha yoga seems to be an exceptional reference to counterpose, and looking through his book it is clear that the poses he.
He was the nephew of pierre arnold bernard, oom the omnipotent, like him becoming a yoga celebrity. Since this was his dissertation to be the first person to receive his phd in religious studies at columbia university, it is an important slice of history. One by one he learned to master each asana until he could keep it for. Hatha yoga based on a set of bodily postures or asanas. Hatha yoga conscious breathing, observing the mind, while practicing and deepening the classical asanas and sun salutations these are the elements that let us experience yoga. The way to accomplish this audacious goal, the destruction of death itself is to awaken the divine energy, kundalini. This is the title of a new book by theos bernard, done as a phd thesis for columbia. Returning to america, bernard continued working on his dissertation at columbia university, hatha yoga.
It means one who delights in ones atman, indicating the achievement of a state of bliss. Theos bernard is someone who actually learned classical hatha yoga. Hathayoga is the physical yoga which teaches the aspirant how to. Eventually settling in new york city, theos taught yoga, specifically in forms designed for increased sexual and general energizing power. The report of a personal experience, stated that he was prescribed a group of asanas i calculated to bring a rich supply of blood to the brain and to various parts of. As documented by linda sparrowe, it was introduced to america in 1947 by theos bernard, author of one of the. Believed to have been written in the fourteenth century c. Box 1, folder 1 theos bernard 19091920s box 1, folder 2 theos bernard 1920s1930s box 1. It may be vedanta, it may be religion, it may be spirituality, it may be the art of godliving, and what not.
It wasnt about getting into lots of postures, but about learning to train his body to sit for three hours. One of the most important postures that i was required to perfect is called sirsasana. Yoga in the gita does not involve postures, but rather is a code for how one. Theos casimir hamati bernard 19081947 was an explorer and author, known for his work on yoga and religious studies, particularly in tibetan buddhism. Hatha yoga therapy management of urologic disorders. Hatha yoga is the most widely practiced form of yoga in america. Never over stretch, ignore warning signs like pain, squeeze air in your lungs or go against the advice of your experienced yoga teacher. Hatha yoga therapy management of urologic disorders by dr. He began teaching and lecturing on yoga on the upper east side of manhattan, where he met a wealthy polish opera star who first became one of his students and, later, a romantic interest. Yoga hatha yoga anatomy, yoga physiology and exercisebased. Although theos bernard claimed that his hometown was tombstone, arizona, paul g. The hatha yoga pradipika is one of the most renowned and accessible texts written on the ancient practice of hatha yoga.
Theos bernard demonstrating kukkutasana, picture from theos bernard, hatha yoga. Hatha yoga report of a personal experience theos bernard. Theos casimir bernard collection arizona historical society. Eleanore murray collection and archive acquisition information the theos bernard papers were transferred to the bancroft library from the east asian library, university of california. Bernard, theos, 1908archives yoga history tantric buddhismchinatibethistory tibet chinahistory20th century theos c. Hatha yoga, the present book, deals altogether with the physical. Nov 19, 2009 yoga teacher rodney yee walks you through a 4minute routine for stretching your neck and shoulders at your desk. In 1947, theos bernard was on a mission to the ki monastery in. In sanskrit the word gutarstais used to describe a kind of yoga in which the physical body is the primary tool.
Theos bernard and the early days oftantric yoga in america paul g. Kundalini yoga is a dynamic blend of exercises, postures, breath and meditation to fulfill your need to improve, expand, refresh and rejuvenate in a fast paced world that is in. The idea to write this book came after reading theos bernards hatha yoga. Theos casimir hamati bernard 19081947 was an explorer and author, known for his work. Theos bernard demonstrating vrksasana, picture from theos bernard, hatha. Walk taller, enjoy a healthier digestive system and firmer back with yoga downloads variety of challenging workouts designed specifically to lengthen, strengthen and tone all abdominal muscles down to the core. First working out the muscles with massage technique then stretching them. It is one of the first books in english to describe and illustrate a substantial number of yoga poses. Morris krok 28 april 1931 october 2005 was a south african author, publisher and health educator biography. The report of a personal experience, is a rare insight into the way. In spite of the years passed since its publication and of several texts of hatha yoga appearing recently, that book is still one of the best ones. I first came across the term in theos bernard s hatha yoga, later one of my own yoga teachers, tim geoghegan made clear to me its importance. The author betook himself to india, acquired a learned guru, submitted himself to all the required physical disciplines, some of them very extraordinary.
Jan 09, 2015 returning to america, bernard continued working on his dissertation at columbia university, hatha yoga. This is a great soltuion for officeworkers short on time and long on stiff muscles. Yoga teacher rodney yee walks you through a 4minute routine for stretching your neck and shoulders at your desk. This tendency, as well as the obsessive demand of secrecy, is nonsense. Health benefits of hatha yoga and physical exercise. The yoga sutras of patanjali define asana as a position that is steady and comfortable. A clinical report, he seems to have chosen the following title for his phd dissertation. The hatha yoga pradipika of svatmarama is one of the most important yoga texts, and hans. A plan in mind, yes, but also on spiritual quest, bernard stretched himself. The founder of the first tibetan buddhist research institute in america.
Bhagavad gita gheranda samhita hatha yoga pradipika kamasutra shiva samhita complete set. Asanas are also called yoga poses or yoga postures in english. A concise history and development of yoga gyanunlimited. The psychical, mental and spiritual phases of the subject belong to the other branches of the work. Some of the earliest photos of a westerner doing asana were of the eventually presumed murdered, theos bernard in the 1930s. Join theos bernard on his autobiographical journey from deaths door to radiant health through the practices of yoga. Next to nothing is known about him, although his name may provide a clue.
An asana is a body posture, originally and still a general term for a sitting meditation pose, and later extended in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise, to any type of pose or position, adding reclining, standing, inverted, twisting, and balancing poses. Upon rereading the text this time using a copy from the uc davis library i was struck with just how arduous and focused was bernard s quest. In 19361937, theos casimir bernard made an extraordinary pilgrimage to tibet in search of adventure and spiritual enlightenment. Yoga meditation kundalini yoga yoga inspiration reiki vishuddha chakra hatha yoga poses yoga for flexibility yoga journal types of yoga babaji kriya yoga is to release oneself from the stressful life and not bother about the petty things in life and instead think of better and bigger things that make our life complete. In 1947, theos bernard, another passionate student who studied in india for many years, wrote hatha yoga. Scribd is the worlds largest social reading and publishing site. The report of a personal experience, one of the first guidebooks to yoga asanas. Here bernard thrived and met his future wife, viola. Aero yoga also known as partner yoga, involving holds, mutual balancing, and a lot of fun iyengar yoga prop yoga created by a yoga master named iyengar in india, this type of yoga is very therapeutic. Having stretched the legs on the ground, like sticks and. Hatha yoga uses bodily postures asanas, breathing techniques pranayama, and meditation dyana with the goal of bringing about a sound, healthy body and a clear, peaceful mind there are nearly 200 hatha yoga postures.
Thus, it becomes a kind of subject among the many which are useful to people in one way or other. Bernard, theos collection arizona historical society. Furthermore the american theos bernard wikipedia link travelled in india in the 1930s to study and experience hatha yoga. I devoted some fifteen minutes to stretching the tongue for khecari. Annotated citations for penthouse of the gods, hatha yoga, heaven lies within us, a simplified grammar.
Hatha yoga, or hatha vidya the science of hatha yoga is commonly misunderstood and. Through prolonged stretch and relaxation, the muscles are freed from the constrained posture to bring about the. This enabled him to still and direct his mind to achieve a higher state of awareness where the name yoga or union comes from a union with the infinite. Theos bernard wikipedia link was strongly influenced by the concept of tantra outlined by the orientalist john woodrooffe aka arthur avalon and his uncle pierre bernard.
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