Elliott Goldberg - The Path of Modern Yoga: The History of an Embodied Spiritual Practice

The Path of Modern Yoga

This is a detailed, comprehensive, and rich examination of the history of modern yoga, showing clearlyand with new insighthow postural yoga is thoroughly enmeshed in the culture of health, fitness, and athletics. Goldberg has provided us with an important perspective on how different aspects of 20th-century body culture shaped the practice of asana during the modern yoga renaissance.

JOSEPH S. ALTER, PH.D., PROFESSOR OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND ANTHROPOLOGY AT YALE-NUS COLLEGE IN SINGAPORE AND AUTHOR OF YOGA IN MODERN INDIA AND MORAL MATERIALISM

In The Path of Modern Yoga, Elliott Goldberg has laid out a clear road mapwith detours into philosophical musingsof the path of modern yoga from its origins in the early 20th century to its current state of practice in the early 21st century, especially noting the profound influence of my teacher, B. K. S. Iyengar. Although more couldve been written about the openness and love with which Iyengar gave of himself, if you want to know about yoga and how it got to be what it is today, this is the book to read.

JOHN SCHUMACHER, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF UNITY WOODS YOGA CENTER, DESCRIBED BY YOGA JOURNAL AS ONE OF 25 ORIGINALS SHAPING YOGA IN AMERICA

This is a deep history of the birth of modern yoga. There is dogged research on and profound insight into the main protagonists. Their contributions are shown to be both unique and tempered by the spirit of the times in the West as well as in India. As a result, this story of modern yoga is equally intimate and expansive. Now we practitioners of yoga can muse over where we really come from.

NORMAN SJOMAN, PH.D., STUDENT OF SANSKRIT, ARTIST, AUTHOR OF THE YOGA TRADITION OF THE MYSORE PALACE, AND COAUTHOR OF YOGA TOUCHSTONE

Goldbergs detective work is impressive. In his investigation into the writings of British journalist Louise Morgan, he has uncovered her critical role in the transformation of the Sun Salutation into an Elixir for Womena missing link in the development of modern yoga as a practice for women as well as men. Although at times irreverent, The Path of Modern Yoga is filled with wisdom and understanding into the culture and experience of yoga.

STUART RAY SARBACKER, PH.D., PROFESSOR IN THE SCHOOL OF HISTORY, PHILOSOPHY, AND RELIGION AT OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY AND THE COAUTHOR OF THE EIGHT LIMBS OF YOGA

Combining original historical research with a compelling narrative, The Path of Modern Yoga profiles some of the most significantand in some cases surprisingpersonalities to shape modern yoga practice. Goldbergs reflections and insights will further understanding, both popular and academic, of yoga and its place in the contemporary world.

SUZANNE NEWCOMBE, PH.D., ASSOCIATE LECTURER FOR THE OPEN UNIVERSITY, LONDON, AND RESEARCH OFFICER AT INFORM AT THE LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE

Acknowledgments

The Path of Modern Yoga couldnt have been written without the generous help of many people around the world over more than a dozen years. Among these are a handful of people who played a critical role in the books creation. Since May 2000, Norman Sjoman has unfailingly answered my questions about yoga. Since April 2004, Ramu Rao, my uncle, has translated key texts for me and, with charm and wisdom, explained Indian culture to me. In April 2006, Mark Singleton, Elizabeth De Michelis, Suzanne Newcombe, Benjamin Smith, and Klaus Nevrin, fellow participants in the Modern Yoga Workshop at Cambridge University, generously welcomed me into the emerging field of modern yoga scholarship and encouraged my work. Since November 2006, Stuart Ray Sarbacker has championed my work. From July 2008 to July 2013, Suzanne Newcombe, my godsend in the early and middle stages, made countless smart, insightful, and invaluable suggestions for improving the manuscript. From December 2015 to March 2016, Nancy Ringer, my godsend in the very last stage, made countless smart, insightful, and invaluable suggestions for improving the manuscript. In February 2016, Karl Baier graciously wrote the complimentary foreword.

Id like to thank the people who provided me with published materials and background information on the people that I write about (presented here in the order in which they are featured in this book):

On Shri YogendraArmaiti N. Desai and Jack McKenzie (both at the Yoga Institute)

On Swami VivekanandaEric Shaw and John Schlenck (the latter at the Vedanta Society of New York)

On Swami KuvalayanandaManmath M. Gharote, Subodh Tiwari, Malti Shanbag, and Nigol Koulajian (all at the Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute)

On K. V. IyerVasantha and K. V. Karna, K. Rauhineya Iyer, KartheekKarna, Jan and Terry Todd (at the H. J. Lutcher Stark Center for PhysicalCulture and Sports), Anantha Rao, Madhava Rao, David L. Chapman, MarkSingleton, Michael Murphy, Ramu Rao, Daniel Freund, and Shashidhar Rao

On S. SundaramV. Balaji (at the Girinath Yoga Centre), Vishwanath Iyer,and Hari Shankar R.

On Bhavanarao Pant PratinidhiRoxanne Gupta

On Eugen SandowDavid L. Chapman

On T. KrishnamacharyaMark Singleton and Elizabeth Kadetsky

On Louise MorganMark Singleton

On Apa PantRoxanne Gupta

On Andr Van LysebethAtmatattwa (at Yoga Magazine)

On Swami SivanandaSwami Sadasivananda (at the Sivananda YogaVedanta Center, New York)

On Indra DeviPhillip Oliver and Audrey Youngman

On B. K. S. IyengarB. K. S. Iyengar (at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute), Suzanne Newcombe, Norman E. Sjoman, Eric Shaw,Hector Guthrie, Marian Garfinkel, Bobby Clennell, and Joan White

Id like to thank the people who provided me with images of the people that I write about:

Of Shri YogendraArmaiti N. Desai, Ms. A. N. Desai, Arvind Maherchandani, and Jack McKenzie (all at the Yoga Institute)

Of Swami VivekanandaSwami Nishpapananda (at the Vedanta Society of St. Louis)

Of Swami KuvalayanandaMalti Shanbag (at the Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute)

Of Bernarr MacfaddenDavid L. Chapman

Of K. V. IyerMichael Murphy, Ronne Iyer, and Shashidhar TokanahalliNagabhushan Rao

Of MaxickDavid L. Chapman

Of Eugen SandowDavid L. Chapman

Of S. SundaramVishwanath Iyer and Hari Shankar R.

Of Louise MorganMoira Fitzgerald (at the Beinecke Rare Book andManuscript Library)

Of Matthias AlexanderLuke Chatterton (at the Society of Teachers ofthe Alexander Technique)

Of Apa PantBenegal Pereira

Of Swami SivanandaNazly Botas (at the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center,New York)

Of Indra DeviLarry Payne (at Samata International)

Of B. K. S. IyengarStephanie Quirk and B. K. S. Iyengar (both at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute) and Emory Elizabeth Johnson(at Penguin Random House)

Of B. K. S. Iyengar and T. KrishnamacharyaPaul Harvey (at the Centre for Yoga Studies) and Stephanie Quirk and B. K. S. Iyengar (both at theRamamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute)

Id like to thank the people who provided me with images from newspapers and magazines that illustrate the achievements of the people that I write about:

From Physical CultureDavid L. Chapman

From StrengthDavid Rosado (at the Photographic Services & Permissions office, New York Public Library)

From the News ChronicleGary Johnson (at the Newspaper & Current Periodical Reading Room, Library of Congress)

From Das KunstblattRandy Kaufman (at the Photo Service office, Bauhaus-Archiv/Museum fr Gestaltung)