Sri Kumaré is an enlightened guru from the East who has come to America to spread his teachings. Kumaré sets off to Phoenix, Arizona to build a following. He takes with him two disciples — Kristen to teach yoga and Purva to book events — who will become Kumaré’s first followers and greatest public messengers.
Monthly Archives: June 2012
Gender differences and physical training for women
“The problem of woman” is a talk given by the Mother in 1955. It is an addendum to the previous post on “Gender differences“. I am posting it separately because it is too long to be added as a comment. Included in this post is a recently posted video of an up-and-coming Palestinian women’s football team which admirably complements the Mother’s thoughts on physical training for women.
Gender differences between men and women
Someone inquired if Sri Aurobindo and the Mother had made any remarks on differences between men and women. This is a compilation of remarks that I was able to find right now. It addresses topics such as : What are the cosmic origins of gender? Are women less polyamorous than men? Are women better at Yoga? Can gender change across incarnations? If I find more remarks, I will add them in the comments section to this blog post.
History of Yoga – part 2
This article is a continuation of the previous post and covers a few more interesting tidbits from the book “History of Yoga” edited by Satya Prakash Singh.
The History of Yoga
The fundamental aim of all Yogic methods is the diversion of the Prana (breath) which normally circulates in the Ida and Pingala channels into the central Sushumna channel, as was elucidated in a previous post. Numerous yogis across the Indian sub-continent over several centuries perfected a multitude of methods to achieve this common goal. If you ever wanted to read all about it in one place, the “History of Yoga” (editor: Satya Prakash Singh) is for you. This is a massive work comprising 40 chapters spanning about 900 pages written by 19 subject experts which traces the origins and development of Yoga starting from the Vedas to the modern times. It is not possible to do justice to such a large comprehensive volume in a short article. Instead, I will present some interesting tidbits that I gained from the book.
Le moulin du diable (Guerande) and the Kamakhya temple legend
This article is off the beaten track. It concerns an intriguing similarity between the myth behind the “Le moulin du diable” (Devil’s Mill) in Guerande, France and the myth connected to the Kamakhya temple in Assam, India. In both cases, the Devil has to build some structure within a night in order to secure a bride. The Devil almost succeeds in his task before a cock prematurely crows to signal that night has ended. Since this similarity has not been noticed before, I am posting it here.