''Eight Lectures on Yoga'' is a book by English

occultist The occult, in the broadest sense, is a category of esoteric supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving otherworldly agency, such as magic and mysticism a ...

and teacher

Aleister Crowley Aleister Crowley (; born Edward Alexander Crowley; 12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, painter, novelist, and mountaineer. He founded the religion of Thelema, identifying himself as the pr ...

about the practice of

Yoga Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consci ...

. The book is number 4 of volume 3 of ''

The Equinox ''The Equinox'' (subtitle: ''The Review of Scientific Illuminism'') was a periodical that served as the official organ of the A∴A∴, a magical order founded by Aleister Crowley (although material is often of import to its sister organization, ...

'', which was published by the

Ordo Templi Orientis Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.; ) is an occult initiatory organization founded at the beginning of the 20th century. The origins of the O.T.O. can be traced back to the German-speaking occultists Carl Kellner, Heinrich Klein, Franz Hartmann and T ...

. The work is largely a demystified look at yoga, using little to no jargon or satirical humor. It is divided under two sections into eight parts, which are transcripts of eight one-hour lectures on the subject given by Crowley. The book was originally published in 1939.

Summary

''Eight Lectures on Yoga'' is divided into two chapters: "Yoga for Yahoos" and "Yoga for Yellowbellies". In the book, Crowley instructs students on the steps needed to approach

mysticism Mysticism is popularly known as becoming one with God or the Absolute, but may refer to any kind of ecstasy or altered state of consciousness which is given a religious or spiritual meaning. It may also refer to the attainment of insight in ...

through

yoga Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consci ...

, and details the complications that arise along the path. One intent Crowley had in writing the book was to dispel the various myths surrounding Yoga in Europe at the time — most thought it to be an exotic,

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ritual of the ancient past.

Yoga for Yahoos

Lecture 1: Dissects the word "Yoga", as well as its various implications on the human mind. Lecture 2: Lists the eight limbs of Yoga, and explains the first,

Yama Yama (Devanagari: यम) or Yamarāja (यमराज), is a deity of death, dharma, the south direction, and the underworld who predominantly features in Hindu and Buddhist religion, belonging to an early stratum of Rigvedic Hindu deities. ...

, which is defined as control. Lecture 3: Details

Niyama The Niyamas ( sa, नियम, translit=Niyama) are positive duties or observances. In Indian traditions, particularly Yoga, niyamas and their complement, Yamas, are recommended activities and habits for healthy living, spiritual enlightenmen ...

, the second limb of Yoga, and analogizes it to various planets. Lecture 4: Concerning Asana and

Pranayama Pranayama is the yogic practice of focusing on breath. In Sanskrit, '' prana'' means "vital life force", and ''yama'' means to gain control. In yoga, breath is associated with ''prana'', thus, pranayama is a means to elevate the '' prana'' ''sh ...

, the third and fourth limbs of Yoga, and correct posture while practicing.

Yoga for Yellowbellies

In this section, Crowley covers, in detail, the philosophical, mathematical, and scientific aspects of Yoga. These are divided into the remaining four chapters. {{Yoga Works by Aleister Crowley 1939 non-fiction books Classic yoga books Books of lectures