The Curve of the World is the story of my seven-year odyssey in Asia as a yogic monk. This spiritual memoir follows my journey from early days as the son of a Presbyterian minister in 1970’s middle America, through a period of dissolute rebellion and despair, and on to a search for a deeper spirituality.
In 1983, in the quiet surroundings of a Bangkok yoga center I dip my toes, hesitantly at first, then with growing enthusiasm, into a new way of life, one based in radical simplicity. Disciplined practice becomes my raison d’etre. In meditation, I finds clarity; in asanas (yogic poses), a new bodily expansiveness; in fasting, the discovery of an inner resolve; and in service a reprieve from personal preoccupation. These very old practices have been re-contextualized as an integral part of a new spiritual organization founded in India in 1955, known as Ananda Marga (AM).
In 1983, in the quiet surroundings of a Bangkok yoga center I dip my toes, hesitantly at first, then with growing enthusiasm, into a new way of life, one based in radical simplicity. Disciplined practice becomes my raison d’etre. In meditation, I finds clarity; in asanas (yogic poses), a new bodily expansiveness; in fasting, the discovery of an inner resolve; and in service a reprieve from personal preoccupation. These very old practices have been re-contextualized as an integral part of a new spiritual organization founded in India in 1955, known as Ananda Marga (AM).
As I grow in my embrace of this life, I hear about a remarkable man living in India – the guru of the AM tradition – whose vision, compassion and grace inspire and intrigue him. I decide to travel to Calcutta to see this person, Anandamurti, for myself. In this teacher’s presence, I feel my heart opening, layers of anxiety and confusion dropping away.
Anandamurti is no garden variety guru – in addition to being a linguist, historian, scholar of Tantra, and administrative genius, he’s leading a movement for economic democracy in India. He also composes devotional music, having written over 5000 songs, songs that spark a passion in me.
Profoundly touched by this man’s work to blend art, spiritual ideals and social justice, I step whole-heartedly into a radical refashioning of self. Taking up the saffron robe, I spend the next four years – a period of great satisfaction and great struggle – traveling and teaching in Asia as a yogic monk. The book lays out the nature of a path grounded in meditation and service, its constraints and rewards. It also looks at the problems inherent in organized spiritual groups. And, especially relevant in this era of blossoming interest in yoga, the book reveals the roots of yogic practice, its philosophical underpinnings. It does all this in an engaging narrative memoir form, while taking the reader on a journey from the sweltering suburbs of Bangkok to the poorest wards of Calcutta, and from Tokyo’s pulsing cityscape to the quiet shores of a Filipino island.
You can now purchase your copy of The Curve of the World directly from the author on the contact section of this website.
Anandamurti is no garden variety guru – in addition to being a linguist, historian, scholar of Tantra, and administrative genius, he’s leading a movement for economic democracy in India. He also composes devotional music, having written over 5000 songs, songs that spark a passion in me.
Profoundly touched by this man’s work to blend art, spiritual ideals and social justice, I step whole-heartedly into a radical refashioning of self. Taking up the saffron robe, I spend the next four years – a period of great satisfaction and great struggle – traveling and teaching in Asia as a yogic monk. The book lays out the nature of a path grounded in meditation and service, its constraints and rewards. It also looks at the problems inherent in organized spiritual groups. And, especially relevant in this era of blossoming interest in yoga, the book reveals the roots of yogic practice, its philosophical underpinnings. It does all this in an engaging narrative memoir form, while taking the reader on a journey from the sweltering suburbs of Bangkok to the poorest wards of Calcutta, and from Tokyo’s pulsing cityscape to the quiet shores of a Filipino island.
You can now purchase your copy of The Curve of the World directly from the author on the contact section of this website.