Review

Review
Author(s): Massimo Scaligero

Review by: Massimo Scaligero
Source: East and West, Vol. 23, No. 3/4 (September-December 1973), p. 405
Published by: Istituto Italiano per l'Africa e l'Oriente (IsIAO)
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is rediscovered, there the path of eternity is redis? fact, the task of conquering and transforming that
covered as well. Truth can also be rediscovered inverse magic.
on a lower level, that of logic: truth (al-haqq) Massimo Scaligero
is one of Allah's names, but is above all truth in
its essence.
Nasr makes clear this basic aspect of Sufism,

Swami Jyotirmayananda Sara swati, Meditate
examining inPart I the metaphysical foundations the Tan trie Yoga Way, transl. and ed. by
of the doctrine, in Part II its historical aspect, the
Lilian K. Donat (London, George Allen and
period of the School of Ibn "Arab! and the relation? Unwin Ltd., 1973, 118 pp.).
ship between Shi'ism and Sufism. In Part III, the
author draws the conclusions relevant
practical The author's preface regarding the need for
today to the perennial presence of Sufism: the
of the of the univer? freeing the power of the imagination so as to
meeting religions, reconquest
realize the Tantric s?dhana has its importance in
sality of vision and, related to this, the solution a text such as this one, which almost schematically
of the vital existential problems of man: these,
sums up the meditative of Tantric Yoga.
when closely examined, are seen to be basically practices
The freed, or unobjectivized, imagination is espe?
problems of the Spirit.
cially involved with the Antar-Mouna, the Antar
Massimo Scaligero the Yoga-Nidra and the Chaya-Upshana;
Trataka,
but we can say that the very force of imagination
itself guides every moment of experience, from
Niyama to Sam?dhi. For the yogi, the Tantric
The Yoga of Light, Hatha-yoga-pradipika, India's way has meaning only as the grasping to himself
Classical Handbook, translated by Elsy Be of the forces of the Sakti which support theworld,
cherer, with a commentary by Hans-Ulrich and yet make up the field from which his own
Rieker (London, 1971, George Allen and extrasensible moves. These forces are the
being
Unwin Ltd., 204 pp.). highest ones, thus able to operate within corporeal
depth: he can know they are the highest because
The Hatha-yoga-pradipika is without doubt the he manages to recognize them, at his own origins,
text most closely linked to the original heritage at the essence of himself in the sahasrara and in
of theHatha -yoga of Gorakhn?th, that is, to the the ajna-chakra. But he must have trained within
magical-mystical treatise that almost certainly drew himself the habit of looking at the source of
its inspiration from the Vajray?na, as regards reality: he must have conquered the strength to
turn his glance in depth. He who thinks himself
practical discipline. Both Buddhist Tantrism and
Vedantic Monism flow into the Hatha-yoga-pra? free because he can see only his own level and the
dipika to metaphysically justify the volitive pene? world he opposes at that level, cannot be free,
tration in depth of the forces of the pr?n? into because he does not see what stands above him:
physical corpora?ty. he does not see where his freedom begins.

This translation by Elsy Becherer is accom? The author underlines the fact that Sakti ceases
to be a transcendent projection for the discipline
panied by a commentary by Hans-Ulrich Rieker,
the main virtue of which lies in its constant who finds in himself the point at which he is
one with it: the final meaning of his s?dhana is
linking of the themes of physical yoga (Hatha)
to those of metaphysical yoga (Raja). Control of the blending with the source of Strength: which
the feelings and of thought is not enough to reach alone can work quickly and without constriction
the roots of humanity: one needs the strength in the psycho-corporeal structures.
that can hold all the depth and autonomy neces?

Massimo Scaligero
sarily lacking in ordinary consciousness at that
level. This is the Force that, since it is something
greater than what is human, demands above all
individual mastery of the corporeal categories. It A.K. Warder, Outline of Indian Philosophy
can only come into play thanks to a will capable (Delhi, Motilal Banarsidass, 1971, 262 pp.).
of a well-defined intent, such as to overcome what
it wishes as
ordinary human representation. Nor? This synthesis of Indian philosophy is derived
mally, the soul's bond with the corporeal categories from a series of lectures Prof. Warder gave for
acts as a magical force in that representation. In two years to Sanskrit students at Edinburgh Uni?
that sense, it is an inverse subconscious magic: versity. The close omion of systems of thought
one that tends to bind even the representations with the religious and esoteric element in Indian
of supersensible experience. Hatha-yoga has, in philosophy lets the author prospect the evolution
405
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Author(s): Massimo Scaligero

Nasr makes clear this basic aspect of Sufism,

physical corpora?ty. he does not see where his freedom begins.

that can hold all the depth and autonomy neces?

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