One of the first books ever written about Eastern philosophy for a Western audience, Fourteen Lessons remains a great introductory course in yogi philosophy 120 years after its initial release.
Yogi Ramacharaka is the pen name of spiritualist author William Walker Atkinson (1862-1932) and probably a mystery collaborator well versed in Indian philosophy (to whom Atkinson himself actually attributed the books). The two of them published a series of books at the beginning of the 20th century with the purpose of demystifying Eastern philosophy for a Western audience. The first book, Fourteen Lessons in Yogi Philosophy and Oriental Occultism, became an instant success and has been in print ever since. Atkinson was an attorney, author, publisher, businessman, and a leading figure in the New Thought Movement that studied ancient wisdom and Eastern philosophy. He wrote over a hundred books during the last thirty years of his life. In the foreword of this new edition from Bamboo Leaf Press, yoga teacher and writer Richard Rosen discusses the extraordinary work of Atkinson and explores the mystery and identity of his alleged collaborator.
