André Van Lysebeth
André Van Lysebeth (* November 11, 1919; † January 28, 2004 in Perpignan ) was a Belgian yogi and one of the pioneers of Yoga in the West. He wrote several standard works on Yoga and one on Tantra. His books have been translated into dozens of languages and sold millions of copies reach the part. His teaching influenced an entire generation of yoga teachers.
Biography
André Van Lysebeth began about 26 years practicing yoga. Since 1949 he was a student of Swami Sivananda, from whom he received instructions by letter. Only in 1963, shortly before his death, Van Lysebeth met his master himself in Rishikesh, India. Sivananda gave him the diploma of "Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy" in Rishikesh and encouraged him to publish " the West" a Yoga Journal. This has been published since 1963 under the title Yoga in French until today (2008). From 1964 he studied at Sri Krishna Pattabhi Jois asanas. In 1965 he founded the Belgian Yoga Society and 1972 together with Gérard Blitz ( the founder of the Club Méditerranée ), the European Union of Yoga, the European branch of the International Yoga Federation. 1967 toured South India Lysebeth to know the local yoga traditions.
André Van Lysebeths first book J'apprends le Yoga ( German title Yoga for people of today ) was published in 1968 and is tailored to the Western way of life. It describes by the basic breathing and relaxation techniques, compiled by Rishikesh Sivananda series ( contains 12 basic yoga postures ), the sun salutation and cleaning techniques. The description of the asanas and their variants is well suited meticulously and because of the many indications of possible errors for self-paced study. In contrast to the techniques of pranayama they are harmless. A hallmark of Van Lysebeths books are nowadays something seemingly old-fashioned black and white photos in which the author and his wife Denise Van Lysebeth perform the asanas. Another trademark is the consistent Eindeutschung all Sanskrit terms: Tschakra instead of chakra, Udschai instead Ujjayi etc. Yoga for people today also includes diet advice: Although Van Lysebeth did not want his students copied the daily routine of Indian yogis, but they should have a holistic, healthy lifestyle practice. His next book The perfectionné mon Yoga (1969, German title Through yoga to one's self ) described more asanas and also " yogic cleansing techniques " kriyas. The following book Pranayama - le dynamique du souffle describes the various breathing techniques of yoga. According to the company Van Lysebeth was the first to record certain advanced breathing exercises in a Western language and also published photos of exercises in Indian ashrams. The book provides a thorough explanation of the Indian concepts of Prana / Apana and the chakras and contains as probably the only book on this topic pointing out that all attempts to nadis and chakras have failed to identify with structures of the physical body.