COMMUNITY
revered meditation teachers ) states , " When the solar salutation is taught , we are told that the ridges of the thumbs are held against the cardiac center . A gentle pressure is applied ; the emotional center is released . You are conscious of a humble , devout attitude arising within you .”
A meditation retreat was scheduled at the Himalayan Institute and Carol enrolled . Carol had never experienced meditation . “ During the retreat , I was surrounded by experienced practitioners . Not having any prior experience , I started looking around and mimicking what I saw ,” recalls Carol . “ Over the course of the weekend , I received a solid foundation of how to meditate .”
The following day after the retreat , she began a consistent practice of meditation . Carol understands that mediation seems to be a hard thing for most people . It requires someone to deal with themselves on multiple levels . She started with 5 minutes per day and built up time from there .
In 1981 , Carol traveled to the Himalayan Institute in Honesdale , Pennsylvania to attend a Self-Transformation program . “ I thought I would be there for one month and stayed for five and a half years ,” says Carol . She earned a degree in Eastern Studies , Comparative Psychology , and Holistic Health . It was here that she met Charles as she was finishing her graduate program .
Both were drawn to the Himalayan Institute for different reasons , yet similar . Charles and Carol were both wanting to learn more about meditation , and through meditation seek peace . They found what they were looking for , both within themselves and in one another .
In Charles ’ memoir , Pathless Path : God , Grace , Guru , he describes his life transformation through yoga and meditation . The book is a thoughtful and honest memoir of an African-American life being transformed through meditation . For those who are EAT , PRAY , LOVE fans , if you take the PRAY section and place it on steroids , add in more characters and experiential learning , you will love Charles ’ book . It ’ s especially unique , as the title implies , that for Charles to chose the path he did , there were no footprints for him to follow .
Charles grew up in a rough neighborhood on the south side of Indianapolis . He claims it was on the wrong side of the tracks . His parents were members of the Baptist Church , where Charles attended with his twin sister and younger sister . Charles ’ parents were hard-working , nononsense parents who raised their kids to be amazing people , in spite of the bad influences that existed in their neighborhood .
Growing up during the Vietnam era , Charles enlisted in the Navy . He wished to “ avoid killing people if drafted .” His number had already been pulled . Charles spoke with friends returning from Vietnam and found that there was educational benefits to being in the service . His father is a WWII Vet who also
served in the Navy . Charles was studying at Purdue when he took time off to serve his country .
After his first deployment in 1974 , Charles picked up a book on meditation at a bookshop in San Diego . He explains that he used this guide as he sat , alone , in the compartment he shared with19 other shipmates and meditated . This was the start of something greater for Charles . As the Beatles sang about Revolution , Charles experienced one of his own .
Six years later , after being honorably discharged and having graduated from Purdue , Charles found himself working for the phone company in downtown Indianapolis . While eating lunch at his favorite ( and then only ) vegetarian food vendor in the City Market , Charles learned of a presentation by Sri Swami Rama of the Himalayan Institute . He
16 INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2