The core teachings and riotous life of the psychedelic yogi Ganesh Baba
• Presents the teachings of Ganesh Baba’s “Crea” Yoga, which he derived from the tantric practices of traditional Kriya Yoga
• Explains the basic exercises for following the Crea (creative) Yoga practice
• Includes many anecdotes from the colorful life of this “psychedelic” baba
Shri Mahant Swami Ganeshanand Saraswati Giri (ca. 1895-1987) was known to all who loved and studied with him simply as Ganesh Baba. At the age of four, he was brought back from death through an initiation by Lahiri Mahasaya and through this initiation descends from the same Kriya Yoga lineage as Paramahansa Yogananda. He became a swami under his guru Sivananda and later went on to run the Anandamayi Ma ashram. Drawn to the life of the Naga Babas, he became the head of the Ananda Akhara, Naga followers of Lord Shiva who consider cannabis and other entheogens to be the gift of the gods. The unique set of principles and exercises Ganesh Baba developed from the tantric practices of traditional Kriya Yoga and Shivaism became the core of his personal teachings of Crea (for creative) Yoga. Ganesh Baba’s message of systematic synthesis of the spiritual and secular was carefully developed for and embraced by contemporary students in the 1960s, especially those whose path included the use of entheogens.
This book contains the core of Ganesh Baba’s Crea Yoga teachings, from the beginning stages of conscious control of one’s posture, breath, and attention to finally extending one’s awareness to the farthest reaches of the cosmos. Eve Baumohl Neuhaus shows that the life of this scholar and crazy saint was as instructive as his teachings. She includes many personal reminiscences of this inspirational and challenging teacher from her own life and those of fellow students, which demonstrate that Ganesh Baba’s extraordinary life was in keeping with his own role as the embodiment of Lord Ganesh, the remover of obstacles.
“True to the wishes of her teacher, Eve Baumohl Neuhaus skillfully offers a glimpse into the life and profound teachings of Ganesh Baba. In so doing, she enriches the spiritual literature of today with the tantric wisdom and wit that transcends culture and healthily disregards political correctness. An entertaining and thought-provoking read.”
“For those unlucky enough to have missed him in the flesh, this text offers the next best thing: a distillation of Ganesh Baba’s most fundamental teachings, his unique and prophetic synthesis of East and West, science and spirituality, madness and method. Through personal narrative Eve portrays the fun and frustrations of learning from a crazy guru whose profound and mischievous ways blew our minds to infinity!”
“Add this endearing, wise, and well-named ‘Trickster’ to the list of great teachers. His message was clear: mind can only point to the Truth, to find it you have to live it truly and fully for yourself!”
“In this loving and insightful spiritual memoir, author Eve Baumohl Neuhaus introduces us to her larger-than-life, iconoclastic spiritual teacher and his all-encompassing Cycle of Synthesis. True to his name, Ganesh Baba, he bursts through the barriers of any preconceived Western notions of a guru. She offers a simple yet profound spiritual practice based on his teachings that would delight her teacher and draws together contemporary Western spiritual seekers with the ancient wisdom of the East.”
