The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-09-28
TOGA.
HlmdOOB living For Days ana Momaha
without Food, Water or AIR

Northern Christian AdvCc1te.l
For ages the ascetics in India have
been accustomed to practice what they
call Yoga or Joga, and the school Of
HindOo philosophers known as Yoga has
many volumes of instruction In the vari-
Gus degrees of this art. There are two
special and many Subordinate forms Of
Yoga, and we may say it is mental
abstraction, or silent prayer, or the
union of mind to soul; but materially IL
is, In fact, tho art of voluntarily suspend
ing the circulation and respiration The
Hindoo motive is to secure absorption
into the deity by this process.
The physical and material processes
are open to the interests Of science If any
body can make any thing of them In
that direction, and we suppose they
really can. The treatise before me as
serts that IN this state the persons are
not poisoned by snake-bites, which
might prove that the circulation was
really suspended, and that snake poison
only operates by entering the circulation
of the blood. The person remains un-
affected by the cutting of weapons, and
gives no symptoms of pain when brought
IN contact with fire. He can not be
drowned when submerged IN water. nor
does lie dry up when exposed IL air.
An English surgeon, by the name of
McGregor, gives the following: "a
Faqueer who arrived at Lahore engaged
to bury himself FOR any length Of time,
shut up In "a box and without either food
or drink. Ranieet naturally di5belieyed
the man S assertions, and was determined
to put them to the test Tor this puypos.
the Faqueer was shut up in q wooded
box, which was placed In a small apart
ment under ground; there was n folding
door 10 his box, which was secured 10y IA
lock and key. Surrounding this apart
ment there was a gardcn-house, the door
of which was likewise locked, and out
side the whole WIS a high wall, having
its doorway built up with bricks and
mud. In order 10 prevent any one ir1m
approaching the place, a line of sentries
was placed, and relieved at regular in
tervals. The strictest watch WIS kept
up Tor forty days and nights NJ the eN-
piration of which period the MahHruiaE
attended by his grandson and several a
his Sirdars, as well as General Ventura,
Captain Wade and myself, proceeded b.
disinter the Faqueer. The brick and
mud were removed from the outer door
way; the door of the garden-house was
next unlocked, and lastly that Of the
wooden box containing the Faqueer.
The latter was found covered with O
White sheet, on removing which the
figure OF the man presented itself m n
sitting posture. His hands and arms
were pressed to his sides, and his legs
and thighs crossed"
Another case Is certified to by Lieuten-
ant BOileau of q young man who allowed
himself to be buried foL weeks or months
by any person who would pay him hand
( somely for it. He was buried ut JGisulnor
IN small building about twelve feet by
eight built of stone. Tn the floor was a
hole three feet long, two md 4 half feet
wide and yard deep, in which he was
| placed sewed up in n shroud Two heavy
/ slabs of stone, six feet long. several
/ inches thick and broad enough 20 cover
| the mouth Of the grave, were placed over
| him, md little earth plastered over the
4 whole, making the surface smooth auC
J compact The door Of the house wa
! then built up, and guards stationed out
side At tho expiration Of a month th'
man was dug out, perfectly senseless
| His hair had not grown, his hands wer'
! crnmped and teeth so iammed together
that they had TO be forced open with al
iron instrument. Then came the pro
| cesses for restoration.
These are cases of Hatha Yogis, and
the process is simply that of hybernation
the ability for which is acquired by Ions
practice in holding the breath and stop
ping the circulation Of the blood.