Victor Dane | |
|---|---|
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| Born | 1897 |
| Occupation(s) | Naturopath, writer |
Victor Dane (born 1897) was a Britishnaturopath, occultist,physical culturist and yoga writer.
Dane claimed to be a master of the "systems of Hatha and Raja Yoga" and advertised himself as "the only white yogi" in national newspapers such as theDaily Mirror and theSunday Graphic.[1] He claimed to have studied under yoga Masters in India where he received the 'Guru Mantra' or "ear-whispered secret".[2] His bookNaked Ascetic (1933) is an example of the fakir-yogi genre filled with mysterious stories of bullet proof yogis, mesmeric powers and poison drinking.[1] The stories were questioned by reviewers at the time, for example a reviewer inThe Spectator stated it is "obvious from his book that he has only a cursory acquaintance with the languages and customs of the Indian people, and that he did not succeed in meeting many of the serious exponents of Yoga".[3] A review in theVedanta Kesari magazine praised Dane's narrative skill but doubted how much of the book was fact.[4] Yoga scholarMark Singleton has noted that Dane's "vision of yoga, while firmly rooted in Asian inspired esoteric, was also deeply influenced by modern physical culture, and his yoga writings exhibit a marked concern for the hygienic perfection of the body".[1]
Dane was a physical culturist and was the editor of the magazineModern Psychology andThe Sporting Arena.[1][5] He was considered an expert on the occult and was invited byBarbara Cartland to give a speech on black magic atAdmiralty House.[2] Dane worked as a naturopath inNew Barnet.[6] He was not a qualified doctor and never described himself as a doctor. In March 1931, a patient of his Mrs. P. G. Pickett age 35 died during a day in his absence. Dane had diagnosed Pickett withanaemia for which he treated her.[6] A post-mortem examination found that the cause of death was advancedtuberculosis of the lungs. A jury returned a verdict of death from natural causes and gave their opinion that medical aid should have been called several days before Mrs. Pickett died and that Dane had shown gross carelessness by leaving the patient for a whole day without help.[6]
In 1934, Dane authored the bookModern Fitness which contained an introduction byHerbert Chapman. His bookThe Gateway to Prosperity was re-published in 1937 withCharles F. Haanel's bookThe Amazing Secrets of the Yogi.
Dane was an advocate oflight therapy andsunbathing to cure disease.[7] He authoredThe Sunlight Cure which argued that sun tanning was the manifestation of solar energy (ultraviolet radiation) stored in the body. Dane's book contains a photograph ofGeorge Bernard Shaw sunbathing.[8]
