Joseph Dunham passed away last weekend, after suffering a heart attack in Cambodia.
He was the travel adviser and friend of Pattabhi Jois; after arriving in Mysore to study yoga for a month, he ended up staying for two decades. He was also quite close with Manju Jois - who expressed great sadness today about his passing.
I first met Joseph in NYC, during Pattabhi Jois's 2000 World Tour. He was so kind (and dashing). I also practiced near him in the old shala in 2002 and the new one in later years. He ways always friendly, helpful and welcoming - even to the novices. Especially the novices - who needed it the most. In recent years, he opened his home to ashtangis in Mysore.
(He's in the center/top of the photo above, which was snapped after a conference in the spring of 2002).
OM Tryambakam Yajamahe
Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam
Urvarukamiva Bandhanan
Mrityor Mukshiya Mamritat
I meditate on Shiva
The three-eyed one
Of sweetest fragrance,
Helping me flower spiritually.
Like the fully-ripened fruit easily snapped
May I be free from the Bondage of Death.
May I not be without the nectar of immortality.
Seems way too early.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's way too soon.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't planning to ever return to Mysore, but it seems odd to imagine he won't be there.
ReplyDeleteToday was my dad's b-day. He'd have been 72.
Impermanence.
Hugs to you... It may feel nice to light a candle for him - or something.
ReplyDeletexo
Good idea. Candles & flowers. I'm going to be very quiet tonight.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, I did not know. This feels very very sad to me.
ReplyDeleteRIP.
ReplyDeleteIt is going to be so different to walk up that street of his house in Gokulam...
ReplyDeleteI called him for the first time on the phone when Guruji was in the hospital last May, and I told him I never met him. Yet, it made no difference, he was so warm and kind to me on the phone. And Last xmast was the first time, now the last time, I met him at his lovely home for a holiday brunch. He welcomed me like we have met many times... ya, it is way way too soon.
Thank you Cara for doing a post to share.
Joseph was a good friend and fellow practitioner for some time at Nancy Gilgoff's House of Yoga & Zen here on Maui. At first he travelled back and forth from Maui to Mysore, and then made his decision to stay with Guruji. Last time I saw him was here on Maui at Guruji's 2000 World Tour event in Upcountry Maui. Very surprised to know of his passing -- a very devoted yogi is now still traveling the universe with his teacher. Om Santi
ReplyDelete