Oberlin College's First Yoga Major

Nick Binion began practicing Yoga in earnest in 1965 during a snowless ski season while he was a student at the Westminster School in Simsbury, Connecticut. Nick had been captain of Westminster's first winning Soccer Team earlier in the Fall of that year. That's Nick holding the ball in the photo above.

Sometime before Christmas Vacation, Nick ordered a copy of Jess Stearn's Yoga, Youth and Reincarnation from an ad in the New York Times Magazine section, and inspired by the stunning black and white photographs of Marcia Moore doing inverted postures he developed an interest which was not only a way to stay in condition that could be practiced in the confines of a dorm room, but would prove to be a lifelong interest. Eventually it did snow that Winter. . .

Nick Binion began teaching Yoga through Oberlin College's Community Recreation Program in 1972. While Majoring in P.E. he was priveleged to study Gymnastics and Aikido with Peaceful Warrior Dan Millman. Dan's popular works can be found with many flattering reviews at Amazon.com.

At Oberlin Nick was also priveleged to study Buddhist Meditation with the Vipassana Meditation Master Dhiravamsa. Dhiravamsa currently has a Meditation Center in Spain, a link is provided below. When Nick first met him, Dhiravamsa was the V.R. Sobhana Dhammasudhi, Principal Priest of the Bhuddhapadipa (Theravadin Buddhist) Temple in London.

There was a waiting list at Oberlin to enter his Meditation Program during Winter Term. Dhiravamsa stopped wearing the Ochre Robe of a Priest many years ago. He is well known in scholarly circles in many Colleges and Universities, and has introduced many people worldwide to the "Dynamic Way of Meditation." He has published many of his interesting and relevant lectures on Vipassana Practice in the form of books; his latest work can be found using the link below. This one he remarks, is the first work he has written as opposed to being a compilation of his always inspiring talks.

Dhiravamsa once said: "Silence is the Golden Key by which the Doors to Creation are unlocked."

The Oberlin Community is thankful to Donald Swearer then in the Religion Department for first inviting Dhiravamsa to the College. After graduating from Oberlin, Nick continued to teach Yoga in Santa Barbara, New Orleans, and for many years while he was the Resident Manager and Caretaker of the Community Arts Center in Wallingford, Pennsylvania. (Donald Swearer was across the Creek at Swarthmore College in those days).

While at the Community Arts Center Nick studied both Yoga and Dance with the Lori Ardis Ballet Company in Rose Tree, Pennsylvania. In 1985 and 86 performance seasons he was the principal male dancer Lori Ardis' productions of Kathleen Andrews' Ballet "Louisa" in the role of Teddy Laurence; and as a Can Can dancer - one of a pair of mechanical dolls threatened to be separated by chincy customers unwilling to purchase them as a pair - in Diaghalev's Boutique Fantasque, which incidentally was the first ballet in which some of the women danced on pointe (Music by Respighi and Rossini). Not all ballet companies perform the Nutcracker Suite as their Christmas Show.

Mr Binion is ever grateful to Lori Ardis for deepening his knowledge of Pranayama (breath science) teaching him many beautiful mantras, and numerous asanas; and for enabling a non-stereotypical individual to experience a full time Dance practice in Jazz, Ballet, and Modern with many semesters on a scholarship basis. Real dancers do it seven days a week. It takes at least nine years of training to make a professional dancer. It helps to start as a child.

Lori Ardis Ballet has been described by DanceMagazine as a company noted in particular for its "full length productions and elaborate use of wardrobe" in an article entitled "Philly's Small Fish" on the subject of the numerous semi-professional troupes in the Philadelphia Area (article circa 1985).

Since 1987 Nick has been living as a "multimedia artist" in Berkeley, California where in addition to enjoying the rich cultural diversity of the San Francisco region he continues to offer critiques to practitioners of Yoga who have been practicing for a while and may wish to upgrade their routines.

If you live in the Bay Area or plan to visit, Mr. Binion will gladly arrange a session with rates to be worked out on an individual basis.

Coming soon to this page (eventually through the special button) will be quicktime movies of Yoga postures with an appropriate disclaimer should anyone wish to attempt them at home.

Links: One does not require a Weather Person to reckon the direction of the Wind

Adze Mixxe (when he was living) was one of the brightest and most entertaining of Nick Binion's Pennsylvania extended family. Those friends who have kept Adze alive in Cyberspace have done him a great tribute. Adze.com is a good starting point for finding Metaphysical Links, etc. Yoga teachers need coaching too. Nick has been priveleged in recent years to attend two of Actress Hudson Leick's yoga retreats in Pennsylvania and in Southern California. She is a beautiful and talented actress who is a serious and skilled teacher of Yoga. A link to her Yoga website is included. The Kitty Movie, the Dalton Class of '62 Yearbook and Downloadable files do require a password which you'll have if you were directed here from another site.

If you know the password you may now link to a short film clip in memory of my dear friend Kitty

  • In Memoriam Kitty 1987-2005
  • Adze Mixxe Astrologer Extraordinaire