#mazdaznan

[thisdayinwwi]

Dec 8 1915 in USA

Rock Island Argus., December 8 1915 

[ Otoman Zar-Adusht Ha'nish ], Sun Worshiper Mazdaznan cult head, arrested in Chicago. During a trial Ha’nish was involved in a chapter of the book, Inner Studies, in which pure tantric sexual intercourse was described, was “read into the record. According to the Chicago Daily News, the reading caused a number of women to leave the courtroom and even Hanisch himself blushed at hearing his own words “

KING OF SUN CULT SENT TO PRISON Chicago, Dec. 8. Ottoman Ser Adusht Hanish, head of the Mazdaznan cult of sun worshipers, was taken to the house of correction today to serve a sentence of six months' imprisonment for sending obscene matter through interstate commerce. His appeal from the sentence was recently denied by the United States supreme court. The specific offense charged against the cult leader was that he sent a book, entitled "Inner Studies," and intended for his followers, to a young woman in Brookfield, Mo.

[peeperspuntersandpedants]

The Egyptian Postures  Ian Whittlesea

Dr. Otoman Zar-Adusht Ha’nish

'a practical guide to performing the exercises that Itten taught at the Bauhaus and a celebration of a moment of mysticism at the heart of modernism' 

The Egyptian Postures is a guide to the most advanced Mazdaznan exercises that Johannes Itten taught his students at the Bauhaus. Often performed while singing or humming the postures were intended to activate glands and re-channel internal energies, stirring the blood in ways that contributed to the perpetual evolution of humanity. They were also said to induce auto-illumination, the participant’s body generating an intense light from within. 

This edition of Dr. Otoman Zar-Adusht Ha’nish’s original instructions has been newly edited and illustrated by Ian Whittlesea with images of actor Ery Nzaramba demonstrating the postures and an in-depth essay by Pádraic E. Moore that explores the relationships between esoteric movements, their racial theories and early modernism's embrace and eventual dismissal of the occult, Mazdaznan and Itten. 

https://www.ianwhittlesea.net/works_pages/wks_egyptian/wks_egyptian.html

ISBN 9780993372858  Edition of 1000 copies  Published by The Everyday Press, London    

[coupermatthew]

#johannesItten #c.1930 #bauhaus #switzerland #mazdaznan #neozoroastrianism

[lowestofjinks-blog]

An assessment of fruits from the Mazdaznan encyclopedia, 1909

Mazdaznan is a "syncretistic religious health movement based on Zoroastrian and Christian ideals," says Wikipedia. I found my way to an encyclopedia published by the group in the early 20th century, and it's interesting to look at how they assessed the benefits and drawbacks of different kinds of fruits.

Grapefruit: An unfailing remedy in summer complaint; should be eaten freely.

Apricots: As a rule they are woody and often cause distress to those who eat them.

Bananas: Combined with other fruits and nuts, may prove serviceable.

Blackberries: Valuable when the blood has become impoverished.

Dates: Very nutritious and should be eaten sparingly.

Figs: The cheaper grades contain vast multitudes of animalculae which, when taken to the stomach, produce violent headaches.

Gooseberries: Have no other use than to be made into jellies and jams.

Lemons: To get their full values, they should be baked in a moderate oven until soft, care being taken that they do not burn or burst.

Nectarines: They have very little to commend them other than to give additional variety.

Peaches: If eaten green, form a subject for another "Tale of Woe."

Plums: Afford the highest nerve and brain food.

Raspberries: They should not, in any case, be given to invalids or convalescents.

Strawberries: They should be freely eaten, but well masticated to reduce the seeds which might, in some instances, cause distress to the stomach.

Pineapples: Numerous cases of chronic dyspepsia have been completely cured by their use.

(Culled from a copy of the encyclopedia on Google Books.)