A Bridge Between East and West

About 600 members lived on the ashram premises, with up to 2,000 attendees for special programs. They were vegetarians, abstained from alcohol and drugs, and practiced meditation and stretching exercises before sunrise. They thrived on a diet of fresh vegetables, herbs, and grains, and embraced bodywork and music therapy, which they believed could treat certain diseases. It was one of the most influential spiritual communities in ancient Europe nestled along the southeastern edge of Italy's boot.

Behind this community, there was a brilliant and charismatic teacher, known for his knowledge of past lives and his path to enlightenment. He is none other than Pythagoras, a name we often associate with triangles and mathematics. Yet, Pythagoras was so much more—a wise man deeply connected to the yogi philosophy.

From an early age, Pythagoras exhibited an unusual self-awareness. His education was diverse and rigorous, studying with Pherecydes of Syros, Anaximander the physicist, and Thales of Miletus, who directed him to Egypt to learn from the priests at Memphis. Thales himself was a student of the Egyptian masters, and he knew that their wisdom would shape Pythagoras into one of the wisest Greeks.