Edwin Dingle
Encyclopedia
Edwin John Dingle was an English
journalist, author and founder of the Institute of Mentalphysics in California
, US. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society of Great Britain.
Dingle claimed to have learned advanced spiritual disciplines from a Tibet
an mystic, and styled himself as a spiritual teacher with the name Ding Le Mei. As the President and Preceptor Emeritus of the Institute of Mentalphysics, he described himself as a "psychologist, author and philosopher".
, England and became an orphan at nine. As a journalist, Dingle moved to Singapore
(Straits Settlements
) in 1900 to cover the affairs of the Far East
. He was one of the first Caucasians to go into China and to actually stay for a substantial period of time in a Tibetan Monastery. There, he learnt meditation
and yoga
from a teacher.
In 1910, he traveled to Tibet
and stayed there for nine months. He claimed to have learned closely guarded advanced spiritual methods from the Tibetan Llamas. These eight Key Breaths were a form of pranayama
. He spent nearly 21 years in the Asia, in China
, India
, Tibet
and Burma.
In 1917, the North China Daily News & Herald
of Shanghai
published his The New Atlas and Commercial Gazetteer of China, which was devoted to China's "geography & resources and economic & commercial development". The book served as a standard reference for years, and was described by the Millard's Review of the Far East as "The biggest and best book on the resources of China". After his return to England, Dingle also wrote about his experiences in the East which were eventually published as the book Across China on Foot by Earnshaw Books
.
In 1921, Dingle settled in Oakland, California
and lived in retreat till 1927. In 1927, he began preaching on what he called the "science of mentalphysics" - a "universalist spirtiual development" technique based on vegetarian diet, pranayama and development of extrasensory perception. This technique was purported as the ancient wisdom preserved by the Tibetan mystics. Dingle's "Institute of Mentalphysics" was incorporated in 1933-34, and a retreat center was established in Joshua Tree (then Yucca Valley), California, in 1941. See Mentalphysics.net
Dingle also established a center at the International Church of the Holy Trinity in Los Angeles
, where he taught classes and also conducted correspondence courses on "mentalphysics" across North America. As a "spiritual teacher", he adopted the Chinese name "Ding Le Mei", the name given to him in the monastery of Tibet.
Dingle died on 27 January 1972, and was succeeded as head of the center by Donald L. Waldrop.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
journalist, author and founder of the Institute of Mentalphysics in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, US. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society of Great Britain.
Dingle claimed to have learned advanced spiritual disciplines from a Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
an mystic, and styled himself as a spiritual teacher with the name Ding Le Mei. As the President and Preceptor Emeritus of the Institute of Mentalphysics, he described himself as a "psychologist, author and philosopher".
Biography
Edwin J. Dingle was born in CornwallCornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, England and became an orphan at nine. As a journalist, Dingle moved to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
(Straits Settlements
Straits Settlements
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia.Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, the Straits Settlements came under direct British control as a crown colony on 1 April 1867...
) in 1900 to cover the affairs of the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
. He was one of the first Caucasians to go into China and to actually stay for a substantial period of time in a Tibetan Monastery. There, he learnt meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
and yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
from a teacher.
In 1910, he traveled to Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
and stayed there for nine months. He claimed to have learned closely guarded advanced spiritual methods from the Tibetan Llamas. These eight Key Breaths were a form of pranayama
Pranayama
Pranayama is a Sanskrit word meaning "extension of the prana or breath" or more accurately, "extension of the life force". The word is composed of two Sanskrit words, Prāna, life force, or vital energy, particularly, the breath, and "āyāma", to extend, draw out, restrain, or...
. He spent nearly 21 years in the Asia, in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
and Burma.
In 1917, the North China Daily News & Herald
North China Daily News
North China Daily News was an English-language newspaper in Shanghai, China, called the most influential foreign newspaper of its time.The paper was founded as the weekly North-China Herald and was first published on 3 August 1850. Its founder, British auctioneer Henry Shearman , died in 1856...
of Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
published his The New Atlas and Commercial Gazetteer of China, which was devoted to China's "geography & resources and economic & commercial development". The book served as a standard reference for years, and was described by the Millard's Review of the Far East as "The biggest and best book on the resources of China". After his return to England, Dingle also wrote about his experiences in the East which were eventually published as the book Across China on Foot by Earnshaw Books
Earnshaw Books
Earnshaw Books is a Hong Kong-based publishing house specializing in English-language books about China. Earnshaw Books was founded in 2007 by CEO Graham Earnshaw...
.
In 1921, Dingle settled in Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
and lived in retreat till 1927. In 1927, he began preaching on what he called the "science of mentalphysics" - a "universalist spirtiual development" technique based on vegetarian diet, pranayama and development of extrasensory perception. This technique was purported as the ancient wisdom preserved by the Tibetan mystics. Dingle's "Institute of Mentalphysics" was incorporated in 1933-34, and a retreat center was established in Joshua Tree (then Yucca Valley), California, in 1941. See Mentalphysics.net
Dingle also established a center at the International Church of the Holy Trinity in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, where he taught classes and also conducted correspondence courses on "mentalphysics" across North America. As a "spiritual teacher", he adopted the Chinese name "Ding Le Mei", the name given to him in the monastery of Tibet.
Dingle died on 27 January 1972, and was succeeded as head of the center by Donald L. Waldrop.
External links
- Profile of Edwin John Dingle, Ding Le Institute of Mentalphysics, Joshua Tree Retreat Center.
- Institute of Mentalphysics