Oom the Magnificent: America’s First Yogi

Pierre Bernard, famously known as “Oom the Magnificent,” captivated early 1900s America with his mysterious blend of yoga and tantra, luring upper-class women and celebrities into his orbit. Despite his shadowy origins, Bernard built a reputation as a charismatic yogi, training figures like boxer Lou Nova and his controversial teachings on tantra stirred whispers, but his influence on American alternative spirituality left a lasting, provocative legacy.