Esoteric Influences in Wincenty Lutosławski’s programme of National Improvement : prolegomena

Wincenty Lutosławski, Polish philosopher and social activist is widely known as the author of the first Polish yoga textbook Rozwój potęgi woli [The Development of the Power of Will] which covers the method of yoga practice worked out by Lutosławski himself. Much less known, however, remain the sources that were used by the philosopher to create the system of yoga practices and their actual aims. The paper focuses on presenting the system of yoga exercises developed by Lutosławski as a part of his programme of national improvement and traces its esoteric foundations.