Bill Giles
Clinical Immunobiologist, Classical Yoga Scholar, Author
Formal Education:
Includes mechanical and marine engineering (Queensland Institute of Technology, Queensland State Government); and an undergraduate and two post graduate degrees in science from the University of Queensland (UQ) and the Australian National University (ANU).
I have been employed in biological health research by the University of Queensland Botany Dept; CSIRO Rainforest Division; the John Curtin School of Medical Research at the ANU; and ecological research with Professor Eric Pianka (the University of Texas at Austin).
I have practices as a clinical biologist (specialising in immunobiology) for 38 years as director of the Canberra Medical Ecology Centre and currently with Health Ecology Solutions. (Immunobiology is a branch of biology that examines the ecology and function of the immune system in the various ways it deals with infections, toxins, cancers, autoimmune diseases—and its attempts to maintain the optimal health of the individual cells that compose the body).
I have practiced hatha Yoga since 1973 and raja yoga over the last 37 years. I founded the Samyama Yoga School in the mid 1990s (www.samyamayoga.com.au).
Other Experiences
When I was 22 I accepted that I was heading in the wrong direction for the life I really wanted to experi ence. Luckily in that year, I joined the Rosicrucian Order (AMORC) and spent more than 20 years studying with this mystical organisation. They gave me direction, encouraged me to study science and introduced me to Yoga.
When I was 24, during a yoga weekend with two Swamis, I discovered the outline of a Yoga life and this is what I have been following ever since—it works for me. I practice yoga as a biologist. I approach life with the practical outlook of an engineer; examine life through the logic of science and balance this with the intuition of a mystical philosopher.
In 2004, after completing several thousand case studies on the effects that cereal grains have on the human immune system, along with Rob and Theresa de Castella, we founded the Deeks Health Foods (www. deeks.com.au) which was then the only producer of totally grain and gluten free bakery products. The variety of these products have helped thousands of people across Australasia to live a more normal life despite their diagnosis of chronic immune-related diseases.
Helping people regain and maintain good health using biological and yoga principles has been a high priority in my life. I am an advocate of individuals being responsible for their own health and not relying totally on a medical system to “fix” them. I am passionate about teaching the tools and techniques to age gracefully; how to lift organ function; remove aches and pains, and how to unload, boost and refocus immune resources to feel 20 years younger than people of the same age.
In the 1960s and 1970s, I had wanted to be a surf bum on the Australian East Coast, and I still live near the sea on the South Coast. I still find time to practice martial arts (Okinawan goju ryu karate previously judo and aikido since, 1962) and have enjoyed yearly snowboarding for 40 years. I have expressed my love of life in more than 1000 haiku poems.
I have a talented and lovely daughter, a competent and patient son in law (Ash) and three feisty grand children (Finn, Jett and Scarlet).
Some publications
Zen Shiatsu 1990. (Out of print)
Death Begins in the Colon. 1993 (Out of print)
Trunk Exercises and Yoga Nidra 1993 (available as CD)
The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali—a practical interpretation. 2001
In Search of Yoga. 2005
The Yoga of Happiness. 2005
The Yoga of Samadhi. 2005
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika. 2015
Trunk Exercises (with CD). 2015
No More Chronic Fatigue—the essentials of staying well: improving immune strength and efficiency. 2000. The Melody of Healing—broaden your options and overcome cancer. 2002
The Elephant and the Child—the mystery of ourselves 2000
Signature Diets—for a longer and healthier life 2024
The Journey between Heaven and Earth 2024.