Jay L. Latham, author of the recently announced Galaxy of Fire, 2nd Edition, to be published by Jekyll & Highsmith Publishers.

Jekyll & Highsmith Authors

Jay L. Latham

Jay Latham grew up in Greensboro, NC, and attended Fork Union Military Academy and Page High School before attending Guilford College. During the height of the Vietnam War, Jay enlisted in the US Marine Corps, where he earned the distinction of Outstanding Marine for his platoon while in basic training at Parris Island, SC.  After Parris Island, Jay served the Corps in Okinawa, Japan, Quantico, and Camp Lejeune, NC, obtaining the rank of Sergeant before completing his tour of duty. Afterwards, Jay returned to Greensboro, enrolling at University of North Carolina, Greensboro, where he majored in Biology.

During his time at UNC-G in 1972, Jay became involved in meditation, studying the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. He joined the TM movement, and attended advanced training courses, becoming a TM executive governor in 1974, after participating in Maharishi's advanced courses in Switzerland.  As a teacher in the TM movement, Jay excelled as an outstanding public speaker and teacher, where he traveled to universities and public meetings all over the US; his teaching inspired thousands of people to begin the practice of TM.

Jay's deep love of nature led him from a very young age to become an outstanding mountain climber and backwoods trekker. From his first climbs at Hanging Rock and Linville Gorge, he climbed mountain peaks throughout the Blue Ridge, Great Smokies, and the Rocky Mountains. Later, Jay traveled to India, Nepal, and Tibet, going on many trekking and climbing expeditions in the Himalayas, including the Anapurna range and Mt. Everest. Jay led a dozen pilgrimage treks to the ancient sacred shrines in India, Nepal, and to sacred places throughout the Himalayas.

In addition to being a wonderful storyteller and accomplished travel writer, Jay is renowned for his travel photography, having lectured in many locations to large groups, to also show images from his various pilgrimages and journeys, and give insights into the deep mysteries of Vedic thinking and transformation.

Jay lived in Fairfield, Iowa from the time that the Maharishi established his Maharishi International University (now the Maharishi University of Management) until his death in 2000.  The 1st edition of his book, Galaxy of Fire was published shortly after his death.  By arrangement with his family, a 2nd edition of his sweeping journey of inner and outer discovery has been published for the Kindle in 2014, to be followed by native release for the iPad/iOS platform in 2015. Material that Jay had planned to include in a second volume is being prepared for publication as well.

Transcendental Meditation and TM are registered trademarks of Maharishi University of Management.