Author Archive

How to Know God by Patanjali

by on Sunday, September 11th, 2011

How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali by Patanjali Real Yoga Instruction The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali is a major work on the practice of yoga and meditation. Through these ancient aphorisms you will learn how to control your mind and achieve inner peace and freedom. Although these methods were taught over 2,000 years ago, they are as alive and effective today as they have ever been. The 2008 edition has been reset and now has an extensive index for reference. Personal Review: How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali by Patanjali 1. Best book on spiritual growth and Yoga I have ever read, by far, out of many dozens. I would give it 20 stars if I could. This book is spot on. Brief, to the point, and powerful. No new Age fru fru stuff in here – this is for someone who really wants to start a disciplined spiritual practice that really will lead them somewhere. Amazing.

Translated with a commentary by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood.
Learn how you can control your mind and achieve inner freedom and peace through methods taught for over 2,000 years.

Yoga Nidra by Richard Miller PhD

by on Monday, September 5th, 2011

One of the most enjoyable parts of a yoga class comes when we rest in savasana—the “corpse” pose—and realize deep serenity, a sense of eff ortless joy, and a glimpse into our true nature as unqualified presence. How is this so? Master teacher Richard Miller explains that this experience is a manifestation of yoga nidra, the meditative state of mind-body union at the heart of all yoga practice. A powerful integration of book and CD audio learning, Yoga Nidra is an ancient tantric yoga path that leads to inner freedom. Th rough accessible language appropriate for any level of practice, Miller takes us step by step through the traditional techniques of relaxation and meditation to help us move toward the realization of “unqualified presence”—the ultimate aim of yoga—a goal unreachable through posture practice alone. Through his expert guidance, students will experience: • Deep relaxation for relief from day-to-day stress • The development of “one-pointedness”—a key to spiritual awakening • Healing from painful emotions, such as fear, grief, and anger • More effective and energizing sleep, and much more Suitable for both beginners and advanced practitioners—but new to most Westerners—Yoga Nidra provides an unmatched way to experience the culmination of the art of yoga, and the deeper physical, emotional, and spiritual rewards that are its promise.

Holy Yoga by Brooke Boon

by on Friday, September 2nd, 2011

In Holy Yoga Author and yoga instructor Brooke Boon has combined her devotion to Christianity with her passion for a healthy body and mind to create a fitness book designed specifically for Christians. Through prayer, breath work, and movement Brooke teaches you how to worship the Lord and Savior, physically and spiritually. Includes a 50-minute instructional DVD.

People often equate yoga with Eastern religion, but Brooke Boon sees it as an exercise style that Christians can use to generate patience, strength, and deeper worship. Author and yoga instructor Brooke Boon combines her passion for Christianity with her commitment to health to introduce yoga as a physical and spiritual discipline that strengthens the body and the soul. Clear explanations and photographs make yoga accessible for any reader, and Brooke offers customized routines for readers struggling with specific issues, such as weight loss and anxiety. Through it all Brooke uses scriptural references to help reinforce the idea that by taking care of our bodies we can also take care of our faith.

Yoga for Transformation by Gary Kraftsow

by on Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011

While there is no denying yoga’s popularity as a form of physical exercise, the other life-enhancing aspects of this tradition remain obscure to many Westerners. In Yoga for Transformation, Gary Kraftsow introduces techniques that treat not only the physical body but also the emotions, mind, heart, and soul of the practitioner-the places where real transformation can take place. There are breathing techniques to control energy levels, exercises to train and sharpen the intellect, and meditative practices to help increase self-awareness. With more than 350 black and white photographs throughout, this unique and accessible book is dedicated to strengthening the whole self-body, mind, and spirit.

Geshe Michael Roach The Essential Yoga Sutra

by on Monday, August 22nd, 2011

The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali is a classic Sanskrit treatise consisting of 195 “threads,” or aphorisms, describing the process of liberation through yoga. Although little is known about Patanjali (most scholars estimate that he lived in India circa 200–300 b.c.), his writings have long been recognized as a vital contribution to the philosophy and practice of yoga. This new, expert translation of the original Sanskrit text of Patanjali’s best-known work presents his seminal ideas and methods in accessible, plain-language English.

Patanjali organized the sutra into four parts: Samadhi (absorption), Sadhana (practice), Vibhuti (supernatural powers), and Kaivalya (liberation). Each represents a step in breaking free of our limited definition of consciousness and training the mind to achieve oneness with the universe. Geshe Michael Roach, one of the most respected teachers of Tibetan Buddhism in America and a renowned scholar of Sanskrit, provides authoritative commentary on each of the sutras. His notes and clarification are straightforward and highly readable, untainted by obscure, academic terminology or New Age jargon. The first edition of the Yoga Sutra to present a Buddhist perspective, this paperback original will be welcomed by students and spiritual seekers alike.
Author Bio:
GESHE MICHAEL ROACH is a fully ordained Buddhist monk and has been a teacher of Buddhism since 1981. He is also a scholar of Sanskrit, Tibetan, and Russian, and has translated many works in these languages into English. He founded the Asian Classics Institute and the Asian Classics Input Project and has been active in the restoration of the Sera Mey Tibetan Monastery, where he received his training. He lives in New York and Arizona.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra is a foundational ancient text that examines the purpose and practice of yoga. Longtime American Buddhist teacher Roach, who holds the distinguished title of geshe (comparable to a Ph.D. in Buddhist religious studies), provides commentary to McNally’s fresh translation of this aphoristic text from ca. 250 B.C.E. Yoga means union, and this interpretation unites the ways of Buddhism and yoga, making it useful for students of either practice. Roach’s commentary reveals the text’s logic and organization, unpacking its density in 108 short sections, each devoted to a few lines of the text. An index of important ideas in the sutra is helpful. Like any classic sacred text, this one is deceptively simple, inviting study, as Roach notes (“Now that you’ve read this book, you need to use it”). The text is dense and the commentary short, so this is not a book for beginners. The subtitle is misleading: as how-to books go, this is fairly abstract (“Everything we see around us is either at work or at rest”), lacking real anecdotes or examples to illustrate ideas. But for more experienced students and those interested in the intersection between yoga and Buddhism, this is a stimulating presentation of an influential text. (Aug. 16) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.