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In this step by step program Swami Rama Outlines the basic physical exercise mental discipline and ethical commitments of Raja Yoga the Royal Path to self transfromation and enlightmen.

What can readers expect to find inside?

The basics named are physical exercise, mental discipline and ethical commitments.

What is Lessons on Yoga: Royal Path about?

The description calls it a step by step program in which Swami Rama outlines the basics of Raja Yoga, the Royal Path to self transformation and enlightenment.

This summary is based on the book description on the Amazon page. The description is brief, so look at the Amazon page for the full contents.

What is Raja yoga, and how does it relate to meditation and relaxation?

“Raja” is the Sanskrit word for king, and Raja yoga is often called the royal path. Within the classical tradition it is associated with mental discipline, ethics and meditation rather than with advanced postures. The NCCIH yoga and safety page describes yoga as originally a spiritual discipline, with classical yoga covering far more than the physical postures.

Mental training of this kind overlaps with techniques studied today. The NCCIH page on relaxation techniques describes relaxation techniques as practices that help bring about the body’s “relaxation response”, characterized by slower breathing, lower blood pressure and a reduced heart rate. It lists breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, tai chi and qigong among the approaches. Slow, deep breathing is a good starting point, because it needs no equipment and can be done in a few minutes.

On the research side, the NCCIH meditation page calls meditation generally safe, yet a review found around 8 percent of participants reporting an unwelcome effect, so go slowly and stop if it feels distressing. People with a mental health condition should speak to a clinician before intensive practice. Nothing here is treatment advice. Begin with a few minutes a day.

More on this blog: Where Did Yoga Come From? Its Meaning, Early Texts and What Scholars Can Say and A Short History of Yoga: From Ancient Texts to Hatha Classes and a Record Number of Americans

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