Beyond Power Yoga: 8 Levels of Practice for Body and Soul by Beryl Bender Birch Average Rating: "As a committed beginning yoga student--6+ months practicing--this is exactly what I have been looking for. In the West few yoga teachers are willing to make the spiritual and ehthical connections that are an essential part of yoga--union--mind and body, world and spirit. Perhaps they feel that American students are only looking for a "workout." But as the body bends and becomes more flexible, so can the mind. The energy that makes you physically strong also can liberate your spirit from the many weights that drag it down. Birch's writing is not only clear and helpful, but very moving. Reading this book, and starting to integrate the practices into one's whole life, will open up a lot of unexplored places in your life. She interprets the yoga philosophy in terms that speak directly to the student. I think she is especially helpful to women practitioners, since so much of the traditional yoga culture has been male. Wonderful--very highly recommended!" Publisher: Fireside | More reviews: amazon.com
Exploring Meditation (Exploring Series) by Susan Shumsky Average Rating: "Susan Shumsky's book goes one step further than claiming to be great for beginners -- it truly delivers. Offering meditation for the meditatively challenged, yoga exercises for couch potatoes, karma for skeptics, prayer for the faithless and enlightenment for the ignorant -- EXPLORING MEDITATION blazes new trails into eastern philosophy that almost anyone can easily master. Written in a clear, descriptive, straightforward style, this book opens the doors to understanding non-duality, chakras, ESP (extra-sensory perception), karma, yoga, meditation, intuition, healing, vedas, gunas, and spirit.I personally most enjoy reading the sections on how to trouble-shoot one's meditation problems. Have you ever intended to meditate, but kept finding the same tedious thoughts racing through your mind? How about the problem of listening carefully, but not getting any clear messages? Susan Shumsky answers all these questions and more with grace and aplomb.Have you longed for a "Do-Nothing" method of meditation? Would you like to learn the art of yogic breathing, and discover how grace overcomes karma? Are you ready to become spiritually street-smart? Are you interested in learning what we are made of and how we fit into the cosmos? Do you want to discover the personal aspects of your divine, higher self? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you'll definitely get a lot out of this book." Publisher: Career Press | More reviews: amazon.com
The Yoga of Discipline by Swami Chidvilasananda Average Rating: "The chapter on eating is absolutely essential for anyone with food issues. It's a totally spiritual approach to eating and food that has changed my life, and my health. Don't be fooled by the word "discipline." Gurumayi is a yogi and when she talks about discipline it has nothing to do with harsh restrictions or anything like that. With food, for example, she talks about its sacredness, and how it is a form of God. One of her main teachings is that God dwells within everyone and she goes into an explanation of how when we eat we are actually feeding God within us. She presents the body as a temple of God, something that's sacred because of that and so it's important to treat the body with the highest respect. Eating, she says, is an incredibly sacred act. Food itself is sacred. This is such an uplifting and life-changing book for me. Since reading it I have come to respect my body and take care of it. I've changed my dietery habits and feel much better about the way I eat, what I eat. I'm more conscious. I highly recommend this book." Publisher: Siddha Yoga Publications | More reviews: amazon.com
The Practice of the Six Yogas of Naropa by Glenn H. Mullin An important practice manual on the six yogas as well as text translations related to this ancient practice. Publisher: Snow Lion Publications | More reviews: amazon.com
Sadhana Guidelines: For Kundalini Yoga Daily Practice by M. S. S. Gurucharan Singh Khalsa Average Rating: "For years the standard basic yoga manaual for 3HO (Healhy Happy Holy) Organization. Authorized by world reknowned yoga instructor Gurucharan Singh Khalsa it has it all! Yoga postures, yoga sets, breathwork and mudras. An abundance of clear and very detailed instruction. Includes articles on yoga." Publisher: Arcline Publications | More reviews: amazon.com
Taoist Yoga and Sexual Energy; Internal Alchemy and Chi Kung by Eric Yudelove Average Rating: "I began with Tao Yoga reading Mantak Chia's books - they're great ! This one presents essentially the same knowledge, with some minor add ons (and leave outs). What I liked about it is the well structered approach (something I missed with Chia) and the excellent illustrations. I recommend it as an introduction to Tao Yoga. If you can afford it get the Chia books as well. And YES, my sex life got a hell lot more exciting!" Publisher: Llewellyn Publications | More reviews: amazon.com
Dream Yoga and the Practice of Natural Light, Revised by Chogyal N Norbu Average Rating: "What a gift! This book will introuduce you to a whole new level of dream understanding. Rather than seeing dreams as messages from the Psyche, the Dzogchen tradition of Tibet views them as an opportunity to recognize and interact with the foundations of your life. At Play in venue of your existence you can make changes and recognize the source of all that you experience. This is no "how to" silly book about lucid dreaming, but an invitation to have the most profound experience of your dreams availible. This is no patchwork technique to amuse you , but an introduction to a disciplinee that will serve you for eternity. The skills acquired in this book will aid you for this life, after your death, and in many lives to come." Publisher: Snow Lion Publications | More reviews: amazon.com
Self-Awakening Yoga: The Expansion of Consciousness through the Body's Own Wisdom by Don Stapleton Average Rating: "Hello, I've been teaching yoga for a year now, different styles such as Fitness Yoga, Yoga for children, beginners yoga, yoga with the blind. I was finding that my students ( and myself !! ) really were never in a STATE of YOGA with our bodies while doing yoga poses. Then I dicovered Feldenkrais, which although it has many definitions, could be said to be movement awareness and education. Through it, I finally found a way to feel my entire being in the pose, and find an effortlessness to even the most challenging activities. Don Stapleton uses this same approach but makes it more user-friendly for someone with a yoga background, so we see familiar poses that he breaks down to their essence, then invites us to fully explore what our bodies do to get there. He goes deeper by also exploring how to feel the hara and the chakras, but this is not his main focus. I shudder to think how many times I have performed a simple cobra and didn't feel the subtle changes in my fingertips, my toes, my pelvis, and an effortless way to anchor my tailbone to the floor without the usual 'tighten the legs, tighten the buttocks' approach. This book has become my bible on how to connect with my body....the real essence of yoga, after all.
Just today I introduced a blind student to the basic techniques of scanning the body, noticing subtle changes in weight distribution etc and he started smiling...for the first time today he actually felt his entire body during Tree, including his ankles, his elbows, his fingertips. It was awe-inspiring. He also said today was the first day in his 57 year old life he understood the mind-body ocnnection. What better praise for a book. " Publisher: Healing Arts Press | More reviews: amazon.com
Self-Inquiry - Dawn of the Witness and the End of Suffering by Yogani Average Rating: "In the "AYP Enlightenment Series", Yogani presents what is probably the most comprehensive and complete course in Yoga that is currently available. He covers all the bases, ranging from the popularly-known aspects of Yoga such as Asanas, through the controversial and largely secret, such as Tantra and Advanced Kecharimudra. His emphasis in the Series is on teaching Yoga practically, rather than in creating an academic understanding, and in this he succeeds very well.
Jnana Yoga is one aspect of Yoga that has always been notoriously difficult to teach -- and it has been taught, not necessarily under that name or even under the name of Yoga at all, by many teachers over time. It's essence is hard to capture but one short (though inadequate) definition is 'The Yoga of Understanding'. It has long histories of enthusiastic teachers and disappointed disciples. This book, 'Self-Inquiry - Dawn of the Witness and the End of Suffering', is a short and effective course on Jnana Yoga, or Self-Inquiry as Yogani calls it.
It will be effective because Yogani has understood and explained the pre-conditions for Self-Inquiry. The book invites you to Self-Inquiry, in the presence of its pre-conditions, and explains how to continually cultivate those pre-conditions. In conjunction with other books in his series, particularly Deep Meditation, this is a great book for anyone who wants to penetrate the spiritual reality within.
" Publisher: AYP Publishing | More reviews: amazon.com
Eight Limbs of Yoga - The Structure and Pacing of Self-Directed Spiritual Practice by Yogani Average Rating: "The Eight Limbs of Yoga by Yogani masterfully ties in the ancient Yoga Sutras of Patanjali into a precise road map for the modern day spiritual traveler.
Yogani clearly shows the reader the process of opening the nervous system which he describes as the "Gateway to the Divine."
If you want to start your personal journey to enlightenment, I strongly recommend The Eight Limbs of Yoga, and in fact all of Yogani books in the Enlightenment Series, starting with Deep Meditation Pathway to Personal Freedom. " Publisher: AYP Publishing | More reviews: amazon.com
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