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Here is a comprehensive survey of the full breadth and depth of the 5,000-year-old Yoga tradition, emphasizing its potent philosophy and spiritual vision. Georg Feuerstein demonstrates that Yoga is much more than a system of physical exercises—it is a profound path of self-transformation that encompasses a range of teachings, practices, and sacred texts that can help us cultivate wisdom, balance, and inner freedom, as well as physical health.Feuerstein is one of the few Western scholar-teachers of Yoga whose writing and teaching penetrate the full richness and depth of this ancient tradition. Here he offers a collection of essays touching on all facets of the discipline.
Topics include:
The different branches and styles of Yoga
The ethical teachings of Yoga
Yoga and vegetarianism
Meditation and mantras
Choosing a teacher
Tantric Yoga
The experience of ecstasy
A collection of classic essays by two highly regarded scholars on the development of yoga and its rapport with other religious traditions.Georg Feuerstein, one of the world's foremost scholars of yoga, and Jeanine Miller, long recognized for her insightful commentaries on the RgVeda, here pool their considerable talents in a look at the development of yogic thought across the ages and its similarities with the Christian mysticism of Meister Eckhart. Two of their essays included here, one concerning the essence of yoga and the other looking at the meaning of suffering in yoga, have long been singled out by indologists for correcting prevalent misconceptions and providing a conceptual framework for many of the subsequent studies in that field. The reprinting of these important essays in The Essence of Yoga gives new readers a chance to share some of the authors' earliest insights into yoga and their deep conviction that these discoveries are of the highest significance for a proper understanding of the human condition.
This is the first comprehensive and systematic analytical study of the major philosophical concepts of classical yoga. The book consists of a series of detailed discussions of the key concepts used by Patanjali in his Yoga-Sutra to describe and explain the enigma of human existence and to point a way beyond the perpetual motion of the wheel of becoming. Feuerstein's study differs from previous ones in that it seeks to free Patanjali's aphoristic statements from the accretions of later interpretations; instead, the author places the Sutra in its original context and sees it as the source of the whole edifice of classical yoga and not just as a summary of previous developments. This book will be of interest to comparative religionists, Indologists, and practitioners of yoga who wish to deepen their understanding of its philosophical basis.
This comprehensive desktop encyclopedia gives an authentic portrayal of a rich and highly complex spiritual tradition of India, with its history, its many approaches, schools, and teachers, its scriptures, and its technical terminology. The book is arranged and written so that, in spite of the wealth of detail provided, it will inform rather than overwhelm the lay reader, while at the same time offering valuable references for the professional researcher and historian of religion. Among its unique features: Each entry has cross-references providing pertinent conceptual links.
Entries are in English alphabetical order, unlike
comparable reference works that follow Sanskrit alphabetical order, which is difficult for the lay reader to follow.
Orientational entries furnish an overview of central aspects to the Yoga tradition, such as history, psychology, and major branches.
Many entries cite or even quote original sources, shedding light on how a given term is used by traditional Yoga authorities.
This overview of the essentials of Yoga--understood not merely as a system of exercises but as a full-fledged spiritual tradition--is meant to both broaden and deepen the understanding of beginning students. It covers all the basic elements of this ancient discipline and philosophy of India and includes newly translated excerpts from the scriptures. Special attention is given to branches of Yoga, such as Tantra, that are of great interest to Western students but frequently misunderstood. The topics covered include:- The principal branches of Yoga
- Moral principles
- Meditation and concentration
- Control of the breath
- The physical exercises of Hatha Yoga
- Diet
- Mantras: sacred sounds of power
- The powerful psychospiritual energy known as Kundalini
- The transmutation of sexual energy
- The teacher-student relationship
- Suggestions for further reading and other resources
An introductory anthology to the wide range of knowledge and wisdom of the Yoga tradition edited, with many new translations, by the leading writer on Yoga today. Millions of Americans have taken up the practice of yoga as a way of reducing stress, increasing flexibility, and improving overall health. But Yoga is more than a physical discipline it is a four-thousand-year-old tradition with a rich philosophical and spiritual heritage. The readings in this book offer an inspirational introduction to this vast treasury of literature. Presented here is a wide range of the most accessible writings, including: Teachings on the path of liberation from the ancient Hindu Upanishads Tevotional love songs in praise of Krishna by the celebrated poet Mirabai (1498–1550) Insights on the attainment of joy from the great Sanskrit epic Mahabharata Inspiring sayings and teachings from contemporary masters like Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda, and Gopi Krishna Notes for each selection are provided, as well as an annotated reading list to guide readers in their further study of the Yoga tradition.
This overview of the essentials of Yoga is meant to both broaden and deepen the understanding of beginning students. It covers all the basic elements of this ancient discipline and philosophy of India—including Yoga poses, diet, breath control, meditation, mantras, Kundalini energy, and more. It also includes newly translated excerpts from the scriptures and pays special attention to branches of Yoga, such as Tantra, that are of great interest to Western students but are frequently misunderstood.
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Discover the powerful spiritual and physical roots of Yoga with Georg Feuerstein - the foremost Western authority on the Yoga tradition.What has become the most popular form of exercise in the West is an ancient and rich tradition, the understanding of which can transform one's Yoga practice from mere exercise to a holistic spiritual, emotional and physical practice.
With a comprehensive presentation covering the history as well as psychology of Yoga practice and literature, Feuerstein's authoritative book delves into lesser known forms of Yoga such as Raja Yoga, Bhakta Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Mantra Yoga, Tantra Yoga and Jnana Yoga.