Yoga Masters The Living Wisdom Series

by Forstater, Mark; Manuel, Jo

• ISBN13: 9780452283640
• ISBN10: 0452283647
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-11-26
• Publisher: Plume

Summary

In recent decades, the timeless practice of yoga has gained increasing popularity throughout the western world. However, many practitioners don't fully understand the philosophy behind yoga. In a book based on his popular Spiritual Teachings series, Mark Forstater, with yoga instructor Jo Manuel, illuminates the meaning of this Far Eastern practice and makes it comprehensible for modern followers. Combining the significance of the ancient texts with the knowledge and insights of today's practitioners, Yoga Mastersdistills the essence of yoga into a highly readable and readily applicable guide to its millennia-old theories and practices. Beginning with an introduction to the theory and the philosophy behind yoga, the book also contains new translations of the primary yoga scriptures. The yoga teachings of the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Yoga Sutras hold the keys to self-awareness and the all-important sense of who we are. It is through seeking and understanding this inner truth that we can develop confidence, strength, and tranquility, and realize our limitless potential for happiness and well-being. Whether the reader is a beginning or advanced student or an experienced practitioner, Yoga Masterswill add new depth and meaning to anyone's current yoga practice.

Author Biography

Mark Forstater is the author of a series of books on spirituality and philosophy published in the U.K. An American producer with over twenty-five years experience in film and television, he currently lives awith his wife Jo Manuel, who is a yoga teacher, and their daughter Cleo.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	7	(6)
PART ONE: YOGA IS A LIVING PHILOSOPHY	13	(138)
Preface	15	(4)
A View from Above	19	(4)
The Aim of Yoga	23	(15)
Yoga as a Tool	38	(6)
Patanjali's Classical Yoga System	44	(8)
How We See the World	52	(6)
The Ashtanga System	58	(2)
Ethical and Spiritual Training	60	(12)
Physical Training: Asanas	72	(4)
Breath Control -- Pranayama	76	(5)
Meditation	81	(4)
The Origins of Yoga	85	(25)
The Upanishads: The Secret Teachings	110	(19)
The Search for Wholeness	129	(5)
A Conversation with God	134	(11)
The Last Word	145	(6)
PART TWO: YOGA'S SACRED SCRIPTURES	151	(2)
The Secret Teachings: Selections from the Upanishads	153	(64)
The Bhagavad Gita (the Celestial Song)	217	(60)
The Yoga Sutras	277