Readings in Our Many Selves: Practical Yogic Psychology

Readings in Our Many Selves: Practical Yogic Psychology

Author: Santosh Krinsky

Publisher: Lotus Press

Published: 2024-01-01

Total Pages: 644

ISBN-13: 1608692884

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Who are we? Why are we alive? What are we here to do? What is the meaning and significance of our lives? These questions nag at us at times in our everyday lives until finally we take them up and try to unravel the mystery of our existence and the existence of the universal creation. Sri Aurobindo and the Mother have taken up these questions and provided a way of understanding and a method for progress in finding and applying the solutions we find. They do so by showing us the complex and multiple different ‘selves’ that make up what we believe to be a unified external personality. In fact, we are not so simple, and not so unified in our being. There are conflicting drives and forces at work which create internal conflict and, in many cases, defeat us in the achievement of our highest goals and aspirations. By understanding this complex makeup of our being, we are able to find a path to liberation from this bondage without at the same time, having to totally abandon all action in the world. Our Many Selves: Practical Yogic Psychology, compiled by Dr. A.S. Dalal from the writings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, is an extremely useful text to aid us in the process of self-discovery and self-actualization. It is a benefit to spiritual seekers regardless of the specific path followed, as it is not based on any particular religious or philosophical dogma. At the same time, the deeper understanding provided by this text can aid even those who are not actively and consciously practicing yoga for the sake of self-knowledge or self-realization, as it will help each individual work through the pressures, the internal debates, and inner conflicts that frequently impact the individual's ability to act and succeed in their intended goals, even when they are purely based on fulfilling the external personality. If we can understand the forces that bring us to feeding addictions, procrastinating, living an unhealthy and imbalanced lifestyle, sabotaging our relations with others, then we can begin to achieve a more harmonious and successful life however we choose to define success. Dr. Dala states: “This book is meant to bear out Sri Aurobindo’s oft-quoted statement, ‘Yoga is nothing but practical psychology.’ Generally, yoga is viewed as made up of certain set practices and certain rules and norms pertaining to one’s outer life. In contrast to this view Our Many Selves… present Yoga as consisting essentially in inner psychological work aimed at the transformation of consciousness.”


Book Synopsis Readings in Our Many Selves: Practical Yogic Psychology by : Santosh Krinsky

Download or read book Readings in Our Many Selves: Practical Yogic Psychology written by Santosh Krinsky and published by Lotus Press. This book was released on 2024-01-01 with total page 644 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Who are we? Why are we alive? What are we here to do? What is the meaning and significance of our lives? These questions nag at us at times in our everyday lives until finally we take them up and try to unravel the mystery of our existence and the existence of the universal creation. Sri Aurobindo and the Mother have taken up these questions and provided a way of understanding and a method for progress in finding and applying the solutions we find. They do so by showing us the complex and multiple different ‘selves’ that make up what we believe to be a unified external personality. In fact, we are not so simple, and not so unified in our being. There are conflicting drives and forces at work which create internal conflict and, in many cases, defeat us in the achievement of our highest goals and aspirations. By understanding this complex makeup of our being, we are able to find a path to liberation from this bondage without at the same time, having to totally abandon all action in the world. Our Many Selves: Practical Yogic Psychology, compiled by Dr. A.S. Dalal from the writings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, is an extremely useful text to aid us in the process of self-discovery and self-actualization. It is a benefit to spiritual seekers regardless of the specific path followed, as it is not based on any particular religious or philosophical dogma. At the same time, the deeper understanding provided by this text can aid even those who are not actively and consciously practicing yoga for the sake of self-knowledge or self-realization, as it will help each individual work through the pressures, the internal debates, and inner conflicts that frequently impact the individual's ability to act and succeed in their intended goals, even when they are purely based on fulfilling the external personality. If we can understand the forces that bring us to feeding addictions, procrastinating, living an unhealthy and imbalanced lifestyle, sabotaging our relations with others, then we can begin to achieve a more harmonious and successful life however we choose to define success. Dr. Dala states: “This book is meant to bear out Sri Aurobindo’s oft-quoted statement, ‘Yoga is nothing but practical psychology.’ Generally, yoga is viewed as made up of certain set practices and certain rules and norms pertaining to one’s outer life. In contrast to this view Our Many Selves… present Yoga as consisting essentially in inner psychological work aimed at the transformation of consciousness.”

Our Many Selves

Our Many Selves

Author: Sri Aurobindo

Publisher: Lotus Press

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 292

ISBN-13: 9780940985346

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Many of us face the difficulty of trying to change something in our nature, only to find that it is either difficult or virtually impossible. The key to solving this problem actually lies in a deeper understanding of the true nature of our psychological being. We are actually composed of various different "parts" or "planes" of action that combine together, interact with one another and impinge upon one another. This understanding allows us to differentiate between a mental idea, a force of will, an emotional movement, a vital energy, or a physical structure, and thereby more clearly understand the results of our psychological efforts and growth activities.


Book Synopsis Our Many Selves by : Sri Aurobindo

Download or read book Our Many Selves written by Sri Aurobindo and published by Lotus Press. This book was released on 2003 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many of us face the difficulty of trying to change something in our nature, only to find that it is either difficult or virtually impossible. The key to solving this problem actually lies in a deeper understanding of the true nature of our psychological being. We are actually composed of various different "parts" or "planes" of action that combine together, interact with one another and impinge upon one another. This understanding allows us to differentiate between a mental idea, a force of will, an emotional movement, a vital energy, or a physical structure, and thereby more clearly understand the results of our psychological efforts and growth activities.

Our Many Selves: Practical Yogic Psychology

Our Many Selves: Practical Yogic Psychology

Author: A. S. Dalal

Publisher: Lotus Press (WI)

Published: 2003-01

Total Pages: 285

ISBN-13: 9780940983465

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Many of us face the difficulty of trying to change something in our nature, only to find that it is either difficult or virtually impossible. The key to solving this problem actually lies in a deeper understanding of the true nature of our psychological being. We are actually composed of various different "parts" or "planes" of action that combine together, interact with one another and impinge upon one another. This understanding allows us to differentiate between a mental idea, a force of will, an emotional movement, a vital energy, or a physical structure, and thereby more clearly understand the results of our psychological efforts and growth activities.


Book Synopsis Our Many Selves: Practical Yogic Psychology by : A. S. Dalal

Download or read book Our Many Selves: Practical Yogic Psychology written by A. S. Dalal and published by Lotus Press (WI). This book was released on 2003-01 with total page 285 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many of us face the difficulty of trying to change something in our nature, only to find that it is either difficult or virtually impossible. The key to solving this problem actually lies in a deeper understanding of the true nature of our psychological being. We are actually composed of various different "parts" or "planes" of action that combine together, interact with one another and impinge upon one another. This understanding allows us to differentiate between a mental idea, a force of will, an emotional movement, a vital energy, or a physical structure, and thereby more clearly understand the results of our psychological efforts and growth activities.

Readings in Living Within: The Yoga Approach to Psychological Health and Growth

Readings in Living Within: The Yoga Approach to Psychological Health and Growth

Author: Santosh Krinsky

Publisher: Lotus Press

Published: 2023-10-10

Total Pages: 462

ISBN-13: 160869285X

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What is psychological health and growth? Western psychology tends to define psychological health as the absence of various forms of extreme disturbance or disruption. "Normal" levels of dissatisfaction, upset-ness, are considered to be both acceptable and part of everyday life. It is only when someone experiences a psychological state that drifts into total disorientation, violence, suicidal thoughts, or disassociation from the expectations of society that psychology labels the behavior as unhealthy or harmful. There is, however, another way to look at the issue of psychological health and growth, and that is to affirm the development of positive attributes as representing health. Thus, the individual can find and implement measures to create forward looking and positive directions in his life, and contextualize the obstacles or issues that arise as challenges to be met and overcome along the way. Western psychology has a very rudimentary view of human psychology, perhaps due to the fact that as a science it has been around for a very short period of time and has not yet had the opportunity to look into the vast ranges of human psychology and the complexity of the various aspects of our being and their interaction with one another. Nowadays, as Western psychology has developed, more emphasis is being placed on the wider field of human growth and empowerment, and thus, Western psychology is entering a field long known to the yogic practitioners of India who long ago codified the actions of mind, life and body and found ways to enhance the developmental powers of existence. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras set forth a systematic approach to psychological development, for instance. Many yogic practices are based in a deep understanding of human psychology. In the present volume, Dr. A.S. Dalal bridges the gap between Western psychology and Eastern spirituality as he explores the detailed inner workings of human life and provides at the same time a way of understanding, based on the ground-breaking work of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, which puts the human potential for self-exceeding front and center. Dr. Dalal has compiled this book from the writings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother after first providing a detailed introduction and outline of their approach to facing issues, overcoming disturbances and enhancing peace, creativity, growth and satisfaction in life. He calls upon the principles of yogic psychology to show us the way beyond reactions of anger, fear, anxiety and depression, as well as how to achieve positive mental health and psychological growth. (from the Introduction)


Book Synopsis Readings in Living Within: The Yoga Approach to Psychological Health and Growth by : Santosh Krinsky

Download or read book Readings in Living Within: The Yoga Approach to Psychological Health and Growth written by Santosh Krinsky and published by Lotus Press. This book was released on 2023-10-10 with total page 462 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What is psychological health and growth? Western psychology tends to define psychological health as the absence of various forms of extreme disturbance or disruption. "Normal" levels of dissatisfaction, upset-ness, are considered to be both acceptable and part of everyday life. It is only when someone experiences a psychological state that drifts into total disorientation, violence, suicidal thoughts, or disassociation from the expectations of society that psychology labels the behavior as unhealthy or harmful. There is, however, another way to look at the issue of psychological health and growth, and that is to affirm the development of positive attributes as representing health. Thus, the individual can find and implement measures to create forward looking and positive directions in his life, and contextualize the obstacles or issues that arise as challenges to be met and overcome along the way. Western psychology has a very rudimentary view of human psychology, perhaps due to the fact that as a science it has been around for a very short period of time and has not yet had the opportunity to look into the vast ranges of human psychology and the complexity of the various aspects of our being and their interaction with one another. Nowadays, as Western psychology has developed, more emphasis is being placed on the wider field of human growth and empowerment, and thus, Western psychology is entering a field long known to the yogic practitioners of India who long ago codified the actions of mind, life and body and found ways to enhance the developmental powers of existence. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras set forth a systematic approach to psychological development, for instance. Many yogic practices are based in a deep understanding of human psychology. In the present volume, Dr. A.S. Dalal bridges the gap between Western psychology and Eastern spirituality as he explores the detailed inner workings of human life and provides at the same time a way of understanding, based on the ground-breaking work of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, which puts the human potential for self-exceeding front and center. Dr. Dalal has compiled this book from the writings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother after first providing a detailed introduction and outline of their approach to facing issues, overcoming disturbances and enhancing peace, creativity, growth and satisfaction in life. He calls upon the principles of yogic psychology to show us the way beyond reactions of anger, fear, anxiety and depression, as well as how to achieve positive mental health and psychological growth. (from the Introduction)

Readings in Integral Yoga: Sri Aurobindo's Teaching & Method of Practice

Readings in Integral Yoga: Sri Aurobindo's Teaching & Method of Practice

Author: Santosh Krinsky

Publisher: Lotus Press

Published: 2022-01-01

Total Pages: 888

ISBN-13: 1608692841

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Sri Aurobindo calls us to what he terms an “adventure of consciousness”. Integral yoga was not intended to set forth a specific and rigid set of practices for everyone to follow; rather, it was developed to understand the specific needs of each individual at each stage of development and to employ those methods and practices that would best aid in the further progress for the individual seeker. It also was not targeted at abandoning life. The integral yoga first focuses on achieving the necessary liberation from the fixed habits of body, life and mind that create a framework around each person's life, and then, on bringing down into the being a higher status of consciousness and aiding its transformation of the being in all its aspects. The eventual objective of the integral yoga was to provide conscious support to the natural process of evolution of consciousness, and thereby speed up its advent. The book Integral Yoga: Sri Aurobindo's Teaching and Method of Practice was compiled and organised from among the thousands of letters on yoga that Sri Aurobindo wrote to disciples and others over a number of years. It outlines his philosophical outlook, the background and basis of the integral yoga, and delves into a vast array of details which aid the sincere seeker in understanding the inner workings of consciousness, and helps the seeker to work through the difficulties, obstacles and resistances of nature to truly bring about a transformation of consciousness in all parts of his being.


Book Synopsis Readings in Integral Yoga: Sri Aurobindo's Teaching & Method of Practice by : Santosh Krinsky

Download or read book Readings in Integral Yoga: Sri Aurobindo's Teaching & Method of Practice written by Santosh Krinsky and published by Lotus Press. This book was released on 2022-01-01 with total page 888 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sri Aurobindo calls us to what he terms an “adventure of consciousness”. Integral yoga was not intended to set forth a specific and rigid set of practices for everyone to follow; rather, it was developed to understand the specific needs of each individual at each stage of development and to employ those methods and practices that would best aid in the further progress for the individual seeker. It also was not targeted at abandoning life. The integral yoga first focuses on achieving the necessary liberation from the fixed habits of body, life and mind that create a framework around each person's life, and then, on bringing down into the being a higher status of consciousness and aiding its transformation of the being in all its aspects. The eventual objective of the integral yoga was to provide conscious support to the natural process of evolution of consciousness, and thereby speed up its advent. The book Integral Yoga: Sri Aurobindo's Teaching and Method of Practice was compiled and organised from among the thousands of letters on yoga that Sri Aurobindo wrote to disciples and others over a number of years. It outlines his philosophical outlook, the background and basis of the integral yoga, and delves into a vast array of details which aid the sincere seeker in understanding the inner workings of consciousness, and helps the seeker to work through the difficulties, obstacles and resistances of nature to truly bring about a transformation of consciousness in all parts of his being.

Seven Quartets of Becoming

Seven Quartets of Becoming

Author: Debashish Banerji

Publisher:

Published: 2016

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9788124606230

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Groomed in a modern academic tradition and post-Enlightenment ideals of creative freedom and social critique, Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950) turned his attention to yoga and the limits of consciousness in its ability to relate to and transform nature. In the process, he documented scrupulously his experiments and experiences based on a synergistic existential framework of practice. Debashish Banerji correlates the approach to yoga Sri Aurobindo took in his diaries with his later writings, to derive a description of human subjectivity and its powers. Banerji constellates Sri Aurobindo's approach with transpersonal psychology and contemporary lineages of phenomenology and ontology, to develop a transformative yoga psychology redefining the boundaries and possibilities of the human and opening up lines of self-practice towards a wholeness of being and becoming. Both scholar and Yogi, Aurobindo (1872-1950) carefully documented the unfolding of spiritual consciousness starting shortly after his deep revelatory experiences while in prison in 1908. His observations were recently published in a two volume set, The Record of Yoga. Debashish Banerji has analyzed this work and offers a detailed, clear, systematic and inspirational interpretation of how the Yoga of Sri Aurobindo may be understood and practiced.


Book Synopsis Seven Quartets of Becoming by : Debashish Banerji

Download or read book Seven Quartets of Becoming written by Debashish Banerji and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Groomed in a modern academic tradition and post-Enlightenment ideals of creative freedom and social critique, Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950) turned his attention to yoga and the limits of consciousness in its ability to relate to and transform nature. In the process, he documented scrupulously his experiments and experiences based on a synergistic existential framework of practice. Debashish Banerji correlates the approach to yoga Sri Aurobindo took in his diaries with his later writings, to derive a description of human subjectivity and its powers. Banerji constellates Sri Aurobindo's approach with transpersonal psychology and contemporary lineages of phenomenology and ontology, to develop a transformative yoga psychology redefining the boundaries and possibilities of the human and opening up lines of self-practice towards a wholeness of being and becoming. Both scholar and Yogi, Aurobindo (1872-1950) carefully documented the unfolding of spiritual consciousness starting shortly after his deep revelatory experiences while in prison in 1908. His observations were recently published in a two volume set, The Record of Yoga. Debashish Banerji has analyzed this work and offers a detailed, clear, systematic and inspirational interpretation of how the Yoga of Sri Aurobindo may be understood and practiced.

Foundations of Yoga Psychology

Foundations of Yoga Psychology

Author: K. Ramakrishna Rao

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2017-09-04

Total Pages: 271

ISBN-13: 9811054096

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This book discusses the profound philosophy and practical psychology behind yoga, beyond its popular body-culture aspect. It pays particular attention to the psychological principles involved and their implications for the consummate understanding of human nature. It explores the psychological aspects of yoga theory and practice and discusses the aphorisms in Patanjali’s treatise on Yoga with necessary commentary in current psychological terminology to make them intelligible to students of psychology and other interested readers. Importantly, the author draws out the implications of these aphorisms for future psychological study and research. The book discusses the author’s concept of yoga of nonviolence which brings in Gandhian ideas into the framework of yoga. The author’s own vast experience in creating interfaces of yoga research with practice also informs the discussions in this book. This authoritative and topical book by an eminent academic like Professor Ramakrishna Rao is of interest to scholars and students of diverse disciplines, including but not limited to psychology, philosophy and wellbeing research.


Book Synopsis Foundations of Yoga Psychology by : K. Ramakrishna Rao

Download or read book Foundations of Yoga Psychology written by K. Ramakrishna Rao and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-09-04 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book discusses the profound philosophy and practical psychology behind yoga, beyond its popular body-culture aspect. It pays particular attention to the psychological principles involved and their implications for the consummate understanding of human nature. It explores the psychological aspects of yoga theory and practice and discusses the aphorisms in Patanjali’s treatise on Yoga with necessary commentary in current psychological terminology to make them intelligible to students of psychology and other interested readers. Importantly, the author draws out the implications of these aphorisms for future psychological study and research. The book discusses the author’s concept of yoga of nonviolence which brings in Gandhian ideas into the framework of yoga. The author’s own vast experience in creating interfaces of yoga research with practice also informs the discussions in this book. This authoritative and topical book by an eminent academic like Professor Ramakrishna Rao is of interest to scholars and students of diverse disciplines, including but not limited to psychology, philosophy and wellbeing research.

Readings in Sri Aurobindo's The Synthesis of Yoga Volume 4

Readings in Sri Aurobindo's The Synthesis of Yoga Volume 4

Author: Santosh Krinsky

Publisher: Lotus Press

Published: 2018-01-01

Total Pages: 568

ISBN-13: 1608692272

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Santosh Krinsky has endeavored to make Sri Aurobindo's teachings relevant and readable to the very different audience today, without compromising the essence of his teaching. I do not think that any other writer in America has better represented Aurobindo's teachings today than Santosh. This is a difficult task to be sure but one that he has been able to do consistently and with depth of thought. The reader is guided through short episodes that can constitute a simple yet direct immersion into the heart of Aurobindo's teachings. Krinsky has approached The Synthesis of Yoga in four volumes of which this current book is the fourth and final one, which addresses Sri Aurobindo's unique contribution of the Yoga of Self-Perfection. This helps the reader understand the depths of Yoga and how it can be used to make fundamental changes in our being and character that are more important and enduring than mere outer changes in our body. - David Frawley, author of Yoga and Ayurveda


Book Synopsis Readings in Sri Aurobindo's The Synthesis of Yoga Volume 4 by : Santosh Krinsky

Download or read book Readings in Sri Aurobindo's The Synthesis of Yoga Volume 4 written by Santosh Krinsky and published by Lotus Press. This book was released on 2018-01-01 with total page 568 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Santosh Krinsky has endeavored to make Sri Aurobindo's teachings relevant and readable to the very different audience today, without compromising the essence of his teaching. I do not think that any other writer in America has better represented Aurobindo's teachings today than Santosh. This is a difficult task to be sure but one that he has been able to do consistently and with depth of thought. The reader is guided through short episodes that can constitute a simple yet direct immersion into the heart of Aurobindo's teachings. Krinsky has approached The Synthesis of Yoga in four volumes of which this current book is the fourth and final one, which addresses Sri Aurobindo's unique contribution of the Yoga of Self-Perfection. This helps the reader understand the depths of Yoga and how it can be used to make fundamental changes in our being and character that are more important and enduring than mere outer changes in our body. - David Frawley, author of Yoga and Ayurveda

Memoirs of a Spiritual Outsider

Memoirs of a Spiritual Outsider

Author: Suzanne Clores

Publisher: Conari Press

Published: 2000-10-11

Total Pages: 294

ISBN-13: 1609255321

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Cultivating a spiritual practice among hip, urbane Generation Next-ers is "as unpopular as letter writing," muses author Suzanne Clores. Yet her exploration of nontraditional religions and her conversations with other seekers offer a fascinating glimpse into the hearts and minds of young women searching for meaning in a secular world. Fed up with a life that is comfortable yet lacking in substance, Clores sets out to find "authentic spirituality." By examining her own and other women's postcollege longing for spirituality, she attempts to unravel the dilemma of a generation that didn't grow up with a religious emphasis. The result is one of the first books to mirror young women's yearning for a spiritual path they can fully and wholeheartedly embrace.


Book Synopsis Memoirs of a Spiritual Outsider by : Suzanne Clores

Download or read book Memoirs of a Spiritual Outsider written by Suzanne Clores and published by Conari Press. This book was released on 2000-10-11 with total page 294 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cultivating a spiritual practice among hip, urbane Generation Next-ers is "as unpopular as letter writing," muses author Suzanne Clores. Yet her exploration of nontraditional religions and her conversations with other seekers offer a fascinating glimpse into the hearts and minds of young women searching for meaning in a secular world. Fed up with a life that is comfortable yet lacking in substance, Clores sets out to find "authentic spirituality." By examining her own and other women's postcollege longing for spirituality, she attempts to unravel the dilemma of a generation that didn't grow up with a religious emphasis. The result is one of the first books to mirror young women's yearning for a spiritual path they can fully and wholeheartedly embrace.

Yoga, Karma, and Rebirth

Yoga, Karma, and Rebirth

Author: Stephen Phillips

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Published: 2009-06-26

Total Pages: 370

ISBN-13: 0231144849

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For serious yoga practitioners curious to know the ancient origins of the art, Stephen Phillips, a professional philosopher and sanskritist with a long-standing personal practice, lays out the philosophies of action, knowledge, and devotion as well as the processes of meditation, reasoning, and self-analysis that formed the basis of yoga in ancient and classical India and continue to shape it today. In discussing yoga's fundamental commitments, Phillips explores traditional teachings of hatha yoga, karma yoga, bhakti yoga, and tantra, and shows how such core concepts as self-monitoring consciousness, karma, nonharmfulness ( ahimsa), reincarnation, and the powers of consciousness relate to modern practice. He outlines values implicit in bhakti yoga and the tantric yoga of beauty and art and explains the occult psychologies of koshas, skandhas, and chakras. His book incorporates original translations from the early Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Yoga Sutra (the entire text), the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, and seminal tantric writings of the tenth-century Kashmiri Shaivite, Abhinava Gupta. A glossary defining more than three hundred technical terms and an extensive bibliography offer further help to nonscholars. A remarkable exploration of yoga's conceptual legacy, Yoga, Karma, and Rebirth crystallizes ideas about self and reality that unite the many incarnations of yoga.


Book Synopsis Yoga, Karma, and Rebirth by : Stephen Phillips

Download or read book Yoga, Karma, and Rebirth written by Stephen Phillips and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2009-06-26 with total page 370 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For serious yoga practitioners curious to know the ancient origins of the art, Stephen Phillips, a professional philosopher and sanskritist with a long-standing personal practice, lays out the philosophies of action, knowledge, and devotion as well as the processes of meditation, reasoning, and self-analysis that formed the basis of yoga in ancient and classical India and continue to shape it today. In discussing yoga's fundamental commitments, Phillips explores traditional teachings of hatha yoga, karma yoga, bhakti yoga, and tantra, and shows how such core concepts as self-monitoring consciousness, karma, nonharmfulness ( ahimsa), reincarnation, and the powers of consciousness relate to modern practice. He outlines values implicit in bhakti yoga and the tantric yoga of beauty and art and explains the occult psychologies of koshas, skandhas, and chakras. His book incorporates original translations from the early Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Yoga Sutra (the entire text), the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, and seminal tantric writings of the tenth-century Kashmiri Shaivite, Abhinava Gupta. A glossary defining more than three hundred technical terms and an extensive bibliography offer further help to nonscholars. A remarkable exploration of yoga's conceptual legacy, Yoga, Karma, and Rebirth crystallizes ideas about self and reality that unite the many incarnations of yoga.