Through full-color, three-dimensional illustrations of the skeleton, major muscles, tendons, and ligaments, Dr. Ray Long describes the science behind yoga. A board certified orthopedic surgeon who has studied yoga for more than 20 years, Dr. Long combines his knowledge of anatomy with his understanding of yoga to present the anatomic structures that are key to your practice of this discipline. The book balances art, science, and spirituality as it traces the forces at work throughout your ...

The Mat Companion series is designed to assist you in understanding the functional anatomy of yoga. Although all yoga poses are interrelated, for learning purposes we have subdivided them into categories according to their general form. This first book of the series shows how to combine Western scientific knowedge with the practice of Vinyasa Flow and the standing poses. In Vinyasa we repeat a foundational series of postures that encircle individual asanas from the other pose categories. T...

Using detailed, full-color illustrations of the human muscu-loskeletal system, orthopedic surgeon and founder of Bandha Yoga, Dr. Ray Long, reveals the anatomical and physiological truths at the core of 55 fundamental poses of yoga. He examines the form of these poses from an anatomical perspective to reveal their unique function in the practice of yoga. With a stunning combination of graphic and textual information, Dr. Long illustrates the specific groups of muscles that work together to...

As the Chinese proverb states, when you cannot reach an important goal, keep the goal but change your strategy. Yoga poses, like goals, can sometimes be difficult to achieve. What are your options when you cannot attain a posture? You can give up on progressing in the pose or you can change your approach to attain it. Changing strategies requires resourcefulness. Draw on this to break through blockages and safely attain the asanas. The Mat Companion series provides you with these resources...

Practicing yoga is not necessarily the path of least resistance. And although the Sanskrit word asana translates to mean “a comfortable, easy position,” most yoga poses are neither comfortable nor easy. Working with them, however, makes daily life more comfortable and easy. So why integrate Western science into the ancient art of Hatha Yoga? Because scientific techniques enable you to intelligently design your practice and give you confidence in your teaching. Hatha Yoga works with the bod...

The Mat Companion series provides a methodical approach for using science to balance and connect the body and mind in yoga. The fourth book concludes the series with arm balances and inversions—two pose categories that clearly integrate opposites within the body. In our bipedal form, the hips and lower extremities are the weight-bearing construct. The more mobile shoulders and upper extremities allow us to interact with the world. In arm balances, we invert this construct, thereby strength...

This valuable book provides a complete manual for the study and practice of Raja Yoga, the path of concentration and meditation. This new deluxe printing of these timeless teachings is a treasure to be read and referred to again and again by seekers treading the spiritual path. The classic Sutras (thought-threads), at least 4,000 years old, cover the yogic teachings on ethics, meditation, and physical postures, and provide directions for dealing with situations in daily life.

Note that due to the limitations of some ereading devices not all diacritical marks can be shown.BKS Iyengar’s translation and commentary on these ancient yoga sutras has been described as the “bible” of yoga.This edition contains an introduction by BKS Iyengar, as well as a foreword by Godfrey Devereux, author of Dynamic Yoga.Patanjali wrote this collection of yoga wisdom over 2,000 years ago. They are amongst the world’s most revered and ancient teachings and are t...

A comprehensive sourcebook for the study and practice of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, yoga philosophy’s consummate classic text, by one of its most inspiring modern teachers. Extensive cross-referencing, a sutras-by-subject index, section by section previews and reviews, study guide for teachers and students, a word-for-word sutra dictionary, Sanskrit glossary, and down-to-earth hints for daily practice. A unique, must-have treasure for spiritual seekers from beginner to advanced.

One of the greatest classics of spiritual discipline ever written, revealing a timeless path to mastery of the mind and inner freedom.Although yoga is mentioned in the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita, it was Patanjali who first gave this ancient tradition its clear and systematic form. In a series of 195 concise aphorisms, he set forth a practical discipline aimed at training the mind, refining awareness, and leading the seeker toward a deeper knowledg...

Stephen Mitchell is widely known for his ability to make ancient masterpieces thrillingly new, to step in where many have tried before and create versions that are definitive for our time. His celebrated version of the Tao Te Ching is the most popular edition in print, and his translations of Jesus, Rilke, Genesis, and Job have won the hearts of readers and critics alike. Stephen Mitchell now brings to the Bhagavad Gita his gift for breathing new life into sacred texts.The Bhagavad...

**A revised edition of the groundbreaking New Age book that seamlessly merges Western psychology and science with spirituality, creating a compelling interpretation of the Eastern chakra system and its relevance for Westerners today“A useful tool for contemplating our strengths, weaknesses, and appropriate approaches to growth.”—Yoga Journal**In Eastern Body, Western Mind, chakra authority Anodea Judith brought a fresh approach to the yoga-based Eastern ch...