'An indispensable companion for all interested in yoga, both scholars and practitioners' Professor Alexis G. J. S. Sanderson Despite yoga's huge global popularity, relatively little of its roots is known among practitioners. This compendium includes a wide range of texts from different schools of yoga, languages and eras: among others, key passages from the early Upanisads and the Mahabharata, and from the Tantric, Buddhist and Jaina traditions, with many pieces in scholarly translation for the first time. Covering yoga's varying definitions, its most important practices, such as posture, breath control, sensory withdrawal and meditation, as well as models of the esoteric and physical bodies, Roots of Yoga is a unique and essential source of knowledge. Translated and Edited with an Introduction by James Mallinson and Mark Singleton

Yoga, tantra and other forms of Asian meditation are practised in modernized forms throughout the world today, but most introductions to Hinduism or Buddhism tell only part of the story of how they developed. This book is an interpretation of the history of Indic religions up to around 1200 CE, with particular focus on the development of yogic and tantric traditions. It assesses how much we really know about this period, and asks what sense we can make of the evolution of yogic and tantric practices, which were to become such central and important features of the Indic religious scene. Its originality lies in seeking to understand these traditions in terms of the total social and religious context of South Asian society during this period, including the religious practices of the general population with their close engagement with family, gender, economic life and other pragmatic concerns.

Rather than a hatha how-to guide with asanas and step-by-step instructions,The Spiritual Roots of Yogaexplains yoga’s origin and underlying philosophy. The book dives straight to the heart of the yogic tradition embodied in the figure of Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, an understanding broadened through an examination of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra. It then provides the framework for an accessible comparison between yoga and Christian, Buddhist, and other systems of thought. The author of several acclaimed interfaith studies, Ravi Ravindra writes from a deep understanding of not only the philosophy but the context from which yoga evolved, as well as its standing within the community of religious thought and practice, offering practitioners and other spiritual pilgrims a deeper appreciation of the tradition.

Yoga is now internationally an integral part of our health-conscious cultural landscape. It is practiced by millions for health and fitness reasons. While Yoga is seen and practiced mostly as a body exercise program, the interest in the philosophical and spiritual dimension of Yoga is growing. This book introduces us to Patanjali, the founder of ancient Yoga in India. It takes us step by step into a deeper understanding of the essence and origins of Yoga. Osho introduces and unlocks Patanjali's ancient sutras, revealing how contemporary this ancient message truly is. It quickly becomes clear that we are just on the cusp of a gaining a much deeper understanding of Yoga and its place in our evolving world. Surprisingly, the mind even more than the body is the focus of Patanjali’s teaching. He says: "Yoga is the cessation of mind." As Osho says: "This is the definition of Yoga, the best definition. Yoga has been defined in many ways; there are many definitions. Some say Yoga is the meeting of the mind with the divine; hence, it is called yoga – yoga means meeting, joining together. Some say that Yoga means dropping the ego, ego is the barrier: the moment you drop the ego you are joined to the divine. You were already joined; it only appeared that you were not joined because of the ego. There are many definitions, but Patanjali’s is the most scientific. He says: Yoga is the cessation of mind. “What is the mind? What is the mind doing there? What is it? Ordinarily we think that mind is something substantial there, inside the head. Patanjali doesn’t agree, and no one who has ever known the inside of the mind will agree. Modern science also doesn’t agree. Mind is not something substantial inside the head. Mind is just a function, just an activity."

Providing simple explanations of the various philosophical strands underpinning yoga as well as guidance on how to integrate them into teaching, this practical work from Wendy Teasdill concerns itself with values that are often lost in modern-day practice. It looks at balance, moderation, introspection, self-development and liberation, integrating these into asana practices in a way that deepens the experience. Each chapter covers a particular aspect of yoga philosophy in the key texts, with links to asana, pranayama, moral codes, as well as some contemporary issues such as orthorexia, the question of cultural appropriation, the role of the guru, misuse of power and recognition of authenticity in an ever-evolving scene. By presenting practical skills rooted in yoga's long history, Integrating Philosophy in Yoga Teaching and Practice makes the transition from physical to metaphysical easy for both yoga teachers and students.

The Routledge Handbook of Yoga and Meditation Studies is a comprehensive and interdisciplinary resource, which frames and contextualises the rapidly expanding fields that explore yoga and meditative techniques. The book analyses yoga and meditation studies in a variety of religious, historical and geographical settings. The chapters, authored by an international set of experts, are laid out across five sections: Introduction to yoga and meditation studies History of yoga and meditation in South Asia Doctrinal perspectives: technique and praxis Global and regional transmissions Disciplinary framings In addition to up-to-date explorations of the history of yoga and meditation in the Indian subcontinent, new contexts include a case study of yoga and meditation in the contemporary Tibetan diaspora, and unique summaries of historical developments in Japan and Latin America as well as an introduction to the growing academic study of yoga in Korea. Underpinned by critical and theoretical engagement, the volume provides an in-depth guide to the history of yoga and meditation studies and combines the best of established research with attention to emerging directions for future investigation. This handbook will be of interest to multidisciplinary academic audiences from across the humanities, social sciences and sciences. Chapters 1, 4, 9, 12, and 27 of this book are freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

Clear, accessible, and meticulously annotated, Tracing the Path of Yoga offers a comprehensive survey of the history and philosophy of yoga that will be invaluable to both specialists and to nonspecialists seeking a deeper understanding of this fascinating subject. Stuart Ray Sarbacker argues that yoga can be understood first and foremost as a discipline of mind and body that is represented in its narrative and philosophical literature as resulting in both numinous and cessative accomplishments that correspond, respectively, to the attainment of this-worldly power and otherworldly liberation. Sarbacker demonstrates how the yogic quest for perfection as such is situated within the concrete realities of human life, intersecting with issues of politics, economics, class, gender, and sexuality, as well as reflecting larger Indic religious and philosophical ideals.

This is the first research-based text intended to help teachers and practitioners implement mindfulness and yoga programs in schools. A complete review of the literature on mindfulness and yoga interventions is provided along with detailed steps on how to implement such programs. Training requirements, classroom set-up, trauma-sensitive practices, and existing quality programs are reviewed. Twelve core principles of mindfulness and yoga in schools are woven throughout for the utmost in continuity. As a whole, the book provides tools for enhancing classroom and school practices as well as personal well-being. It is distinguished by its emphasis on research, translation of research into practice, and insight into potential roadblocks when using mindfulness and yoga in schools. Mindfulness and Yoga in Schools provides: A thorough examination of the efficacy of mindfulness and yoga in reducing stress and conflict and enhancing student engagement to serve as a rationale for integrating such programs into schools How-to sections for training, classroom and lesson plan preparation, and implementing specific techniques and comprehensive programs Photographs, scripts, and figures to help implement your own programs A tool for assessing and cultivating teacher and student self-care Part I reviews the conceptual model for embodied self-regulation and the risks associated with a lack of self-regulation, an intervention model used in education, and tips for implementing mindfulness and yogic practices within this approach. Parts II and III review the philosophical underpinnings of mindfulness and yoga and critically review the mindfulness and yoga protocols and interventions implemented in schools. Part IV addresses mindful self-care for students and teachers, including a scale for establishing self-care goals and a scoring system.

Following the Second World War, yoga has asserted its presence in America and impacted the American culture, arts, and literature. This book offers extensive explications of Saul Bellow’s Mr. Sammler’s Planet, J.D. Salinger’s “Teddy,” John Updike’s S.: A Novel, and Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five in the light of the four different yoga philosophies interwoven into their respective narrative structures. The comparative analyses of these four contemporary American fictions unveil the deeper mystical motifs implicit in their plots, stories, themes, and characters’ behavioural patterns. The exhaustive interpretations of texts in the five successive chapters put forth an exposition of how the ancient Indic philosophy and contemporary American fiction interact to explicate and enrich each other. The book adds a unique, unconventional dimension to the comparative and interdisciplinary investigation into contemporary American fiction and thereby opens up new vistas of an off-beat interface between the Eastern philosophy and Western literature.

Pop Culture Yoga: A Communication Remix was born out of a series of questions about the paradoxical nature of yoga: How do individuals and groups define yoga? What does it mean to “practice yoga,” and what does this practice involve? What are some of the most important principles, guidelines, or philosophical tenets of yoga that shape people’s definitions and practices? Who has the power and authority to define yoga? What are the limits, if any, of shared definitions of yoga? Kristen C. Blinne explores the myriad ways “yoga” is communicatively constructed and defined in and through popular culture in the United States. In doing so, Blinne offers insight into the many identity work processes in play in the construction of yoga categories, illuminating how individuals’ and groups’ words and actions represent practices of claiming—part of a complex communicative process centered around membership categorization—based on a range of authenticity discourses. Employing popular culture writing styles, Blinne ultimately contends that the majority of yoga styles practiced in the United States are remixes that can be classified as pop culture yoga, a distinct way of understanding this complex phenomenon.