Yoga Commentary

The three short treatises translated herein on the subject of the famous Six yogas of Naropa (Naro'i Chos Drug) are compositions by authors representing sub-schools of the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. The first is a translation of the Instructions (gdams) portion of in the hagiography (rnam thar) or literally Life and Liberation Narrative of Naropa entitled Mhas grub mynam-med dpal-ldan Na-ro-pa'i rnam-par thar=pa dri-med legs-bsad bde-chen 'brug-sgra which may be rendered "The well-narrated immaculate biography of the peerless sage Naropa or the voice of thunder of the Great Bliss. ...

Written almost two millennia ago, Patañjali's work focuses on how to attain the direct experience and realization of the purusa: the innermost individual self, or soul. As the classical treatise on the Hindu understanding of mind and consciousness and on the technique of meditation, it has exerted immense influence over the religious practices of Hinduism in India and, more recently, in the West.

The Living Gita is a translation of, and commentary on, the Bhagavad Gita by Sri Swami Satchidananda, one of the world’s most respected Yoga masters. The Gita is the summary and essence of Eastern spiritual wisdom, drawn from the Hindu tradition. When Swami Satchidananda arrived in the West in 1966, he recognized the need to make the teachings of Yoga and this classic text accessible to modern readers and listeners. He soon began giving talks on the Gita, which became the foundation for The Living Gita, first published in 1988.

Divided into three sections - extensive commentary, English translation, and Sanskrit text with transliteration - The Pursuit of Power and Freedom is a valuable reference both for scholars and for those beginning their study of the Upanishads.

This book is a spiritual memoir on the life and explorations of Anthony “Prem” Carlisi, as well as a source of practical, applicable information about the practices of Ashtanga Yoga, Ayurveda, and Tantra. The synergy of these three sciences are what Prem believes to be the key to living a healthy, rooted, and ecstatic life!

From Amsterdam to Cambodia, from Rome to Indonesia, from New Orleans to Libya, and from Detroit to Ko Pha-Ngan, Geoff Dyer finds himself both floundering about in a sea of grievances and finding moments of transcendental calm. This aberrant quest for peak experiences leads, ultimately, to the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, where, to quote Tarkovsky's Stalker, 'your most cherished desire will come true'.

The Tao of Non-Doing: A Carefree Commentary on the Natural Effortless Way of the Master Lao Tzu For this book, I have taken some liberties. To start off with, the "Tao Te Ching" is a sacred text within the Taoist tradition of China, not the Advaita or non-dualistic tradition of India. But I was struck by how eloquently Lao Tzu describes the state of non-doership that is a prominent marker in Advaita of awakening. Classic Advaita, including the contemporary non-dual offerings, tends to be on the dry side. I very much enjoyed Lao Tzu's lively and poetic approach. Working from the brilliant ...

Sucked into a whirlpool. Discovering pre-Inca tribal remains. Breaking an ankle 5000 meters up the side of a volcano. These are just a few of the unexpected circumstances Lindsey Porter found herself in, as she traveled to some of the world’s most incredible locations! For the first time, these tales have been brought together in a collection that shares the unforeseen and often humorous outcomes whilst revealing an insight into places that are a little off the tourist trail.

百社巡礼の対談相手・盛池雄峰師宅のある、山梨県上野原市の神社を取り上げ、収録も上野原で行う「上野原シリーズ」。第一弾は、市街地の北東、東京都、神奈川県との境近くの山中に鎮座する軍刀利神社（ぐんだりじんじゃ）。祭神は日本武尊で、その東征の帰り道、草薙の剣を神の宿る剣として祀ったとされるが、創建は平安中期で、社名から密教の軍荼利明王（ぐんだりみょうおう）を祀った、修験道の聖地であったことは明らかだ。明王とは、仏道に導き難い者を力ずくで帰依させる存在で、多くは憤怒の表情、逆立った髪、何本もの手に武器を持つという、恐ろしい姿を取る。そのルーツは、古代インドで鬼や悪魔に相当する夜叉や修羅だが、軍荼利明王の場合は、クンダリーニという蛇の女神が起源である。ヨガにおいては、性器と肛門の間にある、最も下部のチャクラに宿っており、クンダリーニを覚醒させ、脊髄を上昇させて、その途上にあるチャクラを開いていき、頭頂に至る事によって「解脱」できるとされている。それが伝播の過程で男性となったのが、現在の軍荼利明王である。しかし、そうした遠い起源は忘れられ、ここでは軍神として崇拝されている。明治の神仏分離により、明王とも切り離されたが、剣を奉納する信仰は続いている。神格の変遷と土着化する信仰というものについて考察する。

Elizabeth Gowing is not a likely yogini. She is too fond of cake and to-do lists, and sometimes falls over on her mat. But yoga has taken her on journeys both inside and out, and now she follows yoga around Britain - from the village hall where a quivering triangle pose was interrupted by the council recycling collection to a sound gong bath in the country's noisiest city, from Cornwall to Scotland.