Essential reading for those looking to customize their practice to life's changing needs.
• Includes sections on vedic chanting, throat breathing, and exercises for women.
• Presents a unique portrait of T. Krishnamacharya and his teachings.
For 33 years Ramaswami studied with the legendary T. Krishnamacharya, teacher of B.K.S. Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois, and T.K.V. Desikachar and perhaps the most influential figure in the field of yoga in the last 100 years. Since that time he has developed Krishnamacharya's teaching into what may be the most highly evolved program available for making yoga a way of life, rather than simply a routine. In seventeen chapters Ramaswami lays out the whole philosophy of yoga, including principles for right living, postures, breathing practices, meditation practices, and mental disciplines.
Key to Ramaswami's teaching is the focus on adapting yoga to individual needs and to different stages of life. During the early part of life, learning yoga as a physical art form is most beneficial for the self-confidence and discipline it instills. In middle age, yoga should focus on physical therapy and maintaining optimum health as far into life as possible. In the last stages of life, the practitioner will be ready to focus on the ultimate goal of yoga—true understanding of the philosophy behind it and the realization of truth.
Srivatsa Ramaswami has taught yoga in universities, hospitals, and schools in India for more than twenty years. A familiar figure on Indian radio and television, he now teaches workshops throughout the United States as well.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part One: Yoga Siddhanta, or Theory
1. My Studies with Sri T. Krishnamacharya and Others 2. The Story of Patanjali 3. What Is Yoga? 4. Advanced Yoga 5. Mantrayoga 6. The Eight-Part Yoga and Its Ten Commandments
Part Two: Yoga Sadhana, or Practice 7. Standing Postures 8. Supine Postures 9. Sarvangasana and Sirsasana 10. Prone Postures and the Spine 11. Pascimatanam 12. Padmasana and Other Postures for Yoga Sadhana 13. Yogic Breathing Exercises and Their Health Benefits 14. Yoga for Women 15. Yoga Texts 16. Antaranga Sadhana 17. Freedom
Glossary
Index
What People are Saying About This
From the Publisher
"The title of this book gives you a good indication of what this excellent book is about. A lot to live up to, but this book lives up to it. The author points out that there have been more books on yoga in the past twenty years than ever before.The author thought that he had something to add to the discussion, and after reading this book, I agree. I strongly recommend this book. It is not for beginners, as the author points out, but can be used as a reference for ongoing practice. It it well written and well organized. The book is great. It encourages the reader to explore the science of yoga, and go beyond the asanas and exercises to expand on the union of yoga."
"Ramaswami, a student for 33 years of the legendary yoga master T. Krishnamacharya, has developed and expanded those teaching to include a key element: the need to take into consideration the individual's stage in life while practicing yoga."
"Individuals ready to devote their lives to the field of yoga will find Yoga for the Three Stages of Life an excellent introduction which blends the usual guide to postures and meditation practices with insights on adapting yoga to individual needs and different stages of life. Young and old receive appropriate discussions of yoga techniques geared to age, sex and ability."
"The book by Sri Srivatsa Ramaswami is much more than a compendium of Asanas; it captures the spirit of the Hindu view of life of which hatha yoga is a part. This is a wonderful book that makes an excellent reference for the practitioner of hatha yoga, and a great reading for the non-practitioner."
". . . Many of the asana variations are seldom seen in most contemporary hatha yoga books. . . . There is much fruit here for the experienced, motivated student to harvest."
"Young, old or in between, this book will give you a complete yoga routine."
"This is a thoroughly enjoyable book, written with the sincerity and wisdom you would expect from a long-time, dedicated student. More experienced students, teachers and Yoga therapists will certainly want a copy of this book in their library."
"Yoga for the Three Stages of Life has a clarity and simplicity unlike many of the other books recently published."
This guide is designed for systems researchers – emerging and seasoned – searching for holistic
approaches of inquiry into complexity, which the Systems Sciences provide. The authors share insight into the foundations of research that are not only systematic in ...
A step-by-step guide to authentic advanced shamanic practices • Offers hands-on instructions for more than
30 practices, including sacred Fire ceremonies, direct shamanic viewing, shamanic death and rebirth, working with healing stones, shamanic lucid dreaming, shamanic healing, and advanced methods ...
Capoeira weaves fighting, music, dance, prayer, and ritual into an urgent strategy by which people
live, struggle, celebrate, and survive together. In this book Bira Almeida--or Mestre Acordeon as he is respectfully called in capoeira circles--documents his own tradition with ...
Helping artists catapult into further action, this guide is a treasury of insight and inspiration.
Rather than focus on art techniques that build skills or overcome creative blocks through playful activities or writing, this guide walks the artist through exercises ...
Philosophy and African Development: Theory and Practice appraises development in a holistic manner. It goes
beyond the usual measurement in terms of economic achievement and widens the scope to include the impact that history of ideas, political theory, sociology, social ...
This book was first published in 1985. The journal is concerned with the study of
philosophy in all its branches: logic, metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, aesthetics, social and political philosophy and the philosophies of religion, science, history, language, mind and education. ...
A Concise Beginner’s Guide to the Philosophy, Science and Practice of Yoga.The forgotten classic which
introduced YOGA to the Western World!Ramacharaka’s seminal volume remains unsurpassed. This is yoga as it was meant to be - without the commercialism. From the ...
This fascinating anthology presents a much wider scope than other books on Thai massage, and
uncovers a wealth of previously unavailable information on the historical, spiritual, and cultural connections to this powerful healing art. Topics include ways to refine and ...
