The Essence of Yoga: Reflections on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali [Paperback]

Bernard Bouanchaud (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1997

Go straight to the heart of yogic teachings! Too often, Westerners perform the yoga positions without considering the form's underlying philosophy and spiritual dimension. For the first time, in this new and elegant translation from the Sanskrit, all the sutras appear in an accessible question-and-answer format, along with special queries that encourage self-reflection. The result is a treasure trove of insight. 275 pages, 1 b/w illus., 6 x 9.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

Product Details

• Paperback: 275 pages
• Publisher: Rudra Press (1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0915801698
• ISBN-13: 978-0915801695
• Product Dimensions: 0.4 x 0.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #488,232 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Next best thing to studying w/ an exceptional teacher, January 16, 2000

By 

John W. Kepner - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Essence of Yoga: Reflections on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (Paperback)

I have actively studied this book for over 2 years. It is the next best thing to studying with a learned scholar & practitioner. While studying w/ two such teachers, I have used several translations. While they all have their merits, none are as good as this for conveying an understanding of the work as a whole and it's relevance to perennial human concerns. The literal translation of each sutra is the least vauable part of the book and here I can see room for some debate on a few individual sutras. More valuable, however, is the commentary and discussion. Here the book excels, like a good teacher. I found the occasional scholarly tangential discussion of Samkhya and Ayurveda quite useful and relevant to better understand the overall content. If I had to recommend just one sutra book, this would be it.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A decent book on Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, October 2, 1999

By 

MG Szigeti "MGSz" (Budapest, Hungary) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Essence of Yoga: Reflections on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (Paperback)

I ordered this book from Amazon and was amazed by the structure and content of this presentation. The only factor that may distract the careful reader is that it is a translation from French and by no means it is perfect. Some misspelling remained and there are some sentences that leave the reader clueless (not necessarily because of the cosmic info transmitted). The original work must be a decent piece, it is a pity that its translation is less accurate.

If really interested in the Yoga Sutras, by I.K. Taimni's 'The Science of Yoga', which is exactly about the same topic, discussing the Yoga Sutras, but really in-depth.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Think on these..., July 19, 2004

By 

Love2TeachU "Love2TeachU" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Essence of Yoga: Reflections on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (Paperback)

What an amazing reflection on the sturas! Bouanchaud does an exceptional job breaking down the sutras into manageable chunks, with leading questions to help you personalize and internalize the ancient text. Giving the sanskrit words and pronunciation along side the english is also helpful. The "table of contents" listing of each sutra at the beginning of the book is a wonderful way to find the sutra you seek, though they are all such phenominal concepts to think on. The questions for each sutra are wonderful to start a yoga class, a conversation, or just a way to start your thought process rolling. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, it will change the way you see things!