Customer Reviews

The Yoga Book: A Practical Guide to Self-Realization

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In The Yoga Book, Stephen Sturgess takes the reader on a journey of discovery to the very core of this ancient practice, so often misinterpreted in our modern culture as merely a new-age way of keeping fit. He explains clearly and precisely how yoga, in its most fundamental sense, covers all aspects of our lives - from our diet and exercise to our thought patterns and behaviour - and how it produces, if followed properly, a profound and holistic sense of health and well-being.

Sturgess explains the eight limbs of yoga, introduced by the ancient seer Patanjali, in very accessibe terms, and concepts such as Yama and Niyama become easy to grasp even for the completely uninitiated; likewise the difference between Dharana and Dhyana, and the concepts behind and practices of Kriya Yoga and pranayama. A perfect synthesis of simple and profound, this book contains several quotations from spiritual texts such as the Bhagavad-Gita, helping the more deeply interested reader with an overview of the subject which could serve as a perfect starting point for further research.

I would recommend the The Yoga Book to anybody interested in this fascinating subject, from those just beginning on the path of yoga to those well along its length. Yoga can help to bring its practitioners closer to God, and The Yoga Book could help anyone on this amazing quest.

Do you meditate? Then read this book. Do you have a rich inner life? This book can show you how. The Yoga Book is a clearly and concisely written treatise on deep yogic truths and time-honored methods for discovering the spiritual path within your own being, and your own spine. I found helpful the information on pranayama, diet, and Godly attitudes, to name a few. Stephen Sturgess has written about a delicate subject with even greater delicacy and clarity. It answered many of my unasked questions on the ancient teaching of yoga. I applaud his well-spent efforts! But don't take my word for it; take the book.

I have picked up this book more times than I can remember, only to put it down 15 minutes later in frustration. The author is a poor writer, making it read like a fragmented encyclopedia and there are far too many (new) sanskrit words to learn, making comprehension of the dry text an additional challenge. There is alot of good information in here, but in many cases (asanas, mantras, kundalini) the topics are given enough attention to confuse the reader, but not enough to provide a complete picture of how and why. For those who find reading an encylopedia cover to cover interesting this may be the book for you ... I picked up "The Spiritual Science of Kriya Yoga" (can't remember the author right now) and read it straight through ... far easier to comprehend and relate to my life.

What this book provides is a comprehensive analysis of the practice of Yoga. The author first introduces you to the basics and then, chapter by chapter, takes you through the eight limbs of yoga one by one. Each chapter provides a great deal of information and insight into Yoga as a practice and a science. It is true that this book is not for the curiosity seekers who might prefer a lighter and easier book that is specifically for beginners. However, for those who wish to deepen their knowledge of Yoga or to understand it in depth this book is ideal.

This is a Great Book.
Everyone needs to read it.
Believe me you can not miss it.
You will see how much information it have.