Shambhala Encyclopedia of Yoga (Paperback)

~ (Author) "ABANDONMENT. In ancient India there was a prominent trend toward leaving the conventional world and living an ascetic life in the seclusion of forests and..." (more)
Key Phrases: sevenfold discipline, psychoenergetic center, brahmic fissure, Classical Yoga, Advaita Vedanta, South India (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Any student of Yoga will want to know more about not only the practices of Yoga but also its history and spirituality. One of the best places to turn is to Georg Feuerstein's acclaimed Shambhala Encyclopedia of Yoga. With more than 100 illustrations (such as the many asana postures and chakra centers) and entries on everything from the Bhagavad Gita to Swami Vivekananda and from the Aryan invasion theory to biofeedback, you can't go wrong. Extensive cross-references also facilitate searches for both English and Sanskrit versions of terms. The Shambhala Encyclopedia is a complete yet concise guide to the galaxy of Yoga. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Sound, discerning, and endlessly useful. No serious student of Yoga can afford to be without it. A splendid introduction positions the subject lucidly in the global history of the human spirit."--Huston Smith -- Review

Georg Feuerstein's "The Shambhala Encyclopedia of Yoga" wasoriginally published 10 years ago, in an abbreviated version called "The Encyclopedic Dictionary of Yoga." This updated and greatly expanded offering is destined to become a classic. The more than 2000 entries are organized in Sanskrit with easy-to-use English cross-references and the text is interspersed with many wonderful illustrations.

Virtually anything that one wants to know about yoga is contained in these pages, from biographical listings (Sri Aurobindo, the founder of Integral yoga) to ancient gods (Kali, the destroyer of illusion) and simple poses (Bhujanga-asana, the Cobra). Feuerstein's research is exhaustive, impeccable and fascinating--"Duhkha originally meant 'having a bad axle hole,' but early on came to signify 'sorrow,' 'suffering,' or 'pain.'" The writing is lively despite all the detail, and overflows with the author's unbounded enthusiasm for his subject. It reads like a good story not, thank God, like an academic tome.

'The Shambhala Encyclopedia' is a must for anyone interested in this complex and lively tradition, and will be a valuable reference by which to gauge the ongoing invention of American yoga. (Beliefnet, May 2000) -- From Beliefnet

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Product Details

• Paperback: 357 pages
• Publisher: Shambhala (April 11, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570625557
• ISBN-13: 978-1570625558
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #231,925 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable, lively and a pleasure to read, May 3, 2002

By	Dennis Littrell (SoCal) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

This book stands alone in English. There is simply nothing else like it. Feuerstein is the leading academic expert on yoga in the United States while Shambhala is the leading publisher of books on yoga, so it is not surprising that this is clearly a superior work that fills a void. As such it is a boon to scholars and practitioners alike.

It is also very well cross-referenced so that a reader may, by following the starred words, begin or expand his own study of yoga. There is a guide to pronunciation of the Sanskrit words, numerous bits of black and white artwork and photos, and an engaging and informative introduction by Feuerstein. This handsome book has all those words that you won't find in even an unabridged English dictionary, defined and given their expression in an historical and spiritual context. Anyone with more than a passing interest in yoga will find this book invaluable.

I should add that this is a revised and greatly expanded edition of Dr. Feuerstein's Encyclopedic Dictionary of Yoga (1990), and that it dwarfs both Ernest Wood's Yoga Wisdom (1970) and Harvey Day's Yoga Illustrated Dictionary (1971), which I have enjoyed, but which are also very much out of date.

For Dr. Feuerstein's revision (due circa 2010, I would imagine) perhaps some entries on Westerners (and contemporaries) who have contributed to the study and practice of yoga would be appropriate, including, e.g., Theos Bernard (I was pleased to see eleven photos herein of Bernard demonstrating asana), Richard Hittleman, B.K.S. Iyengar, Swami Vishnudevananda, and others.

Bottom line: this is an up to date, thorough, and lively work of reference without peer.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A magnificent book of reference and daily use, July 30, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Shambhala Encyclopedia of Yoga (Hardcover)

An invaluable resource book for all lovers of yoga, meditation, spirituality, and human potential. Dispels many common misconceptions about yoga and reveals its true message. A great buy!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Resource Book for Yoga Teachers/Students, January 26, 2000

By	Robert Butera (Philadelphia, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shambhala Encyclopedia of Yoga (Hardcover)

As a yoga writer, teacher and PhD, I still use this Dr. Feuerstein's Encyclopedia of Yoga daily as I study yoga. The precise explanations help me understand the subtle points of yoga. The references to other Sanskrit terms is invaluable. This book is worth it, especially to help when reading other texts. I write this as a thanks for this great book!