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(More customer reviews)These are 7 things I liked from the book which I believe will inspire practitioners
1 - The Amazing Visuals along the 8 limbs path description
I have never read such a vivid and clear description of the journey through the 8 limbs.
Fascinating for example, was the account of what exactly one "does" while on Dharana:
"Practically, dharana is done in the following way... you assume Padmasana ... and commence pranayama until breath retention (kumbhaka) is reached. Once in kumbhaka you rest the mind on your chosen location, beginning with the base chakra..."
Or what actually may happen when reaching Dyana:
"The fascinating opening that happens when you get to this stage [Dhyana, Meditation, page 11] is that you can "download" or "log on" to the Deva, or Divine form, that resides in or presides over each respecctive chakra."
I have to say that it left me wondering weather he speaks from personal experience or from the vast amount of text studying he has done.
2 - His case for using Indian myth to deepen the practice in chapter 2:
"In the course of this discusion I show how the study of myth can change the way you practice yoga and live your life..... you can create your own private hotline to and from the Supreme Being"
3 - His convincing case for why studying Sanskrit is important for us on the path.
He uses the story of how Krishnamutri dedicated his latest days (he was 95 and was not able to do so before because of selfless service, of course!) to learn Sanskrit.
He goes on to have a side note on English vs Sanskrit and then invites the reader to go back to the original texts rather than current yoga texts, and to make our own conclusions of what the sages were trying to say. He also gives warnings about them attacking other schools, and to remember to read things within their proper context. It seems the old sages had a trickster side to them, just for the benefit of the students.
4- The Mythology of the poses of the intermediate series.
Especially his interpretation of Pashasana as asking Lord Shiva for a "boon". I think anyone can relate to this process of waiting for a teacher to grant us the passage into intermediate!. He goes on to clarify that the REAL boon we are asking for is not just pashasana (which would, of course, be nice), but rather the understanding of immortality.
5 - The actual mythology behind every pose
I particularly liked the few stories around Kapottasana:
"The Skanda Purana informs us how Lord Shiva received the name Kapota. He once undertook severe tapas in the form of living only on air and avoiding all pairs of opposites. Although he was the master of the eight forms (five elements, moon, sun, and Lord) he shrank to the size of a pigeon. Henceforth, he was known to his devotees by the name of Kapota"
How is that shrinking to pigeon image next time you are warming up to the idea of Kapo?
6 - His standing up for the antiquity of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga was reassuring. Not so much the idea that we are actually loosing asanas.
7 - The poses
just like in the first book, the actual asanas have great pictures with detailed vinyasa explanations and anatomy charts. There are also tips spread out throughout in orange squares just as he had on the former.
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A book like this leaves me more interested in the inner path of yoga, in its depth, in the possibilities. It makes me want to feel whatever samadhi is, to understand how can one actually surrender to such an extent.
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Ashtanga Yoga - The Intermediate Series: Mythology, Anatomy, and Practice (Ashtanga Yoga Intermediate Series)In this much-anticipated follow-up to his first book, Ashtanga Yoga: Practice and Philosophy, Gregor Maehle offers a detailed and multifaceted guide to Ashtanga Yoga's Intermediate Series. An expert yogi and teacher, Maehle will guide you to your next level with an unprecedented depth of anatomical explanation and unparalleled attention to the practice's philosophical and mythological heritage. You will learn:
The background and applications of each of the three forms of yoga: Karma, Bhakti, and Jnana
How to use Indian myth and cosmology to deepen your practice
The importance of the Sanskrit language to the yogic tradition
The mythology behind the names of the Intermediate Series postures
The functions and limitations of body parts integral to the Intermediate Series, including the spine, the sacroiliac joint, the shoulder joint, and the hip joint
How to reap the full benefits of practicing the Intermediate Series
Maehle meticulously explores all twenty-seven postures of the Intermediate Series through photos, anatomical line drawings, and practical, informative sidebars. He also discusses the philosophical and spiritual background of Ashtanga Yoga and places the practice within the context of Indian cultural history. With passionate erudition, Maehle will prepare you to reap physical, spiritual, and mental fulfillment from your evolving practice.
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