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Yoga and the Yoga Upanishads eBook

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Roger Bodman

I learned Sanskrit so that I could study the great yoga texts in their original language.

In this process I came to realize some of the limitations of popular books on yoga. Typically, they provide a narrow and often confused understanding of the theoretical foundations of the yoga practices they advocate.

In those few books that do attempt to explain yoga, the primary source of yoga philosophy is given to be the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Undoubtedly Patanjali is one of the great geniuses of yoga, however there are many other yoga traditions and teachings that have not yet been translated into English, let alone understood for their immense value. These traditions highlight the depth and breadth of yoga and provide diverse viewpoints on how to practice yoga. For example, the Yoga Upanishads, and the Tantras and Agamas are extremely valuable philosophical texts.

There are major differences between Patanjali and the Yoga Upanishads. For example, the fundamental aim of Patanjali’s system is to separate the Self from Nature. The Yoga Upanishads on the other hand recognize the inherent unity of the Self and Nature.

The Yoga Upanishads, a set of approximately 20 texts written over 900 years, between 800-1750 CE, form another system that any serious student of yoga must be aware of if they are to develop a well-informed perspective on their practice.

Many yoga schools in the West today teach asana and the philosophy of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras (Raja Yoga). Many yoga students are taught that the asanas they are practicing are derived from Patanjali’s system. This is incorrect as the asanas they learn come from Hatha Yoga, a unique philosophical system in its own right. The practices of Raja Yoga, even the meditative asana, that derive from Patanjali are often too advanced for students to practice. For example, in Patanjali’s system we need to be able to hold our breath out for a long periods of time in order to stop the mind.

The Yoga Upanishads form an integrated system of philosophy and practice that is much more accessible.

Stemming from the early Upanishads they synthesize practices derived from a number of unique systems, including Hatha Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Tantra and the Agamas. They include ethics (yama and niyama), postures (asana), breath techniques (pranayama), meditation, mantra practice (such as Ajapa Japa), and chakra meditation.

Yoga Upanishads eBook: Index

• Chapter 1. Introduction discusses the need for more study of the wonderful tradition of the Yoga Upanishads.
• Chapter 2. The Yoga Upanishads provides an overview of the Yoga Upanishads and a detailed description of 4 Upanishads: Kshurika, Nadabindu, Darshana and Yogashika Upanishads.
• Chapter 3. The Meaning of Yoga discusses the philosophy of liberation according to the early Principal Upanishads, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the Brahma Sutras and the great yoga master Shankaracharya; and introduces concepts from the Yogatattwa Upanishad and the Laghu Yoga Vasishta.
• Chapter 4. The Practice of Yoga compares the practices of the Yoga Upanishads with Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Discusses, yama and niyama, asana, prana and pranayama, meditation on the breath, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi, Ajapa Japa, nada yoga, nadis and chakras (sushumna in particular) and the practices for liberation.
• Chapter 5. Liberation is discussed as well as the relationship between yoga practice and knowledge, and the concept of kaivalya is explained.
• Chapter 6. Conclusion summarizes the previous chapter showing that the Yoga Upanishads represent an ongoing and applied practice of yoga that stands as a separate tradition to that of the Yoga Sutras.
• Includes extensive quotes from the Yoga Upanishads, including transliterated Sanskrit and its English translation, plus extensive bibliography and comprehensive footnotes.

Yoga and the Yoga Upanishads eBook is a thesis that forms part of my arts (honors) degree. This work involved academic rigor i.e. accuracy of content, and has been reviewed by experts in the field. My work will be of interest to anyone seeking to deepen their knowledge about yoga philosophy, its history and the purpose that underlies the practices. It will also be invaluable for those of you who seek accurate and reliable information on this profound subject.

Sincerely, Roger Bodman

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