Yoga and the Luminous: Patañjali's Spiritual Path to FreedomWinner of the 2008 Rajinder and Jyoti Gandhi Book Award for Excellence in Dharma Studies presented by Taksha Institute In Yoga and the Luminous, a book that emerges from more than thirty years of practice, study, and reflection, Christopher Key Chapple addresses the need for an accessible explanation of Yoga's difficult philosophy and its applications in daily life. Yoga practice takes an individual on an inward journey, and through Yoga, one enters a rarefied state of consciousness, a transparency and luminosity described by its great philosopher Patañjali as being "like a clear jewel." Exploring Yoga through the prism of practice, Chapple begins with a historical overview of the many Yogic traditions in Indian religions. He continues with Yoga practice and the philosophy of Sāṃkhya, and then, in step-by-step fashion, he brings the reader to an understanding of the ethics of Yoga, the role of movement and breath, and the processes of concentration and meditation. Finally, building on the root metaphor of luminosity and light, Chapple explains the applications of Yoga in daily life. Yoga and the Luminous also includes a word-by-word translation of Patañjali's Yoga Sūtra, the foundational text of Yoga philosophy and a system of ethical practice and bodily purification. The translation is accompanied by an analysis that traces key ideas through the text, such as the reversal of mental and sensory outflows and the theme of spiritual discernment. Chapple also gives special attention to the feminine in the description of Yoga practices. |
Contents
I The Practice of Yoga | 17 |
II Yoga and Liberation | 69 |
III Patañjalis Yoga Sutra | 101 |
IV Interpreting Yoga | 217 |
NOTES | 261 |
REFERENCES | 279 |
287 | |
295 | |
Other editions - View all
Yoga and the Luminous: Patañjali's Spiritual Path to Freedom Christopher Key Chapple Limited preview - 2008 |
Yoga and the Luminous: Patanjali's Spiritual Path to Freedom Christopher Key Chapple No preview available - 2008 |
Yoga and the Luminous: Patañjali's Spiritual Path to Freedom Christopher Key Chapple No preview available - 2008 |
Common terms and phrases
action activity afflicted animals appear applied arises attachment attainment becomes body breath Buddhist cause condition consciousness continue cultivation described desire developed dharma different discernment discriminative discussion distinct DV cpd end of DV end of TP6 established ethical existence experience feminine first five grasping hence higher hold human ignorance India Indian Philosophy indicating intention interpretation Jaina karma KD cpd knowledge known language later leading liberation light living manifest means mind move nature object one’s past Patañjali path perception perfect person philosophy possession practice prakṛti Press provides pure purity puruṣa reality realm refers religious restraint samādhi Sāṃkhya sattva seen seer sense spiritual stand subtle suffix takes term things thought tion TP6 cpd tradition translated University various verse Yoga Sūtra yogi yogic York