The Truth of Yoga: A Comprehensive Guide to Yoga's History, Texts, Philosophy, and Practices [Paperback]

A succinct, approachable guide to the origins, development, key texts, concepts, and practices of yoga.

Yoga is practiced by many millions of people worldwide and is celebrated for its mental, physical, and spiritual benefits. And yet, as Daniel Simpson reveals inThe Truth of Yoga, much of what is said about yoga is misleading. For example, the word yoga does not always mean union. In fact, in perhaps the disciplines most famous textthe Yoga Sutra of Patanjaliits aim is described as separation: isolating consciousness from everything else. And yoga is not five thousand years old, as is commonly claimed; the earliest evidence of practice dates back about twenty-five hundred years. (Yoga may well be older, but no one can prove it.)

The Truth of Yogais a clear, concise, and accessible handbook for the lay reader that draws upon abundant recent scholarship. It outlines these new findings with practitioners in mind, highlighting ways to keep traditions alive in the twenty-first century.

WithThe Truth of Yoga, Daniel Simpson has written one of the best of the many 'comprehensive guides' to yoga available today. A card-carrying yoga academic, he shares his wealth of knowledge of early, Classical, Hatha, and modern yogas in nearly one hundred, mostly one- and two-page essays, each a compact masterpiece of writing thats both accessible and engaging. Two angushthas up. Richard Rosen, author ofYoga FAQ: Almost Everything You Need to Know About Yogafrom Asana to Yama

The Truth of Yogais a clear, concise, and necessary book that cuts through the myth and misinformation about yoga. Simpsons excellent work is equally useful for the yoga studio, academic classroom, and selflƒ/