YOGA FOR LIFE AND BEYOND: PATH OF PINEAL (TRADITIONAL YOGA FOR THE MODERN AGE Book 1)

This book is written with the Western reader in mind, who knows little to nothing about authentic traditional yoga of the East, and is also for those Eastern readers who wish to learn theory and practice of traditional yoga. It is intended for all novices, and builds upon a firm and stable foundation of authentic yoga as revealed in ancient Indian scriptures.

The sheer volume of information written about yoga is daunting. Throughout the centuries, many rishis (a seer or sage who realizes the truth directly) have written extensively about yoga and developed a number of yoga systems that were designed to accommodate the varying preferences of people. That is the inherent beauty of yoga, that it can be practiced in different ways to suit the individual’s taste. To add to the confusion, however, is the language barrier since most ancient Indian texts were written in Sanskrit, which at the time of their authoring was meant for the educated person. It is no wonder traditional yoga can appear as a mysterious and arcane collection of information that is virtually impossible for the student to decipher.

Without diluting the original teachings from ancient treatises, I have explained in modern terms each limb of Raja Yoga and Hata Yoga. A beginner today can read this book to learn yoga theory and practice just as an eastern sadhaka (a spiritual aspirant) would have hundreds of years ago under the tutelage of a spiritual teacher. The techniques are the same. The results are the same. What is different is simply the method of explanation.

Authentic traditional yoga has been disassembled, edited, revamped, botoxed and repackaged in designer wrap as individual fast food servings with little nutritional value for the self. Various limbs of yoga have been cut and reassembled into Frankenstein practices that do not yield the original intended results. The problem with this approach is that it distorts and destroys the foundation and cohesiveness of a system whose parts were designed to work in tandem for a holistic and unifying effect that cannot be duplicated by practicing any one limb by itself.

We often see this in the West where the limb of asana (yoga poses) has been promoted as a complete yoga path. The same is true for the limb of pranayama (breathing exercises) for stress control. Most people are not aware that this is only a fraction of yoga and that yoga as written in the ancient scriptures was designed to be practiced holistically. The various limbs are intimately interconnected and function as a whole. The distortion of this ancient practice cripples the purpose for which it was originally intended, which is self-realization and salvation of the soul.

Throughout my research over the decades, it has been clear that the best yoga paths for beginners are Raja Yoga and Hata Yoga. These two wonderful paths have much in common but also have some differences in the style of exercises. Both are excellent for training the sadhaka’s physical, mental and spiritual states. They instill self-discipline, responsibility for one’s actions, and give guidance for navigating through life with integrity. Therefore, the scriptural basis for the yoga given in this book for beginners is a combination of Raja Yoga and Hata Yoga. The information provided is detailed but simplistic so there should be no difficulty to understand the theory and practices; however, if questions or problems should arise, the sadhaka can contact me through my website.

I have been studying and practicing yoga for more than 40 years and know it to be a sound science with consistent results. I know first-hand the wonderful benefits of yoga at the physical, mental and spiritual levels and am filled with immense joy to share what I have learned. It is my sincere hope that the knowledge and experience I have gained over the years may enlighten the lives of others and that it may help them achieve salvation through the fruit of yoga.