IPhone 3G used's review (An enlightening translation) 『`The Original Yoga' by Shyam Ghosh contains clear translations of three major Sanskrit texts: The Shiva Samhita, the Gheranda Samhita, and the Patanjali Yoga Sutra. What makes this translation so outstanding is the consciousness of Shyam Ghosh. When you read enough translations of Sanskrit texts it becomes obvious that some translators have experienced what they are writing and others are in the process of becoming the wisdom and knowledge contained in these primordial writings.
Shiva Samhita Chapter 5, Verse 101 "He who neglects the Shiva (Atman) installed within him and seeks the one installed outside, is like a man who casts away the morsel of food in his hand and goes round looking for sustenance elsewhere."
Verse 216 "To the yogi who regularly practices this form of non-attachment, the word `I' has no meaning, for he sees everything around him as his own Atman."
Shyam Ghosh was a man of great humility, a retired Government of India officer who died in 2000. When he was asked for a biography he simply replied:
"It is the truth that matters, not the utterer of the Truth. No Truth ever becomes a bit truer even when repeated by the most distinguished person. Hence all genuine aspirants of yoga should be content to remain unknown and unnoticed by others.
Shyam Ghosh also published an excellent translation with commentary of the RGVEDA for the Layman (Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers). Here is a sublime example of his translation of the famous RIG Veda hymn, the Gayatri Mantra:
"That eternal flux of Vast Intelligence, which comes as a distributed radiance of light, is indeed worthy of adoration. May that ever impel our own thinking forward.'
I highly recommend `The Original Yoga' to you. It has deeply enriched my own inner understanding and I am sincerely grateful to Shyam Ghosh for his contribution to my own journey on the path Home.』 『2nd rev. edition, a classic work, analysis and texts』
Kakaku：2399 saved$23.99
BiblioLife
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (A Most Useful Book of Lessons!) 『briefly, the teachings found in this book are intended to assist you in taking back the power over your own mind. most of us are controlled by the various factors of our minds (our fears, passions, affinities, etc.) and have forgotten who is REALLY driving this vehicle that we identify as "Me." these teachings are like road signs on the road back home.
this book, Raja Yoga, is rich with value. like all things, the teachings found in this book cannot be objectively valued; the Candidate (one who would seek teachings such as these) must find the value for him/herself. for me, these teachings cannot be compared to anything else that i've been taught. i'm getting to know myself on a much larger level. i am sooo thankful for these teachings. the value is in the fruits of doing the work.
i highly recommend this book for anyone who feels drawn to read it. follow your instinct...your first inclination is often the most sincere one. also, take your time with it...Rome wasn't built in one day.』
(Masterful!) 『Well defined lessons on separating self from ego and opening up to higher levels of spiritual consciousness. Excellent!』
(Great tools for the development of mind) 『I found this book years ago by an accident, in an antiquity store in Zagreb. More than just worthy of the five stars- I found the lessons extremely useful. However, I would advise any beginner to be careful with the "trap door" and similar techniques, since they can easily lead one to putting too many things into the subconscious realm, instead of the opposite. Things like noticing the details on things, instead of the whole - for instance, counting each scale on a fish - are extremely precious and can help you build concentration and focus. Even the apparently simple things, like focusing your eyes and mind on a dot on the wall, or visualizing your pen, or matching footsteps with imagined music, will strengthen the mind enormously, even with very little practice. Seeing it as a manual for strengthening the mind, it is an excellent book and I recommend it to everybody. However, I would advise a beginner to start with something more general, such as Yogananda's 'Autobiography' or my 'Approach' - even if it means advertising myself :), before getting into specific exercises, because it's important to have a wide spiritual perspective before starting to bother with details.』
(good book on raja yoga THE BEST) 『Easy to understand,covers the subject wel』 『The Yogi Masters are hot satisfied if the Candidate forms merely a clear intellectual conception of this Actual Identity, but they insist that he must feel the truth of the same-must become aware of the Real Self-must enter into a consciousness in which the realization becomes a part of his everyday self-in which the realizing consciousness becomes the prevailing idea in his mind, around which his entire thoughts and actions revolve.』
Kakaku：4738 saved$47.38
Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Great for begginers!) 『If you've never tried yoga before and feel intimidated by the more advanced moves of other types of yoga this is a great book for you. I took the class back in college and still use it now that I am in the military. All I have to say is wow! After coming back from training and trying the sets again I realized how great it really was. He also includes a section for runners and skiers in this book that athletes might find helpful. If your ever attending UAA make sure to try and attend the class!』
(First Kundalini Yoga College Text) 『I use this book as a text for my classes at the University of Alaska Anchorage and is the product of my 25 year yoga teaching career at UAA. I teach beginning, intermediate and yoga for runners and skiers. The book serves all my classes. It includes ninety two basic postures pictured and explained. Hand, eye positions and locks pictured and explained. Breath overview and eleven breathing techniques. Thirteeen beginning exercise series pictured and explained. Seven intermediate exercise series pictured and explained. Meditation overview and thirteen meditations and kriyas. Healing through energy transfer techniques. Waking and preparing for sleep information and series. Foot massage chart and explanation. Staying healthy with food and recipes. How to create your own warm up series. Deep Relaxation and healing techniques.』
(Worth every penny!) 『This is a university textbook from the University of Alaska, from classes taught by Yogi Nirvair Khalsa. If you have had the opportunity to view these classes (also available through Amazon), which were part of an actual Distance Learning college-level course, you know you are in for a treat. Nowhere else will you find such a complete guidebook to Kundalini Yoga. All of Nirvair's video workouts are contained within this book in their entirety, along with other goodies. Suitable for beginners, with intermediate and advanced series, as well as targeted series such as "Heal Your Back Now!", and a complete listing of all postures used individually. Best book on yoga out there!』
Kakaku：510 saved$5.10
Lori Lite
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Finally-a good night's sleep free of nightmares!) 『I love the Indigo Dreams series. It has worked wonders for my son who is diagnosed with Asperger's and ADHD. He somtimes suffers from nighttime anxiety and restlessness. This has led to many sleepless nighs and many nightmares as he struggled to work out the day's events. Since turning him on to Indigo Dreams he is sleeping sound and falling asleep relaxed. He likes the Boy and the Turtle the best and loves the rainbow imagery. We listen together and he is almost always asleep before he end of the CD! Wonderful and highly recommended!』
(sleep magic!) 『My four year old chooses between the 'blue' and the 'purple' cd to listen to as he falls asleep,(purple usually wins!) these have even outdone the Polar Express he had been listening to! calming and soothing- I'm not sure who loves them more- he or I!!!!』
(Nice stories to fall asleep to) 『My son enjoys listening to this cd at night. If he wakes up after a nightmare we turn it back on in the middle of the night so he can relax and fall back asleep. I would reccommend this product to anybody with a small child that has trouble relaxing at night and falling asleep quickly. I have noticed a big difference in the amount of time it takes for him to fall asleep.』
(A Family Lifesaver) 『Not often do I reach out beyond friends, family and our doctors for help when it comes to challenges we have with our anxious child. We sought out help from teachers, doctors and from within - and this series of CD has nurtured our lives! The CD's by Lori Lite have been the beacon of light for us on sometimes stormy nights. The relaxing bedtime CD's have transformed our evenings into pleasant, happy moments we now cherish with our child. My daughter (age 6) can't wait to put on her CD and enjoy the stories that lull her off to bed without a concern in the world - and I'm not even speaking to how empowered she is in the morning. Thank you so much for producing this series - it's been our lifesaver in many different ways!』
(Surpassed expectations) 『I purchased this CD for dual use: for my clients, and for my children. I was hopeful that it would be useful, but since I know I am quite critical of relaxation/imagery CDs given my expertise as an art therapist, psychologist, hypnotherapist who creates imagery, and conducts relaxation training, I didn't expect to be as impressed as I was. Not only did kids like it, but wanted to listen to it over and over again for entertainment. Even siblings who were not the intended audience enjoyed and requested it. My kids liked the stories loved the details and expressiveness of the characters. I found the voice tone good, and the content of the metaphors remarkably cohesive. Its now a staple in our car as well as a recommended resource.』 『Indigo Dreams is a 60 minute CD/audio book designed to entertain your child while introducing them to relaxation and stress-management techniques. Four unique bedtime stories incorporate breathing, visualizations, muscular relaxation and affirmations. These are the same techniques recommended for adults but presented in a fun, interactive format that appeal to children. Children follow the characters along as they learn Yoga belly breathing with A Boy and a Bear, make positive statements with The Affirmation Web, visualize with A Boy and a Turtle and relax with The Goodnight Caterpillar. All four of these stories are also available in book format. Indigo Dream s shorter stories are perfect for shorter attention spans and beginners. The stories are best suited for ages 4-9. These proven techniques encourage wellness and provide tools for children who suffer from anxiety, stress, trauma, hyperactivity, anger, sleep issues and lack of confidence. The narration is accompanied by soothing sounds of crickets, gentle breezes and forest animals. An additional music sound track is included to further enhance your child s relaxation experience.』
Kakaku：440 saved$4.40
My Yoga 2 Go
Usually ships in 24 hours 『The My Yoga 2 Go Practice Deck is a portable an easy-to-use resource for all yogis, young and old, beginner through advanced. My Yoga 2 Go is ideal for harried executives, busy mothers, and frequent travelers anyone who wants to practice yoga without investing in expensive, time-consuming classes and DVDs. This set contains seventy cards, each showing a full-color photograph of a yoga posture. The back of each card contains directions, variations in posture, and benefits of the posture. Each card is color-coded and belongs to one of seven different sequences. Users familiar with yoga can customize their own sequences as they go. Housed in a handy cardboard case, My Yoga 2 Go Practice Deck allows users to conveniently clear their minds and strengthen their bodies, whether in their living room or stranded in an airport.』 fetish『 The Forceful Yoga 』
Kakaku：3174 saved$31.74
Motilal Banarsidass,
Usually ships in 2 to 4 weeks IPhone 3G used's review (Standard manuals of traditional Hatha-Yoga) 『The three Sanskrit texts in this volume are the standard manuals of traditional Hatha-Yoga. The Hathayoga-Pradīpikā, which belongs to the 14th century, is perhaps the most authoritative of the three. The Gheranda-Samhitā was authored probably in the 17th century, while the Śiva-Samhitā is a relatively late text, generally assigned to the 18th century. The translations furnished in the present volume were all done nearly a century ago and therefore cannot be expected to be consistently reliable. This should have been mentioned in the present publication.
Bhatt has gone to the trouble of providing the transliterated Sanskrit text for all three manuals, which allows those with a modicum of knowledge in Sanskrit, to check the renderings. Despite the shortcomings of the translations, it is helpful to have the three major traditional works on Hatha-Yoga gathered in a single volume.
Kakaku：96 saved$0.96
Manuel Ortiz Braschi
Usually ships in 24 hours 『Who Else Wants To Quickly Get Into Shape, Lose Weight, And Become More In Tune With Your Mind, Body And Spirit In Just 5 Days? It does not matter if you have never exercised a day in your life, or your the most fit person in the world... This Yoga guide will help you not only get MORE fit, but make you feel more energized after each workout! Learn about the 7 different types of Yoga. You will discover what each Yoga type consists of so you can choose the one that’s right for you. The secret to using yoga to safely cure any type of pain. You will never have to worry about curing your body aches with health hazardous and toxic medication that often cause even more damage. How Yoga can significantly reduce stress eight times faster than any other method in the world and more! How Yoga an easily give you the stress free life you always wanted just a matter of days and much more! Please visit www.bargaincityebooks.com for the latest ebooks at bargain prices.
Kakaku：250 saved$2.50
AuthorHouse
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (The Most Enlightening Audiobook on Qigong) 『Experience the down-to-earth magic of Qi Dao, a Tibetan energy art unifying Yoga and Tai Chi. This audiobook teaches to embody the strengths of both traditions without concerning yourself with holding poses or doing forms. Instead, this audiobook and the complimentary eBook it comes with can help you develop the Harmonious Culture of Movement unique to Qi Dao. This unique system uses kinesthetic approach, backed by intensive research, testing, and feedback from generations of Qigong masters, practitioners and students.』
(It blew my mind!) 『Qi Dao really expanded my mind, especially the last chapter and conclusion! I was not even prepared for some of the revelations that dawned on me after reading this book, despite all my studies in Shamanism and Energy Healing. Of course, I am not a martial artist like some other reviewers who got exactly what they needed to get out of Qi Dao. I guess everyone can benefit in every one's own way from reading this book and, especially, going through the complete home study course.
The hard cover copy of this book is also a part of the Basic Qi Dao Home Study Course that I ordered on eBay. I am glad it is now available on Amazon too. In addition to this fine book, the course also has many other excellent materials I may review, time permitting.』
(THE TRUE ESSENCE OF CHI KUNG) 『I was fortunate to participate in a teleseminar with Lama Tantrapa where he offered to buy an autographed hard cover copy of his book. I am glad I jumped into this opportunity, because this book proved to be the one I had been dreaming about for years. I wish somebody had taught me these simple principles of body, energy and kinesthetic awareness before I started learning Tai Chi and Kung fu. For decades, I suffered from misalignments of my legs, arms and most notably my neck due to misconceptions learned from various teachers who did not know the principles of Chi Tao (or Qi Dao as the author prefers to spell the name of this quintessential art). Had I learned to move the way Lama Tantrapa suggests in this book and its companion DVD, I would have avoided numerous self-inflicted injuries that resulted in years of pain... It is funny that most martial artists tend to hurt themselves more than anyone else. Carefully studying this system will prevent you from torturing yourself when practicing any other style of martial art, Chi Kung or any type of sport. And if you are a teacher, you should definitely consider Lama's coaching approach to training students, which will empower them to become more authentic and appreciative of the true essence of your art.
I highly recommend the companion DVD that is very helpful in understanding the dynamics of Harmonious Culture of Movement Qi Dao - Tibetan Shamanic Qigong, Part One: Harmonious Culture of Movement.』
(Something to be learned) 『Having read through the qigong literature for some years now, I find nothing particularly "groundbreaking" in this writing. The erudition of the writing is light; without a single citation for the sources the author quotes. Go to any park in Beijing and you'll see people doing warm-up exercises for their taijiquan or gongfu practice. These have been re-packaged as "harmonious culture of movement" or "earth kicks" and the "holding patterns" are reminiscent of Lowen's Bioenergetics. Nevertheless, the explanation of the mechanics of the movements or psychological source of the holding patterns are well done and offer some useful tidbits of insight. The written explanations of the "six directional movements" and martial applications are difficult to understand, perhaps needing the DVD to better complete the explanation.
』
(The most enlightening book on Qigong) 『Experience the down-to-earth magic of Qi Dao, a Tibetan energy art unifying Yoga and Tai Chi. This book teaches to embody the strengths of both traditions without concerning yourself with holding poses or doing forms. Instead, this book and its companion DVD can help you develop the Harmonious Culture of Movement unique to Qi Dao. This unique system uses kinesthetic approach, backed by intensive research, testing, and feedback from generations of Qigong masters, practitioners and students.』 『In this ground-breaking book, Lama Somananda Tantrapa shares the ancient wisdom of Tibetan Shamanic Qigong in a simple and practical way. Discovering, testing and applying its principles will remarkably enhance your vitality with greater attentiveness, awareness and presence. It will help you transform and enlighten your life by developing a culture of movement that is naturally graceful and harmonious. It will also provide you with profound psychological and spiritual insights into the true nature of health, relationships and other issues that teach you to approach life challenges as learning opportunities rather than problems. By practicing Qi Dao, you will unify your body, mind and spirit, empowering your whole being to live in harmony with the flow of the entire universe.』
『This full-color book written with the approval of B.K.S. Iyengar himself will serve as the perfect introduction to Iyengar Yoga, a philosophy and system that concentrates on the asanas or postures to promote unity of the body, mind and spirit.』
IPhone 3G used's review (For an elevated master, this guy really gets off on himself) 『This set of two CDs contains over two hours of material. Unfortunately, there is actually very little methodological content here. The entire first CD, and roughly two-thirds of the second one, is merely pontification from the author. There is a lot of talk about how wonderful dream yoga is, and many stories and anecdotes about what it can do, to the extent that there's not much room left for actual techniques. The technical advice that is included seems to advocate sleep habits that are quite unhealthy in a physical sense.
The content itself seems to be rather amateurishly produced, with long pauses and a rather poor organization of topics. The overall sense I got from listening to this is that Lama Surya Das just likes listening to himself talk. If you're interested in lucid dreaming, you'll make more progress with a different primer. This was a waste of my money and time.』
(Basic Instruction with Dzogchen orientation) 『I listened to the 2-cassette version of this introduction to Tibetan Dream Yoga. LSD (interesting initials) speaks from the Dzogchen tradition which differs greatly from basic Vajrayana (all 4 Tibetan schools + Japanese Shingon) Buddhism. It's the advanced teaching of the old (Nyingma) school as well as of pre-Buddhist Tibetan Bon. It's approach is more relaxed, aimed at effortless Buddhahood vs. heavy-duty ritual practices, dialectical debate, or philosophical arguments. Thus, those familiar with the other 8 "yanas" or paths of Vajrayana may find this approach unfamiliar&less than appealing. Also, LSD speaks more ABOUT Dream Yoga rather than OF it, requiring a listener's fortitude. Instruction is mostly on the last 1/2 of the last side of the last tape. Also, the chanting seems more American Indian than Tibetan (I've been to monasteries in Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan,&Sikkim).
However, LSD draws interesting parallels with other dream systems (e.g. Taoist Chuang Tsu's question after his butterfly dream--Am I a man dreaming of a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming of a man?&the Hasidic dream of a man searching elsewhere for a treasure buried in his home). I find such stories valuable, entertaining,&sometimes enlightening. Of course, this short work cannot go into the depth of Westerner Stephen LaBerge's Lucid Dreaming: A Concise Guide to Awakening in Your Dreams and in Your Life or contemporary Bon Dzogchen Master Tenzin Wangyal's fine The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep.
LSD provides the lucid dreaming "reality-testing" method--regularly asking yourself if you are dreaming or awake. I did this decades ago; it works: the habit of asking carries over into your dream--you ask&answer the question in your dream! Then, you know you are dreaming within the dream. I haven't tried a dark retreat, but one could certainly do one. The main thrust, I believe, of these practices is to blend life into one--to see everything similarly: dreaming, awake, daydreaming, death--all the Bardos experienced as "one taste." This prepares one for the "clear light" experience (The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying: The Spiritual Classic&International Bestseller; Revised and Updated Edition). LSD also provides rituals&a guided meditation. I don't do them; I believe their value depends upon student needs. Obviously LSD cannot tailor-make the tape for each individual listener.
He does provide some interesting Dzogchen turns of phrase: "timeless time," "the dream-like nature of reality," "the daydream we all live in;" words of instruction: "look behind your eyelids as if sky-gazing," "open our 3rd ear," self-shifting," keeping your "feet on earth&head in clouds" at the same time;&one of my favorite William Blake quotes--"He who binds to himself a joy, doth the winged life destroy. Yet he who kisses the joy as it flies, lives in eternity's sunrise." This is very Dzogchen. For deeper insight read the works of the great Dzogchen Master Longchenpa The Practice of Dzogchen&Kindly Bent to Ease Us, Part One: Mind.』
(Terrible) 『As noted by the other reviewers, these tapes contain *very* little in the way of actual technique. At least 3/4 of the content is rambling about what is supposedly going to be taught, and the author often repeats himself at that. I found very little insight in said rambling, mostly fluffy and silly reiteration of the purpose of the tapes... a purpose which the tapes never fulfill. In fact, these tapes for a long time made me distrust the value of any of the Tibetan dream techniques which have been collected and shared with the 'west'. These tapes could easily make anyone unfamiliar with Tibetan Buddhism think that the entire endeavor is a sham... truly a shame.
I found much more insight and technique in LaBerge's work on lucid dreaming, specifically _Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming_ (highly recommended). Fortunately I recently came upon another text that quite effectively brought together the teachings of *Tibetan* dream yoga: _The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep_ by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. I strongly recommend this latter text as *infinitely better* than these tapes.』
(Talk about going to Sleep!) 『While I have the utmost respect for Lama Surya Das, something went terribly wrong here. The lama talks about what he is going to teach you for the entire first tape and for the first side of the second tape. Finally he gets down to the actual teaching only on the second side of tape two. This is truly too bad. It is very hard to train our minds to get to, and stay on a virtuous point of contemplation and meditation. I respectfully think that the lama wildly strayed from the focal point of his teaching.』
(Lots of Sizzle, Not Much Steak) 『Having enjoyed Surya Dass' books and having been intrigued by his personal story (imagine going on a 3-year solo silent retreat, and enjoying it so much you go on another one), I had great expectations for this little pair of cassettes. Alas, those expecations were for nought. Or for not very much.
About three quarters of this not-a-book on tape is Dass' personal reflections on dreams and their importance to the spiritual journey. I felt as if he were addressing an unwilling participant who needed convincing. As I was already willing to give it a good try, I found myself wishing he would for crying out loud, please get to the point!
Which he does.
Finally.
On side 2 of the second tape.
I now see why this was never released as an actual book: the substance of Surya Dass' "Tibetan Dream Yoga" could fit on one side of one piece of paper. My advice: save your money. There are better ways to learn about dream yoga than this.』
『In the secret teachings of ancient Tibet, the dream state is known as "Fourth Time", a malleable realm where the past, present, and future meet. It was here that the first meditation masters of Tibet developed a way to speed their progress through the stages of enlightenment -- while they were asleep. On Tibetan Dream Yoga, respected meditation teacher Lama Surya Das teaches you these exercises to awaken fully within the fabric of your dreams -- plus specific yogic dreaming techniques to enhance creativity, overcome deep-rooted fears, and free yourself from harmful habits in your waking life.』
大満足！北国のホタテ・いくら・ボタンエビがぎっしり！
