Marblehead School of Raja Yoga
Self-awareness and meditation – group, private and online classes
The text is from EF Bryant’s “The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali”. I shouted “WHHAT?!” when I read the bottom one, and hugged Bryant’s book to my chest when I read the top one.
These are Patanjali’s students who have become my teachers: Sri Swami Satchidananda; Amritanjali and her devotee Swami Turiyamritananda Puri; and Edwyn F. Bryant .
This spiritual stuff is absolutely real. God bless us all. Allan A. Dowds 😉
• September and November 2010 issues of “Yoga Journal”; specifically, articles on the history of yoga
• “Light on Yoga” by BKS Iyengar; specifically, “Part One – What is Yoga”
• “First There is a Mountain” by Elizabeth Kadetsky; presents an objective view of BKS written by a journalist who became part of his inner circle; includes many historical references
• “The Bhagavad Gita” by Winthrop Sargeant; this is the truest transliteration from Sanskrit to English; good to use as a reference though no commentary
• Any of several readily available books on the two widely recognized original and authoritative texts on Raja Yoga: the Bhagavad Gita, and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Reading multiple interpretations provides a broader understanding of the material.
• Swamij.com
• Any of several anatomy books written for yoga students, for example, “Anatomy of Hatha Yoga” by H David Coulter, or “The Key Muscles of Hatha Yoga” by Ray Long
• “Hatha Yoga Pradipika” – the version I have was written by Swami Muktibodhananda
• “Light on Pranayama” by BKS Iyengar
• Anything by Thich Nhat Hanh, including the “Miracle of Mindfulness”; while Buddhist, this is good description of what yogis refer to as a clear and correct state of mind
Check out SwamiJ.com.
Some of the material there is pretty deep, but if you’re interested in learning about meditation, this is a wonderful resource.
Once on the site, click on “Yoga Sutras” and then “Chapters”. You should see:
Concentration: Chapter 1 of the Yoga Sutras is entitled Samadhi Pada, which means the chapter on concentration. Chapter 1 describes yoga, witnessing five kinds of thoughts, uncoloring thoughts, the twin principles of practice and non-attachment, the stages of concentration, efforts and commitments, obstacles and solutions, and means and results of stabilizing the mind.
The 51 sutras of Chapter 1 have been divided into 9 sections:
While SwamiJ.com is truly awesome, I suggest reading multiple interpretations of what the author (Patanjali) was trying to convey. The next time you’re in a bookstore, find the section on yoga – and the smaller section on yoga philosophy; specifically, The Yoga Sutras. Flip thru whatever books are on the shelf and see if one or two of them appeal to you (some are quite academic – while quite helpful, perhaps not the place to start). Start with the chapter summaries, and then read one section of a chapter at a time – focusing on the first two chapters. Remember, this is entirely a personal practice; there’s no right or wrong way to interpret the sutras, the intent of which are to reduce human suffering!
It’s not easy to “unpack” the Yoga Sutras without a teacher, but the above is a good way to start – and as the sutras promise, hang in there and you will succeed (if “only” in improving your health and happiness)!
