Shandilya Upanishad is the sixth volume of the Yoga Upanishads series. The Śāṇḍilya Upaniṣad is connected with the Atharva Veda. It commences with the yogin invoking Rāma to guide him along the eightfold path of yoga to liberation.In the first verse of chapter one, Śāṇḍilya asks Atharvan to instruct him in the eight limbed path of yoga, with the aim of reaching the true Self. Śāṇḍilya himself was a Rishi with many disciples, and was the progenitor of the Śāṇḍilya lineage. Atharvan was a Vedic rishi, who, together with Angiras, is said to have revealed the Atharva Veda, and was the first to perform yagña, fire oblations. The first two sections describe the foundations of yoga, yama and niyama, external and internal restraints. Section three describes the eight āsanas, which, as well as having physical, mental and energic benefits, prepare the body for sitting still for a long time in meditation without discomfort.Later sections describe the fourteen main nāḍīs, ten vāyus, maṇipura cakra and kuṇḍalinī of the subtle or pranic body. The methods of purification of the nāḍīs are described in great detail, as purification is considered necessary for the higher stages of concentration (dhāraṇā) and meditation (dhyāna). The prerequisites for yoga practice are listed. A meditation on agni maṇḍala is given. Prāṇāyāma is defined as AUM, and the practice of nāḍī śodhana prāṇāyāma with emphasis on kumbhaka and the effects of the practice are described in detail.Teachings are then given on khecarī and vaiṣṇavī mudrā, control of prāṇa, awakening kuṇḍalinī, saṃyama, pratyāhāraḥ, dhāraṇā, dhyāna and samādhi. The necessity of both yoga and jñāna for liberation is emphasised.Chapter two has sections on knowledge of Brahman, creation of the universe, the names of Brahman, and Dattātreya.

It is an outstanding book from both the scientific and spiritual points of view. It is the unique record of the pioneering experiments which presents clear, electrophysiological evidence of the existence of the network of chakras and nadis which form the infrastructure of the subtle energies existing in the pranic and psychic dimensions, which underlie and activate the physical, material body of man. The experiments in the book successfully integrate the subjective and objective dimensions of knowledge and will serve as guideposts and blueprints for experiments in the years ahead. The chakras and other components of the human energy field were largely brought to the attention of the Western world by clairvoyant Charles W. Leadbeater. His pioneering work is discussed in detail in this fascinating exploration of the subtle body, along with that of other respected seers and yogis. "This book represents a monumental effort to review and correlate much of the accumulated knowledge of the subtle energy systems...Such a book could only be written by a person who has had the life-long personal experiences which Dr Motoyama so generously shares with the reader. These experiences provide a step-by-step illustration of unfolding and expanding consciousness. The book is necessary reading for all serious students of the subject of consciousness." - George W. Meek

For serious students of yoga who have an established pranayama practice, this book is a follow-up to Rosen’s previous book, The Yoga of Breath. Here he picks up where he left off, offering a selection of traditional yogic techniques for those who wish to deepen their practice of pranayama and their understanding of the ancient wisdom of yoga. Rosen skillfully puts forward an array of awareness disciplines, breathing practices, mudras, and seals, interspersed with anecdotes and quotes from ancient texts. A free audio program available online offers a variety of guided practices so that listeners can create their own pranayama series, with guidance from the author in the appendix. (Download instructions available in the book.)

The ever-increasing popularity of Yoga and related practices makes a desktop reference like this indispensible. With over twenty-five hundred entries and extensive illustrations, it combines comprehensiveness with accessibility. The book is arranged and written in a manner that will inform rather than overwhelm the lay reader, while at the same time offering valuable references for the professional researcher and the historian of religion. This new edition includes information about contemporary Yoga teachers. It also provides fuller descriptions and illustrations of Yoga poses, and features additional cross references.

Students of religion and Eastern thought will welcome this readable translation and practical commentary on the Uddhava Gita, a Hindu text in which Krishna's teachings introduced in the Bhagavad Gita are extended and nuanced. Krishna's Other Song: A New Look at the Uddhava Gita examines the entire Uddhava Gita in relation to other Hindu scriptures, especially the Bhagavad Gita, and shares its teachings in light of interreligious understanding and nonsectarian spirituality. This edition's elaborate commentary, written by a prominent American scholar of Hindu studies, who is also a practitioner, opens up the text's esoteric teaching to a Western audience for the first time, adding context and relevance that make the book accessible and its teachings practicable for a Western readership. A foreword, written by prominent Hinduism scholar Charles S. J. White joins the author's own introduction to lay out the Uddhava Gita's background, philosophical dimensions, and religious significance. This edition does not include the original Sanskrit, nor does it labor to translate each word verbatim. Rather, it gives the reader all 1,030 verses in plain English, offering accessible commentary that allows the meaning and relevance of the Uddhava Gita to unfold to one and all.