Yoga-Pathway To The Divine Takes Us Along On The Path Of Self-Realization Clarifying The Real Meaning Of The Often-Misused Term Yoga, Dispelling The Frequent Misconceptions About This Eternal And Sacred Science. The Author, Paramahamsa Prajnanananda, Reveals The Powerful Truth Of Breath Control And Mind Control And That Yoga Means A State Of Balance And Equanimity And Experiencing The Union Of The Individual Self With The Supreme Self, Realizing We Are Not The Body, But The Soul Living In The Body. Breath Is The Means To Attain This Awareness. This Is Yoga.

At the 1893 Parliament of Religions in Chicago, Swami Vivekananda transformed Western thinking. He showed that, far from being an exotic novelty, Hinduism is an important, legitimate spiritual tradition with valuable lessons for the West. Pathways to Joy is a selection of 108 of his sacred teachings on Vedanta philosophy. In accessible and powerful prose, Vivekananda illuminates the four classical yoga paths — karma, bhakti, raja, and jnana — for the different natures of humankind. The messages focus on the oneness of existence; the divinity of the soul; the truth in all religions; and unifying with the Divine within. Invaluable and inspiring, the selections also explore karma, maya, rebirth, and other great revelations of Hinduism.

A guide to mantra recitation for ecstatic states, spiritual liberation, and higher consciousness • Ideal for those looking to deepen the spirituality of their physical yoga practice • Offers detailed instruction on the practice of mahamantra yoga and exercises to improve one’s practice and move beyond rote chanting Based on a rich and ancient tradition revived more than five hundred years ago by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in India, mahamantra yoga involves repeated recitation of a sacred phrase, such as the name of a deity, to anchor the mind and access ecstatic states, higher consciousness, and, ultimately, as you vibrate the holy names, the Divine presence in sound. Part of the bhakti devotional tradition, mahamantra yoga is considered the best path to self-realization in the current age, offering a doorway into the hidden recesses of our innermost being--the internal forest of the heart. Citing ancient Vedic texts and the insights of perfected mahamantra yogis, Richard Whitehurst reveals the methods of mahamantra yoga and his own profound experiences based on more than 20 years of intense practice. Using the core principles of this ancient tradition, he offers mental and physical exercises--such as how to coordinate the breath, vocal cords, and mouth--to move beyond rote chanting and pursue the practice consciously and joyfully. He explains how to overcome common obstacles to successful chanting as well as purification practices to intensify your efforts.

Bhakti-Yoga is a real, honest search for the Lord that begins, continues, and ends with love. We are free forever because of one crazy moment of crazy love for God. This love can't be reduced to anything on earth, because this love won't come as long as people want things on earth. Bhakti is better than both karma and yoga because karma and yoga are supposed to get you somewhere, but Bhakti is its own goal, its own means, and its own end. Swami Vivekananda talked about Bhakti-Yoga like a spiritual poet, describing it as a symphony of the soul and a dance of devotion in which the seeker gives in to their overwhelming love for the Divine. He stressed that this path was not limited to any one religion. Instead, it was a universal language of the heart that gave people a direct link to the divine part of themselves and the world around them.

Yoga is now internationally an integral part of our health-conscious cultural landscape. It is practiced by millions for health and fitness reasons. While Yoga is seen and practiced mostly as a body exercise program, the interest in the philosophical and spiritual dimension of Yoga is growing. This book introduces us to Patanjali, the founder of ancient Yoga in India. It takes us step by step into a deeper understanding of the essence and origins of Yoga. Osho introduces and unlocks Patanjali's ancient sutras, revealing how contemporary this ancient message truly is. It quickly becomes clear that we are just on the cusp of a gaining a much deeper understanding of Yoga and its place in our evolving world. Surprisingly, the mind even more than the body is the focus of Patanjali’s teaching. He says: "Yoga is the cessation of mind." As Osho says: "This is the definition of Yoga, the best definition. Yoga has been defined in many ways; there are many definitions. Some say Yoga is the meeting of the mind with the divine; hence, it is called yoga – yoga means meeting, joining together. Some say that Yoga means dropping the ego, ego is the barrier: the moment you drop the ego you are joined to the divine. You were already joined; it only appeared that you were not joined because of the ego. There are many definitions, but Patanjali’s is the most scientific. He says: Yoga is the cessation of mind. “What is the mind? What is the mind doing there? What is it? Ordinarily we think that mind is something substantial there, inside the head. Patanjali doesn’t agree, and no one who has ever known the inside of the mind will agree. Modern science also doesn’t agree. Mind is not something substantial inside the head. Mind is just a function, just an activity."

One of the true classics of women's spirituality. Distraught by the untimely death of her husband, Irina Tweedie awakened to a religious and spiritual quest which took her to India, where she found a Sufi teacher who was to revolutionize her life. This book was written from the diary she kept while under his tutelage.