The Mirror of Yoga helps to explain it all
I was contacted to review a copy of Richard Freeman’s The Mirror of Yoga, available September 14, this was not an easy overnight review as the book is very content dense, informative and like all non-fiction books can become – a little dry over prolonged reading.
This is not to say it is not well written, it is. The book is what you would expect if you sat down to speak with a guru about, well – why not gurus? In a chapter entitled “Cutting Through Fundamentalism” Freeman delves into the sometimes sketchy topic of what a guru is and demystifies the term for laypeople and yoga practitioners alike. Scattered through out the book are simple – but evocative – drawings, artwork really. Absent are discussion of particular asanas, photos of the lithe bending like pretzels – this is truly an academic work. You will find in the back a fairly in-depth glossary, chanting and Sanskrit pronunciation guide.
I can not comment about every single topic and point Freeman makes, but I will say he is very much on par with my own line of thinking around yoga; that however, wherever and whatever form of yoga you practice – it all leads back to one central point.
So let me put this book in perspective by saying –if like me you lack the time and patience to sift through the very voluminous books that Georg Feuerstein has written, if you don’t want to interpret or decide which copy of the Bhagavad Gita to choose, or don’t have the money to spend on teacher training to learn the esoteric components and philosophical point of yoga not covered in a basic class – this is the perfect compact book for you. It is a wonderful compilation of everything you wish you knew, didn’t know to ask about and concepts you needed clarified all for only $24.95. Education and knowledge has never been so portable, simple and inexpensive – trust me.
From the publisher’s own site,
The world of yoga is astonishingly rich in its array of schools and practices. Yet, as diverse as they seem, they share a common aim: the discovery of the essence of existence that can be found at the core of our being, and the liberation that comes from that discovery. With this worthy goal in mind, Richard Freeman presents an enlightening overview of the many teachings, practices, and scriptures that serve as the basis for all the schools of yoga—hatha, bhakti, jnana, karma, tantra, and others. He shows how the myriad forms are ultimately related, and can even be perceived to make up a vast, interpenetrating matrix, symbolizing the unity, profundity, and beauty of the ancient tradition.
Richard’s wide-ranging discussion includes the Upanisads and Samkhya philosophies, the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, the eight limbs of astanga yoga, the process and purpose of hatha yoga, and much more. He also explores the role of the guru, chanting, meditation, and the yogic imperative of offering service to others. All of this is applied to the actual practice, giving the reader the tools to digest and apply the wealth of information to daily life. The Mirror of Yoga will be a welcome resource to all yogis who wish to better practice the profound philosophy underlying their practice.
