2,100 Asanas: The Complete Yoga Poses

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Begin Reading Table of Contents Newsletters Copyright Page In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uplo ...

Opening Prayer Om For the peaceful resolution From the illusionary nature of dualistic existence, I ground myself before the lot ...

A MESSAGE FROM MR. YOGA The ultimate goal of yoga is self-realization. You do not need to go to the mountaintop to find it or pa ...

A HISTORY OF YOGA Most of us know yoga as a set of poses performed in a gym or yoga studio setting. The majority of yoga styles ...

Tantra a very sexual reputation. This is, however, a common misunderstanding, since Tantra practices extend far beyond sexuality ...

The poses throughout this book are identified by both their English and Sanskrit names. The English name is a direct translation ...

THE EIGHT LIMBS OF YOGA The Yoga Sutras, also known as The Eight Limbs (Ashtanga) of Raja (King) Yoga, was the first fully devel ...

straight to the yoga poses. Others will go straight to meditation and neglect physical health. I highly recommend starting with ...

The second limb helps refine your spiritual path. Discipline and self-restraint lead to a more orderly and productive life. From ...

perform the asanas had very little to do with what he contributed to the world as a great yogi. The same applies to you. The pra ...

hear, touch, and taste. Pratyahara refers to the withdrawal of the senses from external objects and our modern-day need for cons ...

achieve one-pointed concentration. The word om, a deity, or a candle flame are all examples of objects of meditation. Total abso ...

THE UJJAYI BREATH Breath is an essential staple of every yoga practice. By focusing on the breath, a yogi is able to stay in the ...

THE BANDHAS Bandha means “lock.” Bandhas were traditionally believed to regulate the flow of life energy (prana) throughout the ...

THE DRISHTIS Drishtis are the meditation gazing points to focus on while performing the poses. They are designed to aid with pro ...

HOW TO APPROACH YOGA POSES Yoga poses provide much more than a physical workout. Performing them builds character. Facing your f ...

RELAXATION AND MEDITATION Relaxation Corpse Pose (Shavasana) (Shava in Sanskrit means “corpse”) After an intensive asana practic ...

Start in Staff Pose (Dandasana), both legs extended in front of you. Grab onto your sitting bones and pull back the flesh to l ...