that his mind and body are in the ever-changing world,
but his essence—his soul—resides in a dimension that is
beyond change.
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga program is designed
for those who wish to take their yoga practice to a deeper
level, using their bodies to access more expanded levels of
their minds. This is the time-honored value of yoga—to
cultivate an inner state of centered awareness that cannot
be disturbed by the inevitable turmoil of life.
Layers of Life
People are complex and multifaceted beings with many
rich layers, although the Western scientific model of a
person tends to reflect the Newtonian mechanistic view of
life that sees people as primarily physical entities—bio-
logical machines that have learned to think. Despite the
fact that almost a century ago the discoveries of quantum
physics revealed that the material model of life is incom-
plete, modern medicine and physiology continue to view
people as primarily composed of molecules.
According to this predominantly physical perspec-
tive, if you are feeling depressed, it is not because you are
harboring anger and resentment over the affair your
spouse had with your best friend; rather, it is the result of
inadequate levels of serotonin in your brain. If you simply
enhance the level of this neurotransmitter molecule
through the appropriate selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitor, your depression will vanish. If your blood pres-
sure is elevated, it is not the consequence of constant
strain with your demanding boss; rather, it is the result of
excessive levels of the chemical angiotensin. Take an
12 The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga